No Rest for Reid and Pelosi

On Labor Day, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi were hard at work.

I expected Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi to attend illegal immigrant Labor Day events on Monday, but I guess they were busy with other things.
KLAS-TV reports that Reid staged a photo-op to promote a minimum wage increase.

On Labor Day, Nevada Senator and Minority Leader Harry Reid pushed again for a jump in minimum wage.

Senator Reid helped in the kitchen of a local restaurant to highlight the issue. The Senate voted against raising the minimum wage in August.

...The owner of the restaurant already pays his employees above minimum wage and he says it cuts down on turnover of his employees.

HAHAHA

What a lame stunt!

Why would Reid choose to work at a restaurant that already pays employees more than the minimum wage to highlight the need to increase the minimum wage?

I really can't picture Reid "helping" in a kitchen. Can he flip pancakes like Howard Dean or Wesley Clark?


Nancy Pelosi took a less hands-on approach than Reid did. She recognized Labor Day by issuing a press release last Friday.

"Today, the beginning of Labor Day weekend, also marks the nine-year anniversary of the last increase in minimum wage. Republicans have never hesitated to cut taxes for the wealthiest few but they have refused to give America's workers a raise for nearly a decade, even as energy, housing, education and health costs have skyrocketed. That's immoral, and Democrats will take our nation in a new direction by raising the minimum wage.

"On this Labor Day, as we pay tribute to the talent, intellect and entrepreneurial spirit of Americans, who through their work have made our nation strong, let us take America in a New Direction: better jobs, better pay and end to subsidies to outsource jobs, lifelong learning for the workforce and a real commitment to an innovation economy that will keep America competitive."

In addition to pretending to work at a restaurant or issuing a press release, Reid and Pelosi used the holiday to deliver a letter to President Bush.

From The New York Times:

In a letter to Mr. Bush on Monday, the Democratic leaders of the House and Senate urged him to begin pulling American troops out of Iraq this year.

“Mr. President, staying the course in Iraq has not worked and continues to divert resources and attention from the war on terrorism that should be the nation’s top security priority,” said the letter signed by Mr. Reid and Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the Democratic leader, as well as the senior Democrats on relevant committees.

The Democrats also urged Mr. Bush to fire Mr. Rumsfeld, and they intend to try to force no-confidence votes in coming days that could put Republicans on the spot, given statements by some in the party that Mr. Rumsfeld should resign.

The Associated Press goes into more detail on the Labor Day letter.

Leading Democratic lawmakers on Monday urged President Bush to consider changing the civilian leadership at the Pentagon, one week after Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld warned against fascism and appeasement as he defended U.S. policies in Iraq.

Rumsfeld drew heavy criticism from Democrats after telling an American Legion convention in Salt Lake City that "it is apparent that many have still not learned history's lessons." In alluding to criticism aimed at Bush administration war policies, he used terms associated with the failure to stop Nazism in the 1930s.

So?

I guess the truth hurts.

Appeasement didn't work in the 1930s. It has even less of a chance to work now, especially given that our enemies worship death, including their own.

...In a letter released Monday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and 10 other congressional party leaders told the president that considering making such a change would show he recognizes the problems his policies "have created in Iraq and elsewhere."

"While a change in your Iraq policy will best advance our chances for success, we do not believe the current civilian leadership at the Department of Defense is suited to implement and oversee such a change in policy," the lawmakers wrote.

It's back to the "Boot Rummy" chorus.

Remember last Spring when the media drooled over those retired generals that suddenly came out of the woodwork to call for Rumsfeld's resignation?

The Dems and their mouthpieces in the lib media have been after Rumsfeld for years. Tim Russert has been leading the charge against him since at least May, 2004.

It's a waste of time. Bush won't accept his resignation.

Don't the Dems have anything better to offer the people than the demonization of Rumsfeld?

Obviously, not.

The 850-word letter criticizes Bush's policies in Iraq, calling them part of a "stay the course strategy" that has failed to make the U.S. more secure, and it suggests several changes long called for by Democratic leaders.

Others who signed the letter were Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Carl Levin of Michigan, Joe Biden of Delaware, Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia and Daniel Inouye of Hawaii; and Reps. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, Ike Skelton of Missouri, Tom Lantos and Jane Harman of California, and John Murtha of Pennsylvania.

Read those names. It's a "Who's Who" of opportunists and appeasers and nuts!

In response, the Republican whip in the Senate Mitch McConnell issued a statement:

"The Democrat leadership finally agrees on something _ unfortunately it's retreat. Whether they call it 'redeployment' or 'phased withdrawal,' the effect is the same: We would leave Americans more vulnerable and Iraqis at the mercy of al-Qaida, a terrorist group whose aim _ toward Iraqis and Americans _ is clear."

I think the Dems are particularly comfortable with attacking Rumsfeld because it allows them to be highly critical of the war policy without seeming like they are ready to break into a Kumbaya sing-a-long.

They can present themselves as willing to wage war, just very differently and in different places. Of course, that's a ruse.

By focusing on Rummy, they can avoid looking weak on terror. Demanding a different leader at the Defense Department is easier than demanding an immediate troop withdrawal or other specifics that could make them look wobbly on national defense.

However, I don't think going after Rummy will be enough for the Dems' fringe lunatic base. The line is drawn in the sand, as Joe Lieberman's loss in the Connecticut primary showed.

The hard Left will settle for nothing less than America's unconditional surrender as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Reid and Pelosi will try to fool all of the people all of the time.