The Party of National Security

Republicans used to be considered the party of national security, but now a new poll shows that more Americans trust Democrats than President Bush to protect them at home.

The results are significant, but they shouldn't be all that surprising, as I've learned while traveling across my state these past few months.

The public has been watching as Democrats take action on national security issues, while Republicans in Congress seem only interested in preserving their own political survival.

Consider my opponent in the upcoming election, Senator Mike DeWine. He's more concerned with finding new ways to lock reporters in jail and taking weekend road trips with Karl Rove than focusing on our nation's security.

Like many Republicans up for reelection this year, DeWine stayed silent on the Dubai Port Deal to avoid angering his friends in the White House, and multinational corporations particularly generous during election years.

For Democrats, this comes down to a simple principle: Our families' safety cannot be compromised in the name of commerce.

The Dubai Port Deal was just the tip of the iceberg. The Bush Administration has negotiated an undisclosed amount of secret trade deals through the CFIUS process. I have asked President Bush for an account of all deals where foreign ownership of domestic assets -- such as ports and railways. The nation learned of the Dubai deal by chance. We cannot leave our national security to chance.

In addition, it is essential that the United States implement a national security review of all U.S. trade deals to better secure our borders while promoting fair trade. The U.S. is about to negotiate a trade agreement with Malaysia, and is expected to return to trade negotiations with the U.A.E.

Neither of these agreements includes national security reviews.

Republicans used to be the party of fiscal responsibility until Bill Clinton became the first and last president to balance the federal budget in a quarter century.

Will 2006 see the rise of a new party of national security? Time will tell, but the need is there. Our current policy is digging us deeper into Iraq and leaving us vulnerable at home. It is time for Democrats to take the lead, and show Americans their vision of a secure and prosperous future.