The fact is that the recent votes are steps in the direction of ending the war

[onenote]

That may be small consolation to those who have always opposed the war and want it ended immediately. But the fact is that while the public support for a timetable to end the war is becoming overwhelming (and repub votes to sustain chimpy's veto could come back to haunt them as a result), the public has been, until recently, more divided on whether to simply end the war immediately. Not surprisingly, this has meant that Congress has in fact been giving chimpy a blank check in recent years -- and by overwhelming margins. THe following history of votes relating to the iraq war is illuminating. Compared to where things were just a year ago, you can see that the tide has turned. Can we get there by September? I hope and pray we can. But abandoning the Democratic Party is hardly the answer. Rather the answer is to communicate your strong feelings that the time has come to end the war to your members of Congress, both repub and democrat. And try to convince your family, friends, and co-workers to do the same.

http://www.nicolaibrown.com/iraq/votes.html

[SledDriver]

1. I didn't abandon the Democratic Party...

They abandoned me.

[NavyDavy]

5. well there is a site called free republic u can goto if you think dems

are bad wait until the repukes ignore you totally.....and gaurantee you will be running back or you could just vote for a third party either way this site is democratic underground....not indy underground or third party underground or freeper underground....my point is nobody is making you stay....I support my Dem leaders period.....I may not agree 100% of the time but I will never abandon them.

[Warren Stupidity]

2. Pollyanna World! nt.

[onenote]

4. Substantive Response!! -- Not

[TwilightGardener]

3. This is true--this is a dance, between the public, the Congress, and Chimpy.

I made a post about the "tide turning" a couple months ago, because back in January, when the first non-binding resolutions against the surge were being debated, the WH and Repubs were trying to shut down open debate altogether on the subject of Iraq. That was an important first step, and I believe it allowed public opinion to crystallize against the war and against the charge that it should not be debated openly. We have come a long way in just a few months. We have confronted Chimpy with timelines and demands, and the public is largely with the Dems on this. The wheels are turning, slowly. Let's not get discouraged.

[jumpoffdaplanet]

6. Spinning bullshit doesn't change the fact

it was bullshit. the dems caved into bush's demand.


I am so ashamed I let myself believe the dems had discovered a spine.


And it's worse that anyone would try to pretend this is going to end anything.

If I had any of those cowards in front of me I'd be bitchslapping the lot of them.

So stop channeling those idiots and just face the fact the dems are cowards and we are screwed

[juajen]

7. Give 'em a break, people!

Rome was not built in a day. * has had six years to further his agenda; me thinks we cannot overcome this in six months. Patience, please.

[jumpoffdaplanet]

8. Funny, 6 months turns out to be long enough to cave in to bush

Dems control the committes and firmly control House.

Remember, 6 months was more than enough for the republics to fuck things back when.



Hell, the Iraq supplemental didn't even have to be put to a vote in the congress. It didn't have to be put on the schedule.

Plus it could have been stopped in the House. We have a clear majority there.

It was a simple No vote. But it would have taken bravery.

It would have then trusting the people to know that pundits were bullshitting about the dems.

But no. They took the cowards way out. They told us they didn't trust us to stand with them side by side. They told bushco they can't back up their words with actions.

6 months was long enough for that shit.

[LWolf]

9. I have communicated my feelings to all since 2002.

I will continue to do so. Whether or not the Democratic Party is with me.

I saw the tide turning last year. The November election was evidence. The performance of too many Democrats in congress since then is evidence of another sort.

The recent vote was a roadblock to ending the war, not a step forward.