this is 1937-1938 nazi germany coming - this cannot wait! [house hearing LIVE!]

[UPDATE: hearing is JUST now rerunning on cspa - 11:40pm est/8:40pst]

the above astounding statement was made by REPUBLICAN representative frank wolf!

less than 30 minutes ago in front of the house rules committee   wolf made his impassioned plea for the rules committee to also commit for consideration a newly offered resolution asking that the iraqi study group be implemented as the plan to extricate us from iraq.  

rep. wolf, rep. mike pence and another rep (whose name i missed due to the stunned reaction to rep. wolf) all indicated they WOULD vote for the democratic resolution but actively plead for the inclusion of a vote for the proposed republican isg resolution as well. [apparently this was JUST brought before the committee now.]

hearing a republican declare with breaking voice that this country is at the same stage of nazi germany (his words) in 1937-1938 due to the division in this country is perhaps the most frightening statement i have ever heard!  as for rep. slaughter's response, please go below the fold...

rep. slaughter, the head of the house rules committee, was obviously moved and equally startled.  she reassured rep. wolf that these issues WILL be subject to intense oversight quickly in this new congress - that the issues of how to implement these components WILL be taken up by the house, but the impassioned cry of rep. wolf has shaken the entire committee to the core.  all of the members of this committee are speaking hestitantly, in hushed tones - not arrogant, not smug.

rep. chris shays acknowledged the abuse of the previous congress when he said, "i KNOW we did it to you and you have EVERY right to do it to us, but i realize that the reason we lost the election was that 70% of the american people are OPPOSED to this war..."  shays was referring to the democratic party invoking ththe house rule that prohibits amendments that are not germaine to the resolution from being attached (rule 16).  [this rule was used at the end of the last term to prohibit the attachment of the conrad emergency drought aid bill from being put through congress even though it had overwhelming bipartisan support.  the rule also was used throught the last 12 years to shut down democratic amendments to every major bill, effectively shutting out the minority party's participation in the legislative process.]  

shays went on to say that this is a new plan was supported by the isg (pg. 33 refers to sending a temporary surge] - but even rep. shays was concerned with the direction the war has taken.  he stated that this was the equivalent of doing open heart surgery and leaving before the operation was done, but IF the iraqis ASKED us to leave, or the iraqis failed to live up to THEIR agreement, then we SHOULD leave..." indicating that even rep. shays sees the writing upon the wall.

please watch a re-run of this committee hearing - and please follow the five minute speeches in the house.  i have the distinct impression that these speeches will NOT be the usual partisan bluster that has in the past been the norm... the republicans speaking before the committee were genuine, pained and in great distress - not for their party, but for america!  

from watching this committee, for the first time, i see members of congress recognizing the suffering that is occurring because of this folly.  there IS hope - this resolution has and is serving its purpose:  representatives are being forced to come to terms with the reality of this war.  apparently, it is working.

[note: this diary is unpolished - will edit for clarity later, want to get this on the board so people will turn into the house hearings going on live now.)