Upcoming 2006 elections

The Republicans and Democrats are making the Iraq war "the issue" that is front and center in the debate for the November elections and possibly setting the stage for the Presidential elections of 2008. In order to help facilitate the discussion on whether we should "cut and run", as the Republicans say the Democratic position is, or if we should "stay the course", as the Democrats say the Republican position is, I have provided a suggested series of consequences for voters and those elected.

Here it is:

In both 2006 and 2008, any State, which votes Republican and sends their candidates for Congress and the Senate to Washington, will be required to send all the troops from their State to Iraq to fight the war. Any State, which votes Democratic and sends their candidates for Congress and the Senate to Washington, must bring all their State's troops home from Iraq. In addition, those States who vote Republican would have their taxes increase to pay for the war and those voting Democratic would have their taxes reduced.

Can you see the benefits of this proposal?

Not many in the Congress or the Senate have their children fighting this war in Iraq. So the next best thing is to send their constituents' children, since they truly supported the election of their candidates and endorsed their positions. They would be required to also institute a military draft in only those States, to provide appropriate consequences to teach voters there are consequences to their votes that have a direct impact on their communities. True, the contribution of troops will fall all on the Red States rather than the Blue States, however, it may bring the country together in a non-partisan way. If the Democrats win and their State’s troops come home, then maybe Democrats will join Republicans and call for "staying the course" with Red State troops filling the void. This could garner unanimous votes in Congress and in the Senate, which has been a rare event.

Of course, if the Republicans win and must send all the troops from their State to fight the war in Iraq, the citizens of the State would be compensated as follows: the Estate tax would be repealed exclusively for those States sending all the troops to Iraq, as compensation for their ultimate sacrifice. They would most likely need their money to pass directly to their heirs without taxation so that they would have enough money to pay for the increased War tax.

There is a down side to this idea. Republican voters might "flip flop" on the issue and decide it's time to leave Iraq and bring the troops home, voting against the ideologues. This could also unfortunately have the effect of wrestling the Republican Party away from the ideologues and closer to the center of the political divide. This would cause the Religious Right to have to take a good look at whom they support for office and cause some unexpected review of to whom they provide financial support. :)

In any event, we would return to those boring days, when no one could tell the difference between a Republican and a Democrat because there was bi-partisan support for good ideas and for solving our pressing problems.

Bi-partisanship can return, if we are creative!

What do you think?