Democrats feeling betrayed by war funding vote? Anyone watching C-SPAN Washington Journal?

[chimpymustgo]

Democrats only were asked to call in, and boy they had an earful for Democrats and for B*sh. Deomocrats are angry, and feeling betrayed. Caller after caller said they voted these people in to stop the war - to IMPEACH B*sh and Cheney.

They are pissed off. As am I. The cave-in remains inexplicable. Has anyone seen a credible explanation?

[SOUTHERN_BOY]

1. This is my first answer

and it is right on and the reason I joined this blog.

You bet we're pissed off.

[Raksha]

3. Welcome to DU!!!

:toast: You've got lots of company here...we're all pissed off, and can't understand why it happened.

[SOUTHERN_BOY]

8. Thanks!

I've been lurking a while but just today had the nerve to join up!

[newyawker99]

25. Hi SOUTHERN_BOY!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[jimshoes]

4. Welcome aboard

southern boy. I think you'll like it here.

[SOUTHERN_BOY]

9. Hope so!

[malaise]

2. Great calls n/t

[Zodiak]

5. Still pissed

Despite the Borg arriving a few days ago to keep us animals from rattling our cages.

[KharmaTrain]

6. There's Some Good Coming Of This

I'm still pissed about last week, but one remember that without 17 Repugnicans with spines who can sustain a veto or 11 who will bust a GOOP fillibuster, this regime will stonewall and use the "bully pulpit"...they're not going to be held accountable until there are sealed indictments.

I don't think the Democratic leadership expected the blowback from the rank & file this vote created. This weekend at Memorial Day activities, I would imagine Democratic congresscritters are getting an earful. They're gonna find out it's not just us "Dirty Fuckin' Hippies" that want this illegal invasion and occupation to end, but many so-called "moderates" and "regular people".

However, I defer to folks like Atrios and Kos and others who see last week's vote as a start not an end to this debate. It's a vote we couldn't have dreamt of last year and it sets the stage for the next confrontation. I feel let down, but far from defeated...and that the numbers and the pressure of the elections will force some spines in 3 or 6 months where there aren't now.

There's a solid political calculation here...one we all can see, but want to ignore as the moral factor of this war is supposed to over-ride self interest...but this move is more forced by the Repugnicans. It's their support of this regime and a failed policy that is their downfall and this vote, despite folks like Cindy Sheehan who now claim this invasion belongs to the Democrats, it fully put the GOOP brand on this war. More vote, more branding. They continue to support this regime at their peril. In the meantime, I see a Democratic base that continues to energize and this dynamic has just begun to be felt inside the beltway.

[chimpymustgo]

7. KharmaTrain, that's about as good a face as we can put on it.

I just don't understand the initial sound and fury, the "we're gonna shove it in their faces", then the meek "never mind", "we don't have the votes". I cannot help but feel other forces at play here.

The Dems strategy (or lack of one) is just NONSENSICAL. And the Clinton/Obama peeping "no", after the vote was decided, not making floor speeches, but slinking into the night and issuing statements - WHAAAAA?

They KNEW they didn't have the votes when this started. The point is to force B*sh's hand - and those 17 Rethug cowards. They have power that they are NOT WEILDING IN ANY WAY.

[KharmaTrain]

10. It's Learning How To Be A Majority

Many Democrats inside the beltway are still believing their the minority...the only place they've ever been. They're still stuck on that b-partisan bullshit since that was the only way they could get anything enacted. They still haven't figured that last year's election was not a validation of them or the Democratic party but a total refuting of Repugnicans and booooosh.

A lot has to do with corporate media...who framed this debate in GOOP talking points from the outset and it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Many who voted in favor of it feared they'd be tarred next year of "not supporting the troops" more than their enabling another 3 or 6 months of this insane war for profit. These people are still gunshy from daring to speak out and getting trashed for days on end on hate radio and cable TV food fights. Unfortunately I think it's gonna have to take another election for the message to get through.

Another thing that pisses me is, if they were gonna play political football with caving in, they should have used military benefits as the trade-off not the minimum wage. I wanted boooosh to veto it and have it come back for an over-ride vote...or use it as a chit further down the road. Again, this is purely from a political standpoint, but, unfortunately, is the nature of the beat inside the beltway.

I was far from impressed with Clinton or Obama's after-the-fact vote. The problem with Democrats is that they don't have a single strategy about Iraq and it's vascilating with the polls. Sadly, part of this is that many hope this invasion drags on into next year as it's their meal tickets to the big time.

[rodeodance]

13. yes, i feel Bushco won the hill on this but is losing the war!

[BanzaiBonnie]

17. What our Democratic Congressmen and Senators don't understand...

is that "We the People" are tired of them playing politics! This is not a game of chess. We want straightforward action. If you vote FOR the spending on the war --- it looks like you are supporting the war.

Yes, we understand the maneuvering for position and all that. Yes, we understand "how things work on the hill" We understand the issues are complex. But to sell your vote to raise the minimum wage, just so you can counter the cries of some when you have to face the folks at home is a dastardly deed. I read something here (on DU) the other day that referred to the vote on the supplemental bill and the trade of funding the war for an increase in the minimum wage as BLOOD MONEY. I think that is a fitting way to look at this situation.

And if they think that we are blind to the "safety" of Obama and Clinton votes then the Democratic leadership has really lost it.

As long as the game is played by the same rules, we loose every time.

[Toots]

18. "until there are sealed indictments."

The votes are not there.....No subpoenas will ever be inforced against Republicans because ( all together now) "The votes aren't there" No one will ever be held accountable for anything because (all together now) "The votes aren't there" No bill that will benefit the American people will ever be passed because (all together now) "the votes aren't there". I know one vote that is no longer there.

[OregonBlue]

11. If they voted down the funding and things get much worse, who would the

media blame? It's fine by me. This vote continues to make it clear that this is Bush's war. Yes, I'm pissed off that they voted for it but I suspect that politically, this is better in the long run.

A lot of this is our fault by allowing the media and the GOP to frame this as supporting the troops. Framing works and the GOP is very good at it.

[rodeodance]

12. so is Pelosi listening?

[Vinca]

14. The icing on the cake was Harry Reid's "Democrats will never give up"

speech . . . right after they gave up.

[chimpymustgo]

15. That's a big part of the rub for me. The Dems telling us, "don't believe your lying eyes".

"This is the beginning of the end!" "This is all we could do, because we don't have the votes". "We've got them right where we want them now!"

I CALL BULLSHIT.

[disndat]

16. I heard somewhere

that Carl Levin, head of the Armed Services Committee blocked the Democratic Leaders from stopping the funding. I also heard or read that Senator Levin takes the most contributions from AIPAC. Maybe other DUers, with more verifiable knowledge can confirm this.

[stlsaxman]

19. Rove orchestrated "blow-back" highly effective!

Mainstream medea are telling us we are pissed-off at "The Spineless Democrats" and guess what-

WE DO AS WE ARE TOLD!

Has anyone pointed out that we passed a raise of the Minimum Wage with this bill? There are a lot of things that ** is giving up when he signs this bill.

Little Karl's got a chubby over this one.

[Forkboy]

20. Here's a thought...perhaps too radical for some

But perhaps...just perhaps..we really are pissed off.

If the minimum wage thing is so good why did the biggest advocate of raising it,Ted Kennedy,vote NO?

Just a thought.Back to your talk of chubbies.

[chimpymustgo]

21. I am really pissed. Mostly because no credible explanation has been proffered.

Are the Dems inept? Cowards? Colluders? All of the above?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

22. If anything, Rove successfully orchestrated the cave, by using the "support the troops" BS.

Too bad the Democratic "leadership" was so easily manipulated.

[SoCalDem]

23. That's why I always have wished for SINGLE ISSUE legislation

Make Bush veto specific bills..or sign them. This bundling of unrelated things makes a pretty smelly stew, and no matter how people vote, it opens up controversy.

[Karenina]

26. EXACTAMUNDO!

This "poison pill" crap needs to stop.

[jumpoffdaplanet]

24. Bullshit. Don't insult us with that crap.

I was pissed off at exactly the moment the house voted yes, and more pissed off when the senate did it too.

Then wasn't any lag time. There wasn't any media or rove around in my living room.

It was just me.

It's insulting to tell anyone that we are being told to pissed off.

The dems screwed up on this. It's time for they to admit and do something to fix it.

[ejbr]

27. I am becoming more skeptical in my rage

Don't get me wrong, it feels right to be pissed off at the Dems because they seem to be ignoring the will of the majority of Americans, just like Bush. And though I cannot imagine any rational reason to fund a war that is needlessly killing our troops, I am left to wonder whether this IS the last blank check the Democrats are planning to give. Why give a blank check? I just don't know.

Not that this should matter, we already told them by our votes, "no more blank checks", but maybe there is a calculation that they are making yet cannot be disclosed for reasons that, in retrospect, will make perfect sense. I just cannot imagine that the Dems we (progressives, independents and some conservatives) voted into office would be more frightened of Bush, the MSM and the war hawks in Congress than those who will have no compunction in staying home or removing them from office when the time comes because they are filthy fucking liars. Presumably, these are intelligent people who understand the various angles of national issues, right?