Carl Levin = DINO.
Joe Biden = DINO.
They're utterly useless.
Posted by Christopher at May 24, 2007 01:55 PMseems, ridiculous. indicates far deeper problems. I want to guess that the oil is about to run out, either by force and war, or supply is drying up far faster than we know. there is almost no reason other than this that our congress would cave in to a madman that doesn't even know how to speak to a 5th grader.
many people are lying to us. we get almost no truth at all.
what's new?
It was the political calculus. The defense industry (private contractors) really wanted to give the Dems lots of money, but the Dems had to deliver. The Dems were stuck because it seems they had mumbled something about ending the Iraq conflict to get elected. So they were between a rock (I just won't say it) and a hard place.
So, to appease the defense industry they voted on procedural rules that split the bill in two. You have the Iraq spending bill that the republi-cons can vote for that loosens up the Defense lobby, and the earmarks that the Dems can vote for so that they can say they threw you a bone.
So a unitary bill becomes two pieces of the same legislation which allows Dems to lie to their constituents and say "We didn't vote for Iraq funding!" They'll put the perfunctory whipped-dog look on their lying faces and claim there was just nothing else they could do...but they didn't vote for war funding.
Slimy snake oil selling bastards.
Posted by phidipides at May 24, 2007 01:59 PMHow pathetically sad.... And from the sounds of it,apparently many Democrats and the leadership decided to endorse the Capitulation Iraq War Funding enabling Bush because they were afraid of being labeled and called bad names (like troop haters, unpatriotic, terrorist enablers, weak on national security..you know all the names they have been called for the past 6 years) by Bushco and the RNC if they had not caved by Memorial Day. Oh the effing humanity....they would be called names.
Jeebus! WTF..... do they really believe that by giving Mr. Temper Tantrum in Chief his way by caving that that would miraculously stop them from calling them names at any future date?...way to live up to their reputations of being weak and soft....and all because they were afraid of being called names...How sadly pathetic. And of course the press who enabled and acts as a stenographer and megaphone for these frames and stereotypes will gladly smile while they poke fun at them for caving to that manly man war hero Junior. What a sorry state of affairs...meanwhile the war chugs on and the violence in Iraq increases(see McClatchy) with the increased troop presence and never ending occupation.
Posted by emal at May 24, 2007 02:09 PMThe defense industry (private contractors) really wanted to give the Dems lots of money....
I predict these checks, somehow, just never get delivered.
Posted by bartcopfan at May 24, 2007 02:32 PMI predict these checks, somehow, just never get delivered.
They will now.
Posted by phidipides at May 24, 2007 02:47 PMSteve Clemmons breaking news on Cheney
http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/
Seems Dick thinks Bush, Condi, Gates and those other pussyfooters are going too light on Iran and by GOD he's ready with a plan to do an end run around Bush's policies.
To the cavers in the Congress - read Steve Clemmons before you cast your vote to enable.
Posted by mainsailset at May 24, 2007 03:16 PMThey will now.
But why? The defense contractors already got what they wanted. We Dems just don't seem to be smart enuff to demand payment up front!
Posted by bartcopfan at May 24, 2007 03:45 PMdont any of these fuckin iditos watch KEITH OLBERMANN!!!!!!
Posted by paulsocal at May 24, 2007 03:46 PMThe U.S. House of Representatives just approved the Iraq spending bill with no timeline for troop withdrawal.
Now, it's on to the senate.
Posted by Christopher at May 24, 2007 03:49 PMThat is why I contend that the Democrats may have to share some of the responsibility for this War in the 2008 elections, if it isn't ended. What will they say when those 6 out of 10 ask them why they did not attach a timetable for a U.S. troop withdrawal to the war funding bill?
Posted by Judith at May 24, 2007 04:00 PMUmmm guess what...just heard from CNN (Dana Bash)that this bill was a significant compromise for the republicans. Yup you read that right, the republicans were the ones who compromised. Honest to Gawd oh why oh why can't we have a better media. Yet the header under that story says, Democrats torn apart...yet it was repukes who effing compromised the most.
Posted by emal at May 24, 2007 04:06 PM"Seems Dick thinks Bush, Condi, Gates and those other pussyfooters are going too light on Iran and by GOD he's ready with a plan to do an end run around Bush's policies."
I got a new flash. Your not the fucking President Dick. Your the Vice-President, remember?
Posted by Judith at May 24, 2007 04:07 PMIt's a sad day for the Democratic party when the Congress can't stand up to a president with a 28% job approval and his war, which 70% of Americans oppose. Can't wait to see how Hillary and Obama vote later tonight.
Posted by Christopher at May 24, 2007 04:12 PMWe Dems just don't seem to be smart enuff to demand payment up front!
(Big grin!)
he's ready with a plan to do an end run around Bush's policies.
Tough plan. He'll have to take his car keys out of his pocket and jingle them. The two year-old in chief is easy to distract.
Posted by phidipides at May 24, 2007 04:24 PMLiving in Iowa and being registered as a Dem, I tend to get on Dem candidates' email lists, so I get a "few" emails from candidates, including Biden. Hmmm, none that I remember from Hillary, though. Interesting, now that I think about it. Anyway, I thought I'd use one of Biden's emails to contact him to bitch, but no contact link. So I unsubscribed. No big loss--Biden hasn't had an original thought in his life, I suspect. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if he gets his talking points from sites like this.
Posted by Julie at May 24, 2007 04:33 PMI still am convinced all of these hacks on both sides are due to be overtaken by waves of macro events that will wash them away.
I keep checking Juan Cole and there are a number of signs to indicate the insurgency is following a Mao or Vietnam pattern.
They are fielding larger units and beginning probing attacks to suggest something big and unhinging may hit within the calendar year, an Iraqi Tet offensive.
On the home front climatologists all agree on a robust and dangerous hurricane season while the Katrina aftermath has mostly been left to fester beyond good old GOP crony profiteering.
On the economic front, gas may average 3.50 plus a gallon in the annual fossil fuel waste we know as summer vacations and the World has 'decoupled' from the US economy so the world no longer gets the flu when the US has a cold, now the reverse is more likely.
None of the present wrecks are likely to do well or be much help when this all comes to roost. There will be no if.
Posted by Chris Rich at May 24, 2007 05:24 PMRoll Call has the House votes up.
Slaughter and Pelosi voting "NO."
Murth voting "YES."
Posted by Christopher at May 24, 2007 05:25 PMHillary and Obama also voted "NO."
Posted by Christopher at May 24, 2007 05:48 PMHillary and Obama also voted "NO."
Where did you find the Senate vote?
Posted by phidipides at May 24, 2007 06:01 PMJust what has this great Democratic majority delivered ........ so far ........ really, what has been enacted to law of the land?
Change course in Iraq? ..... no (same as if the rubber stamps were there)
Initiatives on global warming? ......
environmental protections?
invistigations that produce results/change?
accountability of the exec branch?
hate crimes? ....... not yet
torture? ........... I dont think so
revised foreign policy so we are not the bad guys?
accountability for our mercenary/proxy army's?
Help me out ..... what really is different over the past six months? Anything of substance?
Posted by Bill at May 24, 2007 06:02 PMHelp me out ..... what really is different over the past six months? Anything of substance?
From a previous post, what your representatives are saying to you (Father of the Groom from Monty Python and the Holy Grail):
"Please, please! This is supposed to be a happy occasion! Let's not bicker and argue about who killed who."
And with that, I'm off to peruse my fine selection of Old Foamy. It's the beer made famous because it comes in shorts and quarts. I need a little red state wife beater's tranquilizer.
You guys are missing the bombshell about Cheney at Steve Clemmons really, it's a bombshell - go look
Posted by mainsailset at May 24, 2007 06:25 PMwell shit, try
http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/
"The Senate vote to send the legislation to the president was 80-14," AP reports.
Phid this all I could find. The vote tally will not show up until a full hour after the Senate vote.
Fucking can't believe 80 - 14!!
Posted by Seven of Six at May 24, 2007 06:28 PMPerhaps that 30% includes Dittoheads AND Congressional Democrats.
Posted by muckdog at May 24, 2007 06:42 PM80 to 14! Murtha voting for it! WOW and all this to surrender to a president with a 30% approval and a cause with a 60% disapproval! and then there's this:
“Clearly, Republicans are running scared because Americans are responding positively to Democrats’ New Direction agenda,” said Jennifer Crider, communications director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “While the NRCC is forced to rely on smear tactics, Democrats are delivering real results for the American people: raising the minimum wage, lowering gas prices and holding the president accountable for the war in Iraq.”
When did they deliver on any of these? I'm laughing. Jennifer Crider, you go girl.
Posted by Dirk at May 24, 2007 06:42 PMThis is a kick in the face of all of you guys who expected wonderful changes from the Democrats last January.
When will you guys understand that both parties eat out of the same plate, hence their actions.
The Democrats have no balls...period. Oh yeah, you may say that, well these are just political games or political posturing or they need to appear like this or like that. You can analyze this till the cows come home but the truth of the matter is that the system is rotten....the Dems are rotten...why support these schmucks if they don’t give a shit about their base, or come through when the going gets tough.
Bush knows this...hell everybody knows this
oldtree I want to guess that the oil is about to run out, either by force and war, or supply is drying up far faster than we know. there is almost no reason other than this
Perhaps now that they're not campaigning, they realize they have a duty to protect and defend America. And no matter what the populist opinion of the day is, Congressional Democrats realize they have a duty to WIN the War on Terror.
Posted by muckdog at May 24, 2007 06:45 PM80 to 14
After the vote I listened to Bloviating Biden 'splanin his aye vote for over 15 minutes. The crescendo at his conclusion was beyond belief as he challenged ANYONE to refuse to fund the extra armor for the humvees. What a tool. Give 'em chainmaille too Joe. Maybe that might help save a limb or two.
Our very own senator Feinstein voted aye. No surprise there. She has all the military contractors to appease.
I'm so disgusted and depressed I could just scream. When will WE THE PEOPLE make these jokers understand that it's our country and they are elected to represent OUR wishes.
Posted by Cordier at May 24, 2007 06:48 PMphidipides @ May 24, 2007 01:59 PM,
You said it. Military-Industrial-CONGRESSIONAL-Complex
They serve their masters, if not the nation, well, while al Qaeda, China & Iran profit from their casual perfidy.
they realize they have a duty to protect and defend America.
Still crazy.
Of course, you realize that their rationalization for this vote was so they could cut funds off later?
Perhaps that 30% includes Dittoheads AND Congressional Democrats.
No. Just the 30% who stand any chance of reelection in 08.
Your link is broken mainsailset. Is this what you're referring to? http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/
Posted by phidipides at May 24, 2007 06:53 PMWhen are we going to get the ethics reform the Speaker promised us? Earmark reform, to prevent the culture of corruption from ever happening again. Rep Obey is going to insert earmarks into bills coming out committee so that the people will never see the vote. How many more Abramoffs are going to be created by this Congress. It's okay to use a friends plane now. Wasn't Abramoff a friend to Tom Delay? So much for the most ethical Congress ever.
Posted by Dirk at May 24, 2007 06:53 PMmuck-idiot you did better defending the war criminal in chief..
Posted by at May 24, 2007 06:54 PMI see Murtha has some bs post up at Huffpo about wait til September...we'll get em next time in September. Yup and then in September it'll be wait til the end of the year...just wait...and then 2 or 3 more FU's will pass. Senator Murtha, just when did Charlie Brown ever kick that football from that ole Lucy?
Plus, Junyah's already setting up the win win (as far as he's concerned for himself) scenario for Neverending Occupation come September. On Hardball they were talking about this. See if violence decreases then Junyah can say, see it's working and we can't leave until we've finished. Yet if the situation worsens, as Junyah has been warning us will happen, then he's gonna say come September, we need more troops to do the job and we can't leave it in a failed state....It's a catch-22 Democrats are weenies Bush is a WAr hero gamesmanship trap that Rover and company are so famous for setting for Dems...Bush wins no matter how the situation and war goes. And yes Dems are just another bunch of enabling chumps in this whole sordid mess.
That Senate vote is absoeffinglutely disgusting! The numbers there I believe are even worse than the AUMF. These people have totally stiffed the large majority and will of the people and don't give a flying hoot. Thank goodness I'm registered unenrolled in my state. And thanks to my congresscritters (from the state of MA) who all voted to stop giving Bush a blank check...and are really trying to hold him accountable for the worse foreign policy blunder evah!
end frustrating day rant.
Where did you find the Senate vote?
Check RollCall. All the traitors are there.
Posted by Christopher at May 24, 2007 07:27 PMAh....I think the penny is dropping right about now for a lot of folks. This ain't no Democracy
Posted by s at May 24, 2007 07:31 PMThe House voted 280 to 142! What a bunch of losers. 72% say America is heading in the wrong direction and they sided with the other 28. Way to go Democrats. Democrats are leading alright. Just wonder where to?
Posted by Dirk at May 24, 2007 08:06 PMmainsailset @ May 24, 2007 03:16 PM is definitely on to something over at The Washington Note:
"There is a race currently underway between different flanks of the administration to determine the future course of US-Iran policy."
"On one flank are the diplomats, and on the other is Vice President Cheney's team and acolytes -- who populate quite a wide swath throughout the American national security bureaucracy."
"The thinking on Cheney's team is to collude with Israel, nudging Israel at some key moment in the ongoing standoff between Iran's nuclear activities and international frustration over this to mount a small-scale conventional strike against Natanz using cruise missiles (i.e., not ballistic missiles)."
Cheney Attempting to Constrain Bush's Choices on Iran Conflict: Staff Engaged in Insubordination Against President Bush
by Steve Clemons, The Washington Note, May 24, 2007 11:26 AM
http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/002145.php
Maybe it's just me, but taking ballistic missiles "off the table" in a preventive war on Iran is not even cold comfort. It's long past time Total Dick and his mad entourage be sent to count the birch trees. A post by Sam Gardiner would be gratifying about right now.
Posted by Pvt. Keepout at May 24, 2007 08:08 PMAh....I think the penny is dropping right about now for a lot of folks.
That is no penny. That is a hundredweight. This is not our fathers democracy where you had three news channels and no one could communicate with each other.
This is instantaneous democracy. This is what our Founding Fathers conceptualized as the Town Hall. Hundreds of millions of connected people willing to observe and comment. That is where the Democrats erred this time around. This is not the republi-cons of 2000. We are the internet connected hordes of 2007. What they did will not be easy for them to live down.
Edwards just became the front-runner. I hope Hillary and Obama are paying close attention.
Posted by phidipides at May 24, 2007 09:10 PMAnd no matter what the populist opinion of the day is, Congressional Democrats realize they have a duty to WIN the War on Terror.
Muck,
For the, oh, say 23rd time, I ask you: Please define what "winning" is, in specific terms; how, exactly, do we achive those "winning" goals; and do you think that is truly realistic.
You have yet to answer these questions. If you are going to spout pointless rhetoric, be ready to back it up.
Posted by Simp at May 24, 2007 09:11 PMJim Webb, Va's senator, DINO, now we know he's not only a former Republican, he's still a Republican, who has a kid over there, voted yes; fat ass midget female senator Mikulski in neigboring Maryland, voted yes. Because Obama and Clinton voted no, doesn't make them saints.
I suggest all of us take action and email our Senators and tell 'em off. Call their offices too, and cuss 'em out.
Unitary, authoritarian, fascist.
Posted by Mal Feasance at May 25, 2007 05:40 AM