Put up or shut up
The Dems passed the Capitulation Bill today, missing an opportunity to end this ridiculous war:
To right-wingers, it confirms their opinion of Democrats as spineless weaklings, afraid to stand up for their principles. Dream on if Democratic officeholders think they will get a shred of credit from the Iraq War dead-enders for their "support of the troops." The anti-Iraq majority is equally enraged by the Democrats' craven betrayal of their mandate and their inexplicable refusal to offer the country an alternative to Bush's delusional and destructive policies.
This is exactly the point. Congress caved today (the Senate passed it 80-14) and gave Bush a blank check to continue this morass in Iraq without hope of withdrawal, conditions, enforceable benchmarks, or accountability. They have ducked the primary responsibility they were given last November.
Congressional Democrats made a promise to force change in Iraq. Had they done their job, Bush would've found a way around it -- signing statements, ignoring them, spurring a drawn-out Constitutional crisis, whatever.
But at least people would have a clear distinction between the Bush party, and those trying to clean up the mess.
But today, that trust of the voters was betrayed. Democrats proved that they won't fight for what is right, nor will they fight to keep the promises they made the electorate.
The American people want out of this war, but the softie DLC leadership are afraid of being called names by the Republicans:
Democrats said they did not relish the prospect of leaving Washington for a Memorial Day break — the second recess since the financing fight began — and leaving themselves vulnerable to White House attacks that they were again on vacation while the troops were wanting. That criticism seemed more politically threatening to them than the anger Democrats knew they would draw from the left by bowing to Mr. Bush.
"The left," hell. The majority of Americans want out of Iraq and they want Congress to do what the White House will not. They want an end to this war. Characterizing that as a desire purely of "the left" is another lie by spinmeisters and corporate media. The end of this war is not some hippie, utopian dream -- it's what the majority of the people in this country demand, and it's why the Democrats were given control of Congress last November. Ending this war was their mandate, and they blew it.
The leadership must deliver the goods or resign themselves to defeat in 2008. If they won't deliver on the main issue which swept them into office, they cannot justify their continued hold on power.