Demagogue

From Roll Call

There will be a lot of purple and a lot of finger waving on the House floor tonight during President Bush’s State of the Union address.

Led by freshman class president Rep. Bobby Jindal (R-La.), House Republicans are planning to make a colorful statement about what they view as the historic success of Iraq’s first elections in half a century. They’re asking Democrats to participate as well.

In solidarity with the millions of Iraqis who cast ballots in Sunday’s multiparty elections, Jindal is asking his colleagues to dip a finger in purple ink, as voters in Iraq did, before entering the House chamber for the president’s speech.

“This symbolic gesture will tell Iraqis, and the world, that we believe in their cause and will stand beside them and all peoples who embrace freedom,” Jindal wrote in a “Dear Colleague” letter sent Tuesday night.

He said he would have the purple ink available for all Members tonight before they enter the chamber. “All it takes is a quick dip of your finger to join with me and, more importantly, with the people of Iraq and people throughout the world who seek freedom,” Jindal said. “What a powerful symbol this will be if every member of the United States Congress does this.”

I figured that the more than $200 billion we've spent and the 1500 troops we've lost in Iraq was an ample display of "solidarity."

But apparently not. Maybe members of Congress should have just dipped their fingers in purple ink about 2 years ago as a show of solidarity. That way, we'd still have that $200 billion and thousands of American troops would still be alive.