The State of the Union; Bush, the Democrats, the alternative

Bush's State of the Union speech was just about as anticipated... but, the Democratic response has been just as shameful.

The Democrats continue to go backwards on single-payer, universal health care; choosing instead to create as much confusion as possible on this issue as Bush tries to bring all working people down on this issue while enriching even further the insurance companies and the HMO's. The only way to begin to address the health care issue is to take the insurance companies and HMO's right out of the picture. All this talk from both Democrats and Republicans about there being some kind of special relationship between patient and doctor is a bunch of crap. Many of the best doctors are employed by the public sector all over the world. Socialized, public health care is what we need to strive for.

As for the war in Iraq, Bush is hell bent on expanding this war into Iran and Syria and won't be satisfied until this entire region is in chaos. Again, like on health care, the Democrats have refused to be assertive in bringing this dirty war to an end. Many Democrats still talk about "winning" and "completing the mission."

There never was anything to win in this war in Iraq and this "mission" never should have begun in the first place. What exactly is there to "win?" Absolutely nothing. What is the "mission." No one dares to say. Both questions go unanswered by those who use these terms.

There are only two objectives: oil and regional domination. Iraqis will fight to control their oil; they will never give in to U.S. imperialism's attempt to dominate the region... nor will Iranians, Syrians, Palestinians or any one else.

Bush intends to further inflame national, religious, and ethnic hatreds to the point that peace in the region will take years to achieve; this remains Bush's only strategy.

At this point, only George McGovern's "Blueprint" to end the war in Iraq offers any meaningful way to end war; so far Democrats, shamefully, have refused to discuss this.

Working people have endured six long years of Bush as Democrats did nothing. Now, even after voters have delivered the Democrats a firm mandate the Democrats still acquiesce in the name of "moderation" and "bi-partisan" unity. There has been nothing "moderate" or "bi-partisan" in character to Bush and the big-business agenda that he has pushed without relent for the past six years.

The time has come for working people to serve notice on the Democrats that acquiescence was not what working people had in mind entering the polling booths on November 7.

The Democrats were given a clear mandate to end this dirty war and to get us out of Iraq now. The Democrats were given a very clear mandate that nothing less than no-fee, comprehensive, all-inclusive, single-payer, universal health care is acceptable as an alternative to the health care mess we got into because everyone from doctors to hospitals, HMO's and insurance companies view health care as just another get rich quick gimmick... the time has come to put the health care needs of people before profits.

Once again, the Democratic Party has missed the boat... money being wasted on war should be used to create a single-payer, universal health care system. The cost of such a system would be less than what this war is presently costing us every six months. Since the Democrats refuse to respond, only independent action on the part of working people will achieve peace and health care. It is time to send the Democrats a very firm and clear message: Acquiesence will not suffice.