Published: September 13, 2007 09:27 am         

The real story behind the story

Dear Editor,

It is instructive to see what Congress just did as regards the Mexican trucking experiment and then compare it to Iraq. Congress just defunded the experiment of the federal DOT to allow Mexican trucks on the U.S. highway system. Hence, end of pilot program. Opponents of the program had charged the Bush administration was trying to implement it secretly, and called it the "stealth" experiment. Mexican trucks and drivers are notoriously unsafe, and this action by Congress will save American lives and jobs. It was the correct decision. I know because I worked in the industry for 15 years. But did you see how Congress asserted its power. They defunded it. Actually, the Senate did it but the House is expected to follow the Senate's lead. Congress is ultimately the most powerful branch because it has the power of the purse strings.

Now consider the Iraq war. Congress has the same power as relates to the Iraq war. They can stop it today by defunding it. But they don't. Why? Because they don't want to. Therefore, this is not George Bush's war. It is Congress's war. Congress authorized Bush to carry out the war and Congress continues to fund it.

So why are you always thinking this is George Bush's war? Here's why. A small leftist cabal in the Congress, mainly Democratic, in cohoots with the mainstream media, mainly liberal, want you to think that, and they keep on, day after day, pounding that into your head through the mainstream media. Have you ever heard of the 2008 presidential election year? That is the reason for the assault.

The founding fathers were wise. They put the power to declare war and the power of the purse strings directly in the hands of our representatives, who they felt were closer to the people. Once a war is authorized, the President is responsible for carrying it out as commander in chief of the military, which Bush is doing. President Johnson always complained that Congress authorized the Vietnam War, and when the going got tough, Congress deserted him. It remains to be seen if this Congress will do the same to Bush.

The dilemma we all face now is after spilling the blood of 4,000 of our young men, do we turn tail and run or finish the job. Having had a bitter experience in Vietnam myself, I say we finish the job and honor our fallen comrades. Right now Congress believes the same thing and that is why the war goes on despite all the dust thrown up by leftist Democrats and their friends in the mainstream media. And it will continue.