What the Democrat Victory Means to the World

By Michael F.

Notre Dame Secondary School
Brampton

As printed in the December Notre Dame Newspaper.

Last month, on Tuesday, November 7, Americans went to the polling stations, as they do every two years, to elect representatives to Congress and the U.S. Senate. The Democrat Party won the election, but why? With the Republicans in power: unemployment is at a very low 4.4%; the economy has begun to boom once again; the majority of Americans have increased take-home pay and tax cuts; gas has dropped to a nationwide average of $2.08 a gallon—there have been no terrorist attacks on U.S. soil since September 11, 2001. These are the numbers that were rejected by the United States citizens.

The defeat occurred for many reasons, such as Bush's low approval rating and various scandals such as the Mark Foley disaster where it was found that the Republican Congressman was having sexual encounters with teenagers in the House of Representatives. Furthermore, the Republican Party failed to preach conservatism in this election, and instead allowed themselves to be defined by various scandals, like that of Mark Foley. With all of the people complaining about the war, Bush, and some aspects of the American economy, Republicans were afraid to stand for proud conservative beliefs. If this political party does not have a complete turnaround by the 2008 Presidential Elections, the country of America is on track for a far-leftist government. The Democrats have control of the House, the Senate, and in two years may very well gain control of the White House. This will change the vast economic advancements set forward by the Republicans, foreign policies, and will even alter all of the hard work and lives lost fighting for America's freedom. It is time for political figures on the Right to re-evaluate exactly what they stand for, and begin to act like conservatives instead of being afraid of the politically-correct society.

The biggest reason for the defeat, however, is the controversial War in Iraq. The United States has been present in Iraq for three and a half years, and many American lives have been lost. However, the American presence in Iraq has been the crucial point on this War on Terror, and Bush is accurate when he has said repeatedly: "The only way we lose in Iraq is if we bring the troops home." Yet many people on both sides of the political spectrum refuse to acknowledge the threat of terrorism, and actually want to lose the war in Iraq, in order to bring home the troops. Because these selected individuals do not understand the war, and what our Western civilization is fighting to defend, they believe that the war is wrong. The reality of this war is very simple however: America is fighting for their lives in Iraq, and nothing less.

Have people really forgotten September 11, or have they just decided not to acknowledge it? There is a famous quotation: We should live and learn, but by the time we've learned, it's too late to live. This speaks to the people that have not learned from history. In WWII, the world waited too long to act against Hitler and his deadly Nazis Party. Had Hitler been stopped instead of appeased at the Munich Conference, millions of lives would have been saved. If citizens knew their history, they would have learned two things: first, that you cannot appease evil dictators, let alone terrorists; second, that you have to acknowledge a problem before it is too late to deal with it. Once the world knew they had to stop this evil dictator, people recognized the cause of the war, made sacrifices and wanted to win. Today, people only want to postpone the terrorists from striking. They want to bring the troops home, whatever the cost.

And the cost will be deadly. Right now, the Americans are on the offensive and are winning the War on Terror: they have eliminated an evil dictator from a position of power, and hundreds of terrorists, since they entered Iraq; they have made the world a safer place; they have established a democracy in a former-dictatorship; they have increased homeland security. Leaving Iraq now, before the job is done, sends a message to the terrorists that America is no longer a superpower nation, and they are unable to defend themselves. It also provides terrorists cells access to the deserts of Iraq to begin training once again, and plot more attacks similar to 9/11.

Were the terrorists happy with the results of this election? It's an important question to ask in an age where national defense is such a top priority. To present a clear answer, they were delighted. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, "Since Washington's hostile and hawkish policies have always been against the Iranian nation, this defeat is actually an obvious victory for the Iranian nation." Jihad Jaara, a member of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror group and the infamous leader of the 2002 siege of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, remarked: "Of course Americans should vote Democrat." The terrorists wanted Americans to vote Democrat and, very simply, they did. The terrorists want nothing more for the liberals in the House to vote to bring the American troops home, and leave them alone to plot more terror attacks.

In war, people are killed. Seeing young men and women arrive home in body bags is extremely unsettling, yes, but one cannot forget the reason they died, and how important the cause is, not only to America, but to all of the supporters of basic freedoms. To quote Rush Limbaugh, the most erratic and brilliant talk radio host of the modern era: "War is worthless except for ending slavery, Nazism, fascism, and communism. Other than that, war is pointless."

Canada is no safe haven either, and people need to be reminded of that. "The terrorists will never attack here," claim many Canadians. This is highly ignorant. Last June, seventeen terrorist suspects were arrested and tried in the very courthouse located here in Brampton for charges of conspiracy, planning to blow up buildings in Toronto and the GTA. People still don't recognize the threat, and call the War on Terror "America's war." They neglect to consider that Canada has many of its military troops in Afghanistan, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper is planning to double that number. Over forty Canadians have died in this war, fighting for causes in which they strongly believe.

Until Bush leaves office in 2009, the War on Terror will no doubt continue, but it is only won with a full commitment from the Democrats. For every troop that is sent back and for every tax dollar taken away from the war effort, the terrorists become one step closer to executing another horrific plot similar to the 9/11 attack. Defeat in this war will ultimately be the defeat of our very way of life in the West. And yet people still wonder: why are we fighting?