Sirota weighs in on Murtha-Hoyer

by: joesaho

Thu Nov 16, 2006 at 09:14:37 AM EST

Mr. Hoyer's reaction to Mr. Murtha's Iraq announcement was telling. He ran to The Washington Post, not to praise Mr. Murtha for his courageous leadership in shifting the debate on the most important national security issue in a generation, but to say Mr. Murtha's announcement "could lead to disaster."

Mr. Hoyer, by contrast, voted for the China pact and a number of other trade agreements opposed by Mr. Murtha and progressive Democrats. He has parroted much of the rhetoric of the Democratic Leadership Council - the corporate front group that has relentlessly pushed Democrats to provide the crucial congressional votes necessary to pass free-trade pacts.

Neither candidate, of course, is perfect. But this is far more than merely a lesser-of-two-evils choice.

If Democrats are looking for a follower to speak for their majority - a person who regurgitates the Beltway's conventional wisdom of the day, no matter how bad for the party and the country - then they have their candidate in Steny Hoyer.

But after a mandate election such as this year's, Democrats do not have to settle. They have a rare opportunity to define themselves for the long term on the crucial national security and economic issues key to changing our country and keeping control of Congress. They must find the courage to choose not a follower but a majority leader. His name is Jack Murtha.