Antiwar Caucus Wants to Be Heard Now (NY Times, via Truthout)

[marmar]

Antiwar Caucus Wants to Be Heard Now
By Michael Luo
The New York Times

Sunday 04 March 2007

Washington - About a dozen members of the Out of Iraq Congressional Caucus gathered on a sunny day last summer on the terrace outside the Capitol for a news conference. The only problem: no reporters showed up.

The members of the group, made up entirely of House Democrats, cracked jokes among themselves before heading back inside, chalking it up as another failed attempt to get noticed.

"I had 30 press conferences where no one showed up," said Representative Maxine Waters, a California Democrat who leads the 75- member caucus in the House.

Now, with a change in power in Congress and a new military strategy to increase the number of American troops in Iraq, the members of the group - most of them liberals - are suddenly much in demand, finding themselves at the center of the debate over the war.

Yet even with a majority of Americans opposing the war, the caucus is struggling to overcome its fringe image and is becoming increasingly frustrated by what its members say is the Democratic leadership's unwillingness to heed their calls for decisive action to the end the war. .....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/030407Z.shtml

[rodeodance]

1. the power of the purse they talk of___yet Murtha said on MTP today that

polls show Americans do not want to cut off funding and he would not support it-----at least that is what is sounded like to me.

"Nothing is going to happen unless we use the power of the purse," said Representative Jerrold Nadler of New York. "It's time to draw a line in the sand."

The House minority leader, John A. Boehner of Ohio, said Republicans would oppose any measure that "restricts the president's ability to win the war in Iraq."

[marmar]

7. "polls show Americans do not want to cut off funding and he would not support it"

That's what I don't understand. My sense is, people don't want funds cut off for equipment or supplies for troops on the ground now, but they very much DO want funds cut off for any increases in troop levels.

[AnOhioan]

2. Does anyone need further proof that the...

Democratic Party hierarchy is part of the problem we face?

[marmar]

3. "Democratic Part hierarchy is part of the problem we face?"

You can say that again.

[AnOhioan]

4. Fixed the typo

Sometimes my tyyping is not so good. :crazy:

[Dhalgren]

5. If the Democratic Party continues to waffle on the Rape of Iraq, it will

lose the support of the voters in '08. And since elections seem to be the only thing this Party really cares about, they seem oddly determined to shoot themselves in the collective foot. The Party needs to have a big meeting and decide just what the hell it is that they believe in and are willing to make a stand for. Right now, if I was asked what the Democratic Party would make a stand for, I would be hard pressed to give an answer that I could be confident of...

[marmar]

6. Yup.

n/t

[madfloridian]

8. They are only listening to Blue Dogs right now.

Others have to wait their turn. Just pray for the troops, as the Democrat on Countdown said the other night. We'll get them out sometime in 08.

Forget about the dead and wounded. Let's be moderate, let's appeal to their side of the aisle.

Forget about it, Progressives. Step aside again.

:think: :shrug:

[cascadiance]

9. This is a clear example of why the term "liberal media" is an oxymoron being sold by morons!

... and yes morans too! :)

Der Korporate Media of Der Korporatocracy at work!