# What role will the Iraq War play in the 2006 Congressional elections? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 12, 2006, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076 "2006-03-12T20:48:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/1 "2006-03-12T20:48:07Z")
The Iraq War is the most divisive new issue to hit America since the Vietnam War. Yet, as with Vietnam (during most phases, with the exception of the 1972 presidential election), there is no clear partisan policy divide. This war (unlike Vietnam) is entirely a Republican project on which the Dems have just gone along. It’s something by which the the Dems **could** clearly distinguish themselves when offering the voters a choice in November. But, as it’s shaking out, the Dems are not responding to widespread disillusionment by calling for peace. From _The Nation,_ 3/27/06 – [http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060327/berman:](http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060327/berman:) > [@](#): > > On the advice of top party consultants, the Democrats in the run-up to the 2006 midterm vote are either ignoring Iraq and shifting to domestic issues (the strategy in the 2002 midterm elections) or supporting the war while criticizing Bush’s handling of it (the strategy in the 2004 presidential election). Three years into the conflict most Democrats can finally offer a cogent critique of how the Bush Administration misled the American people and mismanaged the Iraqi occupation, but they’re unwilling or unable to suggest clearly how the United States should extricate itself from that mess. > > To be sure, some highly visible leaders of the party, including Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean and House minority leader Nancy Pelosi, have publicly advocated an end to the war. “We do need to make it clear to the American people that after this savaging we’ve taken at the hands of [Karl] Rove, we are going to stand up for the country and that we have a better plan,” Dean told The Nation. “We’re not going to make a permanent commitment to a failed strategy, which is what Bush has actually done.” But even Dean and Pelosi have done little within party channels to push for a change in position among their prowar colleagues. For now, many prominent Democrats continue to follow the advice of the party’s risk-averse consultants and foreign policy intelligentsia–a cautious tack that is unlikely to satisfy voters’ desire for change on the crucial issue of the day. Will this change between now and November? If you want to vote for disengagement/pullout – will you have any options on the ballot? ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/2 "2006-03-13T20:19:16Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > It’s something by which the the Dems **could** clearly distinguish themselves when offering the voters a choice in November. Yes, but that would require a Democratic party leadership that’s (a) intelligent and (b) willing to take a stand, two caracteristics which are in short supply these days. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/3 "2006-03-13T20:58:15Z")
None. The Democrats are too spineless to make a stand ( _any_ stand ), and the American public is apparently too moronic to care or notice what the Republicans are doing to this country. ---
**Author:** ![alaricthegoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@alaricthegoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alaricthegoth)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/4 "2006-03-13T21:47:42Z")
> [@Der Trihs](#): > > None. The Democrats are too spineless to make a stand ( _any_ stand ), and the American public is apparently too moronic to care or notice what the Republicans are doing to this country. ouch. I scramble like a donkey in quicksand to refute this . First of all, glug…glug…gl… ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/5 "2006-03-13T21:55:54Z")
This should be simple for Democrats. It doesn’t require taking a stand; it doesn’t require that they be able to explain why they voted to give Bush war powers in Iraq. All they have to do is state: 1. The Republicans lied to you (and us) and look at the mess we’re in. 2. We’re not Republicans. 3. Vote for us. ---
**Author:** ![jawdirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@jawdirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jawdirk)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/6 "2006-03-13T22:44:47Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > All they have to do is state: > > 1. The Republicans lied to you (and us) and look at the mess we’re in. > 2. We’re not Republicans. > 3. Vote for us. Too many syllables. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/7 "2006-03-13T22:54:23Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > This should be simple for Democrats. It doesn’t require taking a stand; it doesn’t require that they be able to explain why they voted to give Bush war powers in Iraq. All they have to do is state: > > 1. The Republicans lied to you (and us) and look at the mess we’re in. > 2. We’re not Republicans. > 3. Vote for us. Isn’t that pretty much what they tried for the last Presidential election (substitute “Bush” for “The Republicans”)? What makes you think it’s going to work this time? ---
**Author:** ![alaricthegoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@alaricthegoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alaricthegoth)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/8 "2006-03-13T23:01:35Z")
> [@iamthewalrus(:3=](#): > > Isn’t that pretty much what they tried for the last Presidential election (substitute “Bush” for “The Republicans”)? > > What makes you think it’s going to work this time? well, for one thing, the shitpile is somewhat higher now…but don’t lets get our hopes up prematurely… ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/9 "2006-03-14T00:36:42Z")
> [@iamthewalrus(:3=](#): > > Isn’t that pretty much what they tried for the last Presidential election (substitute “Bush” for “The Republicans”)? Actually, no. Kerry ran a completely stupid defensive campaign, attempting to rationalize his vote, and using his Three Purple Hearts as toughness credentials. ---
**Author:** ![Sevastopol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Sevastopol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevastopol)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/10 "2006-03-14T02:20:14Z")
It is a mistake to think of the Iraqi invasion as a failure. An inevitable mistake though, as many normal and rational people will believe the administration started the invasion for the reasons it gave. No, > [@](#): > > As we gain distance on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, America’s waning enthusiasm for nation-building only strengthens the impression that the neocons were naive idealists manipulated to window-dress a much simpler and more brutal post-9/11 imperative: Afghanistan and Iraq offered opportunities for revenge and for spectacles of US power designed to assuage the wounded pride of the American people. The wars have not made the world a safer or better place because that was not their aim. [Article in full.](http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1729399,00.html) Having exercised revenge and plenty of spectacle the Administration will again be rewarded by its followers. The tame media will work on the rest, so expect a middling to slight change around November ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/11 "2006-03-14T03:01:55Z")
I think it will have a major impact across the board…though the shit will probably hit the Republicans harder than the Democrats. Recent polls seem to indicate that more and more Americans think Iraq is a lost cause. > [@jsc1953](#): > > 1. The Republicans lied to you (and us) and look at the mess we’re in. > 2. We’re not Republicans. > 3. Vote for us. 1. Uhuh. So, either the Dems were in on it or they were asleep at the switch…or they are so monumentally stupid that they LET the Republican’s lie to them and didn’t bother to try and dig to find the truth but swallowed everything whole. Knowing the system marginally better than you seem too I know my own answer to this…which is that the Dems went along and the majority also thought the information they were getting from the various intelligence agencies was right. I think the majority of Americans are going to be looking with a fishy eye at BOTH parties…YMMV 1. This is certainly true. 🙂 2. It worked SO well for the Dems in 2004 that I agree its a winning strategy again. Don’t attempt to renew your tired and drab decades old party line, don’t show what you could do better, don’t lay out a path to the future…simply keep saying how bad the 'Pubs are and pointing out that you aint them. You should win in a land slide… :dubious: > [@jsc1953](#): > > Actually, no. Kerry ran a completely stupid defensive campaign, attempting to rationalize his vote, and using his Three Purple Hearts as toughness credentials. Kerry ran a completey defensive campaign (I don’t disagree it was stupid)?? Did you see the same election I did??? -XT ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/12 "2006-03-14T03:05:47Z")
> [@Sevastopol](#): > > It is a mistake to think of the Iraqi invasion as a failure. An inevitable mistake though, as many normal and rational people will believe the administration started the invasion for the reasons it gave. No, **Sev.** Such people might be “normal,” but by no means “rational.” ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/13 "2006-03-14T15:12:45Z")
Iraq won’t matter - because the war with Ira **n** will be the main issue in Autumn 2006. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/14 "2006-03-14T15:22:43Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Kerry ran a completey defensive campaign (I don’t disagree it was stupid)?? Did you see the same election I did??? The point is, while Kerry called Bush on many things, he did not (could not, because of his voting history) make an issue of the actual decision to go to war, nor did he characterize Bush as the evil lying shitbag chickenhawk warmonger that he is. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/15 "2006-03-14T16:06:58Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > the Dems went along and the majority also thought the information they were getting from the various intelligence agencies was right. I think the majority of Americans are going to be looking with a fishy eye at BOTH parties…YMMV This is where the minority has an advantage – the Republicans control the executive, the legislative and the flow of intelligence. All the Democrats have to do is say “they lied. We’re not running an alternative version of the CIA. They lied.” When the Republicans respond with “you shoulda, coulda…and Saddam’s a bad guy…and besides, do you have a better exit strategy?” the Democrats go back to point #1. They lied. Your sons died. It’s Rovian in its simplicity. Stay on message. They lied. > [@](#): > > Kerry ran a completey defensive campaign (I don’t disagree it was stupid)?? Did you see the same election I did??? Like BrainGlutton said, Kerry didn’t have the cojones to call Bush a lying scumbag warmonger. His attempt to defend his voting record left him wide open to the “flip flopper” attack, and his “I’m really a tough guy cuz I won 3 Purple Hearts” left him open to the Swift Boat crap. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/16 "2006-03-14T16:47:22Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > This is where the minority has an advantage – the Republicans control the executive, the legislative and the flow of intelligence. All the Democrats have to do is say “they lied. We’re not running an alternative version of the CIA. They lied.” When the Republicans respond with “you shoulda, coulda…and Saddam’s a bad guy…and besides, do you have a better exit strategy?” the Democrats go back to point #1. They lied. Your sons died. It’s Rovian in its simplicity. Stay on message. They lied. So basically you are playing up to the unsophistication and ignorance of the voters you are trying to attract. Hm…well, you may be onto something there I suppose. 'Course, it may backfire on you…but I admit that you can generally not go wrong playing to ignorance. > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > The point is, while Kerry called Bush on many things, he did not (could not, because of his voting history) make an issue of the actual decision to go to war, nor did he characterize Bush as the evil lying shitbag chickenhawk warmonger that he is. Well, I disagree that Kerry didn’t not speak to the decision to go to war at all, though admittedly he didn’t hammer away at it much…would have been hard since he went along. However, there was certainly no lack of OTHERS who were hammering away at Bush and company about it. While these may or may not have been cats paws for the Dems, they certainly were anti-Bush and were pretty vocal…and pretty widely in circulation among the general population. Technically you are right of course…it wasn’t KERRY (directly) who was saying it. Then again Bush didn’t DIRECTLY have or say much about the whole Swift Boats thing…right? Maybe you’ll get more traction this time about painting the war in Iraq as a Republican plot that the Dems were tricked into. jsc1953 Seems to think its a winning strategy and that this is essentially all you’ll have to do to win…just keep hammering away on message and hope your electorate is ignorant enough to swallow it whole. Could work too…this is American after all. 🙂 -XT ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/17 "2006-03-14T16:49:48Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Maybe you’ll get more traction this time about painting the war in Iraq as a Republican plot that the Dems were tricked into. That would have the added advantage of being (substantially) the truth. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/18 "2006-03-14T17:10:51Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > this is essentially all you’ll have to do to win…just keep hammering away on message and hope your electorate is ignorant enough to swallow it whole. Well, if the electorate was sophisticated we wouldn’t be having this discussion. Fortunately for the Dems, there’s lots more to discuss than Iraq. There should be a whole “turn the rascals out” theme to this campaign. Are you sick of legislation being written by Enron and Jack Abramoff? Are you sick of undercover CIA agents being outed for political reasons? Are you sick of tax cuts for the rich while deficits soar and your job goes to India? Are you sick of FEMA being dismantled and run by political cronies, because the DHS is more concerned about kicking muslims off airplanes? Are you sick of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo? And America being a disgrace to the world community? Are you sick of domestic spying and having your civil liberties trampled? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/19 "2006-03-14T17:24:41Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Well, if the electorate was sophisticated we wouldn’t be having this discussion. > > Fortunately for the Dems, there’s lots more to discuss than Iraq. There should be a whole “turn the rascals out” theme to this campaign. But your suggestions are pretty weak. Stick more to the mess in Iraq, the poor response to Katrina and the deficit. > [@](#): > > Are you sick of legislation being written by Enron and Jack Abramoff? Which legislation are we talking about? > [@](#): > > Are you sick of undercover CIA agents being outed for political reasons? There was more than one? And how do you know it was for political reasons? That plays well to the base, but you already have them. > [@](#): > > Are you sick of tax cuts for the rich while deficits soar and your job goes to India? What specifically are you going to do to keep my job from going to India? > [@](#): > > Are you sick of FEMA being dismantled and run by political cronies, because the DHS is more concerned about kicking muslims off airplanes? Right message, wrong phraseology. Drop the part of muslims. Most Americans probbably WANT muslims kicked off airplanes. > [@](#): > > Are you sick of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo? And America being a disgrace to the world community? Don’t bring up Gitmo (what are you, pro-terrorist?) and don’t go on about the “world community”. Didn’t you learn anything from Kerry’s blunders last time? > [@](#): > > Are you sick of domestic spying and having your civil liberties trampled? What have the Democrats done to end “domestic spying”? One Senator sent one handwritten letter to Bush over a span of 3 years. Besides, most Americans are OK with the NSA program. This is a losing proposition for the Dems. Talk about “selling our ports to foreigners” instead. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076/20 "2006-03-14T17:35:40Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Which legislation are we talking about? > > What specifically are you going to do to keep my job from going to India? Hey, I’m a foaming-at-the-mouth liberal demagogue. I don’t need no stinkin’ specifics. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-role-will-the-iraq-war-play-in-the-2006-congressional-elections/348076.md?page=2)