Vermont Public Radio ran a short interview with freshman Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders this morning (transcript here, audio is also available), and I finally heard an elected official say, essentially, ENOUGH.
Bernie will work against any measure regarding Iraq that does NOT include a firm timetable for withdrawal. VPR also reports Senator Patrick Leahy will have a "difficult time" supporting any such capitulation.
Essentially, any 'compromise legislation' is a non-starter with the Vermont senatorial delegation. Reid's fear of a threatened filibuster has pushed him, effectively, into the Republican party. In an attempt to pander to their bloodlust and inability to admit wrong, he has adopted a strategy that forces members of his caucus into a new opposition.
And that is what capitulation from a position of strength gets you.
Sanders was quite clear in the interview - he will not vote for any funding bill without an exit plan. There will be no hand-wringing about not having a veto-proof or filibuster-proof headcount, no dithering about tough-sounding but empty wording, none of it.
Bernie is saying to Harry Reid what we have been saying - ENOUGH!
Maybe now that's it's coming not only from inside the Beltway, but inside the Senate Chamber, Reid will actually listen. Not likely, but at least he and Pelosi cannot sit numbly by waiting for the slam-dunk Hillary landslide if there is open rebellion in the caucus to this new strategy BendOver 2.0. That is the only antidote I can see to the complete marginalization of the antiwar movement described in kid oakland's excellent diary - that there will indeed be a price for ignoring the will of the American people. We can't primary these pushovers for another year, but Bernie can vote over and over to stop this craven rush to the right, starting next week. My senator has put the party leadership on notice that they have gone too far into Republican territory.
Give some props to Bernie Sanders here.
You can send encouragement to Patrick Leahy here.
Find your senator and harangue him/her here.
For that matter, cut and paste one to your rep here.
Maybe this starts something, maybe not. But in a dark place, any light is precious and needs to be nurtured.
Peace