Just a question. Who ever said that it was necessary to pass an Iraq supplemental? It seems all this talk of timelines and deadlines and the like is only creating more dead people on a quick timeline. If congress has the power of the purse, why not just REFUSE to pass a bill?
Mr. President, you've had your opportunity and you chose to veto the bill. We've done our part, we support the troops, we passed a funding bill, you chose to abandon our troops by vetoing their funding. Well, now we need to call for their rapid redeployment from Iraq as there will be no funding for the continued occupation in Iraq.
Isn't this what Dems were elected for? Didn't we, the people, call for a little backbone? Didn't we ask those running to stand up to the bullies in the White House and have resolve to end this occupation?
Damn...
I'm just so furious that our leadership will not pull the darn plug and are letting the debate be manipulated by the White House and the right wing press corps into some sort of "show down" where one side will certainly cave. There is no need to cave. There is a need to end this occupation and use the constitutionally mandated powers of the purse to do so.
Call me idealistic, but as the netroots, we have some power as manifested in the last election. Why don't we unify and call on our Democratic Reps and Sens to just stop funding? Just throw down the gauntlet. Let Fiengold or some other brave Senator use the filibuster to end all discussion of the supplemental by refusing the hearing of any supplemental bill. Do we have 34 Senators brave enough to vote down clotchure (I know my spelling sucks)?
What does it even mean to "support the troops" anyhow? Is funding them really the same as "supporting" them? I don't think they'd agree. Don't they want to come home and be with their families and friends? Isn't it supporting them if we bring them home?
Okay, I guess that's more than one question...