Saturday, November 19, 2005

Mad Redundant

A few things in life are certain, aside from the death & taxes cliché. Frustration is a certainty. Heartbreak is a certainty. Punk-ass Democrats are a certainty. Sorry for being redundant. Yet again, frightened Democrats demonstrate why Republicans call them weak and why apathetic non-voters continue to believe they have nobody to speak for them:

"Democrats angrily attacked the GOP move, then lined up with Republicans to vote against a troop withdrawal in hopes of draining the issue of its political significance. The vote was 403-3 against the measure."
-Washington Post


The Democrats had a chance to make a stand and they blew it. They could have handed America what it wants and needs - an opposition party dedicated to bringing our troops home - and they blew it. They could have fought for the troops who are risking their lives in an occupation that's not turning out as we'd hoped, but they chose to side with the Republicans and leave them in harm's way in order to "(drain) the issue of its political significance." What's it going to take for Democrats to grow a spine and start fighting for the majority of Americans who want the troops home as soon as possible? Will Bush's dismal approval rating have to sink as low as Cheney's (19%. 19 f****** percent!)? Will polls have to show them 90% of Americans want our men and women home? What will it take before the Democrats realize it's "safe" to be brave?


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Darrin - I think you missed the point of what happened with this (although I could be wrong).

The dems want to leave Iraq, and that's why Murtha brought it up. But it doesn't make sense immediately to withdraw all troops - that would be a vacuum. The Reublicans just threw this out there to make the Dems look bad, and you're helping them.

Check out what Kos had to say
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/11/18/163220/03

I love your work, btw. :)

Darrin Bell said...

Thanks, Jon. I realize the point, but the Dems played into the Republicans' hands. The Democrats haven't been losing because of their positions on the issues, they've been losing because of their perceived lack of character. Many House Democrats have been cautiously suggesting a withdrawal for months, but when the Republicans basically tell them "put up or shut up," they shut up.

I agree they shouldn't have voted for the GOP's rewritten bill, but they also shouldn't have voted against it. They should simply have abstained, which was their right to do, from voting for such an absurd contortion of the Murtha resolution. And then they should have gone on the offensive, holding press conferences, bringing it up on the Sunday talk shows and pointing out forcefully how the Republicans are playing games with our troops' lives to score political points. They should have seized the opportunity to point out GOP immaturity and to discuss how their measure differed from Murtha's entirely legitimate proposal. Instead, they just threw up their hands and handed an easy win to the GOP.

Because the Democrats went on record voting against a troop withdrawal, Republicans now have an effective rebuttal to any House Democrat who complains about the war. "But Congressman, you yourself voted to stay in Iraq."

I respectfully disagree --I'm not helping the Democrats look bad. They don't need any help from me if they're going to keep playing the Republicans' games.

Anonymous said...

Ok, I misunderstood you. I thought you were saying that they should have voted to pull out of Iraq. Now that I see what you're saying, I absolutely agree with you.

Apparently, Senator Reid sent out word that the Dems should vote against pulling out. I don't understand why he didn't send out word to abstain.

It seems like they're not even trying to be a real political party. They're leaving voters with the choice of either voting Republican or not voting Republican.

Darrin Bell said...

Exactly. It's a shame. I won't even get started (yet) on the Democrats' bland new slogan, "Together, America can do better." (if there was an emoticon for gagging, I'd use it now)