So, Max Baucus has announced his run for a 6th term. You’ll excuse me if the announcement has me less than excited.
On Iraq, the Senator said this:
Baucus also said he’d like U.S. troops to leave Iraq “as expeditiously as possible,” and that while America will continue to have a presence in the Middle East, it shouldn’t have bases or active troops permanently in Iraq.
“We can’t stay there indefinitely,” he said.
Another bold statement on the war. Remember when Baucus said on January 10, 2007, that we needed to start bringing the troops home by mid year? I do. He hasn’t exactly stuck his neck out on the issue since then, has he? As much heat as the Democratic leadership is getting from some of us here in Montana, I wonder why more ire isn’t directed at Baucus. Isn’t one of the reasons he’s running for a sixth term because of his leadership position and seniority?
I, for one, am tired of Democrats like Baucus acting like they are helpless victims, passive agents, unable to effect change. If Baucus can’t lead on the war, maybe it’s time to let someone else do it.
On taxes, he offered this well-thought out position:
He said he favors extending tax cuts for moderate-income earners, but hasn’t decided on the cuts for other income brackets.
That bold policy statement sure must have pained him to make. Yes, I will lower your taxes, but will I vote to continue the obscene cuts for corporations and millionaires that helped push back into huge deficits? Gosh, I guess we’ll have to wait and see on that one.
Article by Don Pogreba
Don is an English/Debate teacher and debate handbook author who lives in Helena, MT, and who can't imagine living anywhere other than this glorious state. Much of his writing happens late at night and he is unlikely to respond to your comments during the day.
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I am not sure if Mr. Baucus’s statement should be taken as being in support of extending the tax cuts to the wealthy, or if we should just see a heavy case of politician-itis. It seems to me more likely that on tax policy he is just sticking his sail out there and seeing which way the prevailing winds will take him, and when they catch him he’ll say that’s the direction he wanted all along. On the war I am pretty sure he is just doing the same thing–it has seemed to me to be a real mark of his career in office. Nevertheless, the point is salient, Mr. Baucus is a tired old politician’s politician of a US Senator.
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