Congressional Sound and Fury

by Polly Mann, WAMM

Recently, I read an article that made reference to an incident that occurred at the l964 National Democratic Convention, which I attended. It concerned the right of the delegation from Mississippi to be seated at the convention. Challenging their right to do so was a delegation of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, which demanded to be recognized in its stead, claiming that the other Mississippi delegation was illegal because African Americans were denied the right to vote in that state. Hubert Humphrey, along with other Democratic leaders, cast his vote to recognize the all-white Mississippi delegation.

I had been one of the faithful Democratic Party members who had supported and campaigned for Humphrey for years. This vote, along with his endorsement of the Vietnam War, disillusioned me and thousands of other erstwhile supporters and contributed to his eventual defeat at the polls.

As an orator, Humphrey was a spellbinder. And he was far more than that: He was brilliant, progressive, a humanitarian, and a compassionate human being. But in the final reckoning, that was not enough. Voters have to rely on actions to determine whom they will support. And some actions are far more important than others.

Today the military budget has become a giant octopus eating up domestic programs. Who cares whether a congressperson supports a moratorium on the five-year public assistance limit, a minimum wage which is a living wage, more money for education, and a single-payer health system, if that congressperson has also voted to maintain an undefined war with no boundaries or supported legislation which is undermining civil liberties? The richest country in the world has given birth to the greatest number of millionaires--plus a few billionaires--but simply cannot provide needed services for its people, guarantee equality and civil rights, and at the same time maintain the most profligate war machine in the history of the world.

A recent speech given at the University of Southern California by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (Dem., OH) contains a stirring denunciation of the Administration's cancellation of the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution--that is, the rights of free speech and peaceful assembly, the guarantee of due process, the prohibitions against unreasonable search and seizure, the right to a prompt and public trial, and the protection against cruel and unusual punishment.

Kucinich also cited the Administration for policies that the Congress never authorized: the much vaunted plan for the invasion of Iraq, the bombing of civilians in Afghanistan, the suspension of habeas corpus, the creation of assassination squads, the promise of war without end, the repeal of the Bill of Rights, the use of military tribunals, and on and on. He ended his speech by calling for a redefined America and a universe free from fear.

I was ready to send him a campaign contribution until a WAMM friend reminded me that he did not vote against the initial authorization of force for the "war on terrorism." When he had the power to do something meaningful, he abdicated his responsibility. So this clarion call for sanity is little more than beautiful words, "full of sound and fury and signifying nothing."

Recently Minnesota Public Radio announced there is great dissent among White House policy makers about the invasion of Iraq. Signs of hope perhaps? Not on your life. The question is not "should we?" but "what is the best strategy?" It appears that when the military finishes mopping up in Afghanistan it will be well on the way to taking care of what little is left of Iraq. Will the Congress offer any real opposition to this policy? There is no sign of it according to MPR. And after Iraq there are North Korea, Libya, and maybe even Cuba.

The Bush Administration has authorized contingency plans to use nuclear weapons against at least seven countries and to build new, smaller nuclear weapons. Where, oh where has the U.S. Congress gone? Oh where, oh where can it be?

This same rampaging military policy is reshaping the economy, the culture, the health, and the well-being of U.S. citizens. There have been massive cuts, for example, in funding for prison programs such as drug treatment and work projects, public libraries, renewable energy, education, the Environmental Protection Agency, and countless other programs of worth. To work against the power of the present bloodthirsty government is like trying to build a dam to control a powerful river.

Too many of those in the Congress who should be our natural allies seem to have lost their ability to think critically. Some of this may be due to overriding concern with winning the next election. Campaigns require enormous sums of money most easily raised from corporations, including the arms industry. No individual could compete for influence with generous corporations, and it may be even more difficult for a nonprofit peace and justice organization. How can a country be called democratic when citizen input is limited almost to the point of denial and when the legislative branch of government is subservient to the executive?

The early settlers of this country took to the streets. It appears that today there is little left but this. Of course, the government has a weapon in its arsenals to use against us: the threat of labeling citizens as terrorists and incarcerating them. I am hoping civil rights organizations can help us deal with this threat. There is not much help elsewhere. Certainly not in the halls of Congress.

That is not to say we should stop trying, however. Congresspeople, after all, are human beings. Perhaps Rep. Kucinich will stay true to his words, and the integrity of his actions will motivate other members of the Congress to "do the right thing" before our nation embarks on World War III.