Remember their predictions of “the worst economy since the Depression” (Daschle), “tax cuts benefit only the rich and will do nothing for the economy” (Gephardt), “the president is a liar and a failure” (Kennedy), “Iraq is a Vietnam quagmire and will turn the world against us” (Dean), “Our action was unilateral and now we can’t even find Saddam” (Kerry), etc., etc., etc.
Against a backdrop of these 2003 political projections, let’s fast-forward to present-day reality. The economy is surging and has just recorded its best quarter since the 1980s — 8.2 percent GDP growth, which most economists attribute in large part to the Bush tax cuts.
Saddam Hussein has been captured, along with 45 of 52 leaders of his despotic regime — a feat which has clearly demoralized and fractured the leadership of the insurgents.
Coalition nations now number 60, hardly a unilateral operation! Massive opposition from the Arab and worldwide community has not materialized — quite the contrary. Libya recently agreed to full disarmament and international inspections rather than risk a similar fate as Iraq, while France, Germany, and Russia have indicated a surprising willingness to work with Coalition forces to reduce the Iraqi debt.
Combine all this with the most recent CNN/Gallup poll (December) showing President Bush’s approval rating improving to 63 percent, and you begin to get a sense that most Americans feel we’re on the right track.
As we look ahead to the new year, no one knows exactly how the events will unfold. But who could blame the Democrats for trying to find that mean ole Grinch who stole their Christmas?
David Edmunds
Charlottesville, Va.
