Anti-War Dems Near Defeat on Spending Bill

[Jcrowley]

Anti-War Dems Near Defeat on Spending Bill
By: Josephine Hearn
March 21, 2007 08:13 AM EST

The most outspoken critics of the $124 billion wartime spending bill in the House are facing withering support in their fight to defeat it.

California Democratic Reps. Maxine Waters and Lynn Woolsey said that many of their liberal colleagues were caving under pressure from Democratic leaders who, according to at least one congressman, have threatened to block requests for new funds for his district. They also cited MoveOn.org's endorsement of the measure Monday as a blow to their efforts.

"This is the process: people who feel strongly about this issue hold out as long as they can," said Waters. "A lot of pressure comes to bear and they can't hold up under the pressure."

The $124 billion emergency spending bill, backed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), includes not only more funds this year for combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan but also new military readiness standards, benchmarks for the Iraqi government and an Aug. 31, 2008 deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0307/3223.html

[mark414]

1. idealism is nice

but reality is often a lot uglier and messier, and it's time people face up to it

[Jcrowley]

2. Pragmatism

has an ugly track record.

But of course we know that "we have to be practical" is used as political cover. It's a lie.

[BayCityProgressive]

4. yeah the reality

that 90% of the party is pro-war.

[PhilipShore]

11. I think they are not facing reality...

that 90% of the party is pro-war.

and 90% of the party are brainwashed, by the MSM.

[Frances]

6. Democracy, like reality, is indeed messy

I think that it's very important to get this bill passed. Is it perfect? No, but it's a start, and even this bill is having a hard time getting passed. Anything stronger has NO chance whatsoever. As I said in another post, if you have loved ones in Iraq, this bill offers some hope. The alternative is no bill at all (the votes are NOT there for anything stronger) and thus no hope at all.

[mark414]

7. that's what i'm saying, and that's what people can't seem to wrap their heads around

it would be the best fucking thing on earth if we could pass a bill and override a veto to end this stupid fucking war TOMORROW

but that is absolutely impossible - this is the best chance there is for a solution, and it's high time people got down off their "i'm more anti-war than you" pedestals and realize that

[Jcrowley]

8. It's getting more an more nasty in the House

The Dem. Leadership is desperate to pass this bill -- they are twisting arms, bribing, threatening and generally being nasty.  The Washington Post article below implies that Pelosi might take Barbara Lee off the House Appropriations committee in revenge for Lee's vote against the supplemental.  Other reports are saying that Rep. Waters may lose her job on the "Whip" team becase she is opposing the bill.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/20/AR2007032000840.html

[Frances]

10. If Lee and other committee chairs are so stupid

that they can't see how they are hurting the parents, spouses, and children of the soldiers in Iraq, then they are too stupid to head any committees, IMO.

[tnlefty]

3. Well just f*&k me!

I hope that the Out of Iraq Caucus manages to stay together and to hang tough.

I'm beginning to feel less than the giddiness that I felt when Madame Speaker took the gavel of the House.

[Jcrowley]

5. 14 votes short

Iraq Bill Hard Count Is 204
By: Josephine Hearn
March 20, 2007 10:12 PM EST


A House Democrat said Tuesday night the Democrats' whip team was still 14 votes short of the 218 votes needed to pass the supplemental spending bill for military operations this year in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"The hard count is 204. There's some news for you," the lawmaker said, adding that the number was current "as of an hour ago," 6 p.m. Tuesday night.

Kristie Greco, a spokeswoman for House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), declined to confirm, or deny, the count. "This was going to be a close vote from the beginning. We've been moving in one direction, building consensus, improving our vote count and working towards passage on Thursday," she said.

With 233 House Democrats, Democratic leaders must convince nearly half of the remaining 29 to back the bill.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0307/3229.html

So can someone tell me how one can justify the furtherance of a War Crime? That's what passes for pragmatism?

[marmar]

9. If America made any sense, Barbara Lee, Lynn Woolsey and Maxine Waters....

would be the ones making policy, and the "fringe" would be proposing more money for war. :cry: