Government stifles criticism

U.S. administration officials have sunk remarkably low in attempting to stifle criticism. Consider Vice President Dick Cheney's comments coming last Wednesday, when he said criticisms that argue the White House manipulated intelligence to strengthen the case for war are "the most dishonest and reprehensible charges ever airedâ_s" in Washington.

Ironic, given Cheney's comments in 2002: "Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction." Manipulative? Dishonest? Yes.

Cheney and Co. have been throwing bombshells the past couple of weeks because they're scared to death that George W. Bush's approval rating (37 percent) and recent Republican losses (Democrats won gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia) will translate into debilitating midterm elections in 2006, costing Republicans the Congress.

But these elections will not prove beneficial for Democrats if they fall to weak and apologetic criticisms. Instead, they must invoke a vociferous campaign of their actual thoughts: The war in Iraq was a mistake, and time has come for Americans to have a withdrawal timetable.

A handful of prominent Democrats have voiced just these charges. Interestingly, even Republicans have joined the fun. The Senate passed a resolution (by a margin of 79-19!) demanding the White House provide reports about Iraq and that 2006 be a "period of significant transition to full Iraqi sovereignty."

To dismantle all criticism of the White House, as Cheney and others would very much like, would also dismantle the processes of a functional democracy. It is not unpatriotic, "dishonest" or "reprehensible" to question the White House's policies or their honesty in advancing these policies. In fact, it is a matter of democratic accountability. Why doesn't Cheney want accountability? Because by protesting the administration's blatant dishonesty to the American people, the Democrats will give the public a reason to employ the most basic function of democratic accountability: voting. Voting that, if Democrats play the cards right, will go in their favor. Sorry Dick, there's no bypass out of this one.

Dhawal Sharma

Trinity '07