An unholy alliance between far-right-wing Republicans and the Democratic Party is standing in the way of good policy and legislation. Two recent issues have made strange bedfellows of these two camps in the legislature. This cabal first blocked Dubai Ports World’s abortive purchase of unloading rights in U.S. ports, and now a reasonable immigration bill is being blocked by a similar coalition. The isolationist and racist impulses of the far right wing did not surprise this writer; it was when the Democrats stepped into line to support reactionaries like Tom Tancredo and Pat Buchanan of the Republican Party that things became disturbing. The Democrats are ideologically opposed to isolationism, racism and reaction. But, they apparently have a higher ideal: power, and hatred of anything Bush.
The Dubai Ports World purchase was not a security issue for this country. The purchase would have been akin to a stock transfer with no effect on operations on the ground. The U.S. Coast Guard is in charge of port security, not the port’s owners. The Longshoremen’s Unions are in charge of hiring and unloading cargo, not the port’s owners, and Dubai pledged to retain the established management. Effectively the only change would have been the name at the top of the paychecks going into the pockets of blue collar Americans.
The only reason to oppose the ports deal was a racist reaction against Arabs: a charge of which the right wing of the Republican Party is clearly guilty. However, the Democrats also lined up to support a racist policy of reaction. Why?
Because Bush was on the other side. The litmus test for the modern Democratic Party goes like this. “Where is Bush? Let’s get on the other side.” Democrats have hypocritically sacrificed their principles and their own words to the higher purpose of attacking Bush.
The immigration bill has a similar story. Tom Tancredo of Colorado is a radical right wing Republican. He was able to force a draconian, racist and reactionary bill restricting immigration though the U.S. House. The language that is most offensive makes illegals felons. The administration opposed this language and moved with its congressional allies to have it stripped from the bill in the senate. Who stopped Bush from removing this ridiculous language? Bill Frist? No; Harry Reid blocked the attempt to strip the language because he saw a chance to bash Bush over it. After blocking the amendment that would have stripped the language, Reid dishonestly made a series of speeches on how the administration supports the felony language and fought against it being removed. The lies are not the most offensive part of this story; however, this writer is more concerned with the nature of the Democratic Party when its leader supports a racist and reactionary provision for the sole reason of attacking Bush. That type of ends justifying the means mentality is scary, and the ease with which Reid abandoned his principles to attack Bush does not bode well for how Democrats might lead if they are elected into a majority.
Democrats need to remember their good ideological principles for the sake of this country. A viable and honest two party system provides stability and often results in moderate policy. However, when a party is willing to side with their ideological opposes in an assault on the center, the system is dangerously close to breaking down. The “victory” for the Democrats over the Dubai Ports issue is a hollow one because they supported some of the very worst impulses of the American society to accomplish it. The manipulation of the immigration issue is reprehensible because they are empowering the most disgusting parts of the Republican Party to make honest people criminals. I for one am disappointed in Democrats.

James Fryer is a University student