Today's Talking Points



Key Point: Bush Republicans have no plan for the war in Iraq, and their incompetence is making America less safe. Democrats, America's Generals, and the Iraqis agree it is time to change course in Iraq and begin the phased withdrawal of US troops. With new and growing threats around the world that must be addressed, it is time for a new direction.

Iraq
Five years of Bush Republican incompetence has made America less safe, and it is time for a change.
Bush Republicans have no plan for the future in Iraq. They stand for failed policies, and won't even condemn amnesty for terrorists who kill American soldiers.
Democrats, America's Generals, the Iraqi government, and the American people all agree that it is time to change course in Iraq and begin the phased redeployment of US troops.
New and growing threats around the world, from Iran to Afghanistan, North Korea to Somalia, will not wait for Bush Republicans to choose to meet them. The Democratic Real Security agenda is the tough AND smart plan to protect America's national security

Immigration
Five years of Bush Republican incompetence has left America's borders unsecured and our immigration system broken.
Democrats believe it's time for tough, comprehensive immigration reform to secure the borders and enforce our laws.
If President Bush is as committed to comprehensive immigration reform as he claims, he will pick up the telephone and tell Republicans in Congress to stop obstructing it.

Minimum Wage/Congressional pay raise
Congress is supposed to serve the people, but Republicans in Congress are ready to serve themselves.
Last week Bush Republicans rejected increasing the minimum wage. Now they're ready to give Congress a pay raise.
At a time when Americans are working more and making less, a Congress that is working less does not deserve to be making more.
Democrats believe Congress should not get a pay raise until it has raised the minimum wage for hard-working Americans.