The saga continues on Iraq war funding bill

Congressional leaders have been invited to a meeting with President Bush today to discuss the impasse over the war funding bill. It appears unlikely the meeting will serve to narrow the divide between the two sides.

(Sure enough! Here's the report.)

At this point, it is important for President Bush to realize that there are certain definite limitations when a free and democratic society such as the United States chooses to prosecute a war. The government cannot keep the country in a war for an extended period without firm public support.

Today, that support does not exist. It is time for the President to consider how to accomplish the objectives of the war through other means. Many of the assumptions behind the decision to go to war have been demonstrated to have been wrong. In such a situation, it is only natural that the country would want to pull the troops out and rethink our strategy for the region.

True, there are times when a leader must take an unpopular course of action. But President Bush should not cast himself in such a heroic role, because that principle does not apply here. It would be one thing if the public were saying, "We think you're wrong, but because we believe in you and you have a track record of good leadership we are going to give you the benefit of the doubt." That is not what the public is saying today.

There were periods in his administration when he had command of such respect. After the 2004 election, he claimed he had "earned political capital" and told us he intended to spend it. In 2006, the electorate transferred ownership of that capital to the Democrats and President Bush needs to acknowledge this fact.

The leader of a democratic society can go against the tide of public support only for so long before his righteous conviction to principle becomes obstinate refusal to consider other options. Presidents are elected to four-year terms, but that does not mean a President can ignore changes in public opinion after he is elected.

President Clinton was often criticized for governing by opinion poll. President Bush appears to have taken the matter to the other extreme, and it is even more problematic for the country.