This is my first diary though I have been a long time reader of DKos. Feel free to flame away. I suppose I won't really feel part of the community until that occurs.
As are most of this on DKos, I was very disappointed that the Iraq funding flap ended with the result it did this week. However, for those castigating the Dems over this, I respectfully submit most (as 90+%) of the blame for this result is Bush and the congressional Republicans.
Please see the article I have linked to below written by Jonathan Alter about this week's vote. He expresses my arguments better than I could have.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/...
Also, while this will come as no comfort to the families of the military personnel who will die as a direct result of whatever delay this week's vote causes on our eventually pullout of Iraq, at least we got the minimum wage bill passed. This was a major campaign promise and a bill Bush repeatedly said he would veto. This funding battle will be waged again in September and I believe the Dems will get more in that battle.