In general I would have to say 2006 was a good year politically. It seemed as if the American people for the first time in years woke up to the misdeeds of the
Republican party. I am very proud of the African-American voter, who was not
fooled by the pro-Bush media, nor the push for the increase in black enrollment
in the Republican Party put forth by Ken Mehlman. Blacks proved that they would
vote on the issues and not the ethnicity of the candidate even if the candidate happens
to be one of their own. Micheal Steele of Maryland, Lynn Swann of Pennsylvania
and J. Kenneth Blackwell of Ohio all learned this valuable lesson in 2006 when
Black voters in their states ALL chose their caucasian opponents. African-Americans
played a vital role in the victories of many progressive Democrats in races where
both major candidates were white. 88.1 percent of the African-American voters chose
Democratic or Independent candidates.
The movement for the impeachment of George W. Bush is gaining momentum.
You would never know this if you read the major newspapers or the watched the
corporate news media but there are several indicators that there is a determined
segment of the population that wants George W. Bush and Richard Cheney to pay
for their alleged crimes. It is ironic that the same person who initiated the undoing of
Richard Nixon is getting the ball rolling for the impeachment of George W. Bush.
Elizabeth Holtman has written a book entitled « George W. Bush : The case for
Impeachment » and the sales are brisk. Democrats won both the House and the Senate. Delay, Cunningham, Foley and Abramoff were just a few of the Republican operatives
who found themselves indicted for crimes ranging from extortion to endangering the
welfare of minors. Every remaining member of the Newt Gingrich revolution of 1994
is gone. Of course not all the political news of 2006 was good. The massacres in Darfur
continue and the rest of the world is trying to act as if it doesn’t notice. Arms dealers
in the United States have been accused of selling weapons to the heinous Sudanese
Butchers. Very quietly Ward Connerly triumphed in Michigan, eliminating affirmative
action in that state as he did in two others. The unusual factor in this case is Mr.
Connerly IS an African-American. This sellout( I really hate using this word but in this
case the shoe really fits) has to be reckoned with before we have
50 states without affirmative action instead of just three.
Lynne Stewart, the New York lawyer who was hotly pursued by the Homeland
Security contingent of the Bush administration was given a light sentence, less than a
year for defending the notorious sheik who was convicted of playing a major role in
earlier attack on the World Trade Center in New York City. This case showed the
venom of the Bush Administration whose goal was to put Ms. Stewart behind bars for
the rest of her life for treason. The government had a very weak case against Stewart which was evident to both the judge and the jurors. Ms. Stewart, who is battling breast cancer is very active in her community, often defending people other lawyers wouldn’t even think of defending. Members of the community did not forget the service Ms. Stewart has given them over the years and as a result they packed the courtroom. Bush, Ashcroft, Gonzalez and company were trying to send a message to all lawyers who attempt to defend the defenseless but this time it didn’t work. The New York Post and New York Daily News ran headlines condemning the decision but in the end Lynne Stewart and the people triumphed. In 2006 it seems as if finally we have seen « checks and balances » in action. George W. Bush has been humbled into a lame duck. Nancy
Pelosi’s primary concern is ending the war in Iraq as soon as possible. This now
seems more of a possibilty than ever before. Mr. Bush is going to find it much
harder to push through ultra conservative candidates for the Supreme Court. In
summation politically speaking 2006 was a very good year.