The Stew

I am no knee-jerk liberal. Don’t get me started on immigration, a topic that, as a legalized American citizen, I’m slightly to the right of Pat Buchanan on.

This is about the Berkeley, California, City Council, and a measure they passed last week to urge Marine recruiters to leave town. Fine, said GOP lawmakers in Washington — if that’s the way you want to play, then no earmarks ($2 million worth) for you! One year!

It doesn’t happen often, but I’m with the GOP on this one, and I think my fellow Dems are missing the boat by not issuing a well-deserved round of condemnations. Those of us against the Iraq war have been able to hold a high ground that eluded the protesters of the Vietnam war: We’re against the war, but for the troops. We’re not spitting on them when they come home. We’re not discriminating against them in job searches. In fact, we’re actively attempting to improve the lives of soldiers by making sure they get adequate physical and mental care when they get back — something the GOP doesn’t seem all that interested in.

Now comes Berkeley, spitting on the troops. This is both unnecessary and unproductive. It’s a fundraising daydream for Republicans, and it turns off other reality-based folks who would like to see the war end.

I’ve been amazed by the ability of Democrats to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory — and if you want to see a scenario in which this is possible in November, look no farther than Berkeley.