Memo to Congressional Democrats: you better read this... (a rant)

[WilliamPitt]

...so I don't have to find each and every one of you and pummel you with a seven-iron. You know who you are, and you look like golf balls to me right about now.

'K. Ready? This is easy stuff, straight-up English language stuff. Your intellect won't be challenged...only your intestinal fortitude will be challenged, as well as your ever-present instinct to screw yourselves with your pants on.

Here goes. I may be talking to the wind here, but what the hay.

Ready?

JOHN MURTHA DID NOT SAY 'IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL.'

Let's try that again, you feckless goobers.

JOHN MURTHA DID NOT SAY 'IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL.'

His resolution, which is shorter than the menu at Big Poppa's We-Only-Serve-One-Kind-Of-Burger-So-Sit-Your-Ass-Down Drive In, which should be easy as sweet potato pie for you to read, did not say "immediate withdrawal" anywhere.

It said, and I quote because I can, "the forces involved are to be redeployed at the earliest practicable date."

Earliest practicable date. In his comments, he said perhaps six months.

Right? With me? Cool. Page two.

The GOP, in a moment of glorious panic, sprinted out and farted up this crapgasmic one-liner of a resolution calling for immediate withdrawal from Iraq, and never mind that THIS WAS NOT WHAT MURTHA PROPOSED.

And what have you gibbering knuckleheads done?

Exactly what you always do.

You take the god damned bait.

You knock over children and old people in a mad sprint to a microphone so you can say, with all due severity, "Ah, ahem, globble furgle blub goot smurf I do not support immediate withdrawal."

You take up the GOP talking point, meant to do nothing more than obscure and derail an important debate, and you make it your own. You snuggle up to it like it was your warm and fuzzy wubby from a childhood long since left behind in the detritus of your climb to the top.

Now, there are those who say we neeed to get out of Iraq now.

There are those who say we have to get out at some point, but we can't immediately withdraw because it will leave Iraq in chaos.

There are also, of course, those who say we should "stay the course," but it is the safest bet in America to assume they are getting paid to say that by a company making billions off the war. Ignore them.

The first two points have merit and should be debated at the highest levels.

But you screwed that up.

I'm talking about tactics, you rudderless jellyfish.

DO NOT ADOPT GOP TALKING POINTS, EVER EVER EVER EVER.

You could have said, "That was not what Rep. Murtha proposed in his resolution. Don't try to obscure the argument. Let's talk about this."

Free-style on that if you wish, but you get the ever-loving point.

There are anarchist-types in America that, if no fence can be found, will erect one so they can smash it down and claim later to have "crashed the gates."

That's pretty lame, but not as lame as this last farce.

You, upon seeing an icky, deep, slimy mudhole, are overwhelmed with the desire to leap into it and cover yourselves with filth. You can't help it. It's a compulsion, like gambling or war-profiteering.

A GOP talking point? Lemme at it!

Murtha deserved better. The man has been in Congress since the goddam Teapot Dome scandal, and has earned the right not to get dogged out by his own people. I know he and Pelosi worked out a deal where he would fire his shot and have his colleagues remain silent while he takes the heat.

But remaining silent is not barnstorming to a microphone to parrot the GOP talking point meant expressly to deflate and deflect the whole point of the exercise.

You make me crazy.

End page two.

[mb7588a]

1. rutterless jellyfish? I prefer 'Waterboys" nt.

[Canuckistanian]

2. Tell it to them,brother!

Testify!

It's what I've been trying to say for all these days.

[Erika]

3. The Murtha amendment was not allowed to be introduced

His earliest predictable date did not equal immediate. The GOP really did a disservice to this marine. Big time.

[WilliamPitt]

5. That was to be expected

The GOP would nail Jesus to the cross again if he showed up preaching that hippy-ass peace and love stuff.

But if I see one more thread describing one more Democrat parroting the 'immediate withdrawal' line one more time, that club is coming out of my bag and I am going to go Tiger Woods on something.

[Canuckistanian]

6. Why was the Murtha amendment not introduced?

I maen other than the obvious?

Scratch that.

Why was this tabled at all?

[Erika]

18. Exactly. the GOP would not allow it.

They are gung-ho war.

[NewJeffCT]

48. no, it's not that

though, it may be part of the reason. They just don't want to be seen as following the lead of a Democrat.

of course, what comes out a week later - major redeployment of forces as soon as early next year. But, it doesn't look like it came because of Murtha... just a Pentagon initiative.

[leftstreet]

4. R.E.D.E.P.L.O.Y.

I keep saying it over and over and over.

MURTHA SAID REDEPLOY!

:bounce:

[Tom Joad]

27. It was the wrong thing to say, too. But better than most. eom

[ClusterFreak]

7. Giddy up to that!

:kick:

[niallmac]

8. I am beginning to learn the name 'WilliamPitt"

What a joy to read you. What an up the pipe challenge to our knee jerk professional democrat politicos.
Thank you. It was immensely, entertaining. Hughley depressing, but immensely entertaining.

If some day I find myself dying of bird flu, all I ask is that I am allowed first to read your take on it all.

[tavalon]

92. Well then, you should order:

The Greatest Sedition Is Silence : Four Years in America

I'm hoping he comes up with a sequel some time soon.

[LincolnMcGrath]

9. ?

[WilliamPitt]

11. !

[LincolnMcGrath]

55. Sometimes this places confuses and frustrates me.

Know what I mean Vern?

[sniffa]

10. seven iron?

i have so many crude skakeL jokes running through my brain.

[bicentennial_baby]

16. oh doh!

:spray:

[Arkham House]

12. What the hell is wrong with the Dems, anyway...?

You're absolutely right. This is a party that seems to have lost something--their soul, their courage, their mission...*something*. Could you imagine Harry Truman, or LBJ, or Tip O'Neill, behaving like this?

[Erika]

19. I don't think so

It is the GOP who has lost their soul and way. W has borrowed more money from foreign governments that all previous presidents combined.

[SammyWinstonJack]

40. HIGH FIVE!

:applause:

[Burried News]

61. There's nothing wrong with them - they took another dive like they

were supposed to.

[Steven_S]

13. Murtha's mistake....

Was using the term "practicable".

He did not say practical.

He did not say immediate.

It's like a fucking YIELD sign.

They see it but don't know what it means. Drives me crazy.

[Erika]

17. Please check what term Murtha used. n/t

[Norquist Nemesis]

22. umm..."practable" is

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=practicable

Usage Note: It is easy to confuse practicable and practical because they look so much alike and overlap in meaning. Practicable means “feasible” as well as “usable,” and it cannot be applied to persons. Practical has at least eight meanings, including the sense “capable of being put into effect, useful,” wherein the confusion with practicable arises. But there is a subtle distinction between these words that is worth keeping. Someone with a practical knowledge of French may be able to order coffee in a café, though it may not be practicable to learn the language of every country in Europe.

What's so hard about that? :shrug:

[leeroysphitz]

14. Ah, ahem, globble furgle blub goot smurf

Thank you for this post. You've nailed what has been a huge thorn in the side of those of us who seem to be "out-in-front" of the dem leadership on this and many other issues.

[Gold Metal Flake]

15. Lets not forget to spread a little "love" to these two dogs

Berman, Howard (California, 28th)
California-28th, Democrat
2221 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-0528
Phone: [phone]

Faleomavaega, Eni (American Samoa, Delegate)
American Samoa-Delegate, Democrat
2422 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-5201
Phone: [phone]

Why? See the thread by katinmn 2 Dems help stonewall WHIG investigation.

It matters what KIND of Democrat we elect.

[Norquist Nemesis]

20. Couldn't have said it better!!! (and nominated!)

There comes a point when we need to stand behind a position or person. This is it.

We may not wholly agree with the proposed resolution/solution. But, when it comes to backing that position/resolution...we, as DEMOCRATS need to stand behind it and push the 'power brokers' to work to a clear resolution that is very close to the original position.

It's not ALL about winning; it IS about standing firm on a position and DEMOCRATICALLY working toward a solution, though.

[xray s]

21. "We want an up and down vote on the Murtha Resolution"

That is all they should have been saying last Friday night.

Opportunities lost.

[Burried News]

60. Or sabotage accomplished?

[TahitiNut]

23. Yep. See ....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=5407824

[WilliamPitt]

24. Drat

Wish I could nominate that.

:toast:

[stevedeshazer]

33. That was a kick-ass post

I missed it the first time.

Glad you reposted it.

[leftchick]

51. wow! excellent post TN!

I wish I had seen it that day I would have recommended it!

:hi:

[TahitiNut]

53. Thanks leftchick and all! I was very disappointed to see that drop ...

... like a stone. While it's not really "rocket science," I did invest some significant time and effort to compose a clear and factual post with a valid analysis of the basic deceit involved. Amidst all the redundant grunting and snorting regarding Murtha's resolution, there seemed to be very little clarity on DU. I guess it's no wonder that there were so few carefully thought-out posts when they just sink into the muck and mire of dozens of redundant visceral threads. Oh well. (sigh) :shrug:

[annabanana]

66. I printed it out...

I'm sending it to my HS Junior's son's "History and Government" teacher...
I really wish there was a more aggressive Rhetoric and Civics course in ALL the high schools. It should be compulsory for graduation.

[TahitiNut]

70. I'm soooo much in agreement. Perhaps when I went to school ...

... (50s) the 'establishment' was far more sensitive to the methods of propaganda employed by the Nazis that the Civics/Social Studies teachers focused on fallacies and propaganda techniques. I remember we had to bring in newspaper articles and identify the biased language as compared to what we'd say was objective language. We had a very abbreviated primer in logic and argument; it was parallel to plane geometry, when we first learned 'proofs' in math. It's sure clear to me that the public school education I got was better than what kids are getting these days. As I enter 'retirement,' I sure wish I could go back to teaching part-time and offer such a course for kids in the local high school - but the 'system' just wouldn't allow it.

[Cleita]

81. I didn't see it either. Good post.

Too bad it dropped so fast.

[tavalon]

93. Are you allowed to repost it

I agree with the others here, this needs to hit the greatest page.

[autorank]

25. 7 irons don't pummel people; people pummel people;)

The House response certainly was not a Sen. Harry Reid quality parliamentary procedure gem. In fact, IMHO, the should have arisen as one, left, and had a Republican bashing rally on the Capitol Steps, preferably where John and Rita Jenrette ... well that's another story.

There were two redeeming events, however, which overshadowed the less than stellar reaction:

1) Rep. Jean Schmidt's nasty smear provoking loud jeers and rage, not the least of which was Rep. Harold Ford Kirking out as he ran 1/2 way across the House floor to yell at Ms. Congeniality; and

2) The actual unmentionable term, "withdrawal," being put on the table by the Republicans. They can't un ring that bell.

All in all, not a bad day considering the lack of tactical acumen.

Next time, they'll tie Jean up and we'll have to depend on our own efforts to carry the day.

[Tom Joad]

26. He should have said immediate withdraw. He should have said...

bring them home, but he didn't. That's right. Murtha's position has always been pro-war, pro-imperialist... they don't call him "hawkish" for nothing.

He is to be commended for seeing many things that the anti-war movement has been saying for months... that US troops only add to the violence in Iraq, that they serve no further purpose in Iraq.

what the real peace movement should be saying is yes, this is one of the more insightful resolutions offered in congress yet. We urge every Congressperson to support it. we must continue to work to bring all the troops home(not to Kuwait, but home, dammit!)and to end US imperial designs in the Middle East, not only in Iraq... but in Iran, Syria, and Palestine...

Cut and run. It's really admirable when your country has invaded a sovereign country for no legal reason.

Don't be enablers of US imperialism.

[sandnsea]

28. Why are you mad at Congress?

The media and out now folks are the ones who ran with "immediate withdrawal". I guess any opportunity to piss on a Dem though. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Happy Thanksgiving anyway.

[WilliamPitt]

31. Please

Do a search of the wires, or even here.

Clinton, Ney and several others have popped off with "I do not support immediate withdrawal."

That's the GOP talking point.

You know I'm right.

[sandnsea]

34. No you're not

I was one of the first people last week, along with a few friends, to point out that Murtha's plan was not "immediate withdrawal". This was before Murtha even clarified it himself. The media said it was immediate withdrawal, then the out now people jumped on it. Only after the Repubicans started calling it cut and run, and Murtha clarified that it was not immediate withdrawal, did the out now people backtrack. That is exactly what happened and YOU know I'm right.

Futhermore, if characterizing Murtha's plan as immediate withdrawal gets us to a better plan, bringing the troops all the way home, then that's fine with me at this point. (But that isn't how that line got started.) Keeping large numbers of troops in the region indefinitely is not a good idea and is not going to bring about the sense that we're not interjecting ourselves into Iraqi business. This "over the horizon" stuff is not going to work, it's just going to expand the theatre of the war.

[WilliamPitt]

36. Say what?

"Only after the Repubicans started calling it cut and run, and Murtha clarified that it was not immediate withdrawal, did the out now people backtrack."

The out now people have not backtracked, not one step. Most every Dem official believes a plan and a timetable are needed before we get out of there. 99% of the out now people reside in the grassroots, and none of them to my knowledge have decided to leaven their stance.

Are you saying Clinton and Ney were out-now people, and they backtracked?

As for the rest, I think those views are almost universally accepted in our side of the pond. That wasn't the point of the OP. The point was this: Murtha made his statement and said six months/as soon as is practicable.

Then boom, the GOP chucks up the Hunter resolution (one which Hunter didn't vote for, amusingly). The Hunter res said "immediate withdrawal," and that became the GOP talking point in the media: cut and run, coward, etc.

Why these Dem Senators feel the need to leap up and legitimize the talking point by defending themselves against it is maddening to me. They could have just as easily redirected the debate back to Murtha's original res, which said we have to get out as soon as possible, so let's come up with a plan. That is a debate worth having, one that augers right into your second paragraph.

They didn't. They legitimized the GOP talking point. They deserve to get a memo. :)

[sandnsea]

38. Come up with a plan?

Gee, as if several Democrats haven't come up with a plan and as if they aren't talking about their plan. Let's just selectively forget that. And selectively forget what people said and did immediately after Murtha's statement, before anything you're referring to in that post. Just jump to Friday night as if the previous day didn't happen. Pretend to be be unable to comprehend what I said in my post. Pretend that having a difference of opinion on how to get out of Iraq is the same as supporting the war or distancing from Murtha, which I find to be right wing talking points that I've heard come out of the mouths of the left. If Hillary said something negative about Murtha, then criticize HER and quote HER. Stop lumping the entire Democratic Party into one big pot because it isn't true and it isn't helping anything anyway.

[WilliamPitt]

39. Murtha's statement

gave the Democrats an opportunity to, in one voice, present an alternative plan. The iron was hot, and if they stood together and offered a plan they had come up with and agreed upon (read: something they should have been working on for months), it would have been a huge step forward.

They were presented with a GOP talking point, and enough of them broke ranks to defend themselves from it that it legitimized the damned thing. No single-voiced alternative was offered. It is what it is, so yeah, I'm yelling at all of them. It's the Democratic Party. I'm sure they can endure my wrath.

I understood every word in your post, thanks.

[sandnsea]

41. They disagree, obviously

What is wrong with disagreeing with his plan? What is wrong with saying a phased approach, leaving as areas are secured with Iraqi troops, is better? What is wrong with saying bringing them all the way home and not keeping extensive troops in the area is better? Why does every blessed thing have to be either the left's way or warmongering?

Has Hillary called Murtha's plan immediate withdrawal? I haven't seen a quote where she specifically says that. I see the comment attributed to her by reporters, but not her exact words. You support immediate withdrawal, fine. But that doesn't mean Murtha's plan is a good way to get there or that other plans might not get there faster because they will get the support of the country. What I see is the left allowing themselves to be manipulated by the media and the right, again.

[AuntiBush]

35. Caught that, too, Will!

Thanks for bringing-up what I was thinking while watching it transpire.

Murtha did not say "immediate withdrawal." You're quote is to a tee!

Been hearing Clinton say "no immediate withdrawal" since early summer. It "is" GOP talking points. We had the ball, and dropped it in their lap, again.

Someone has to keep things straight for the record. Lord knows the GOP do anything but... :puke:

[stevedeshazer]

29. Dude, your frustration is my frustration. This drives me nuts.

Get it straight, people.

GOP version:

"Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that
the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately.

Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the deployment of United States forces
in Iraq be terminated immediately."

Clearly, this version is bullshit, and is not what Murtha proposed BUT THIS IS WHAT WAS VOTED ON.

Jack Murtha amendment:

"Whereas Congress and the American People have not been shown clear, measurable progress toward establishment of stable and improving security in Iraq or of a stable and improving economy in Iraq, both of which are essential to "promote the emergence of a democratic government";

Whereas additional stabilization in Iraq by U, S. military forces cannot be achieved without the deployment of hundreds of thousands of additional U S. troops, which in turn cannot be achieved without a military draft;

Whereas more than $277 billion has been appropriated by the United States Congress to prosecute U.S. military action in Iraq and Afghanistan;

Whereas, as of the drafting of this resolution, 2,079 U.S. troops have been killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom;

Whereas U.S. forces have become the target of the insurgency,

Whereas, according to recent polls, over 80% of the Iraqi people want U.S. forces out of Iraq;

Whereas polls also indicate that 45% of the Iraqi people feel that the attacks on U.S. forces are justified;

Whereas, due to the foregoing, Congress finds it evident that continuing U.S. military action in Iraq is not in the best interests of the United States of America, the people of Iraq, or the Persian Gulf Region, which were cited in Public Law 107-243 as justification for undertaking such action;

Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That:

Section 1. The deployment of United States forces in Iraq, by direction of Congress, is hereby terminated and the forces involved are to be redeployed at the earliest practicable date.

Section 2. A quick-reaction U.S. force and an over-the-horizon presence of U.S Marines shall be deployed in the region.

Section 3 The United States of America shall pursue security and stability in Iraq through diplomacy."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

BIG freakin' difference.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Look, Duncan Hunter voted AGAINST HIS OWN AMENDMENT.

Ever heard of the Trojan Horse?

[mithnanthy]

30. Excellent rant!

Thanks Will.

[flyarm]

32. GO GET EM WILL! request..can you send to Lie-berman??

or better yet stuff it down the jackasses throat... to shut him up!!

great rant!!:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

flyO8)

[confludemocrat]

37. There's no such thing as an "immediate withdrawal"

So you yourself need to stop feeding that beast. Cynthia McKinney put it right:

"I am voting "yes" on this Resolution for an orderly withdrawal of US forces from Iraq despite the convoluted motives behind the Republican Resolution. I am voting to support our troops by bringing them home now in an orderly withdrawal."

What Murtha did was effectively leave most Democratic 2008 hopefuls with the hot air that eminated in mouthing the empty words, "completing the mission" and "plan for success" still suspended in the air at the very moment as he was admitting that there was nothing useful we could do there and no useful good could come of the "mission", and only harm could come to the troops.

As the chimerical issue of an "immediate withdrawal" is bandied about rather than a fuller discussion of the real meaning of Murtha's words: "leave ASAP", it seems to me that certain people here are using that as a smokescreen to cover or divert attention from the reprehensible positions of their favorite candidates in regards to this bloody, immoral, illegal disaster in Iraq.

[nomatrix]

42. How about the NON-talking points?

Talking points do exactly what they want, and just like a toddler on a sugar high, negative behavior gets all the attention.

What about the child who sits quietly in the classroom, and says nothing?
Hmmm, who did that on 9/11?

Why do they not speak up about the billion a day invasion, innocent deaths at the hands of our soldiers?

Oil....period. What they don't say, says so much.

http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/oil/2005/crudedesigns.htm

[donheld]

43. Great rant as always Will

When will they get it? :nuke:

[ngGale]

44. Great rant, Will...

they make me crazy too.

[upi402]

45. how long is a bit of string?

how long is a bit of string?
who can say, but the end is coming for the DINOs
(Shhh, they're Republicans! Shhh)
:yoiks:

[LaurenG]

46. Where is the rest of this

I am certainly exhilarated :woohoo: that you are saying what many of us feel but I KNOW you can't be done yet, right? :shrug: I don't feel as if you've said quite enough for me/us.:evilgrin: Thank you for making the obvious more so. Whenever you're ready to say more I'm ready to back you up.

(sorry to assume that you are responsible for making the words come out correctly, but you do it so well). Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving :hi:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

47. The usual political weasling by the political weasles.

"The war was a 'mistake'..but we have to continue it.."
"I'm against the war, but we must 'support the troops.."
"I was 'misled' into the war but now that we're there.."
"It would be a mistake to leave Iraq now because it would create chaos.."

etc, ad nauseum.

Politicians make real estate developers and drug dealers look honest and ethical.

[TheGunslinger]

49. Hear! Hear!

[Name removed]

50. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[all.of.me]

52. lol - you are great, pitt.

[mzmolly]

54. A very loud ~ HERE HERE!!!!!

The freakin bafoons! They are exasperating as they continually let Republicans define the debate in dishonest terms.

[annabanana]

56. Why, oh why is it so easy for us to see this, and SO DAMN HARD

for them to figure it out. It ain't rocket science and I ain't Einstein, but it seems pretty damn clear to me.

[SpiralHawk]

57. Dems = FGG

Feckless gibbering goobers -- LOL

Thanks Will -- funny and too true.

[toymachines]

58. Word to that.

Rudderless jellyfish indeed.

[Burried News]

59. It isn't the bait they took - It's the cash. How many times do we have

to witness this kind of thing before we get a clue. These guys are Republican light - bought and paid for.

You might as well expect the referee in a 'Professional Restling' "match" catch the bad guys strangling the good guys.

<<<"The GOP, in a moment of glorious panic, sprinted out and farted up this crapgasmic one-liner of a resolution calling for immediate withdrawal from Iraq, and never mind that THIS WAS NOT WHAT MURTHA PROPOSED.

And what have you gibbering knuckleheads done?

Exactly what you always do.

You take the god damned bait.">>>

[mikelewis]

68. So the choice is between ignorant or corrupt....

I think it's probably a lot of both.

[dzika]

62. Let's hope they get the memo.

Well said.

[ClassWarrior]

63. Sent it to my Rep, Will. Thanks.

:hi:

NGU.

[rustydad]

64. Please Will, don't go crazy

Remember that the *Plan* was to never leave Iraq, at least not until the oil is sucked out. Had we gone in with sufficient troops and an exit plan we might not be there now. Had we known the *truth* about 9/11 and WMD we would not have invaded. The *Plan* is working just fine thank you. The *Plan* is everlasting chaos, everlasting military presence. And everything IS going to *Plan*. Bob

[Alizaryn]

65. "You make me crazy."

Yep... Why don't they "get it"?

[mopinko]

67. you tell 'em pitt

[Taxloss]

69. No jellyfish have rudders.

Mixing metaphors really sets the applecart among the pigeons.

You have a good point, and I appreciate your passion, but that could have been said with equal force in one third the words.

[WilliamPitt]

71. OK

Do it for me.

Be sure you don't enjoy yourself like I did while I was writing it. Enjoyed myself so much I kept on writing. This is, you see, a message board. Folks here can write as much as they want, and you don't have to read it if you have issues with too many words being used.

[Taxloss]

75. OK then.

Editorial editions and remarks in italics.

Memo to Congressional Democrats: you better read this... (a rant)
Edited on Thu Nov-24-05 04:54 AM by WilliamPitt

...so I don't have to find each and every one of you and pummel you with a seven-iron. You know who you are, and you look like golf balls to me right about now.

'K. Ready? This is easy stuff, straight-up English language stuff. Your intellect won't be challenged...only your intestinal fortitude will be challenged, as well as your ever-present instinct to screw yourselves with your pants on.

Here goes. I may be talking to the wind here, but what the hay.

Ready?

JOHN MURTHA DID NOT SAY 'IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL.'

Let's try that again, you feckless goobers.

JOHN MURTHA DID NOT SAY 'IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL.'

His resolution, which is shorter than the menu at Big Poppa's We-Only-Serve-One-Kind-Of-Burger-So-Sit-Your-Ass-Down Drive In, which should be easy as sweet potato pie for you to read, did not say "immediate withdrawal" anywhere. Good stuff

It said, and I quote because I can, "the forces involved are to be redeployed at the earliest practicable date."

Earliest practicable date. In his comments, he said perhaps six months.

Right? With me? Cool. Page two.

The GOP, in a moment of glorious panic, sprinted out and farted up this crapgasmic one-liner of a resolution calling for immediate withdrawal from Iraq, and never mind that THIS WAS NOT WHAT MURTHA PROPOSED. This is a good bit

And what have you gibbering knuckleheads done?

Exactly what you always do.

You take the god damned bait.

You knock over children and old people in a mad sprint to a microphone so you can say, with all due severity, "Ah, ahem, globble furgle blub goot smurf I do not support immediate withdrawal." This is also good

You take up the GOP talking point, meant to do nothing more than obscure and derail an important debate, and you make it your own. You snuggle up to it like it was your warm and fuzzy wubby from a childhood long since left behind in the detritus of your climb to the top. Consider condensing

Now, there are those who say we neeed to get out of Iraq now.

There are those who say we have to get out at some point, but we can't immediately withdraw because it will leave Iraq in chaos.

There are also, of course, those who say we should "stay the course," but it is the safest bet in America to assume they are getting paid to say that by a company making billions off the war. Ignore them.

These The first two points have merit and should be debated at the highest levels.

But you screwed that up.

I'm talking about tactics, you rudderless jellyfish.

DO NOT ADOPT GOP TALKING POINTS, EVER EVER EVER EVER.

You could have said, "That was not what Rep. Murtha proposed in his resolution. Don't try to obscure the argument. Let's talk about this."

Free-style on that if you wish, but you get the ever-loving point.

There are anarchist-types in America that, if no fence can be found, will erect one so they can smash it down and claim later to have "crashed the gates."

That's pretty lame, but not as lame as this last farce. Utterly irrelevant

You, upon seeing an icky, deep, slimy mudhole, are overwhelmed with the desire to leap into it and cover yourselves with filth. You can't help it. It's a compulsion, like gambling or war-profiteering. This bit is good.

A GOP talking point? Lemme at it!

Murtha deserved better. The man has been in Congress since the goddam Teapot Dome scandal, and has earned the right not to get dogged out by his own people. I know he and Pelosi worked out a deal where he would fire his shot and have his colleagues remain silent while he takes the heat. Cliches and idioms should be reduced in this segment - "dogged out", "worked out a deal", "fire his shot", "takes the heat".

But remaining silent is not barnstorming to a microphone to parrot thea GOP talking point meant expressly to deflate and deflect the whole point of the exercise.

You make me crazy.

End page two.

Actually, I did rather enjoy that. Feel free to keep writing as much as you like - as you say, people can choose whether to read it or not. And if you want to communicate ideas, concision is key.

[WilliamPitt]

76. That's not writing

That's editing. But as you are an officer in the Word Count Police, you knew that.

Try again.

[Taxloss]

79. Good writers need editors.

You try again.

[WilliamPitt]

80. And critics

usually need to know how to do what they are being critical of. Take ESPN, for example. Most of the football guys who criticize games, coaches, players and trades used to play the game.

The ones that actually get listened to played the game, anyway.

I'm fine with my OP here. See no need to revisit it, even after your ham-fisted strikethroughs. But I would be interested to see you do it better, instead of listening to you hoot like a fan in the bleachers who has never actually laced them up.

[Name removed]

82. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

83. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[flvegan]

90. Laughed out loud at that one.

Thank you, sir.

[stillrockin]

72. Amen . . .

The fact that the media picks up the GOP talking points doe not let the Dems off the hook. They need to make some noise, just state the plain and simple fact: HE DID NOT PROPOSE IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL.

It is just plain frustrating to witness the Dems' failure to rally effectively when they have the truth AND the people behind them.

[PaganPreacher]

73. Paid by the word, Pitt?

Brevity is the soul of wit.
-William Shakespeare

Brevity is the sister of talent.
-Anton Chekhov

Sorry for the long letter. I didn't have time to write a short one.
-Mark Twain

BTW, threatening to assault members of Congress with the intent to intimidate, impede, or retaliate against such officials on account of the performance of official duties is a Federal offense (18 USC 115) and may buy you three years as Scooter Libby's roomate.


The Pagan Preacher
I don't turn the other cheek.

[WilliamPitt]

74. What, were the fucking Word Count Police unleashed tonight or what?

Before removing the mote in thy neighbors eye, tend to the beam in thine own.

Or, don't read it if you have a problem reading more than a paragraph.

[PaganPreacher]

84. "The beam in thine own eye" aphorism doesn't work.

I kept my post short and sweet, so your use of the "mote-beam" line was a non-sequitur.

I have no problem reading "more than a paragraph". I have the reading ability and the patience to wade through almost anything. The fact I offered criticism of your article is proof of that.

A few more bits of writing advice, from better writers than you or I:

The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.
-Thomas Jefferson

Brevity is a great charm of eloquence.
-Marcus Tullius Cicero

A short saying often contains much wisdom.
-Sophocles

[WilliamPitt]

86. "Brevity is...wit." - Readers Digest

:P

[PaganPreacher]

87. Now THAT'S funny!

Take it easy, and Happy Thanksgiving.

The Pagan Preacher
I don't turn the other cheek.

[WilliamPitt]

88. A Simpsons joke

Lisa won a Readers Digest writing contest and got to go to DC (where she discovered rampant corruption, surprise surprise). The banner at the Digest gathering had that quip on it. I peed a little bit.

Cheers. :toast:

[Cleita]

77. I hope you make an impression, but somehow I feel

your rant will be above their heads.

[WilliamPitt]

78. I used too many words

or so I am told. :eyes:

[mikelewis]

89. I counted 635 not including the title of course...

This is of course in clear violation of the unwritten laws of political persuasion which limits you to 627 words. I also noted that you tend to favor the letters A and D quite a bit. I think this is due to a lack of breast-feeding while an infant. I think you can solve most of these problems by drinking a glass of Similac before you write.

In spite of these flagrant abuses, however, I did find your refusal to begin any of your words with the letter Z to be quite refreshing. I'm not sure what your piece was about so I can't comment on content (those A's and D's simply overwhelmed me). I'm sure whatever you were saying was very moving and right on target as usual.

[Mr_Spock]

85. Thanks for posting this...

It needed to be said...

[LaurenG]

91. There will always be critics

There will always be those unsatisfied by anything they do and so feeling intimidated go out searching for others to criticize too. Even Oprah is criticized for giving too much and then allowing others to thank her for it. No matter what one thinks of Oprah, in the big picture she does "good things" for others. You're in good company.

Please, carry on doing what you do best. I am no good at writing thus I love when others formulate the words playing in my head and make it understandable. My hope is that somehow, someone will get the message across to the democrats that people are dying and they are doing little to rectify the situation. I don't know how much more the nation can take. Do good Pitt and ignore those who have nothing better to do than criticize. Thanks.

Meanness for it's own sake is pathological but then thats another thread.