The Slightest Glimmer Of Hope
The Democratic-led 110th Congress has been to this point pretty much of a disappointment, so much so that it has even lower approval ratings than the President. While the reason for inaction can be traced to the Senate, where the Democrats hold a practical edge of only 50-49 (with Sen. Tim Johnson's recovery from a stroke keeping him away from votes) and that 50th senator is one Joe Lieberman, a sizeable majority of the country had counted on this congress to put a leash on the run-away president and it hasn't.
The one issue on which the country overwhelmingly wants action is ending our bloody involvement in Iraq. This past week, apparently aware that most of the country had moved to the left of Congress on this issue, several senior Republicans have talked about breaking with the President on ending the war and bringing the troops home. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is now ready to once again confront the White House on the issue, according to an article in today's NY Times.
Democratic voters are not the only ones bitter over their party’s failure to use new Congressional power to force a withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Senator Harry Reid, the occasionally obstreperous Democratic leader, is upset as well. ...
“We haven’t done enough,” said Mr. Reid, a onetime moderate who has evolved into one of the party’s most fervent critics of the war.
That view captures not only Mr. Reid’s sentiment but also the shifting political dynamic on the war, as public frustration remains high, the conflict dominates the presidential campaign landscape and senior Republicans have chosen to break with President Bush even as the administration has urged patience.
Sensing momentum from the new Republican defections, Mr. Reid and other leading Democrats intend to force a series of votes over the next two weeks on proposals to withdraw troops and limit spending. Democrats are increasingly confident they can assemble majority opposition to administration policies. [Emphasis added]
His plan is to bring the issue up again, opening up debate in the hopes of getting a bill passed that can survive a presidential veto. If he fails this time around, another bill will be introduced to ostensibly put the GOP on the hot seat for the next 16 months and the 2008 elections.
While it's a canny political strategy that Sen. Reid has outlined, and one that might result in a huge Democratic victory in 2008, by the time the election rolls around hundreds more American soldiers and thousands more Iraqi citizens will have died and we will have spent several billion more dollars in that mess. That isn't acceptable any longer.
The only way to get that veto-proof bill passed is to convince more Republican senators that the country won't stand for any more delays in ending this war and to force them to vote with the Democrats on the issue. It's time for more direct action by the citizenry to convince Congress of that.
For ideas on just what can be done to accomplish an end to the war, go visit Pax Americana. The thoughtful patriots there have all sorts of ideas, come of them so simple that you will be stunned. Go there now while you're thinking about it.
The one issue on which the country overwhelmingly wants action is ending our bloody involvement in Iraq. This past week, apparently aware that most of the country had moved to the left of Congress on this issue, several senior Republicans have talked about breaking with the President on ending the war and bringing the troops home. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is now ready to once again confront the White House on the issue, according to an article in today's NY Times.
Democratic voters are not the only ones bitter over their party’s failure to use new Congressional power to force a withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Senator Harry Reid, the occasionally obstreperous Democratic leader, is upset as well. ...
“We haven’t done enough,” said Mr. Reid, a onetime moderate who has evolved into one of the party’s most fervent critics of the war.
That view captures not only Mr. Reid’s sentiment but also the shifting political dynamic on the war, as public frustration remains high, the conflict dominates the presidential campaign landscape and senior Republicans have chosen to break with President Bush even as the administration has urged patience.
Sensing momentum from the new Republican defections, Mr. Reid and other leading Democrats intend to force a series of votes over the next two weeks on proposals to withdraw troops and limit spending. Democrats are increasingly confident they can assemble majority opposition to administration policies. [Emphasis added]
His plan is to bring the issue up again, opening up debate in the hopes of getting a bill passed that can survive a presidential veto. If he fails this time around, another bill will be introduced to ostensibly put the GOP on the hot seat for the next 16 months and the 2008 elections.
While it's a canny political strategy that Sen. Reid has outlined, and one that might result in a huge Democratic victory in 2008, by the time the election rolls around hundreds more American soldiers and thousands more Iraqi citizens will have died and we will have spent several billion more dollars in that mess. That isn't acceptable any longer.
The only way to get that veto-proof bill passed is to convince more Republican senators that the country won't stand for any more delays in ending this war and to force them to vote with the Democrats on the issue. It's time for more direct action by the citizenry to convince Congress of that.
For ideas on just what can be done to accomplish an end to the war, go visit Pax Americana. The thoughtful patriots there have all sorts of ideas, come of them so simple that you will be stunned. Go there now while you're thinking about it.
Labels: Iraq War
posted by Diane at 5:16 AM
1 Comments:
I seriously doubt that, were the USers (thought to be) "winning" the ICORP of Iraq, Mr. Reid or any other Congresscritters, regardless of party, would be opposing it.
This, despite the 'winning' or 'losing' of it does NOTHING to change the fundamental criminality, immorality, or illegality of it.
The Democrats objections are nothing more than tactical quibbles. They don't oppose the ICORP, per se; only that USers seem to be 'losing' it. Indeed, were it going 'better,' they'd all be its happy sponsors.
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