could we please have a golpe?
Posted by albertchampion at January 1, 2007 11:15 PMUnfortunately, I don't think JOE! is going to feel all that irrelevant. It's just not within his well demonstrated personal delusions to NOT be at the very center of measured, bi-partisan, MORAL debate. When it comes to putting pressure on the Bushies to tone down the war rhetoric, stop pursuing insane escalations and continue to view the entire world as would a 4 year old child with a (military) hammer: composed entirely of nails, he just won't be on board.
It's a tragic reality that, at least for the first year in majority, he actually IS very relevant as a hideous spoiler. Unless we could peel off Snowe or some other Republican to caucus with the adults, I'm afraid the Senate leadership will just have to do a little ass-kissing to maintain the critical Chairmanships.
Once we've finally dug the weevils out of their long held seats of power, we can't afford to let them creep back in on the votes of DICK Cheney and a Democrat Quisling. We can have no more "Energy Packages" ignoring carbon emmissions and certainly, No MORE Sam Alitos and the Federalist Society Singers. We'll have to see how things play out in the upcoming session. Until we know more, I can't feel comfortable with the Lieb man's role in the Senate. He does NOT have the nation's best interests in his shrivelled little heart. Like a Kosher observing Grinch, it's three sizes too small.
Posted by DeminNewJ at January 2, 2007 03:53 AM"...Bush can count on only 13 votes for an escalation in the Senate, with Joe Lieberman being the only Democrat among that group."
Let's get this right, straight from the beginning of this new Congress. Lieberman is NOT a Democrat. He represents some new "Know Nothing" party he created for himself in CT to spite the real Democrats in the state. Let's never forget it. He can caucus with whomever he chooses in some desperate effort to retain some shreds of power and authority, but he isn't a Democrat. His support for Dubya's failed Middle East policies should make that clear to the dimmest bulb on the shelf.
Posted by PrahaPartizan at January 2, 2007 03:57 AMA wonderfully encouraging post that makes perfect sense. But it's been so long since good sense prevailed that it's hard to be hopeful. I'm crossing my fingers and throwing salt over my shoulder anyway, just in case the tide is turning.
Posted by Mickey at January 2, 2007 04:43 AMThe Democrats have promised the 100 hour program to the people. Restoring "bipartisanship" requires an oppositon that is willing to be bupartisan in return. It is wise to chastize the GOP by passing needed reforms before engageing in the symbolism of a"bipartisanship" that is going o breakdown the minute the GOP thinks tat they ave a knife to stick i the Democrats back
Posted by herbal tee at January 2, 2007 05:45 AMFnny thng bt scltn, t cn cm frm ny qrtr. n chsng whch f tw mystry drs t pn, bhnd n hrrfyng chs, th thr mdrtn nd stblty, r prhps bth cnclng qlly bhrrnt tcms, wll th skrs f cmfrt b bl t smmn th wsdm ncssry t dvnc t th bns rnd? Hr's pryng fr th Lrd t grnt r ldrs wsdm n ths dffclt tms.
[Editor: ignore=off]Time for the democrats to bring their legislative agenda and make the president and his stupidity irrelevant. Escalation? Fine, it comes financed with a draft of the elected officials' children and a draconian tax hike on annual income above $250K.
Bring it on.
Posted by angel at January 2, 2007 06:25 AMoh, and how about a windfalls profit tax on the energy companies to finance the war?
Mission accomplished.
Posted by angel at January 2, 2007 06:26 AMIn Bush's warped mind he'll see the escalation as a two-fer - Pelosi's 100 hour plan against the 500# gorrilla that is Bush's war in the room/Congress at once; he'll count on the war stifling Dem progress. And as his foreign policy has never acknowledged, this civil war is not about Democracy so he'll put more troops in without a mission to fight on street corners in order to inflame every corner that once was Iraq because his friends the Saudis need to count on the instability Bush/Cheney have promised they would deliver. Mission Accomplished indeed.
Posted by mainsailset at January 2, 2007 07:08 AMHere's praying for the Lord to grant our leaders wisdom in these difficult times.
The Mad King, idiot son of George Bush, is all the proof you should need that there is no god.
Funny thing about escalation, it can come from any quarter.
Yeah. Like we put 15,000 troops in Baghdad and the violence escalated. Pretty tricky that, eh?
will the seekers of comfort be able to summon the wisdom necessary to advance to the bonus round?
You've either lost all cogent functioning, or you've become so mentlly unstable that you think jesus is the only light at the end of the Iraq tunnel and you're the purveyor of "the way". Bonus round? Tell that to the over 3000 military whose murder you supported. So, when did your jesus tell you killing was the way?
Posted by phidipides at January 2, 2007 07:51 AMNow that there is no hope whatever of a stable Iraq with disproportionately strong sunni influence, the Saudis have ordered Deadeye not to begin winding up our occupation as that will cement Iran's enormous gains. And create a new shi'a/sunni "fault line" in the ME. Hence the escalation.
As though the ocean can somehow be held back. That's what Bushco is asking the taxpayers to "finance"---holding back the shi'a ocean in the Persian Gulf. Good Luck!
Good point about Escalation '07 being a way to suck oxygen from the Dems domestic agenda---it will indeed work like a dream, media-wise. KKKarl still draws his paycheck for something!
You want bipartisanship? Let's see how many Repubs would be willing to go along with revoking the 2002 Authorization use Force, which has to be the next step by Congress after Deadeye announces his escalation of Bush's War.
It's fine to "oppose" this escalation insanity and wring one's hands over it, but what is the Congress going to DO about it? They are not without power, whatever the raving wingnut pundits may claim.
Posted by euzoius at January 2, 2007 07:55 AMthe new congress can (1)recind the original authorization to use force and (2) restrict funds related to Iraq War and (3) threaten put the draft back in. I'd love to see all three along with (4) kill any remaining parts of the Bush Tax Cut for the Rich. All can see that Escalation 07 will fail to turn the tide. But it affords another trap for Rove to spring....Dems are not supporting the troops...but the Rove/Bush denial over the public's appetite for this folly allows the Dems to tell them no. hell no. I only hope they start as soon as they are gaveled in.
Posted by T2 at January 2, 2007 08:10 AMagove, bendito helpfully presents the administration's "pray to god for something better while sending more americans into the meat grinder" strategy, which comprises the entire extent of bush/mcCain/Lieberman planning beyond next week.
Posted by benjoya at January 2, 2007 08:51 AMyes, "agove." like "above" but with 50% more mission-accomplishin power.
Posted by benjoya at January 2, 2007 08:53 AMOnly 13, including Lieberman? I'd be shocked if it were that low, given the number of GOP senators who have been mindless Bush supporters, but given the sizable number of GOP senators who oppose a troop increase (Hagel, Warner, Specter, the vulnerable 2008 GOPers, etc.), Bush is definitely in the minority in this one. If Novak is to be believed, most Republicans seem to be getting that Bush is taking the party down to oblivion and are concerned with saving their own hides. Can't blame them.
Posted by gf120581 at January 2, 2007 10:13 AMI'm sure we can add Kyl to that list! He's one of bu$h'$ and McCain's biggest bootlickers.
Posted by Seven of Six at January 2, 2007 11:43 AM