House quashes Rep. Dennis Kucinich's bid to remove U.S. troops from Pakistan

[Yeahyeah]

Source: Plain Dealer

Sabrina Eaton, The Plain Dealer

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Fueled by this week's release of secret military reports that indicate Pakistan's intelligence service is secretly aiding the Taliban in Afghanistan, anti-war Cleveland Democratic congressman Dennis Kucinich led a fruitless effort on the House floor Tuesday to withdraw U.S. troops from Pakistan.

"How can we advance our national interests when a country that is supposed to be our partner is duplicitous?" Kucinich asked in a House floor speech.

He noted that 92,000 documents released by WikiLeaks on the Internet show U.S. troops have been endangered because of poor logistics, that countless civilians have been killed by mistake, and that Afghanistan's political regime is corrupt. >

Kucinich's effort was trounced in a 38-to-372 vote, without support from any other Ohioans. His measure on Tuesday got less support than his drive in March to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, which lost in a 65-to-356 vote.
>



Read more: http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2010/07/house_quashes_rep_dennis_kucin.html

[Radical Activist]

1. It actually came to a vote?

I'll at least give Democratic House leaders credit for letting something like this reach the floor. That never would have happened with a Republican speaker.

[BeHereNow]

6. Better yet, a RECORDED vote by roll call-

Makes it easier to track the wolves in DEM clothing.
BHN

[USArmyParatrooper]

7. Disagreeing about removing troops from Pakistan = "not a Dem"?

[Fearless]

20. Before this Congress, certainly.

[Ignis]

68. Yes.

[BeHereNow]

84. ANY "public servant" voting AGAINST the interests of OUR country is a corporatist.

They, on BOTH sides of the aisle, serve the multi national corporations
and MIC, neither serve the United States of America, be they "democrats" or
"republicans."
They have not upheld their Congressional oaths and should resign or be
voted out of office. All of them.
BHN

[No Elephants]

51. Maybe they wanted to send a message to Dennis and his supporters.

[Oregone]

2. Totally unpragmatic Dennis

Hasn't anyone taught this guy how to wage a proper war?

[IndianaGreen]

11. Dennis is not sensible at all!

[HughMoran]

39. Why do you have a degrading pic of Shirley Sherrod in your sig?

Shirley Sherrod has been turned into a hedgehog and is being kicked in the head!

Whatever point you were tying to make has been lost by your turning her into a hedgehog being beaned.

[spoony]

41. Beaned by the Obama administration. nt

[Oregone]

48. Would it make more or less sense if the ball was a bar of soap?

Let me know ASAP. I have a great photoshopper on call who can fix it up like this never happened. You wont notice a thing

[No Elephants]

56. IMO, it is about FOX news getting the Obamadmin to bonk Sherrod.

If I'm correct, it's very clear as is.

[No Elephants]

52. ? the only thing I saw being kicked in that avatar was Obama's campaign logo

[Cha]

63. It's Disrespecting Shirley Sherrod and trying to make

her an eternal victim when she can take care of herself.

[HughMoran]

64. It's an awful looking depiction. Shirley Sherrod - hedgehog

:eyes:

[Cha]

66. I don't think Shirley Sherrod sees herself that way..

As a stupidass hedgehog.

[HughMoran]

70. If somebody put my moms picture on a hedgehog body...

I'd be very angry with them.

[Cha]

72. Fortunately most people

aren't that immature. :fistbump:

[HughMoran]

77. Please stop making my mom into a hedgehog!

It's her birthday today! :party: (actually it is)

[Cha]

80. Happy Birthday Hugh's Mom~

:party::party::fistbump:

[HughMoran]

85. Nicest liberal lady you'd ever want to meet

mom :hug:

[Bobbie Jo]

81. The first word that comes to mind...

Tacky.

[YOY]

73. Purposefully jumping to conclusions to create a false sense if bigotry is pragmatic!!!

n/t

[timtom]

3. I guess this pretty much cinches it...

We see where America's priorities are.

The outlook is not good.

[bemildred]

4. Well, you can sure see what our Congresspersons think.

They think having troops running around "unofficially" in Pakistan (and anyplace else too) is just a peachy thing to do.

[ProudDad]

33. War and conquest has been USAmerica's NUMBER ONE Priority

since day ONE...

Where the hell do you think all of those Original Americans went?

Not to mention how North-West Mexico became SouthWest USAmerica...

The rapacious Europeans who came over and stole this land have been about NOTHING but Empire...

I don't understand anyone's surprise unless you'all just haven't studied history...

[HughMoran]

40. After reading that 1000 times a day on DU

I no longer think the sky is falling.

[timtom]

91. Nah...everything's ok.

I don't know what I was thinking...

[valerief]

5. Can't steal the $$$$$ without WAAAAAAAAAAAR. Thanks for trying, DK. nt

[EFerrari]

8. K&R for Dennis.

[rhett o rick]

9. The corporatists Democrats love this war. God damn them to hell. nm

[IndianaGreen]

10. A succession of Democratic Congresses refused to cutoff funding for Vietnam War

This is the same old shit!

[pocoloco]

26. Made 2006 end up as one hell of a disappointment!

[No Elephants]

53. You seem like a very patient person.

I started to get antsy when Nancy took "impeachment off the table" almost as soon as she got the chair, much as Obama took prosecution off the table as soon as he took over the desk in the Oval Office. You know, that desk where the CIC of our armed forces sits and the buck stops.

[LaPera]

12. So that's all there is 38 democrats in the House who give a shit

about the killing, destruction, the occupation that OUR taxes are paying for and the devastation to our economy, the deficit, health care for all and other necessary programs....Shameless....Just 38 Dem congressmen.

[liberation]

23. Less than that 32 Dems voted yea on this

there were 6 Republicans too.

[GreenTea]

46. Yep! It's like the republicans always insist, well, the corporations also give to the Dems

82% to (Repugs) 18% (Dems) - is only so the republicans (and corporations) can say, You see now, we gave to both parties.....End of discussion!

Then the republicans jump up & down desperately try to insist...."See there's no difference between either party"...Bullshit!

[No Elephants]

54. Any link to support any of that post?

[Plucketeer]

13. Dear Dennis,

I personally want to thank you for bringing this vote to the house floor. Even tho it probably never had a chance, at least you made the spineless go on official record with their complicity. We're going to be at war (or some likeness of it) til the coffers are drained and we can no longer borrow money to perpetuate it.

I'm supposed to revere our "leader", and remind myself of ALL he's done for us since taking office. But his dogged determination to let the MIC delude him into thinking some sort of "win" looms in the fog bank ahead simply serves to erode any respect I might have for him. I'm not a person of "faith", and I refuse to trust to such now - even where a mortal is involved. That's for the likes of Rethugs and their dieties, like Palin.

We hear about the BILLIONS that go unaccounted for in Iraq and Afghanistan. Billions - amounts I can't really wrap my head around, and yet I CAN lament that the loose change of such cash would pay off my debts and set me up for life. It would stop our schools from degrading even further, feed American kids and adults with gnawing hunger in their bellies, fund myriad infrastructure/maintenance programs to provide jobs and improve lives - but no. Instead with both American military and mercenary oversight - we've been swindled. Even more insulting than that is the interest we'll be paying on that lost money!
I'm not blaming this whole thing on the president, but I AM blaming him and those that voted against your proposal for blindly trusting to generals for resolutions that generals never trained for.

The real tear-jerker is that we could STOP this madness tomorrow - TODAY even. But every weak-kneed link is afraid to be the first to quit. So we just perpetuate the onward roll of a monstorous machine with no one at the wheel.

As I indicated earlier, I don't believe in some mythical savior, but IF I DID - I'd beg him to save us from ourselves.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

14. I wish I could recommend your post...

You should really make it into its own thread.

It IS that good.

:yourock:

[Plucketeer]

78. Thanks for your comment and the

positive comments of all the others. I will try to post it on it's own. I guess it shows I was writing from the heart on this. I feel so very frustrated that we can't stop the ridiculous waste in our two wars.

[KoKo]

18. + 100

[flvegan]

21. Damn, but that was well said.

[sabrina 1]

28. I agree with California Peggy, you should make this a thread

of its own. At least there are 38 Democrats we can believe in. I suppose it's better than none.

Dennis got them on the record, they are a spineless, useless bunch. With all we have learned, not that we didn't know, and with all the corruption, the waste of money, they could not stand up and do the right thing.

Dennis is like a flashlight in the dark. He shines a light on all of them, and we owe him a huge thank you for doing so.

[stranger81]

29. You should email that to DK. I'm sure he'd appreciate it.

He's fighting a lonely and frustrating fight.

[No Elephants]

57. Everyone who agrees with Dennis and the other 31 should email Dennis and maybe all 32 Dems.

Maybe even the six Republicans, too.

[flyarm]

43. EXCELLENT POINT!! thank you! eom

[No Elephants]

55. You can contact the non-mythical CIC at www.whitehouse.gov

Not that I think an email will do more than a prayer. Au contraire. I've never stopped praying.

[Duval]

86. Pluckateer, right on! Thanks! n/t

[Jefferson23]

15. Thank you Dennis, we all know now where most stand on this issue. n/t

[RoccoR5955]

16. K & R for Kucinich. Once again working for WE THE PEOPLE,

NOT them the corporations, or war machine for that matter.
It was quite the telling tactic, as it shows who's for, and who's against the war, and all that it is costing us.

[KoKo]

17. I give great credit to Dennis Kucinich. He tries and tries...and doesn't give up...

even when kicked down...he rises again for the people......for the people.

What if we could elect more like Dennis? But, then....he's not a popular Democrat on this Democratic Website...so it's not worth saying what a "good guy..person" Dennis is. Because...he seems obstructionist to our Democratic Mandate of CHANGE we CAN BELIEVE IN. I guess Dennis didn't get the message.......

[Patchuli]

31. Dennis is popular with this DU poster though! nt

[RoccoR5955]

67. I think you will find that a minority here do not support Kucinich.

However they are quite loud.

Dennis got the message, and is continuing to work for WE THE PEOPLE, not them, the corporations!

[provis99]

19. Rohrbacher voted for Kucinich's bill?

Great. I now have something in common with a right-wing nut like Rohrbacher.
As for the list of Democratic disappointments, Hastings, Thompson, Delauro,Rangel, Wasserman-Schultz, among many others, I say, thanks for causing me to lose even more trust in the Democratic party.

[alp227]

25. Hmm, Rohrbacher might've voted out of concern of the debt.

I'm from Northern California, and that name Rohrbacher sounds familiar. CA46=part of the wealthy OC coast (including a Vietnamese-American community at Westminster, where I've once visited.) I guess that out of Tea Party principle Redenbacher...oops Rohrbacher wanted to stop wasting money on ineffective presence in Pakistan. As for Kucinich's bill failing, well it's not surprising. Congress just ain't that far to the left.

[annm4peace]

22. I thank Kucinich and the other Reps who try to pass HR 301

I was able to watch about 1/2 of it and I was inspired by those who spoke in favor of this bill.

There was 1 hour of debate and it was repeated again this evening on CSPAN.

There are a lot of people who are bored by regular TV and are flipping channels to CSPAN and with today's debate I'm sure many became more educated in what our country and military is doing.

I applaud Kucinich and my Rep Keith Ellison for speaking out, and I agree with the others who said we can now see who voted for what and we can again which Democrats are supporting the Pentagon.

For us activists this vote gives us more to use against or to support our current democrat reps.

[lonestarnot]

24. Dennis, I'm sorry you're serving Americans with such a bunch of rat bastards.

[bvar22]

27. Thank You, Dennis.

I STAND with you!
:patriot:


"If we don't fight hard enough for the things we stand for,
at some point we have to recognize that we don't really stand for them."
--- Paul Wellstone

[stranger81]

30. Pakistan is the new Cambodia. [n/t]

[ProudDad]

32. This is a very timely film -- "Why We Fight"

I showed it at campaign headquarters this evening...

http://freedocumentaries.org/film.php?id=93

"We must guard against the Military-Industrial Complex" "War expenditures exceed $750,000,000,000 per year -- when war gets that profitable, you're going to see much more of it!"

All of these fucking wars are about nothing more than the USAmerikan Korporate Kapitalist Empire!!

[U4ikLefty]

34. One positive is that my Rep voted "yeah".

She is getting a contribution.

[moksha]

35. The Democratic slogan for 2010 and 2012: More War Less Jobs!

[libmom74]

36. Our jobs program

I guess the Democrats in the House didn't want to vote against the ony "jobs" program that we have. I've heard that recruiters are offering kids up to $90,000 to join the armed forces. Thanks DK for being one of the few brave true Democrats willing to stand up to the MIC. Screw the New Democrats and their twisted Republican lite ideology!

[earcandle]

37. I don't understand why we are using our money to kill US, Pakistan, and Afghan troops and ....

why are we "nation building" elsewhere with our tax
dollars when our nation is crumbling.

Can we find ways to support ourselves and withdraw our taxes
so they have no funds,
because they are not listening to us at all.  

[lib2DaBone]

38. Thank You Dennis. I'm Watching the Senate Armed Services Committee on C-SPIN...

All warm and fuzzy.. the military has already met its recruiting goals for the year! All the Senators just fawning and falling all over themselves.

What is it with Republicans and War? They just LOVE war.. even the thought of blowing up bombs in the middle some desert on innocent civilians is orgasmic to them...

Scott Brown.. the new kid on the block.. did you know he drives a pickup?

And Ben Nelson.. that racoon on his head has baked his brian.. he thinks he is Republican!

[sabrina 1]

44. I wish it was just Republicans who loved war.

If that were the case, Dennis' bill would have passed today. Democrats love war also. They have steadily supported both of Bush's wars from the beginning.

I don't know what the answer is but they sure aren't listening to the people who elected them.

[avaistheone1]

42. I stand with Dennis.

:kick:

[classysassy]

45. War racketeers

in both parties.Both parties receive money(bribes)from the war profiteers.

[Chulanowa]

47. FUCKING OBAMA!!!!!!!

...Oh wait...

[No Elephants]

58. You don't seem to get ironic use of "Oh, wait..."

For example, in this case, what ironic realization are you asking us to wait for that would expose the first part of your post as completely silly? Obama is CIC. He needs no vote at all to end wars, or to withdraw our troops from any location.

So, anyone angry that our troops remain in Pakistan might indeed have reason to express anger with Obama. Your post would make sense only if Obama had no connection with our troops being in Pakistan.

Hope this helps.

[gtar100]

49. Makes me wonder about all the others.

"How can we advance our national interests when a country that is supposed to be our partner is duplicitous?" Kucinich asked in a House floor speech.

Dennis is right. This makes perfect sense. And all those other people want to bury their heads. And tomorrow they will put on their nice suits and act like everything is just fine. What a terrible shame there is so little integrity in our government.


---
7 Years have I searched through
7 different sides of you
Whose side are you on?
Whose side are you on?
Ever shifting points of view
Disappearing into darkness
Whose side are you on?
Whose side are you on?
---
(unbelievable truth)

[Skittles]

50. Dennis is a REAL Democrat

[Ignis]

69. +1

[Duval]

87. Plus 2!

[Ignis]

88. Who says 1 + 1 cannot = 3?

:D

:kick:

[No Elephants]

59. Link to roll call vote.

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll473.xml

32 Dems and 6 Republicans voted yea, despite the House's PROGRESSIVE Caucus having about 100 members.

Sad to see my Rep, a member of the House Progressive Caucus, among the many nays. He was one of few Dems who voted against the Iraq War.
How much of a turd do you have to be not to vote at all on something like this, or to answer "Present" during the roll call vote.

Notice: when the house and senate put roll call votes on the web, they don't put (R) or (D) after each name.

[Roland99]

79. Grayson was a no-vote as he was in Las Vegas for NetRoots, eh?

[tomp]

60. dennis and the other 31 need to find a new party...

...because their current party is at odds with them.

i'm waiting.

[apnu]

61. I'm sure the Greens will take them. (nt)

[tomp]

65. not what i was thinking but...

...it's the break form the dems that is the crucial thing. i think forming a new party would have more impact and i think the greens might join or align.

anyway, thanks for dismissing the true progressives. see you, or not, at the voting booth.

[YOY]

74. Who says Dennis and the 31 others are the ones who need to go?

n/t

[harun]

62. Thank you Dennis! We need votes like this to sort the good from the bad.

[Roland99]

71. All hope for America is lost. The Beast has conquered all of Washington.

Democrat or Republican...except for a very few (like Kucinich), the difference is that Republicans are upfront in the fact they want to let corporations take over while screwing the individual up the ass and the Democrats toss out some crumbs (like unemployment extensions) to put up an illusion that they give a rat's ass about Americans instead of the corporations that pull their strings.

lost, i say.

[Vidar]

75. Bless you for trying, Dennis! The amount of terrorism perpetrated

by the United States dwarfs the Arabs' best efforts.

[Zorra]

76. Kucinich/Grayson 2012.

We need leaders in the WH that will transparently fight to take away control of the government from our corporate masters and return it to the People. Anything else is just a drop of spit in an endless sea of corporate controlled bullshit.

Otherwise, we will soon all be slaves to the corporate grind, with no hope of ever again becoming a democracy.

Crush the oligarchy!

[The_Commonist]

82. I happy to say that my Congresswoman...

...Nydia Velázquez, NY-12, voted with Dennis on this.

Yeah, Nydia!

[Enthusiast]

83. Thank you, Dennis.

I appreciate your efforts.

[defendandprotect]

89. Thank you, Dennis Kucinich, as always -- !!!

[mother earth]

90. Dennis is right. He was right about impeaching Bush, and he is

right again about this. It's pretty sad that those with the best interest of this country at heart, and its people, is in such short supply, that a vote for a real issue comes to this sad vote count.

Everything is in our faces, can we continue to deny those few voices left? Let the teabaggers rage about the cost of illegal war(s) for true credibility, let them rage about the corporate takeover and the war profiteers. It seems the true terrorists are running this country straight into hell, for profit.

[DCBob]

92. maybe DK needs to change his strategy a bit..

his current approach sure is not working.. not even close.

[fascisthunter]

93. Dennis keeping the House Honest

thanks for exposing the bad players.