Moderate northeastern Republicans are a dying breed; many may be defeated in balloting during the mid-term elections. Another sign that this is a fact took place when Connecticut GOP Congressman Chris Shays made it public that he wants a deadline set for troop withdrawal from Iraq. With his Democratic opposition breathing down his neck and the electorate in no mood for politicians mincing words, Shays made it known he thought the target date could be within a year. As a result the political water just got hotter for the White House.
Shays is using the argument advanced by many that if the Iraqi government (what there is of it) understands that the U.S. is not staying past a date certain they will force a tougher policy to curtail violence and perhaps even work harder within a political framework to quell the uprisings. The White House would of course argue that the terrorist forces would sense American weakness, which would only embolden them to advance their worldwide violence. In response people who follow the news understand that the thrust of the violence in Iraq is “homegrown” resentment to occupation and built up resentments against fellow Iraqi’s over ethnic and religious differences. Outside terrorist elements in Iraq are not the main source for the bloodshed.
Shays is going to air his desire to see troops out of Iraq publicly through a series of House Committee hearings followed by a report outlining in detail his views. Though I think it important to see his backbone now, which separates him from the rest of the GOP pack, I wish he had been able to glean the folly of the war before we actually sent in the troops to undo the Iraqi government. That would have been real leadership.
I do however value Shays, as he is the type of Republican the nation needs to help re-shape the future of the GOP. The country is not well served with one party beating the drums for a religious theocracy that undercuts the Constitution and our civil rights It is only with the likes that Shays and Rhode Island Senator Chafee bring to the Republican Party that gives hope it can again become a centrist party which can work harmoniously with the Democrats for America’s future.
But for some of those moderate Republicans it may be too late to make a difference. The political landscape is tuning blue in the northeast and Shays may not survive this election.
CAFFEINATED POLITICS 
I read your blog regularly and I appreciate your point of view and your writing style. I am a senior however, and no longer have the ability to read small, light fonts on the screen. I like the new format and layout of your blog presentation but I have a great deal of difficulty with the gray print on a white background.
I understand and will try to work on the issue, though I may be limited in what can be done with the template. For now I will make my posts darker print and hope this is easier for you to read.
By the way, thanks for being a loyal reader!