SIROTA: Which party is telling truth about Iraq? Answer may surprise you.

[yurbud]

Sirotablog
Real-world wisdom from outside the beltway.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
On Iraq, What's More Disgusting: Being Lied To, Or Hearing the Truth?

In a story headlined "Democrats Retreat on War End," The Politico notes that congressional Democrats are - once again - moving towards endorsing a legislative effort to cut the most unpopular president in contemporary American history a blank check to continue the most unpopular war in contemporary American history. Within this story, comes the lie to justify it all:

"The strategic shift is certain to anger some war critics, but it reflects the reality that Democrats lack the votes to force President Bush's hand. 'We are trying to manage expectations that we can't end the war today or next week or next month,' said one Democrat involved in the discussions. 'We have to make sure everyone understands that.'" (emphasis added)

Anyone who has read the U.S. Constitution knows this is a fabrication. Congress has the power of the purse, meaning it has the ultimate veto over the war. Democrats control both chambers of Congress, meaning they have the ultimate veto over the war. If they chose not to schedule a vote to give Bush a blank check, the war would end. The whole idea that they "can't end the war" is the highest form of dishonesty. It is the Innocent Bystander Fable - the oft-repeated lie where Democrats claim they are powerless even though they control an entire branch of the government, and their public efforts to try "to make sure everyone understands" the lie as truth is just another insult in a long string of insults (the latest of which is the one where Democrats have the audacity to suddenly portray a non-binding bill by Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar that Democrats themselves had previously called "toothless" as now - without any change at all - supposedly a heroic bill that ends the war).

How about the honesty? That comes from the Republicans. Here's what a top Senate GOP leadership aide told Roll Call about the Iraq War:

"Our strategy in Iraq, in the short term, causes a lot of pain, but in the long term, prevents a lot of problems for the party." (emphasis added)

FULL TEXT:
http://www.workingassetsblog.com/2007/09/on_iraq_whats_more_disgusting.html

[MissMillie]

1. unfortunately

the Senate is not fillibuster-proof.

[Hydra]

3. Then how is it that Bush is getting whatever he wants? n/t

[Raster]

10. Because the MAJORITY PARTY, the OPPOSITION PARTY, is allowing

votes to come to the floor when they could EASILY BE STOPPED IN COMMITTEE. Remember the DeLay* rethuglicans grip on power? Nothing made it out of committee that was not endorsed by the rethuglican high command. Dems could and should be doing exactly the same. The MAJORITY PARTY controls the business agenda of Congress. NOTHING makes it to the floor for a full vote without the MAJORITY PARTY allowing it to do so. The lies and excuses are just that, lies and excuses. The United States Congress HAS PLENTY of power to begin reigning in cheney/bush* and their illegal, immoral wars. Unfortunately, for one reason or another, Congress has chosen to do NOTHING!

Cowards or collaborators?:kick:Wake up America!

[yurbud]

16. yep. If it is so easy for GOP to obstruct as minority, why didn't Dems do it?

[mike_c]

5. filibusters really don't have anything to do with it...

...except in the context of the game BOTH parties are working to sell us. Pelosi and Reid need do nothing more than refuse to schedule a vote on continued funding for the war. Period. What's to filibuster?

[MissMillie]

6. true enough

:thumbsup:

[John Q. Citizen]

11. How does one fillibuster a bill that doesn't come up for a vote? The Repos

have no power to schedule a vote for any bill.

If there is no money allocated,. through a bill, to continue the war, then how does the military buy the gas, pay the wages, buy the bullets to wage war?

[followthemoney]

13. Unfortunately, Bush can't sign a bill that the Democrats don't submit.

The Democrats keep on upping the offer to Bush, fearful that he might veto it. The solution is negotiation. If Bush won't accept the first offer then offer him LESS next time, not MORE.

To think that these professional negotiators don't understand this is like believing Nixon and Ford didn't trade a pardon for a presidency through back channels. Call it naive.

If the Democrats can't do this kind of deal making they are not competent to hold office. The key is they don't WANT to negotiate the end of the war. They would rather play the victim and promise change if more of them were elected.

[Hydra]

2. More blank checks coming

How many will we tolerate? They seem to think we'll forgive them any amount...

[Nite Owl]

4. How stupid do they

think we are to believe this bull? All they need to do is pass the same bill over and over and keep letting him veto it. It's their war now. If they don't want to fight a President who is at 30% approval then they are complicit.

[AndyTiedye]

7. It Has Nothing to Do With Approval Ratings. He Threatened Another Reichstag Fire

[Hydra]

8. If he has

And I have no doubt he has in explicit terms, then they need to call him on it.

It's like any good blackmail situation. He's going to do it anyway, but right now the threat is working well enough.

[Raster]

12. I have come to believe that most likely fear of another "pearl harbor-type" event

has gotten most members of Congress spooked. There truly is NO TELLING what this crazy sons-of-bitches will do. NOBODY wants to be downwind.

[AndyTiedye]

17. "… some catastrophic and catalyzing event––like a new Pearl Harbor"

"Further, the process of transformation, even if it brings revolutionary change, is likely to be a long one, absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event––like a new Pearl Harbor"

Rebuilding America's Defenses, PNAC 2000



"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."

-- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

[followthemoney]

14. Then resign your office and ...

tell the people the constitution no longer applies.

Tell the people that your life is being threatened and rule of law will not be restored without support of the people.

[caligirl]

9. I hate this, but I think unless we are willing to march in mass(by the millions)the

dems will continue to do this. they need some help.

[depakid]

15. The Republicans are going to coopt this issue

like they do so many others.