David Sirota: Stop Lying About Barbara Lee

[babylonsister]

Stop Lying About Barbara Lee

Posted by David Sirota at 3:15 PM on March 24, 2007.

Memo to contrarians & conspiracy theorists: you don't help your cause by trampling on the truth.


Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) is a progressive champion, and a smart legislator. Unfortunately, some of the people trumpeting her work are trying to manipulate her behavior into some sort of "proof" that progressive Democrats sold out the antiwar movement.

During the debate over the Iraq bill, Lee crafted a tougher antiwar bill that she said she was considering trying to amend to the Iraq supplemental. Some contrairians who seem more interested in protesting than ending the war claim that Lee was "not permitted to offer for a vote her amendment." This is flat-out untrue.

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) is a progressive champion, and a smart legislator. I have known this for a while, thanks to the time I worked with her and her office while a staffer for the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Unfortunately, some of the people trumpeting her work are trying to manipulate her behavior into some sort of "proof" that progressive Democrats who voted for the Iraq supplemental bill sold out the antiwar movement.

During the debate over the Iraq bill, Lee crafted a tougher antiwar bill that she said she was considering trying to amend to the Iraq supplemental. Some contrarians who seem more interested in protesting than ending the war claim that Lee was barred from offering her legislation up for a vote. This is flat-out not true.

Lee is on the House Appropriations Committee - the panel that crafted the Iraq supplemental. When that supplemental bill came through the committee, Lee had a chance to offer her legislation up for a vote. She refused. To say that Democrats barred any vote on Lee's legislation is a fabrication.

Let me be clear: Lee's refusal to offer her legislation was a very, very smart move. She displayed the same smarts I got to see firsthand when I worked with her during my time working with the founder of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Bernie Sanders. She likely calculated that it would have been defeated in committee and that such rejection would have been a major legislative setback for the antiwar movement.

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[marmar]

1. I loves me some Barbara Lee....

:loveya: That woman rocks! :yourock:

[wryter2000]

2. Barbara Lee speaks for me

I live in her district, and she's an awesome lady and a true progressive. No one bashes Barbara Lee in my presence. :mad:

[IndyOp]

3. Link is here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/stop-lying-about-barbara-_b_44173.html

[Spiffarino]

4. Those who react without thinking hurt their own

Did you ever yell at your kid for something only to learn that you were wrong? Ever have it done to you? It's damaging, no?

Reacting without thinking hurts causes, too. Before spouting off, gain some insight. It wouldn't hurt to trust your progressive leaders enough to let them do their jobs. When the work is done and the reason for a particular action is clear, bitch all you want if you don't agree. But please, please don't shoot down a perfectly good progressive advocate for no good reason.

[jgraz]

5. Maybe it's just wishful thinking, but the Dems seem like a cat getting ready to pounce

Holding back their toughest legislation, approving but not issuing subpoenas and, of course, "impeachment is off the table".

One thing the Dems have in their favor is that every one of them is smarter than every one of the Rethugs in Congress, and most of them are smarter than most of the news media. I'm hoping that this is all an exercise in supreme caginess and not a display of abject spinelessness.


Edit: because an apostrophe doesn't mean "here comes an s".