Yet given the sorry state of our Army, the erosion of the U.S. credibility in the world, and the deficits as far as the eye can see, you’ve got to believe President Reagan is turning over in his grave.As I recall, "the world" was more afraid of Reagan than it was of the Soviets (if you think "the world" begins and ends at the United Nations), and even conservatives criticized his deficit spending. So why is the internationalist Democrat invoking RR?
Here's what he said last night after his re-election victory:
Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown, handily defeated Republican Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey, who had hoped to capitalize on Mr. Murtha's opposition to the war in Iraq and comments he's made about Marines and their role in the killings of Iraqi civilians.
Last night, he said his victory was evidence the voters can affect the conduct of a sitting president. The Soviet Union, he said, dissolved because it dictated from the top down. "The U.S. dictates from the bottom up. When the people speak, the president of the U.S. and the rest of us listen," Mr. Murtha said. "You have spoken."
So Murtha is Reagan, and Bush is Gorbachev? What the hell???
There must be some corollary to Godwin's Law that applies to comparisons to the USSR. If there is, in this context, Murtha just lost the debate.
He loses anyway, for bringing up Reagan's name. Murtha was a Democratic Congressman when Reagan was president. Where does he get off presenting himself as a neo-Reagan for the 21st century? Murtha is the anti-anti-communist.
Gary has it right -- Murtha's re-election is a disgrace, and he deserves no quarter in the coming political battles. On the positive side, he can only serve for two years before he has to run again -- and I want to see Diana Irey back in the race, picking up right where she left off last night. She ran for all the right reasons:
Addressing about 200 supporters, Ms. Irey made no reference to the incumbent in her concession speech. Earlier in the night, she alluded to the war and U.S. troops in Iraq. "My motivation to beat Jack was largely to do right by them," she said.It was never just about her.
