Now that we’re one step closer to war with Iran, let’s take a trip down memory lane:
Dems remove Iran language from bill to boost war funding
House Democratic leaders bowed to pressure from conservative members of the party Monday, stripping language that would have required congressional approval for President Bush to invade Iran from a $124.1 billion supplemental spending plan provided to the House Appropriations Committee.
Opposition to the Iran language from conservative Blue Dogs had threatened to sink the spending plan, which had already divided the Democratic Caucus and faced strong Republican opposition and a threatened White House veto.
Sometimes it’s the thought that counts.
Related posts:
- Lieberman-Graham Threaten to Shut Down Senate, Add Detainee Photo Suppresion Amendment to FDA Tobacco Regulation Bill
- Supplemental: Why Must Progressive Members of Congress Grovel For the Blue Dogs?
- Obama Now Whipping Supplemental: Rahm FAIL
- Speak Out: Write Letters To Your Local Papers and Urge Members of Congress to Vote “No” On Supplemental
- Hoyer “Uncertain About Supplemental’s Passage” — Pushed till Wednesday?
Spotlight
Support this site!
Subscribe to the newsletter
Advertise on Firedoglake
Send
us your tips
Make us your homepage
About Firedoglake
Advanced search
yo
Hi Jane, hope you’re doing good.
3!
Typical gutless bullshit.
Beer O’clock on the Left coast.
” If you can’t be good, stay sanitary”.
Nimrods!!!!
A citizen’s work is never done.
KO talking about an item I sent to EW & Christy this morning [from the LA Times]: the “report” that Petraeus is supposed to deliver to Bush in Sept. re Iraq is being written by the White House!!!
singles?
Congress wonders why it has a lower approval rating than Shrub, let me count the ways…!!! ;-)
KO “Whitewashed, politicized or we can just call it Whitehoused.”
Dear God, let us get through the next two years without doing anything stupid.
And if any Congressional staffer is reading this blog, take the message back to your boss that average Americans are. not. pleased.
behindthefall @ 12
Like they care.
Millineryman @ 7
hutzah!
“One step closer to war with Iran”? We’re just about there. The administration labeling Iran’s Republican Gauard as global terrorists was huge. And then there is the Petreaus ruse. What do our front running Demos have to say about all this? And lets not forget Bibi. Cheney is aching to do Iran. And then there’s Lieberman.
Great line on “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me” last week, discussing invertebrates:
“Invertebrates are things like microbes, earthworms, and Congressional Democrats.”
and hojo we’re ‘gonna blame you if anything happens i ran
What do Reid and Pelosi know that we don’t know? I think they are counting on the military brass to keep the fat out the fire. The military definitely do not want another conflict, especially one as high risk as this one. It could cost us a carrier, and I don’t think any of them will accept an order to go nuclear.
It is cowardice on the Dems part, leaving someone else to do the dirty.
Is anyone confident that a President Clinton wouldn’t attack Iran? Or that a President Obama wouldn’t bomb Pakistan?
Isn’t fighting Fascism fun?
The GOP is reading from Hitler’s old playbook… They are getting ready for Poland to attack them this chapter….
raven @ 13
Ouch. You don’t think they respond to what they see happening in the blogs?
Knut Wicksell @ 18
I think that they are afraid of being wrong. Bush feeds them bull s**t warnings and they sign anything. We need a commander and chief that does not abuse his powers. Vote dem
We must not diss the d’s. Who else represents our ‘interests’?
Besides, I’m reliably informed that ‘Pelosie has George “right where she wants him…”‘
Is anyone really surprised? Not disappointed, not appalled, not even worried. but really, genuinely, unexpectedly, surprised?
behindthefall @ 21
Ooops, no pessimism over here, sorry.
Isn’t is worse to be complicit than willfully ignorant or just ignorant?
Knut Wicksell @ 18
Would that this were true. I think 9 out of 10 officers, maybe more, would launch without serious question, if directly ordered.
Whew, I thought all news reporters were dead from the neck up. Mr. Plante deserves the Pulitzer Prize for a “heckuva job,
BrownieRove” question:Towards the end of the appearance, as the President and his favorite pol were about to head in the direction of an awaiting helicopter, Bill Plante, CBS White House correspondent, broke the embargo.
“If he’s so smart,” said Mr. Plante, “how come you lost Congress?”
http://www.observer.com/2007/c…..le-liberal
Everythingseemssoneat @ 25
Amen and pass the neatness.
We’ve had a coup d’etat. Now we need a counter-revolution, and no candidate who does not swear to lead it is worth voting for. I’m still waiting for the first one to even mention this.
Maybe I’m all wet. Is this tinfoil?
David W. Bartoo @ 23
I’ll reiterate; ‘Pusillanimous Pussy-footers’ about sums up the Dem’s response to Shrub!!!
It was pointed out earlier on another blog that an attack on Iran could upset Iranians here in our country and who knows what would happen. Well, of course they would be upset! I will be upset! For crying out loud, 3 war fronts? Disgusting.
CTuttle @ 30
and joementum is the biggest pussyllanimous of all…
raven @ 13
Hey, bro.
Here’s how I see things.
Nancy Pelosi says to herself this. Bush will crash and burn. Or, my party will inherit the aftermath.
Either way, my party wins. If we inherit a pile of shit, we blame it on the Repubs.
What she doen’t understand is that the moment the Dems take control of the WH and congress, the RW attack machine will go after them for not solving problems.
Result, IMO: Repubs regain control in 2012.
RockPaperScizzors @ 27
Hysterical! Of course, there wasn’t an answer to that question, now was there? *sigh*
KayInMaine @ 31
I’m sure there are Iranians that would like to see the idiots running their country thrown out too!
Jonathan @ 33
Roger, they are setting this shit up just like the aftermath of the Nam.
raven @ 35
True, but bombing their country to smithereens…I don’t think the Iranians here would be too happy with it, since most of them have family there.
raven @ 35
In fact, they are probably the ones that support an attack if they are ex-Shah patriots.
I do not detect great surprise.
And, indeed, Oklahoma, and CTut we won’t be terribly surprised if President Hilarious does do the nasty, now, will we?
By the way, CTut, glad you weathewred the storm.
Can’t we stop it?
raven @ 36
Wow. Do you understand history. Are you a history professor?
raven @ 35
Ahminejab, would relish the rallying cry that would ensue from the bombing that’s widely anticipated!!!
Asshole motherfucker Blue Dogs. This is just like Vietnam and Cambodia. Welcome to the end of the 400 Year Reich. I never thought OBL could be tjhat right.
Elliott @ 40
Probably the Admiral/General crowd could…like Fallon…but will they..
Jonathan @33,
That’s how I see it too, and how people around my area are seeing it (at least the ones I talk to).
People are getting desperate in my area. It’s frightening to have a dad who had a very good factory job, was able to buy a house and provide for a family and now, there’s no work, no health insurance, house foreclosures are up….
I intend to keep the heat on my party. I’ll become more, much more supportive of the Democratic candidate, when Gore steps in.
David W. Bartoo @ 39
As we say here in the Aina; Mahalo Nui Loa!!! (Thank You Very Much!) ;-)
Oklahoma kiddo @ 46
Heh, Great minds… OKK!!! *g*
Fuck it, let’s just name Bush King, forcibly draft every man and woman who has never registered Republican, put them in the military and start going after everyone.
Iraq, Iran, Syria too, North Korea, Indonesia and Timbuktu. Little King George said it will all be fine, if we just follow our dear leader and all get in line.
“Half a league, half a league, half a league onward, into the maw of unending war rode the 600.”
One blip on the radar screens in Iran reading incoming, and they lob a bunch of stuff right into Iraq and Israel.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 19
No. However, I am confident that former VP (and President) Al Gore would not attack Iran, nor would former Sen. and VP Edwards, IMHO.
Jonathan @ 41
Hell, I’ve read everything I can get my hands on trying to understand who and what we are. I’m reading the biography of Bernard Fall right now. He fought the Nazi’s, came to America and became the expert on Vietnam. Then, when he tried to warn us that we were headed down the same rat hole the French went down they called him a commie and hounded him. He died with a USMC outfit on an OP while gathering more information. I had read “Hell in a Very Small Place, Street Without Joy and Two Vietnams” but reading about his life make me even sadder.
Good evening, foul, fem, fringe fanatics at FDL! Came back to read press releases, errata, and all sorts of fuckery afoot.
Don’t know why y’all are fixated on the foul-mouthed fem blog meme – I think fringe fanatic has a lovely ring, too. Include all of the fine fuckery and tie a big blue ribbon ’round it. Ring Collins’ door and present her with the FDL’s finest! I’m sure Joe will want to help her carry it in and pose for the inevitable photo-op….
No? You don’t think so? But they are so civilized and bipartisan and all….
Mauimom — left you a response on last thread…..let’s do some power netmomworking…!
raven @ 52
wow. I never heard about him, thanks for sharing that.
HumboldtBlue @ 49
Wait, wait… one minor edit; …’who has ever registered’…!!! (Damn Chickenhawks!) ;-)
raven @ 52
Raven,
Please tell me again: in which part of Viet Nam did you serve?
I was in III Corps (all over III Corps), 15 Sep 1971 – 14 Sep 1972.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 19
Not a supporter of either, but I trust BOTH of them a hell of a lot more than the Cheney, Perle,Crystal, Lieberman crowd when it comes to bombing Islamic countries.
CTuttle @ 30
hey, good to see ya on the toobz. how’s the weather treating you?
Jonathan @ 33
Yeah and they kept both Houses of Congress the last election and are simply _unbeatable_.
Blather & more… The GOP attack machine is like the friggin Wizard’s disquise in OZ. Gimme a break already. The entire party constitutes an empire in some alternate reality, but in the America where I live they are naked wingnuts slinging feces from treetops.
More than 50% of the country knows we are dealing with GOP corruption, their only defense is “the democrats are just as bad”…
But war, it’s got a long, long memory… An entire generation will have to pass before they can get away with it again. The last time the GOP had complete control was during Hoover… The Great Depression, and 40 years of Dem governance resulted.
FUCKING BLUE DOGS BLOW!!!!
wow. I never heard about him, thanks for sharing that.
Bernard Fall
KayInMaine @ 37
I’m not happy with it and I don’t have family there. What did the Iranian people ever do to us to deserve such a horror?
greenwarrior @ 59
Soggy, but, that’s it…!!! *g*
Here’s a local description:
http://www.hawaiitribune-heral…..ocal01.txt
Jonathan @ 57
III and IV. The 972nd Signal BN was a “contingency unit” that had signal installations everywhere from Nui Ba Den to Sa Dec in the Delta. I was a sorry ass truck driver doing ass and trash missions all over the damn place.
I heard a heartbreaking report earlier about the number of soldiers that have committed suicide since coming back from Iraq…..made me think of what you Vietnam vets have been telling us along.
greenwarrior @ 63
Well, don’t forget that we are not the only ones who have visited horror there. There were upwards of a million killed in the Iran-Iraq War.
green warrior @ 63
Went into a Salvation Army Store this past weekend to buy vinyl records.
Customer in front of me and her mom from Iran. Clerk also from Iran. Got it that they were both really glad to be here.
We do not need to bomb these individuals.
I think it will get way worse when they figure out how they got suckered. I’ve watched many great friends commit suicide with a bottle.
raven @ 67
And didn’t we arm both sides?
raven @ 65
As a Commo Chief, I was more chauffeur, than Chief! Man, I learned to multitask, most rickety-tick!!! *g*
AP – Army soldiers committed suicide last year at the highest rate in 26 years, and more than a quarter did so while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a new military report.
Here’s a good one. Anti-war group Answer will be fined $10,000 if they don’t remove posters all over DC by Thursday, because they apparently broke an “adhesive” law…never heard of that one:
http://rawstory.com/news/afp/U…..52007.html
Jonathan @ 68
I’ve known many Iranians in the college towns I have lived in. Wonderful caring folks. I had two kids on a jr high basketball team that I coached and they were a dream to work with.
Raven @ 65
wow, did you do it.
Of course Iran, like Iraq hasn’t a thing to do with oil.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 72
I certainly hope you’re not surprised… …domestic abuse rates has sky-rocketed too!!! 8-(
CTuttle @ 71
Got you lima charlie.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 76
One thing surely in common: Chalabi
Oklahoma kiddo @ 76
/Snark/!!!
Jonathan,
Have you ever heard of an OSS (precursuor to CIA) officer named Thompson, I believe? He spoke to issue as early as latter days of WWII but died (under ‘mysterious’ circumstances) while still serving in Nam.
Jonathan @ 75
Yea, and I supplied my entire company if you know what I’m sayin!
raven @ 78
No static at’ll!!! *g*
Oklahoma kiddo @ 72
If this is true, and there is no reason I would not believe OKK, we need to pay attention. This is desperation, this is PTSD; this deserves our attention.
LS @ 79
now there’s a bad guy straight out of central casting.
Didn’t we have something to do with that too?
And, still, what did the Iranian people ever do to us to deserve such a horror from us?
LS @ 73
Most laws are “adhesive” – once they’re passed, you’re stuck with ‘em…
my 86 was in response to raven’s 67
We really have to target some of the blue dogs in the primaries. I have a list of possible targets but how can we proceed to recruit challengers?
greenwarrior @ 86
Which ’something’ are ya referring to???
Knut Wicksell @ 18
1) I think Reid & Pelosi were “called in” and “briefed” about Big Bad Terrible Attacks that had been discovered [and presumably averted] by Highly Illegal But WTF, We Didn’t Need That Constitution Anyway spying programs. And, being the Number One fans of the Tooth Fairy, they bought it all; and
2) Reid, Pelosi and the rest of the Dems don’t realize that their “let’s roll over and let the war continue” makes them look weak and irresponsible. And willing to sacrifice troops and Iraqis for their “political gain” — i.e., winning in 2008. Do they really think this approach is going to make them an attractive alternative to the Repubs?
One thing that’s an unfortunate side effect of the Repubs being SO bad, and SO roundly hated is that the Dems think they can just sit back, do nothing, and everyone will vote “Anyone But Repubs.” They may be surprised.
mods, o wonderful, heavenly mods: why is “quote this comment” not quoting?
http://news.xinhuanet.com/engl…..539601.htm
I swear, this stuff is reading just like international newspapers did prior to the start of WWII, Google Top Story… We get the word Bush is not going to bomb from the Xinhua Washington correspondent?
greenwarrior @ 92
Reboot!
David W. Bartoo @ 81
Thanks for asking. No. I collected information. Nothing historical. Just information pertaining to the then military operations.
Boston1775 @ 84
um – two resources – PTSD Combat blog of Ilona Meagher’s and mine under tag of PTSD, military health or mental illness.
“All of these people [in the Israel Lobby] are pleading a special interest. I am an American.” — President Harry S. Truman
LS @ 73
I suppose that the Bush Administration was afraid the message was beginning to stick.
And for something more up-to-date
Late Thoughts on an Old War: by Phil Beidler. He teaches English at Alabama and in an old tanker officer from the Nam. He hammers this war as well as ours.
I know Bush want’s to Bomb Iran, and I’m sure we have the ordnance to do so.
But we don’t have, a, what do you call it, ARMY left to invade with. Seriously, while we can cause Iran a lot of headaches, we can’t actually accomplish anything.
I know, I know – that’s never stopped Bush before. But sometimes I wonder what scenario these guys think they’re looking at.
mauimom @ 91
‘Rude Awakening’ springs into my mind…!!!
Verrry interesting Chalabi article..:
http://www.cmonitor.com/apps/p…../OPINION03
I bought a new mouse.
N=1 @ 96
If they are coming back depressed and then put on Prozac and sent right back, that may be a factor.
LS @ 73
That’s strange. Answer knows how to organize large demonstrations. They go through hoops to make certain they follow all codes and regulations. Long before a demonstration they contact the appropriate agencies to do all the filings. Many groups piggyback on Answer because they get the logistics right. Personally, I don’t share their means to accomplish their political goals but I give them credit on knowing how to manage a large demonstration. No way would they jeopardize a march for some silly detail.
Mutant Poodle @ 100
That’s what I don’t get, they can’t possibly think it would work just with air strikes. it’s insanity.
Elliott @ 70
Yes. Officially, the program was called a “tilt” toward Iraq, though it was during this period that Hussein was compiling (and using against Iran)his chemical weapon arsenal, elements of which were often obtained through “farm programs”. Meanwhile, Ronnie Raygun and Ollie North were selling weapons, including TOW missles and F-14 spare parts, to Iran, ostensibly to gain the release of the hostages in Lebanon, and at inflated prices with the profits going to support the Contras in Nicaragua.
Pigs on Parade.
greenwarrior @ 86
of course, the Iranian people never did anything. No people — i.e., actual people — ever did anything to deserve what they suffer as a result of the sick machinations of the power-crazed megalomaniacs that pass for “leaders.”
Ooh, Vick is offered a Year in Prison, he has until monday for a response…!!!
Everythingseemssoneat @ 103
I wish I’d known, I have an extra one the cat dragged in.
It’s a Logitech wireless. It’s pretty neat.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/new…..raq116.xml
So a new record has been established. Congrats Bushco & GOP.
LS @ 102
“Enter Mr. Play-Both-Sides Chalabi. A U.S. intelligence official said Chalabi passed sensitive and classified information to the Iranians. To balance off the clandestine behavior is the allegation that Chalabi had passed on to Washington what the Iranians wanted the Pentagon to hear: bogus information about weapons of mass destruction.
There’s nothing like a little parental pride. What was missing in Luti’s letter was the boast that Mr. Chalabi’s chaperone, when he is visiting the United States, is none other than William V. Luti’s son, William J. Luti.”
#106
That’s what makes me worry about the “nuclear option”
Richmond @ 104
They are being put on meds IN COMBAT and are not taken off active duty. I have a post about the “broken soldier rate”, and it stands currently at 20%. That means that 20 out of every one hundred soldiers leaves a deployment unfit for duty – permanently (from all causes). It is an unsustainable rate.
However, the Army reports that just under 50% of all returning active duty personnel report acute or chronic symptoms of mental illness, cognitive or judgment impairments. this would include traumatic brain injuries, mental illness, neurological impairments, etc.
Elliott @ 110
*g*
Elliott @ 110
Heh, I’ve had similar offerings…!!! ;-)
Boston1775 @ 84
Boston 1775 – This was a terrible problem during and after the Vietnam war. The VA refused to address it. Ironically, it was some of the peace organizations that kept this in the press and before Congress.
sadly, capitulation by congress on iran has been an ongoing story for the 110th.
1. in march – pulling the iran language from the iraq supplemental funding bill, as jane reminds us of.
2. speaker pelosi promised a stand alone bill as a replacement for this action – i even had it directly from my representative (jim mcgovern) that she had made this promise.
3. no stand alone bill, that i’m aware of, was ever brought to the house floor. however, in may, we did get a later amendement proposed to a defense authorisation bill – one that failed with 100 democrats voting against it and speaker pelosi not voting.
4. h.con.r.21 – the house’s version of the lieberman iran amendment. a thoroughly irresponsible bill based on lies. passed on 6/21(background here and here) bottom line – virtually the entire house of representatives (only 2 “no” votes – kucinich and paul) voted to ask the UN security council to charge ahmadinejad with “violating the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and United Nations Charter” based on basically 1) his calling for the genocide of israelis and 2) because “Iran has aggressively pursued a clandestine effort to arm itself with nuclear weapons”.
only problem is that the first is a lie (mistranslations) and there is no evidence for the second (see IAEA). when kucinich tried to enter into the congressional record the correct translation, he was prevented from doing so.
…and that’s just the house
I just have to say that Firedoglake is the best.
I usually read but never post.
I love you all!
“Of course the people don’t want war…but it is a simple matter to bring the people to the will of the leaders…All you do is tell them that they are under attack and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism…It works the same in any country.”
Hermann Goering, quoted in Nuremburg Diaries.
Everythingseemssoneat @ 103
Congrats ! :):):)
Mary H. @ 120
Once you de-lurk, it’s hard to go back, Ma’am!!!
Think of how many families torn apart by this war of choice, both here and in Iraq.
Needless agony, and for soo many.
:)
Everythingseemssoneat @ 103
You think that something? I have great grandrats.
Mary H. @ 120
Yay Mary H.! Welcome out of Lurkville…(or is it Lurkistan?)
Lewis Z is upstairs with Fresh Thready Goodness!
IMO the reason Bush/cheney etc. want to bomb iran is to get them to retaliate against one of our ships standing just outside their territorial waters.
Once we have lost a ship and some good men, then America will ‘demand’ retaliation of a size and force that will make Bush and Cheney happy. Naturally, things will go downhill from there, but that is what they want — IMHO of course. Who knows what is actually in their mind other than another way to make the dems look weak and ineffectual. And they are doing quite a good job of it.
Maybe Deadeye Dick & Junior are upset that Iraq has a pipeline deal with Iran in the works:
TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iran and Iraq will sign a deal in the next few days to build a pipeline that would transfer crude from southern Iraqi oilfields to refineries in Iran, a senior Iranian official said yesterday…
http://english.farsnews.com/ne…..8605190104
Whatever happened to the opening of the Iranain Oil Bourse? It was going to trade in euros, not dollars. That would have threatened the hegemony of the US dollar. The dollar has long been the dominant currency for international oil trade.
And then there’s China: China Rushes to Complete $100B Deal With Iran
By Peter S. Goodman
Washington Post Foreign Service
Friday, February 17, 2006; 5:39 PM
SHANGHAI, Feb. 17 — “China is hastening to complete a deal worth as much as $100 billion that would allow a Chinese state-owned energy firm to take a leading role in developing a vast oil field in Iran, complicating the Bush administration’s efforts to isolate the Middle Eastern nation and roll back its nuclear development plans, according to published reports.”
If Bush attacked Iran, would China retaliate?
China is a major funder of US debt, holding about $260bn (£149bn) in US Treasury bonds – second only to Japan. Any reduction in China’s dollar assets could hit the US economy. Should China cut its US dollar holdings, this could drive up long-term yields on US bonds, which could in turn put pressure on interest rates.
Deadeye Dick obscenely yelling in the hallowed halls of the WH, “I’ll blow those f**king camel drivers to smithereens if they try stealing my oil. It’s my goddamn oil.”
GrandmaJ @ 130
I pray you are wrong.
Regarding Iran, some good things I see are
–word is already out that forces from Saudi Arabia is just as responsible for insurgent violence as Iran, so we need to ask both Congress and public whether this designation is bogus or not. Why not declare the elements in Saudi Arabia funding the insurgency as terrorist? Or is the administration so incompetent at its GWOT that it doesn’t know who they are?
–Karzai said Iran was a constructive force. Maliki meeting with Iran, So need to make a huge fuss about why Cheney is not listening to our allies. (Well, we know that already, because Cheney considers them to be tools, like a shovel or hoe, but need to make fuss over it anyway)
–Can press congress to have a new vote to make sure Prez must come to Congress before any attack (Congress can do that, right? If they pass a resolution that says that ambiguous wording in authroization does NOT permit any action without authorization, then Cheney can’t use badly worded authorization as an excuse, right?)
–It is becoming clear that the September report will be bogus. WH, it turns out, will write it, with ‘input’ from Petraeul and Crocker
it.http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/horsesmouth/2007/08/again_and_again.php
Patreaus in an interview (can’t find link now) emphasized that the the whole civilian leadership, including Congress, needs to look at the report carefully -it will be AN IMPORTANT NATIONAL DECISION. I figure that means either he senses he will be on the chopping block if the September fib fest doesn’t go well, or he has lost battle over Iran attack, knows where this is headed, and is getting scared of the batshit insane VP. Wonder if Patraeus will be cooperative with administration any longer.
Anything wrong with those ideas?
Certainly need to do something, make a big fuss.
continuing from my 119 above.
the roll call vote on the iran amendment to H.R.1585, was 136-288, with 13 not voting.
but here’s the kicker – how the democrats in the house voted on this amendment: 127 for, 99 against, 5 not voting.
here’s what they voted against:
DeFazio (OR)/Paul (TX)/Hinchey (NY)/Lee (CA) amendment #31
the problem is much bigger than the blue dogs.
Tuttle where did you hear about vick?
GrandmaJ @ 130
That could be expensive. Iran is armed with top of the line Russian Sunburn missile systems… $1 billion purchase for this updated weapon system alone. This is the modern version of a venerable Soviet cruise missile line, started back in the 1980’s. A salvo is designed to destroy aircraft carriers.
wesgpc,
Great ideas!
selise, can you please bring your comments upstairs. They shouldn’t be missed.
LS @ 136
Yes, bring them up too?
Is it just my imagination, or are Pelosi and Reid kowtowing a little too much to the Blue Dogs? Methinks they doth protest too much.
Here’s what I think: The DLC, in cahoots with Pelosi and Reid, are using the Blue Dogs as an excuse to tilt against the progressive caucus.
But why have we not heard more from the Progressive Caucus? According to Wiki, the current co-chairs are
* Barbara Lee (California), Co-Chair, and
* Lynn Woolsey (California), Co-Chair
and the Executive Director is
* Bill Goold, Executive Director
Why are they not making a big stink about these things? Have we been sold out by our own caucus?
The members of the Progressive Caucus are listed by Wiki. They are the largest caucus in the party. Why are they acting like doormats instead of vertebrates?
Bob in HI
Loo Hoo. @ 137
I concur.
Everythingseemssoneat @ 97
When it comes to both Iraq and Iran, Israel’s authoritarian government seems to be in charge, as far as our “representatives” are concerned. Steny Hoyer is in Israel, on bended knee, right now, chaperoned by the “charitable arm” of the Israel Lobby to a warm welcome on the doorsteps of the leadership of the Israeli government.
To wit:
Http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/891358.html
http://www.startribune.com:80/…..52265.html
The indoctrination of the newest batch of federal legislators continues apace, under the corrupt, jaded and utterly uninspired guidance of the likes of Steny Hoyer and the Democratic Party “leadership” in Congress, far from our shores, and far from the reach of American voters, whom Steny Hoyer feels not the slightest obligation to listen to or represent (no public meetings will be held in Hoyer’s district during this month-long recess to allow him to hear the concerns of his actual Maryland constituents).
Accountability for the leaders of a political caucus who blindly represent “a special foreign interest” in lieu of our Constitution? Nope – not a single public peep from any Member of Congress about the decaying state of their caucus leadership. Not one peep. Factional loyalty before public duty has triumphed.
newtonusr @ 140
there’s a special post on padilla upstairs. don’t want to be rude… maybe there will be another chance to discuss this?
“blue dogs” might as well be republicans the way they’re effing over the country.
.
We are so screwed………..
Folks, I am begining to think that whatever the Democrat leadership is doing in congress is nothing but an attempt to poke its fingers in the eyes of progressives. The DLC is losing its clout and they hate that. During the Lieberman/Lamont campaign comments were made that the main reason for the strong support of Lieberman from the leadership is that the “netroots need to be beaten back”. If Hillary Clinton gets the nomination, we can be prepared for more outrageous moves by the Democrat leadership, its all desgined to help her and throw our agenda out the window.
oddmommy @ 108
GrandmaJ @ 129
i agree.
selise @ 119
Excellent post, selise! Add to that Clinton, Obama, and Edwards falling over each other to talk tough to Iran, and it’s clear to me anyway that military action against Iran is part of the Democratic platform. In fact, Romney seems to me to be more wary of provoking Iran than any of the top 3 Democratic candidates. I think it’s a dangerous mistake to believe that politicians are against attacking Iran just because they are Democrats. We need to hold people from both parties accountable for their positions.
No way the Iraq war will end. There is no way Bush is going to allow the international community into Iraq to see pics of what the administration has done to the country and its people. However, if he can war with Iran from Iraq, Bush can claim all the Iraq damage was done by Iran. IMO, anyway.
Kate @ 144
i refuse to give up.
but i do want to know clearly what i’m up against.
Mary H. @ 114
“Hillary Option”
Just curious — are the Blue Dog paintings used by permission? Do you know who George Rodrigue is, and why the paintings are significant to New Orleans? Or did you just do a Google image search for “blue dog”?
Don’t know the international legalities of this, but let’s say that the Republican Guard is declared a terrorist organization by the Bush Administration. The Iranians then declare the US Army a terrorist organization, put a team of very good uniformed soldiers into Washington, kidnap Bush and Chaney (unfortunately, having to kill all the secret service people defending them), and carry them off to the Hague, where they insist that the two men be tried as war criminals.
The whole thing people might be thinking is, ‘they could never pull that off.’ People NEVER underestimate the enemy, especially when you created the enemy. The WTC wasn’t going to fall either (another story), but it did. Yeah, we have all sorts of defenses, but the Iranians are not cowards, and if we attack them, we declared war on them. We’re fair game. Oh, and one more thing. Look at a map. If I were Vladimir Putan, I’d be a little worried about US encirclement.
Any serviceman or woman, no matter what rank who calls the Iranians “rag heads” should be busted down to the lowest rank. We cannot afford stupid people in our military anymore, especially as the king and his vice king are draft dodgers, who don’t know the first thing about strategy.
A “Can Do” attitude goes only so far. To quote George Shultz, There are a lot of smart people in this world, and not all of them speak English or carry a friendly passport.” I hope we don’t have to learn that the hard way.
selise @ 149
You’re up against King George, the Rethugs, and Nancy Pelosi. Pretty formidable, but they are not unbeatable. None is.
great thread – great links and documentation selise, and great skepticism at the whole ‘The Blue Dogs made me do it!’ trial balloon.
that dog don’t hunt. this was an attempt to hoodwink the informed, aware people like here at fdl that the (D) leadership had ‘no choice’ but to do what they really want to do anyway expand the conflagration and war crimes to Iran.
the deecee Dems were complicit in allowing the country to get to this terrible state, and they are now complicit for all to see in the Cheney regimes continuing abominations.
Impeachment in the House is a simple majority vote, lets see who is for or against. The Senate may not convict, but still, lets see where they stand. Sound reasonable?
But that’s exactly why the (D) leadership will never let us get to that point, they are 99% loyal to the neo-con program, the vaunted invesitgations are just kabuki designed to stall an impatient and angry populace until the farcical electioneering season begins, when we can all be quieted with exhortations to vote for the least worst, no matter what.
there will be no holding palavering politicians accountable without a credible likelyhood of witholding support…lots of us are already there…both Clinton and Obama are beyond the pale…Edwards? Gore?
…maybe…if they stood up now and started saying the right things they could really attract a lot of people who have written off the frontrunners…
How is the Iran language a Blue Dog issue?
This is the Israel lobby.
I don’t know the current state of affairs and it isn’t discussed much, but a lot of it comes down to money (and some to votes).
A LOT of political campaign money has come to Democrats (at least ever since the 60s Civil Rights fights) from New York City Jews. Well, you know how the Republicans love to fight over money sources and would love to sour relations between Jews and Dems. They tried with Jesse Jackson and when they took on the NeoCons in 1981 they were at it again.
They were happy to let the NeoCons decide foreign policy with Israel in mind and to slow or shut down campaign funds from Jews to Dems. That began a bit of a dry spell for Dems (that and Reagan’s popularity).
Next, you have Bill Clinton and a West Coast Silicon Valley approach to opening new pocketbooks. Of course, he was and is so fantastic with people they gave a lot. He gave a lot back with the good economy. After that I’m not so clear on how things have stood with Dems, but the NeoCons and our foreign policy have certainly got the Republicans in good stead with the Likudists.
Where are things now?
Bush is messing it all up, but the Likudists are back in power and they’re urging total war in the Middle East. They must still be happy with this state of affairs.
I’ve heard Dems are raising a lot of money, so it would be interesting to know where it’s coming from and whether American Jews are still giving more to Dems or more to Repubs.
It’s not wonder A*P*C is powerful and America’s foreign policy seems to be driven by the Knesset (apparently our real 4th branch of government).
If you believe 9/11 was to some extent allowed or contrived to happen by NeoCons, then can it be any surprise the attack would happen in New York City? It’s the perfect place to get the absolute best reaction for their plans.
Today they’re talking about another 9/11, but where would it occur to gain such a visceral reaction that would give them the same kind of political strength that 9/11 gave them?
If they had a hand in 9/11, if only to allow it, then the thing I hate most (aside from the obvious immediate horror of it all) is that they’re manipulating the public, rather than governing. I don’t recall anywhere in the Constitution, Declaration of Independence or anywhere else that we Free People were to be Manipulated rather than Governed.
It’s clear that they’re all getting their buttons pushed by someone other than the voters. They’re also smart enough to know that the criminal rich and their servants will ruin or even kill anyone who gets in their way.
Most of our representatives in both parties are rich. Don’t expect them to risk their sweet lives for something called ‘principles.’
I think the Democrats are afraid that someone will actually come along and arrest them if they don’t “go along” with Pres Dubya and the military-industrial-Z*on*st ruling elite. These people don’t just kill people, they destroy whole countries. And they love doing it.
Yup, that’s why we call them Republicrats.
~~~ModNote: Edited for content to clear threads.~~~
Have your DOG Spayed or Neutered!!!
We are definitely dealing with some very insane people, both in the “culture of corruption” rubber-stamp Republicans and in the similarly rubber-stamp Blue Dog Democrats…and their total sell-out to the most criminally insane administration in American history.
Once upon a time, the only constitutional body that could legally declare war was the U.S. Congress.
But now we have entered the preemptive war era of the Bush administration, who will use any excuse that they can find to start wars, while bypassing the U.S. Congress, and constitutional constraints, if at all possible.
It is obvious that neither Bush nor the “culture of corruption” Republicans are going to give up control of the White House either easily or willingly.
Their warped vision of a “unitary executive,” one controlled solely by Republicans or like-minded neo-conservatives (as some of the Blue Dog Democrats are), is a long term project.
My guess is that they think that if they can keep the United States in continual war, they can retain control of the White House indefinitely, thus keeping in place all the neo-conservative changes that Bush, Cheney, Gonzales and Rove have worked so hard (and secretly) to implant while in the White House.
Because, you see, the current residents in the White House are extremely afraid of a Democratic victory in the November 2008 presidential election. Were a Democrat to win, the neo-conservative game would be over. A Democratic president would have all the power of the presidency to delve into what exactly Bush and Cheney have really been doing…and hiding.
But a war on Iran might just save Bush and Cheney’s butts…in their twisted way of thinking. Thus, we see the same pre-war hype that was used before Bush launched unprovoked, preemptive airstrikes against Iraq. Plus, we are seeing the same expansion of spying on U.S. citizens, with the same attempt to hide what they’re doing.
With one twist that they’ve added in the meantime. Bush signed an executive order stating that he can declare martial law and lock down our democracy, with everything and everyone in our nation under his “unitary executive” control, in case there is a terrorist attack anywhere on U.S. soil.
And any preemptive attack on Iran will dramatically and exponentially increase the chance that the Iranians will somehow retaliate and a terrorist attack will occur inside the United States.
And just as in the case of Bush threatening Congress recently with him keeping them in session until he got his way, Bush can keep martial law in place for as long as he wants. Hey, there’s no law placing any limits on him regarding how long martial law can last. Which means Bush could, under his “unitary executive” martial law, cancel next year’s elections.
And with the conservative Blue Dog Democrats siding with the conservative Republicans, the “culture of corruption” conservatives actually control the U.S. Congress, which will make it extremely difficult to stop Bush and Cheney…at least on the federal level. Individual states and their governors, as well as all patriotic U.S. citizens, might have something else to say about a rogue Republican administration pulling such a nefarious and un-American stunt.
LS @ 50
We have NO exit ground wise outta Iraq . . . we gotta go thru Basra, and the Brits are gonna bail outta THERE soon.
Shitting ducks.
ONE fu’d ‘adventure’ into Iran, and Shittin Ducks.
Pure slaughter.
At LEAST one carrier, in the water, too . . .
Military knows this . . . they won’t let it happen.
And LONG before this shit even starts, Russia and China are gonna speak up . . . so let’s kewl the jets, and remain somewhat calm ‘midst the clusterphuKbia BoyKing and Shooter are trying to frenzy us up into . . .
They is just rallyin to try and stop the GOP from frogmarching them OUTTA there . . . and I’m thinkin, that march is close and getting closer . . . the GOP can’t EVEN think about 2012 . . . they are hosed for a generation at this point.
They gotta dump BoyK and Shooter sooner than later, despite the fact that they are doomed for ‘08 and ‘12 and a few more after that . . . . .
And IF they don’t do it, and BoyK/Shotsy DO try and pull the trigger, then the paybacks are gonna be enuff to set the USA back a generation or two on the global scene.
And we will have earned it, thru and thru . . .
raven @ 62
Fall was ‘Tillman’d’ . . . .
Carl Nyberg @ 155
i don’t think it primarily is a blue dog issue. unless we have a hundred blue dogs in the house. (see my 119 and 133 above)
something much bigger going on…
I think Pelosi has George right where he wants her.
selise @ 119
Selise at 119, I am in awe of your command of the facts! How do you do it? Even down to the details of Kucink’s aborted attempt to read the true translation into the Congressional record. Can you give me a link?
Marilyn in San Antonio
Marilyn In Texas @ 164
Marilyn – thanks, but no secret here. i just read juan cole every day. he’s where i first read about kucinch’s attempt on the house floor. here’s the link juan cole gave.
at the time, i did go and check the congressional record to confirm.
hope that helps.