Senator and Presidential candidate Chris Dodd today released the following statement responding to the announcement that the Feingold-Reid legislation would be attached to the Water Resources Development Act Reauthorization:
"We should have a straight up or down vote on Feingold-Reid – not as an amendment to a water bill or any other bill.
This is the most important Senate debate since the original vote to authorize the war. This simply cannot be the occasion for hiding behind procedural tactics.
That is why I am calling on all my other colleagues running for President to state clearly where they stand on this important legislation by joining me as a co-sponsor of Feingold-Reid and stating how they would vote on the bill."
What's the deal here? It seems that the leadership has decided to bring up Feingold-Reid as an amendment instead of a stand-alone bill. It's expected the Republicans will then filibuster the amendment and there aren't 60 votes for cloture, so Feingold-Reid would be blocked without a real vote – a real vote that would let us see who is willing to stand with the American people and vote to end the war.
This is the kind of tricksiness (Pach's great word!) we saw with Lieberman and the Alito vote – and we're not going to let it slide by.
We want to see the other presidentials step up with Dodd and make this a real vote, not a parliamentary maneuver. And for the candidates who are not in the Senate, we want to see them go on the record, support a real vote and tell us which way they would vote.
So Firepups – sounds like time to hit the phones and ask the presidentials to tell us where they stand and if they're willing to Stand Up!
Update: Phone numbers-
Reid – 202-224-3542 (thanks Phoenix Woman!)
Presidential candidates:
Obama: 202-224-2854
Clinton: 202-224-4451
Edwards: 919-636-3131
Richardson: 505-982-2291
Kucinich: 877-413-3664
Gravel: 703-652-4698
Related posts:
- Feingold: No Public Option “A Very Strong Reason Not To Support” A Health Care Bill
- Dodd: Reprimanding Lieberman is “Ridiculous”
- Schumer Raises the Stakes: If Final Bill Has No Public Option, Blame Harry Reid
- Shorter Harry Reid: Don’t Look at Me!
- Liveblog: Senate Vote on Cloture for Health Care Reform Bill
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I miss Bob Marley.
I miss Senators who will stand up … Dodd is so right on this one!
Phone his DC office here: 202-224-3542 (Fax: 202-224-7327); toll free # for Nevadans: 1-866-SEN-REID (736-7343).
I miss truth and honesty in government.
Bob Marley would have us stop this war.
And where are the front runners on this?
UPPERDOWN!
Why is Reid playing games with a bill he’s co-sponsored? Sometimes the byzantine Senate rules and procedures are head-spinning.
Siun @ 2
Not sure if I agree with you on this one Siun. I think this is the type of bill (the water act) that puts the Rs in the same place that they’ve spent years putting the Ds into. Put a bill as an amendment that acts as a poison pill on a bill that they would normally pass without a lot of controversy. Make them go on record as either voting agains their favored bill or voting in favor of ending the occupation. Is it a dirty parliamentary manuever? Of course. And when McConnell and such have voted against the water bill the first time, then pull the amendment out and then make it a stand alone. Then use the fact that they voted against the water bill to hammer them just as they’ve done for years to every Dem in the House and Senate.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 1
Congrats, OKK, nice lassoing!!! ‘No Worry, About A Thing’!!! *g*
I don’t know, I just don’t think it’s right to have views when the President’s fighting evil.
HeHe, Billo, ‘Worstest’ again!!! LOL!!!
TeddySanFran @ 8
Gotta talk to those Founding Fathers again…!!!
Dakine – if they had to vote on them as a package, that might work but the maneuver means they can block the amendment and then merrily go on to vote for the Water bill … giving cover to anyone (hint hint) who might like to have an excuse for not voting yes on Feingold-Reid.
Here’s my email to Senators Boxer and Feinstein:
In addition,
Dodd has made a bigger deal out of this than any of the other presidential candidates, putting it front and center on his website. Why aren’t the rest of them lined up behind this bill, too? – Or is this bill some kind of smokescreen with a deceptive title?
Bob in HI
Sounds like more fuckery, as rendered above, like bill’s toobz. Hill is against the war! How about against perma-occupation and corp-fuckery?
What the hell is going on? What kind of water bill is it?
I prefer ‘fuckery’.
More importantly, what is the ‘Water Bill’?
Ok Gang – here are the phone numbers:
Obama: 202-224-2854
Clinton: 202-224-4451
Edwards: 919-636-3131
Richardson: 505-982-2291
Kucinich: 877-413-3664
Gravel: 703-652-4698
and refresh – our dear mod fixed my typos!
TeddySanFran @ 8
He sponored it to thow us a bone.
Reid knows Senate rules – he chooses a (more) easily defeated vehicle [the amendement] precisely because it will endanger the bill.
Reid didn’t sponsor the bill to stop the war.
Reid didn’t sponsor the bill to have an up-or-down vote.
Reid sponsored the bill for appearances.
Once the pesky “End the War” show is over, he can get back to helping the nation lose more jobs with new “Free” Trade rules –
rules so good for us they were negotiated in secret!
Siun @ 13
Exactly. Force them all out into the open.
Solai – I’m checking on details of the Water portion but it’s just a tool for the maneuver on Iraq … and provides cover since Reid et al know the Feingold-Reid amendment will not get cloture and will vanish … then the water bill moves ahead and is approved as normal.
Siun @ 13
They still have to vote to table the amendment and just as the Redubyacans have done, we caan claim it’s a vote against the water bill. It’s not pretty or necessarily the way I would like to see it done but it is an option.
I have to believe that there is something like this behind the move or Feingold would not be going along with it as he has been as consistently against the war as anyone.
The thought of a Water Bill makes me hope for a Hopi Aquifer bill.
“you can fool some people some of the time
but you can’t fool all the people all the time”
The water bill is the bill now under debate in the Senate. And the Levin/Reid supplemental amendment (the one that’s expected to actually pass, obviously) was also offered as an amendment to the water bill by Reid today. The Levin bill allows Bush to waive its troop withdrawal timeline. Anne Flaherty of the AP has the few details:
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap…..19194.html
punaise @ 25
not FOX’s motto, eh?
I’m waiting in vain.
What the Dems should do is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Just show up at the House and Senate and sit in silence. If Repubs present ANYTHING, vote it down. Just sit there. A Senate and House SIT IN. Just STOP everything. STOP COOPERATING.
Keep the War and all of its repercussions firmly in Bush’s lap.
No negotiation. Nothing. Nada. No grandstanding, no discussion. Just come to work everyday and sit in silence. Stop everything. No water bills. Nada, zip, zilch.
Balrog @ 28
What – no wee Balrog?
Balrog @ 28
Keep the faith Bra!
BALROG,
What’s up on the baby front???
Siun, EPU’d but I want to make sure I read a comment correctly earlier today. Are US planes bombing civilians inside the walled in Sadr City?
Want to include that in my email to my Senators if this is true..
Stop the madness!!
Updated with phone numbers – and Pow wow! thank you for that update on Levin-Reid.
LS – the issue that I’m concerned with is that Reid is giving the presidential candidates a way to avoid having to vote on Feingold … it’s a little runaround so that we will go away and they can blame the R’s for blocking the amendment instead of standing up and voting on Feingold where we can see ‘em.
Everythingseemssoneat @ 11
Is he fighting with Rove, or Cheney?
Eureka Springs @ 33
I saw that comment also. Same question.
Siun, You’re right it is Shiteous Fuckery!!! Ironically, it could be rendered moot, the House has the Power of the Purse, pure and simple!!! The Senate can do as they please, however, Pelosi and the Dems have to authorize any and all funding!!! If the Senate won’t play along, take the ball and go home!!! Nanner, nanner, boo, boo!!!
OT and hat tip to Alfred Kilgarries in the last thread reminding me. My soon to be item 173 on the Bush scandals list:
Siun @ 2
Siun, I so agree. It’s (past) time to take a stand. How can any senator or representative in the USA try to be so sloppy?
LS @ 29
Kudos, LS, kudos!!!
Eureka and LS – yep, they have been … there were 3 air attacks that I know of a week ago, on the walled in neighborhoods … originally, the US forces had no comment, then – about a day later – they said they were attacking insurgents.
There were casualties … I’ll get the details and add to comments later – just don’t have them at my fingertips here.
((((Balrog)))))
Siun @ 34
I understand, I just think that they should have stopped everything after Bush vetoed the bill. Instead, this run around is causing chaos and division on our side. Does that make sense?
Loo Hoo @ 39
I’d like to stand Joe Lieberman up in a corner like the dilapidated corn husk broom that he is.
LS @ 36
Yes:
6 Iraqis Wounded in Sadr City Raid
May 6th – 3:59am
BAGHDAD (AP) – U.S. and Iraqi forces raided the Shiite neighborhood of Sadr City on Sunday, bombing four houses and wounding six civilians, Iraqi police said.
The operation began early in the morning, when U.S. forces backed by Iraqi troops began searching houses in the area, a stronghold of the notorious Mahdi Army militia of anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
Aircraft flew over the neighborhood during the raid and carried out airstrikes on four houses, reducing one to a pile of bricks and rubble, police and witnesses said. The occupants of the destroyed house had apparently fled before the raid. Several cars were also charred and badly damaged.
The raid injured at least six civilians, authorities said.
[snip]
LS – you are right!
And I would cheer so loud if they would do as you say … how can we make it happen?
Hugh @ 38
Lieutenant Commander Charles Swift is the most eloquent speaker, supporter of the Constitution, I’ve heard in many years.
LS @ 36
Yes, again
CTuttle @ 40
yup, w3rd
This bill isn’t going to pass- it, like the house version, is only designed to get people on record. I’m more interested in what they are REALLY going to do.
Siun @ 46
Aah, that would spoil all the fun!!! Think about it, Waxman, Conyers, and Leahey, twiddling their thumbs, we’d miss out on the fireworks!!!
I want my Democratic Party to do the right thing on Iraq. I am so damn frustrated with many, perhaps most, in my party for the games that get played. We need a top to bottom radical change in Middle East policy. Start with Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Israel. Get the hell out of Iraq.
I am starting to warm to Dodd. Way more than Clinton. And as far as spine is concerned on the issue of Iraq only, Hagel does a better job than a lot of Dems do.
Siun @ 46
Put it in a post maybe, and call them. This has to stop. They and we have power. C-SPAN covers them, and it would be hard to avoid being publicized. It would be clearly evident that something serious changed. Literally stonewall them. As long as it takes. Run out the Repubs clock. Turn it around. Shut them out. No money, no negotiation, no discussion, no politics. NO MAS.
CTuttle @ 51
No, no, no. Oversight FULL STEAM AHEAD. Just silence the House and the Senate. No words. Nothing.
The american public- while in favor of a timetable for withdrawa- and in favor of benchmarks- and seriously against Clusterfuck’s management of the war- is against getting out now- by a 60-40 ratio.
You won’t see any serious “get out” votes until those numbers change- and they will by January.
OT Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty is resigning from the Justice Department.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponlin…..ref=slogin
LS @ 53
I’ve been concurring with you, and still do, however, Legislative action is still needed, the sundry mundane issues still require action!!!
Hugh @ 56
Hugh! I’m thinking he wanted out before Delilah sings, or maybe Comey’s visit to the SJC had him worried?
rwcole @ 49
So you enjoy the process more than the attempt of ending this madness? Do you really think anyone here has a glass half full right now?
Your constant nay saying is not appreciated by this firedog.. lead, follow, join us, or …..
Why do you come here and drag down the people who want to accomplish change and gain ideas and information? Against difficult odds…yes we freaking know.
rwcole @ 50
Oh, we know that no get-’em-out bill will pass now. The deal is that there are one or two Democratic presidential candidates who want the luxury of pretending to be against the war when they really aren’t.
Eureka
On the contrary- I enjoy results. That’s why I see this vote as of no importance. It won’t change anything. IT is process.
rwcole @ 55
Aren’t you the gloomy one, I say September!!!
CTuttle 57, That is the leverage.
Eureka Springs @ 59
Actually, rwcole makes good points — but we happen to believe that Democrats who come out now for ending the war, even in a bill doomed to fail, will be much better off come next year.
This isn’t merely the right thing to do; it’s also the politically smart thing to do.
Hugh @ 56
Yes! I hope his new-found fredom loosens his tongue a lttile more. Word is Gonzo’s staff and McNulty’s staff are at daggers drawn…
CTuttle
Could be September- if things go quite visibly bad between now and then.
Allow me a moment to speak the words of Ernie Pyle, from “This is Your War”. They used to have these people called war correspondents, who were free to write what they chose, and Ernie was the best of all of them,
“A salute to the infantry- the god-damned infantry, as they like tocall themselves. I loved the infantry because they were the underdogs. They were the mud-rain-frost and wind boys. They had no comforts and they even learned to live without the necessities. And in the end,they were the guys without whom the Battle of Africa could not have been won.
I wish you couldhave seen just one of the unforgettable sights I saw. I was sitting among clumps of sword grass on a steep and rocky hillside that we had just taken, looking out over a vast rolling country to the rear. A narrow path wound like a ribbon over a hill miles away, down a long slope, across a creek, up a slope, and over another hill. All along that length of ribbon, there was a thin line of men. For four days and nights they had fought hard, eaten little, washed none, and slept hardly at all. Their nights had been violent with attack, fright, artillery, butchery, their days sleepless and miserable with the crash of artillery.
The men were walking. They were fifty feet apart for dispersal. Their walk was slow, for they were dead weary. as a person could tell even when looking at them from behind. Every line and sag of their bodies spoke their inhuman exhaustion. On their shoulders and backs they carried heavy steel tripods, machine gun barrels, leaden boxes of amunition. Their feet seemed to sink into the ground from the overload they were bearing.
They didn’t slouch. It was the terrible deliberation of each step that spelled out their appalling tiredness. Their faces wer black and unshaved. They were young men, but the grime and whiskers and exhaustion made them look middle-aged. In their eyes as they passed was no hatred, no excitement, no despair, notonic of their victory- there was just the simple expression of being there as if they had been there doing that forever, and nothing else.
The line moved on, seemingly endless. All afternoon men kept coming around the hill and vanishing eventually over the horizon. it was one long tired line of antlike men. There was an agony in your heart andyou felt almost ashamed to look at them.
They were just guys from Broadway and Main street, but maybe you wouldn’t remember them. They were too far away now. They were too tired. Their world can never be known to you, but if you could have seen them just once, just for an instant, you would know that no matter how hard people were working back home, they never kept pace with those infantrymen in Tunisia.”
I have always felt that was some of the most perfect writing ever done, and I can add nothing at all to it.
rwcole @ 61
Oh, it will change things. The more people of either party that go on record now as being willing to end the war, the more likely that the public will be swayed. It’s synergistic, it feeds on itself.
Plus, by this time next year, those people who were the “early adopters” on ending the war now will be in much, much better shape politically than those who aren’t. (And that is exactly what certain “centrist” Democrats fear, I suspect.)
could not believe my ears tonight – both Joe Scarboro and Pat Buchanan making sense! Tis true – Dems in the House have the power of the purse. They can starve this war. No need to worry about veto-proof bills – just dont send him one! Screw him.
OT: FYI
NOTICE OF COMMITTEE HEARING
The Senate Committee on the Judiciary has scheduled a hearing on “Preserving Prosecutorial Independence: Is the Department of Justice Politicizing the Hiring and Firing of U.S. Attorneys? – Part IV” for Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 226 of the Senate Dirksen Office Building.
Senator Schumer will preside.
By order of the Chairman
Witness List
Hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee On
“Preserving Prosecutorial Independence: Is the Department of Justice Politicizing the Hiring and Firing of U.S. Attorneys? – Part IV”
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226
10:00 a.m.
James B. Comey
DOES ANYONE KNOW IF IT WILL BE ON CSPAN?
rwcole @ 66
Or sooner: Did you hear that the Pentagon is on the verge of revolt if Bush keeps pushing the “surge”? They’re giving him until September — and if they see Congress as being willing to back ‘em up, they’re more likely to act with Congress to bring our troops home.
Phoenix Woman – With all due respect and believe me when I say respect to you…this fellow has a long pattern with what I am calling him on and he knows it..
I am not about polly anna DFH dreaming… but I don’t appreciate it when the nay saying pops up so predictably as people are gathering their thoughts and plans on demanding their Senators just vote on the dang bill so everyone will truly know where they stand. Heaven forbid we actually, you know, win peace.
Don’t want a pie fight. I just wanted to express my discomfort with the pattern I see…
jmho
tiredfed @ 69
Dang! It’s hard but not complicated!
Phoenix Woman @ 60
Astute observation, PW, as always, however, the Perfect Storm is brewing!!! The sheer magnitude of the issues is not going to go away quietly, the populace will not allow it to languish. I really see an Impeachment(s) on the horizon!!! A short term funding bill will pass, probably sterilized, yet, the meek shall inherit…!!!
I just watched the Big Dog’s “Hillcast” posted upthread and I’m missing him so much it hurts. I’ll vote for Hillary just to bring Bill closer to the cameras, and I know I am not alone.
tiredfed @ 58
Nope.
Blindsided.
By his own kids.
Yep, this just happened to be the week McNulty figured out his seventeen year old starts college in a year.
Who could have predicted?
Little AG Jr moves forward – not backward – in chronological time.
And he does so at precisely the same rate as the rest of his family unit!
This wholly unanticipated finding no doubt underlies Pere McNulty’s astonishing discovery that the progeny who was a high school sophomore last school year will require college tuition in say – oh – 24 months.
Eagerly awaiting his early publication in the Journal of Human Chronobiology.
Online, of course.
LS @ 63
However, it is a double-edged sword!!! Beware what you wish for… ;)
tiredfed @ 69
That is my point. The rest of my ranting point is to make them OWN the war. Blood on their hands. Give them NOTHING. Just stop. Stop everything except oversight. Keep the ball in their court. Make them eat it. No more schmoozing and prancing around in stupid political posturing. We are fighting for the fundamental infrastructure of this country and life as we know it. They are war mongerers and they are condoners of torture in our name. They have soiled the reputation of this nation, inside and out. It has to stop. Now.
The only things that need to be addressed right now are the matters that affect the civil rights and violations of the Constitution. We need to rescind the Patriot Act and restore Habeas Corpus. Other laws can wait. We have to take a serious stand or this country is seriously toast.
tiredfed @ 69
Wasn’t it sweet music!!! I had to look twice to ensure it wasn’t photoshopped or something!!! I always appreciated Pat for his candor, don’t agree with him 99.9% of the time, but, I respect his frankness!
lolo @ 70
Oh Boy, lolo. Please keep us (at work) posted. I check in whenever possible!
stratocruiser @ 67
For every man, in that line, give him his dream as he marches forward.
Replace not a dollar for his dream for his dream is unbound. Bound not by raw resources but by esoteric means.
CTuttle @ 77
I hear you. :)
Phoenix Woman @ 71
Wasn’t Cynthia Tucker, alluding to that just recently??? I’m telling you, it is a crime what they are doing to the Military, in every manner possible!!! I’m a twenty yr Vet!!!
Indeed it is:
new thread upstairs…
CTuttle @ 83
Yup.
Phoenix Woman @ 84
Her paper is the ‘hometown’ paper for Ft. Benning, Ft. Stewart, Anniston Army Depot, etc… Very credible source!!! I’ve always enjoyed her presence on the News Hour and Washington Week, and an occasional appearance in the MSM Talkies!!!
LaFourmiRouge @ 75
That was a really nice ad. Hill is a smart one.
punaise @ 25
“There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.” – Dubya
I have Dick Durbin and Barack Obama for Senators, and both will hear from me tomorrow morning. It’s time to weigh both mens’ cojones.
Andy
Alton IL
Clinton, Obama, Biden, and Dodd all voted AGAINST the Kerry-Feingold amendment in 2006 that would have required withdrawal from Iraq. Methinks they want to avoid going on the record again with their support for the war. They’re all frantically spinning their positions already (it counts as ending the war if we only leave 60,000 troops on our military bases inside Iraq … etc …)
dodd who?