BREAKING: Lieberman-Kyl’s Iran amendment passes.
BREAKING: Lieberman-Kyl’s Iran amendment passes.
By a vote of 76-22, the Senate passed the Lieberman-Kyl amendment, which threatens to “combat, contain and [stop]” Iran via “military instruments.” Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) called the amendment “Cheney’s fondest pipe dream” and said it could “read as a backdoor method of gaining Congressional validation for military action.”
UPDATE Before the vote today, changes were made to the original amendment, with paragraphs three and four taken out completely. This paragraph was also added at the end:
“Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stated on September 16, 2007 that “I think that the administration believes at this point that continuing to try and deal with the Iranian threat, the Iranian challenge, through diplomatic and economic means is by the preferable approach. That the one we are using. We always say all options are on the table, but clearly, the diplomatic and economic approach is the one that we are pursuing.”
Read the full marked up amendment here.
UPDATE II: The roll call for the vote is here. The following senators voted against the amendment:
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Dodd (D-CT)
Feingold (D-WI)
Hagel (R-NE)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Leahy (D-VT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lugar (R-IN)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Sanders (I-VT)
Tester (D-MT)
Webb (D-VA)
Wyden (D-OR)
Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Barack Obama (D-IL) didn’t vote.
Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date
GAME OVER!!!!
September 26th, 2007 at 1:20 pmAnd once again, half the Dems roll over. Sigh.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:22 pmWell, it’s on now…
This amendment identifies Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp as “a foreign terrorist organization†which makes military intervention now mandatory.
Well…it was good while it lasted. 230 years is a good run.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:23 pmfooled em twice now i reckon…sheesh. dems have turned into stone cold idiots
September 26th, 2007 at 1:24 pmnow we get bush waving this thing in our faces when he nukes them…dum de dum dum
September 26th, 2007 at 1:24 pmi can only hope the decider vetoes the bill now….
September 26th, 2007 at 1:25 pmWha…?
September 26th, 2007 at 1:25 pmJesus continues to weep.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:27 pmOK, hold up here. Half of Dems vote for it and almost all Repubs vote for it… and you guys are going to sit there calling Dems names??!! How about looking at who voted NO.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:28 pmHave our elected officials completely lost their minds? My mind is numb, I cannot even comprehend how something this blatantly stupid passed, much less garnered 76 votes!.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:29 pmAt least two-thirds of our miseries spring from human stupidity, human malice and those great motivators and justifiers of malice and stupidity: idealism, dogmatism and proselytizing zeal on behalf of religous or political ideas.
ALDOUS HUXLEY
September 26th, 2007 at 1:29 pmwell start the countdown…
September 26th, 2007 at 1:30 pmThe provision of the Constitution giving the war-making power to Congress was dictated, as I understand it, by the following reasons. Kings had always been involving and impoverishing their people in wars, pretending generally, if not always, that the good of the people was the object. This, our Convention understood to be the most oppressive of all Kingly oppressions; and they resolved to so frame the Constitution that no one man should hold the power of bringing this oppression upon us.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
September 26th, 2007 at 1:31 pmCan we get a voting breakdown? appparently there are only 22 sane people left in the Senate
September 26th, 2007 at 1:31 pmFor crying out loud!
Why do we even bother to have elections?
What good is the Democratic Party if they consistently ignore their constituents (and morality)?
What do the 70% of Americans who are repulsed by this administration, and bills like this one, supposed to do?
Who represents us?
No one! We have no representation. Perhaps we should have no taxation. Perhaps we should listen to Thomas Jefferson:
And the media is no help either: News Corpse
September 26th, 2007 at 1:32 pmUnbelievable. Who are these people who claim to represent us?
September 26th, 2007 at 1:33 pmOK, hold up here. Half of Dems vote for it and almost all Repubs vote for it… and you guys are going to sit there calling Dems names??!! How about looking at who voted NO.
Comment by Ret. Col. Jack Ripper — September 26, 2007 @ 1:28 pm
Votes just now got posted:
http://www.senate.gov/ legislative/ LIS/ roll_call_lists/ roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00349
September 26th, 2007 at 1:33 pmIt’s not over yet - maybe the Democrats will stand their ground and not pass the Defense Authorization bill. Or pass it with an Iraq withdrawal timeline that ensures a Bush veto.
It could happen!
And yes, pigs CAN fly. It’s all a matter of weight-to-thrust ratios.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:34 pmTime to get rid of the Blue Dog Democrats. They’re weighing the party down, anchored to Republicans, they don’t have the spines to stand up for themselves.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:35 pmSo I say, they should step aside, or be forced aside. Keep the real Dems, toss out the DINOs. This is the beginning of phase two of the progressive movement because now, we’re really angry. And this time, we have a list.
Thanks #17…
I have a letter to write now….
September 26th, 2007 at 1:36 pmHere’s the Roll Call:
Clinton Yea
Obama Not Voting
Dodd Nay
Biden Nay
Reid Yea
I’m sick to my stomach.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:37 pmSorry for stepping on your toes, missmolly.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:38 pmI refuse to fight in a war started by draft-dodging cowardly chickenhawks who refused to fight in a war.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:39 pmBomb, bomb, bomb. Bomb, bomb, Iran. Disgusting.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:42 pmSorry for stepping on your toes, missmolly.
Comment by Candyce — September 26, 2007 @ 1:38 pm
No problem — step on them anytime. I’d rather get info posted by anybody than fight over credit (guess I’d make a lousy Senator, wouldn’t I?)
Here’s a more detailed list. There were 22 “Nay” votes — 19 Dems, 2 Repubs, and 1 Independent. There were 2 not voting.
Biden (D-DE), Nay
Bingaman (D-NM), Nay
Boxer (D-CA), Nay
Brown (D-OH), Nay
Byrd (D-WV), Nay
Cantwell (D-WA), Nay
Dodd (D-CT), Nay
Feingold (D-WI), Nay
Hagel (R-NE), Nay
Harkin (D-IA), Nay
Inouye (D-HI), Nay
Kennedy (D-MA), Nay
Kerry (D-MA), Nay
Klobuchar (D-MN), Nay
Leahy (D-VT), Nay
Lincoln (D-AR), Nay
Lugar (R-IN), Nay
McCaskill (D-MO), Nay
Sanders (I-VT), Nay
Tester (D-MT), Nay
Webb (D-VA), Nay
Wyden (D-OR), Nay
McCain (R-AZ), Not Voting
September 26th, 2007 at 1:42 pmObama (D-IL), Not Voting
big mistake Obama…
September 26th, 2007 at 1:44 pmPrunes-for-Testicles Harry caves in again.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:46 pmSeptember 26th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
Thanks for the link missmolly.
September 26th, 2007 at 1:46 pmI see warmongering Clinton voted YEA and Obama did not vote.
So where’s the condemnation of Saudi Arabia for funding and arming the Sunni insurgents??
September 26th, 2007 at 1:47 pmLet’s Nuke Mecca!
I will no longer support the Democrats. I will send all my support to MoveOn.org from now on.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:02 pmOk, that’s it. I’m done with the Democratic party. Today I will be re-registering as an Independent. I suggest anyone who is as disgusted with the Democrats as I am do the same. When the registration in the Democratic party goes down to nothing, then maybe they will get the message.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:04 pmComment by RUCerious — September 26, 2007 @ 1:47 pm
Valid question.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:04 pmbilbobaggins
Ok, that’s it. I’m done with the Democratic party. Today I will be re-registering as an Independent.
Can you vote in the primaries as an Independent? The main reason I haven’t switched from R to I is so I can still vote in NYS’s primaries.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:05 pm#31 - I will no longer support the Democrats. I will send all my support to MoveOn.org from now on.
My feelings exactly!
September 26th, 2007 at 2:05 pmWOW, that is stunning that in the midst of the complete debacle of Iraq that there are only 22 Senators not ready to go to war with Iran.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:08 pm.
bilbo, wouldn’t it make more sense to simply vote for dems who are more liberal in primaries?
September 26th, 2007 at 2:08 pmNeither party has earned my vote or backing. Neither party has demanded to fight for what is best for all Americans. Neither has our best interest in mind.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:08 pmMy letter to Senator Durbin (D-IL)
September 26th, 2007 at 2:09 pmI suggest that you all write Harry Reid an e-mail and tell him what you think about what he has done to this country and to the Democratic Party.
http://reid.senate.gov/contact/
Use Las Vegas as the city and 89101 as the zip.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:09 pmbilbo, wouldn’t it make more sense to simply vote for dems who are more liberal in primaries?
Comment by Ret. Col. Jack Ripper
I will do that. But I think we need to send the Democratic Party a message. And that can best be done by quitting their party and registering as an Independent.
My Democratic Senator, Ron Wyden, voted against this travesty and my Republican Senator, I am sure, voted for it. We are working on getting Gordon Smith put out to pasture and it looks pretty good that we will be able to do it.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:11 pmCan you vote in the primaries as an Independent? — Comment by Squegeeboo — September 26, 2007 @ 2:05 pm
Depends on the state, Squegee — in Virginia, where I am now, you can vote in either primary (but not both) as a registered independent. Same in Pennsylvania where I once lived — although once you voted in one of the primaries there, they switched your registration to the party in whose primary you’d just voted! But I think in Massachusetts, where I also once lived, you can only vote in a primary if you’re registered (D) or (R) — (I)s don’t get to vote in their primaries.
Not sure what the story is in NY, but your Secy. of State’s website probably has that info.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:11 pmThe amendment does go on to say diplomacy is the preferred direction right now. My concern is does this give the implied ok to go after forces in Iran that have been designated a “terrorist” group?
September 26th, 2007 at 2:12 pmMore than 5 jews must be happily jumping right now…
September 26th, 2007 at 2:12 pmCan you vote in the primaries as an Independent? The main reason I haven’t switched from R to I is so I can still vote in NYS’s primaries.
Comment by Squegeeboo
I’m not sure if I can vote in the primaries. Maybe I’ll switch back before the primary if I can’t. But I do think if every disenfranchised Democrat were to quit the party today and register as an Independent it would send a very loud message to the Democrats. One that is hard for them to hear in dribs and drabs.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:13 pmDid anyone else notice that Durbin voted for the thing even though a few posts down the page he is seen talking tough and from the looks of it, very against the bill? WTF?
What has happened to our country?…
September 26th, 2007 at 2:13 pmIt seems that Lieberman (I) has more power than the whole Democrats body in the Senate. What Reid should have done is taking this bill off the floor until we settle with Iraqis issues. This is going to multiply problems rather than solve them.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:14 pmGod help us.
Dr. Strangelove rules.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:14 pmThe Dogfather
Depends on the state, Squegee — in Virginia, where I am now, you can vote in either primary (but not both) as a registered independent.
Right, I knew that, I had meant it more along the lines of, ‘make sure you can still vote in your primaries if you decide to go I from either big party.’
Not sure what the story is in NY, but your Secy. of State’s website probably has that info.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:15 pmYou have to be a party member to vote in the party primary. So as an R, I can only vote in the R primary.
Leftside Annie
Dr. Strangelove rules.
Gentlemen, there’s no fighting in here. This is the war room.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:16 pmThey didn’t do it so everyone would feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
They save that for naming post offices.
This is complete Bullshit!
.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:16 pmOnly 19 Democrats voted No,..amazing..!!
September 26th, 2007 at 2:16 pmDid Durbin really vote yay on this? WTF?
September 26th, 2007 at 2:19 pmDemocracy…right?
September 26th, 2007 at 2:19 pmWhat the hell’s Obama’s strategy? Want a coward? I’m your man.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:21 pmbilbo, as a Californian, I have a similar situation. Boxer voted no and Fienstien voted yes. I will gladly vote for a more liberal senator instead of Feinstien if I get the chance UNLESS that liberal candidate has a poor chance of defeating the Repub.
The worst Democrat is preferable to a Repub these days in my opinion.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:21 pmThe Iraq Study Group suggested we talk to Iran, not call them out for a gunfight. The Senate doesn’t care to listen to them nor the people of the United States.
The only thing the Senate can do is fight Moveon.org and Iran. It’s gross.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:23 pmSenator Lugar (R), is one of the smartest senators in foreign policy voted ‘No’, so is Senator Hagel…they both are smelling what’s cooking by Lieberman.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:24 pmCheck this article out. It’s written by Daniel Ellsberg.
http://www.consortiumnews.com/2007/092607a.html
A sampling:
September 26th, 2007 at 2:25 pm“I think nothing has higher priority than averting an attack on Iran, which I think will be accompanied by a further change in our way of governing here that in effect will convert us into what I would call a police state. “
Osama is a sunni radical. Through the dumbf*ckery of our president we are now tied down in the Middle East, providing targets and training for his and all the other jihadists in a scenario where we cannot win victory, and now the regal chimp is going to go to war against the principle Shiite nation, hated rival of OBL’s killers. We’re going to do his work for him, at our expense. He must be laughing his ass off in his cave right about now, the cave we haven’t bothered to look for in years. We’ve lost our liberty, we’ve impoverished our nation, we’re hated around the world and nothing to show for it. I pray to God to bring this whole disaster to a close in some way that the species can survive.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:26 pmI received a whiny reply from Reid right before the vote today. In light of the vote, and his vote in particular, I am going to post this part of it. In particular, note the part in bold. Sounds like ceasing funding is off the table, doesn’t it?
September 26th, 2007 at 2:26 pmThis is bad and stupid; it moves us closer to hostilities with Iran. But, without paragraphs 3 and 4, does it empower the use of the military?
September 26th, 2007 at 2:29 pmAnyone still going to vote for Hillary or Obama? What an odious dereliction of duty. And when we bomb Iran, how will they explain this away? They got pwned…again.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:29 pmI hope that any Democrat voting in favor of this bill be challenge and lose during his/her next election cycle.
The war must be stopped and the Democrats must stop it.
I AM ASHAMED OF OUR DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVES IN RELATION TO THEIR PERFORMANCE IN ENDING THIS WAR - OUT WITH DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENTS AND IN WITH NEW DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVES WHO WILL DO SOMETHING TO END THIS WAR AND IMPEACH THIS ADMINISTRATION!
September 26th, 2007 at 2:30 pm#39
I don’t understand this at all.
Yesterday, Dick Durbin (also my senator) gets up and gives this long speech about how bad this amendment is, etc., etc.
TODAY he votes for it.
Huh?
September 26th, 2007 at 2:33 pmSigh. I have sent, say, three or four faxes to Senator Feinstein’s office over the last four years or so. She makes some decisions that really irk me, and are almost always politically expedient in a national sense, and not a California-sense. She votes “Yea” here and then will complain that she was duped in a few months when Lame Duck George launches an alpha-strike on Tehran. I don’t expect and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington histrionics, but what happened to principles? She’s deathly afraid of being called soft-on-terrorism, but honestly–why? At some point, doesn’t she become so compromised that she can’t she look at herself in the mirror?
I feel like she’s doing a bang-up job of representing the Californians that live in her house. Everyone else is screwed for expediency.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:34 pmCan you vote in the primaries as an Independent? — Comment by Squegeeboo
September 26th, 2007 at 2:34 pmIn my state of Oregon, if registered as an Independent, you can not vote in the repub of dem primary. Our primary is late in the year as compared to others and the candidate may already be picked.
I’ve seen several people blaming the Democratic Party (or the Republican party) for this…
But the problem isn’t with parties, it’s with people.
I find it unlikely that I would ever agree with a Republican enough to vote for one, but it might happen. I also find that I disagree with Democrats enough that I wouldn’t vote for one just because they’re a Democrat.
However, I have no problem in saying that I would vote for Ron Wyden because I agree with him on a lot of things.
Changing your allegiance to Independent might not be a good idea depending on your state. Much better is to find a candidate in the primaries that you agree with and vote for them. If that candidate doesn’t win, hopefully the winner will at least be pushed in the right direction. During the Election itself, vote for the candidate that you agree with, but if you don’t try and push your own agenda then nothing will change.
Z.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:35 pmMaria Cantwell just lost my vote next time around, and I just finished emailing her to that effect. Here’s hoping the rest of my Evergreen State neighbors here will do the same, today.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:36 pmMy letter to Senator Durbin (D-IL)
I want to register my complete disgust with your “yay†vote on the Lieberman-Kyl amendment. Now, I know most of the US Congress is out-of-touch with the majority of Americans, but I thought my Illinois Senator at least had a clue as to the notion of NO MORE WAR.
In case you have not heard, our last two wars are not going well and making threats to start a third for no reason is complete insanity (please see definition of insanity). This amendment is one step closer to more neo-con military action to the formation of an American Empire.
Come Nov. 2008, maybe it truly is time to start looking at a third or fourth party to represent the interests of the Illinois electorate.
Please stop beating the Bush/Cheney war drum Mr. Durbin. I expect better from you.
Comment by espo — September 26, 2007 @ 2:09 pm
MY letter to Harry Reid(hope you don’t mind, you wrote what I wanted to say!!!!)
Senator Reid,
I want to register my complete disgust with your “yea†vote on the Lieberman-Kyl amendment. Now, I know most of the US Congress is out-of-touch with the majority of Americans, but I thought at least the HEAD OF THE SENATE had a clue as to the notion of NO MORE WAR.
In case you have not heard, our last two wars are not going well and making threats to start a third for no reason is complete insanity (please see definition of insanity). This amendment is one step closer to more neo-con military action to the formation of an American Empire.
Come Nov. 2008, maybe it truly is time to start looking at a third or fourth party to represent the interests of the American electorate.
Please stop beating the Bush/Cheney war drum, Mr. Reid. I expect better from you.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGH!!!!!!!!!
September 26th, 2007 at 2:36 pmThe Dems did a GOOD JOB neutering this Amendment before it was passed.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:36 pmKrashkopf
The Dems did a GOOD JOB neutering this Amendment before it was passed.
They’re the majority. They should have done a good job stopping it from passing, not just trimming it back a bit.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:40 pmI can’t believe they are actually going to trust Bush! Do they really think he will not use this as authorization for a strike against Iran? Are they envious of the Republican ownership of the Iraqi war, and want to make sure that they own the Iranian War! Why don’t the Dems who voted for this amendment just follow Lieberman across to the Republicans and stop calling themselves Democrats! They just aided and abetted George W. Bush once again. After Bush starts a war in Iran, he’ll probably declare martial law here in the USA and we’ll be stuck with him for as long as he wants to continue as our dictator. If the House passes this, I will definitely be changing my affiliation to Independent.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:41 pmMenehue: “Anyone still going to vote for Hillary or Obama?”
In the primary, no. In the general, if either one is the nominee, I’m afraid so. Either one is preferable to any republican.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:45 pm#69 Tom!
September 26th, 2007 at 2:45 pmMaria voted against it.
Call Patty Murray up and melt her phone…
Obama was afraid to cast his vote or was he too busy campaigning. And how is Hillary going to explain another “war” vote? This is why I’m supporting a governor for president - Bill Richardson. Yes, Bill has some unsavory baggage but at least he doesn’t support war in the Middle East. If elected, Bill Richardson will bring all our troops home, not just some of them, all of them.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:50 pmNow we can truly see the
Sense of the Senate
There is none.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:51 pmThis tells you all you need to know about the sorry state of our world:
Defense Stocks Hit New Highs
Wednesday September 26, 1:15 pm ET
By Donna Borak, AP Business Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense stocks on Wednesday hit new highs ahead of Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ visit to Capitol Hill to request roughly $45 billion in additional funding to cover military costs in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2008.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:56 pmI held my nose shut when I voted for Bob Casey Jr. I had to push the button next to his name because the alternative would have been 6 more years of Ricky “the Rooster” Santorum. I wish Chuck Pennachio or Alan Sandals had won the primary in Pennsylvania in 2006. Instead, the State Democratic committee supported Bob Casey Jr so he got all the party funding. Well, Casey is beginning to become a liability and unless he grows a “set” and starts showing courage and voting to protect our troops, protect our Constitution and keep the US out of further wars, he will not get any support in 2012. I’m about ready to dump the Democrats.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:56 pmThe death-knell of the republic had rung as soon as the active power became lodged in the hands of those who sought, not to do justice to all citizens, rich and poor alike, but to stand for one special class and for its interests as opposed to the interests of others.
TEDDY ROOSEVELT
September 26th, 2007 at 2:57 pmwoops - I pulled a Dubbie on that Senator letter, and went off half-cocked. Turns out it was my own Patty Murray who voted with the Enabler caucus, and I have now apprised her of my assessment of that vote, towit:
Senator Murray
I feel you owe me an explanation for your vote on this hollow, warmongering item of legislation.
Why any Democrat in Congress would vote with the Republicans, given their arrogant and obstructionist stance on everything before Congress is beyond my most cynical imaginings.
I feel betrayed, by the Senator I was so proud of for her vote on the ridiculous MoveOn.org censure just days ago.
If you think Republicans will move our way in light of cooperation on these types of votes I fear your badly mistaken.
Now, when the reckless radicals in the White House stage their attack on Iran, Republicans on the hill will point to you, and proclaim you were “all for it”, all because of this vote.
If you think this vote has accomplished anything of value, I’d like to know exactly what that is.
September 26th, 2007 at 2:59 pmOnce more, the Democrats cave. I’m a New Yorker and wasn’t sure if I’d vote for Hillary for President. Well, she just lost my vote in the primary and when she runs for re-election. Its bad enough that the Administration’s nuts and that the Republicans go along with them, but with the rhetoric Hillary’s been coming out with, I’d fully expected her to vote no on it. Unfortunately New York’s Other Senator, in keeping with the Democratic flock, caved too. Well, here’s hoping that Obama gets the Democratic nod. He’s got my vote in the primary. Not voting was cowardly, voting yes is insane. Got to go with the coward over the lunatic. And despite everything, I Still say,
September 26th, 2007 at 3:00 pmImpeach Bush and Cheney and Save the Constitution!
And Avert WWIII!
And here we thought it was the Iranian that was full of hot air.
Suprise! It’s our own Congress.
September 26th, 2007 at 3:00 pmMy Democratic Senator, Ron Wyden, voted against this travesty and my Republican Senator, I am sure, voted for it. We are working on getting Gordon Smith put out to pasture and it looks pretty good that we will be able to do it.
Comment by bilbobaggins — September 26, 2007 @ 2:11 pm
At least you have a Democratic senator who votes with more common sense and less fear of being thought “soft on terrorism”.
In my state, I have two Republican senators who both vote in lockstep with the neocons every time. However, Liddy Dole is up for re-election this year, and you can bet I will work to get someone else in that seat.
September 26th, 2007 at 3:00 pmFor fellow Californians … Feinstein will not run again and she was re-elected in ‘06 for her final term, so it’s too late. We’ve got six more years of this craven political whore, this war profiteer, ain’t you proud to be an American? Where at least you know you’re ignored.
September 26th, 2007 at 3:02 pmGod, can this even be happening? Both Schumer and Clinton (my senators) voted Yea? What in the hell is going on? I was never a supporter of Clinton for President but now I’m even more disgusted by her vote - and Obama lost me a long time ago. Schmumer’s vote surprises me - there must be some back room deal going on because he’s the consummate politician. And, time and time again, Kennedy and Feingold get it right. Why can’t the other jerks take their lead from them? For Christ’s sake, if two Republicans can vote against this abomination how hard can it be for Democrats? This gets worse and worse by the day.
And, thanks, Connecticut voters - what a great job you did handing Lieberman the keys to the kingdom. What a nightmare…
September 26th, 2007 at 3:04 pmLet’s all give a big welcome to WW III!!!
September 26th, 2007 at 3:04 pmHowever, Liddy Dole is up for re-election this year, and you can bet I will work to get someone else in that seat.
Comment by missmolly — September 26, 2007 @ 3:00 pm
Liddy Dole, the Joker…
September 26th, 2007 at 3:05 pmThe only thing the Senate can do is fight Moveon.org and Iran. It’s gross.
You got that right. Nothing but a bunch of cowards. The Democrats are allowing the republicans to continue to rule the Senate. There was absolutely no reason for this amendment to even come to the floor for a vote. And the MoveOn amendment was just more nonsense brought to the floor by republican trash. That amendment kind of made me think of the Terri Schiavo fiasco. Just more wasted tax dollars spent on salaries and benefits for these traitorous Senators.
September 26th, 2007 at 3:08 pmWhy the hell didn’t Webb use one of those sly Repub “secret block” dealies?
September 26th, 2007 at 3:14 pmComment by A Patriot Acting — September 26, 2007 @ 3:14 pm
Because he’s disguised as a Republican. I think he’s secretely deployed by them to appear to be a crazy democrat so their sick legislation can pass easier.
September 26th, 2007 at 3:16 pmAUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF MILITARY
FORCE AGAINST IRAQ RESOLUTION OF 2002
The sequel. (It’s just a threat. Bush won’t use it launch another preemptive war.)
Oops… we did it again.
September 26th, 2007 at 3:22 pm#32
Ok, that’s it. I’m done with the Democratic party. Today I will be re-registering as an Independent. I suggest anyone who is as disgusted with the Democrats as I am do the same. When the registration in the Democratic party goes down to nothing, then maybe they will get the message.
Comment by bilbobaggins — September 26, 2007 @ 2:04 pm
I just suggested this over on C&L. We need to get something going with either MoveOn or the big Blogs to have a mass change in party affiliation. This is getting ridiculous! Neither party is listening to THE PEOPLE!
September 26th, 2007 at 3:26 pmI don’t see us leaving Iraq or not having another war with Iran..Both party leaders are not serious about ending this Iraqi war,or not starting another one with Iran.
Hillary the top rated Democrats candidate said this weekend to CBS “Face The Nation”: I am committed to bringing the vast majority of our troops home as soon as I am a President
VAST MAJORITY…an elastic word.
Hillary on ABC’s ‘This Week’..She stated that she will leave troops to complete several important missions.
protecting embassy and personnel
protecting the Kurds
training the Iraqi army
and serving as deterrentto Iranian ambisyions.
Obama also does not call for a total withdrawal.
Biden wants to withdraw totally from Iraq
Richardson also wants total disengagment from this Iraq war.
I can’t see a way out of this Iraqi war if Hillary ,Obama or Edwards win..The three talking with same tongue but making different statements.
September 26th, 2007 at 3:27 pmSomeone should press these people in tonight debate on what they really mean by withdrawing.
Tarazan, that’s why Bush has set us all up. If you believe that on January 20th, 2009 that we will be any closer to pulling our troops out of Iraq, you’ll also believe Dick Cheney is a liberal.
We will have a substantial military presence in Iraq for a minimum of five years after Bush leaves office, and my guess it will stretch to more than a decade. The corporate pressure will be too great no matter who takes the WH. Bush has played this one perfectly.
September 26th, 2007 at 3:30 pmThanks for the list of Senators ( voting against ) that we need to keep in office. Every other Senator, that voted for this mess needs to be sent home packing after the next election. Period.
September 26th, 2007 at 3:32 pmAttention: Those who plan to vote in the Democratic Presidential Primary:
If you vote for Clinton, you are voting FOR military action in Iran! Clinton voted FOR the invasion of Iraq and now FOR the invasion (or worse yet, nuclear bombing) of Iran. You might as well vote for a NeoCon.
I am voting for Kucinich.
If you vote for Clinton, you are not voting for a “progressive,” no matter what the screaming NeoCons claim. Remember, those crazies call the mainstream media “liberal!”
September 26th, 2007 at 3:33 pmGround-pound them and be done with it!
Comment by C T V 1 — September 26, 2007 @ 3:29 pm
Warmonger
September 26th, 2007 at 3:34 pmWarmonger
Comment by Wayne — September 26, 2007 @ 3:34 pm
I think the word you were looking for is “moron.”
September 26th, 2007 at 3:37 pmand they don’t even deserve to be called a country.
Comment by C T V 1
And this is because???
September 26th, 2007 at 3:38 pmWTF Democrats! You all know that this Amendment is a precursor to a war in Iran, and you f*%$*ng signed it anyway! Retards!
September 26th, 2007 at 3:41 pmWe have a ton of excited aviators out there. They would get to have TONS of fun, all while protecting America, Iraq, Israel, and a whole lot more!
Comment by C T V 1 — September 26, 2007 @ 3:36 pm
That is one of the most idiotic things I have ever seen you post CT.
And what happened to your CT the Dean tag? Did it get banned?
September 26th, 2007 at 3:41 pmOutrage, disbelief, and a disheartening sense of lack of Democracy only begin to describe my current mood in regard to the modern political climate in this once great country.
I just wrote my letter to the Democratic Party in regard to their lack of awareness of their electorate, of responsibility to integrity, and of their spineless allowance of the Republican war machine.
=[
September 26th, 2007 at 3:43 pmAfter Bush starts a war in Iran, he’ll probably declare martial law here in the USA and we’ll be stuck with him for as long as he wants to continue as our dictator.
Comment by Tigris Lily — September 26, 2007 @ 2:41 pm
This would actually be an interesting (albeit horrifying) scenario. The Democratic strategy right now seems to be to maintain the status quo and capitalize on the anger of Americans in the 2008 elections, where they hope to gain the White House and supermajorities in both houses of Congress. They are hoping that Americans will still be more angry with the Repubs than with them.
And if the unthinkable happens — Bush managing to establish a dictatorship as if we were a banana republic? The Dems would have to abandon their strategy and would probably commence the fight we elected them to engage in last November. Unfortunately, it would be too late by then, and the only way we could get our country back would be full-scale (and violent) revolution.
September 26th, 2007 at 3:44 pmIran hasn’t matured itself to even carry a permit for a handgun.
Comment by C T V 1 — September 26, 2007 @ 3:41 pm
If we had not overthrown the democratic government there inthe 50s to install the Shah, we wouldn’t have the mess there now.
Now explain the reason you want to go to war with a 3rd country, while we are bogged down in2 other wars.
And if you think we can just bomb them and not end up in another ground war, then you are just too stupid to even respond to.
September 26th, 2007 at 3:47 pmI have no problem with this.
It doesn’t have any substance, and with the changes made it doesn’t really stand for anything anymore either.
September 26th, 2007 at 3:52 pmNow back to work please… there are indictments to issue…
Fienstien voted yes. I will gladly vote for a more liberal senator instead of Feinstien if I get the chance UNLESS that liberal candidate has a poor chance of defeating the Repub.
I used to live in California. I doubt that Diane Feinstein is going to run again. She’s like 74 or something close to that. I think her decidedly conservative turn is due to her trying to position herself for a cushy retirement. To hell with her. How about running Cindy Sheehan for her seat!
September 26th, 2007 at 3:52 pmAkaka
Conrad
Durbin
Levin
Mikulski
Murray
Reed
Stabenow
That is the list of senators who voted against the invasion of Iraq and now voted FOR militry action in Iran.
HEROES turned cowards!
September 26th, 2007 at 3:53 pmAnother vote by Congress (this time, the House) today:
House Condemns MoveOn.org’s Petraeus Ad
September 26, 2007
Filed at 2:11 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Wednesday overwhelmingly voted to condemn the liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org for a recent advertisement attacking the top U.S. general in Iraq.
By a 341-79 vote, the House passed a resolution praising the patriotism Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, and condemning a MoveOn.org ad that referred to Petraeus as ”General Betray Us.”
The liberal group’s full-page ad appeared earlier this month in The New York Times and has served as a rallying point for Republicans. President Bush called the ad ”disgusting” and criticized Democrats such as Sen. Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the party’s nomination, for being afraid of irritating the group.
September 26th, 2007 at 3:56 pmI’m very disappointed with my senators.
I’ll make it myself very vocal in my town, so that they may know this: their senator wants their children to die in another war.
More money for some, more death and poverty for everyone else. Welcome to America, get in line.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:00 pmChrist on a cross, I am so disgusted I don’t know what to do. This is what we put these people into office to do? Bite the hand that fed them? Do they realize how much MoveOn did to get (some of) them into office? What back-stabbing, pandering, cowardly traitors we have in the Senate and the House. We need to sweep them ALL out of office.
I don’t know how much more of this bullsh*t I can take…
September 26th, 2007 at 4:04 pmI take some consolation in knowing that the feckless, yellow-bellied, chickenhawks will soon be forced to suit up and join the slaughter against “islamofascism”. Also, that I have already done my time serving this Country and cannot be forced into this bullshit now.
I guess we’ll see how much they really believe in the Fuhrer and his wise policy when they are holding their guts into the open gash that used to be their stomach.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:05 pmWASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Wednesday overwhelmingly voted to condemn the liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org for a recent advertisement attacking the top U.S. general in Iraq…..
The MoveOn obsession is about as ridiculous as the Terri Schiavo fiasco. Damn, doesn’t the Congress have more pressing things to do? Just check out some of the resolutions that were up for a vote this month http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/index.asp , such as supporting the goals and ideals of National Insurance Month.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:06 pm#71 - The Dems did a GOOD JOB neutering this Amendment before it was passed.
Comment by Krashkopf — September 26, 2007 @ 2:36 pm
Remember our current corrupt, crooked president?
He always does a GOOD JOB of ignoring the intent of ANYTHING Congress passes!
September 26th, 2007 at 4:06 pmhttp://www.antiwar.com/ orig/ giraldi.php?articleid=11666
September 26th, 2007 at 4:12 pmI warned of this in PetraeBusH Quagmire Surge Gains Traction. There is no functional opposition to these thugs. It’s time to take it to the streets. Actually it was time in 2000 when five whores on the supreme court illegally installed these criminals. We can’t speak as if this were an elected administration, nor as if there existed voices of sanity in Washington.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:13 pmWhat can you do?
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7435050774
Harper’s magazine is suggesting a U.S. national strike on Nov. 6 to do what their elected officials will not: remove Bush and Cheney from office, preferably by impeaching them, and to begin to restore some semblance of American hope and pride.
I suggest we Canadians need to do the same. Our ‘leaders’ lack the courage to lead, the wisdom to get follow, or even the sense to get out of the way. They need a reminder of who’s in charge - it’s our country and our future. The climate crisis is bearing down upon us, ready-or-not, our country becomes more polluted each day, our ‘leaders’ seek to ‘integrate’ us evermore with the United States - and all-the-while our politicians dither and dodge.
Further, Canadians need to support the Americans in their attempts to right their ship of state, for selfish and for moral reasons. It is the right thing to do, and we could help make the world a much better place if we helped the Americans align their values with their traditional roots, and to join the world community.
United we stand.
http://harpers.org/archive​/2007/10/0081720
From Harpers:
“Of all the various depredations of the Bush regime, none has been so thorough as its plundering of hope.
“If someone were to suggest, for example, that we begin a general strike on Election Day, November 6, 2007, for the sole purpose of removing this regime from power, how readily and with what well-practiced assurance would you find yourself producing the words “It won’t do any goodâ€? Plausible and even courageous in the mouth of a patient who knows he’s going to die, the sentiment fits equally well in the heart of a citizen-ry that believes it is already dead.”
September 26th, 2007 at 4:13 pmOf course. It’s time we all wake up and recognize the simple fact that neither party represents the general welfare of this republic or its people. The federal government has long since become a body preoccupied only with self-preservation and self-aggrandizement.
Statesmanship is dead. The Punch-and-Judy partisan theatrics to which the peasant masses are exposed are little more than a front for the true bipartisan sensibility, which is to protect the members of the club and their benefactors at all costs. I am sickened today by the very small people to whom the fortunes of this great republic have been entrusted. We have all–liberal, conservative, American–been betrayed.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:18 pmHow did this even get to a vote? Is this why we worked and spent and called to get a democratic majority elected in 2006? We could have saved our time and spent the money on partying for all the good it did.
Feh.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:23 pmIran hasn’t matured itself to even carry a permit for a handgun.
Comment by C T V 1
Oh…perhaps thats whats slowing down Sweden.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:24 pmAnd now the people who put the cash and time for Senator Lieberman after betraying his party now they are getting their money back. These people put Lieberman back for days like these…as an ( I ) SENATOR.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:30 pmHow did this even get to a vote? Is this why we worked and spent and called to get a democratic majority elected in 2006? We could have saved our time and spent the money on partying for all the good it did.
I’m getting sick and tired of working for the Democrats. Yeah, I could have taken a nice vacation, spent more time with my family and friends instead of sending money to the Democrats and working to get candidates elected. Hell, I could have spent more time fly fishing instead of attending fund raisers.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:46 pmIran hasn’t matured itself
Can this idiot even spell P E R S I A??
September 26th, 2007 at 4:50 pmMaybe it’s time for a change: (this was written awhile ago, but it still has some good points):
The Voter’s Internet Party: a modest proposal.
To the Editor:
We need to create a new Voter’s Internet Party. With every passing day in the 21st century, it is becoming painfully more obvious to all but the most fanatically partisan of us that the vast majority of the Senators and Representatives from both of the two major political parties are irrevocably corrupted by the unseemly influence of major corporations and the wealthy ruling elites. Therefore, we, the vast majority, who want clean honest open government need to form a new political party that will serve our interests, and not those of the ruling wealthy corporate elites. Therefore, may I suggest that we create a new Voter’s Internet Party to honor the ideal of a traditional count-all-the-votes democracy.
With widespread use of the Internet, we now have a relatively easy, inexpensive and efficient way to contact and organize the many millions of American voters that have been disenfranchised and disillusioned in the 21st century by the Bush & Co. theft of the 2000 and 2004 Presidential elections. The brilliant example of the highly-effective grassroots campaigns of the Internet-based MoveOn.org in the 2004 Presidential campaign has shown that Internet-organizing can be a powerful tool for progressive social change.
Orange. Since orange has been clearly identified in the mass media as the color of protest of election fraud first in the Ukraine and later in the United States, let us use the color orange to help identify our new Internet Voter’s Party.
We need our new Internet Voter’s Party to help facilitate our country’s return to the exclusive use of traditional hand-counted paper ballots. We need to stage thousands of 21st century versions of the 1773 Boston Tea Party by dumping all of the computerized electronic voting machines and computerized electronic vote tabulating machines into the nearest body of water. As long as there are any computerized electronic voting machines and computerized electronic vote tabulating machines used in any voting precinct in the country, there will be Republican hackers, riggers and thugs who will find ways to rig, hack and steal future American elections. Just say no to the use of electronic computerized voting machines and electronic computerized vote tabulating machines in any future elections.
We need our new Internet Voter’s Party to demand that all future elections be administeredby professional non-partisan state civil servants, not by partisan political hacks such as the 2000 Republican Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris and the 2004 Republican Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell.
Our new Voter’s Internet Party will be grass-roots based on small individual annual contributions not to exceed a maximum of $100 per year. Our new Voter’s Internet Party will thus avoid the corporate corruption which has long been the hallmark and the curse of the two large political parties.
Our new Voter’s Internet Party will honor the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.
Our new Voter’s Internet Party will honor and preserve our natural environment.
Our new Voter’s Internet Party will honor social security, labor laws and privacy laws.
Our new Voter’s Internet Party will honor a woman’s right to choose.
Our new Voter’s Internet Party will honor international law, international treaties and international obligations.
Our new Voter’s Internet Party will not torture anyone under any circumstances. Our new Voter’s Internet Party will consider the Golden Rule regarding torture: If you don’t want it done to you when you are in legal custody, then we will not do it to anyone in American legal custody.
Our new Voter’s Internet Party will honor the working people of American with good working conditions and a living wage for all.
Our new Voter’s Internet Party will honor the public’s right to control public airwaves and to thus require public interest broadcasting on television and radio instead of the current arrangement of allow greedy private corporations to dominate our airwaves.
Our new Voter’s Internet Party will honor the right to universal health care and universal single-payer health insurance.
Our new Voter’s Internet Party will return the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to its traditional watch-dog role of protecting the American consumer instead of its current practice of protecting and enlarging the obscene profits of greedy drug manufacturers.
Yours truly,
James K. Sayre
26 January 2006
September 26th, 2007 at 4:58 pmThis is all part of the Bush Stategy to get out troops out of the MIDDLE of a civil war in Iraq. We are moving to choose sides….the deal with the sunni shieks is step one.
September 26th, 2007 at 5:01 pmThe Brits are pulling out of Southern Iraq. Who is in charge of Basra now??? The Shiites , and it should come as no surprise that they want friendly relations with their neighbor Iran.
It will be interesting to follow Maliki’s reaction to all this, since the Shiites are his power base.
More than 5 jews must be happily jumping right now…
Comment by Juan C. — September 26, 2007 @ 2:12 pm
Recommend (0) | Report Abuse
Ummmm, that is a very loaded and borderline bigoted posting, Juan. Perhaps you should explain what you meant by it.
September 26th, 2007 at 5:17 pmWork tirelessly to create a third party ,Invite the above list of nay voting senators to switch parties , Welcome to the 3rd WW.
September 26th, 2007 at 5:23 pmThe 2 party system I declare officially DEAD !
I will never support the democrats in word or deed again and will do everything in my power to stop their re elections . I’m a progressive not a democrat from this point forward !
. Hey bartlebee,
September 26th, 2007 at 5:26 pmtry googling Auroville ,maybe we’ll be neighbors !Ralph Nader was right all along ,we seem to be too late in realizing it .A sorry day for the USA.
I agree, 230 years is long enough, and it’s too bad that we have to put the thing to rest, but all democracies have failed as this one has. None has ever lasted 300 years. I just hope we can avoid bombing the planet into the stone age.
September 26th, 2007 at 5:37 pmLets Party till we drop the A-bomb cause World War 3 is about to begin !
September 26th, 2007 at 6:00 pmYee Hah what a party this will be we bomb Iran and then Putin bombs our guys in Iraq then we bomb Putin then China and N-korea bomb us then we bomb them and so on an so on etc.. you get the point right ? How wonderful is it that Partisan hacks like KYL and LOSERMAN can get MORE done in the SENATE than Obama,Kerry, and Kennedy! WHAT A JOKE the senate has become Harry Reid has his head up his butt! We NEED REAL LEADERS Ones that will put IMPEACHMENT back on the Table and make the Re-puke-licans eat it OFF !!!!
Bush has a new war cry — 76-22 and Fight. Like many of you, I went to bed last night after Reid said the vote was pulled. Got home from work to learn that only 19 Democrats voted against giving Bush the green light to start another war.
I just called Sen. Patty Murray’s office and the young woman tried to tell me that this resolution means nothing. It’s just like other Senate non-binding measures that have no specific language for action.
Good God. Is this what led the hapless Dems to go along with Lieberman and Kyl’s sell-job for War? I told Murray’s aid, “hey, we’re dealing with Bush here, and he will use “76-22″ “bipartisan support” to twist whatever words appear on the resolution that our Senate passed today — with no debate– and he will start a war against Iran.”
She had nothing to say in response.
September 26th, 2007 at 6:14 pmDear Senators,
September 26th, 2007 at 6:31 pmYou suck! Obviously, with 22 exceptions.
I hope that you guys get everything you deserve.
Comment by BARTLEBEE
They will…life is not without ironic surprises…
September 26th, 2007 at 6:36 pmI don’t know which is more contemptable - Clinton’s “yea” vote or Obama’s recurring cowardess. What’s he going to say now? He had an appointment?
At this point I will settle only for an honest person - like Gravel, Kucinich or Richardson. If the dems give me one of those smelly “frontrunners” they can forget my vote.
September 26th, 2007 at 7:08 pmWTF? Dianne Feinstein voted for it? Hagel and Lugar had more sense than her!
September 26th, 2007 at 7:25 pmThe Republicans run Congress more effectively as the minority party than the Democrats can as the majority party. I can’t stand it. What cowards.
September 26th, 2007 at 7:25 pmNever again will I vote for a Republican or a Democrat; only a third party can save the USA; what about a party named Move-On?
September 26th, 2007 at 8:05 pmI’ve been a strong Obama supporter since I saw him give the 2004 DNC address, but skipping this vote is simply cowardly.
September 26th, 2007 at 8:19 pmI thought I would never vote for anyone running on the republican ticket, but I urge you to investigate Ron Paul at http://www.ronpaul2008.com
Pubs and Dems are in bed together! Just look at all the nice smiley photos of them in the news and magazines. It sickens me. Ron Paul is running on the republican ticket and has run on the Libertarian ticket once. I am convinced he is the person for the job. Radical change is the task at hand.
September 26th, 2007 at 8:37 pmOur democracy is now officially a farce. Voting is meaningless, there is only 1 party now, the Corporatic Party. Democrats, Republicans, are almost all Corporatic Party members. Like Nader said, you are just voting for Pepsi or Coke, and both are a soft drink that looks alike and tastes alike. Democracy is only possible with publicly financed elections, and if a candidate does not support this unconditionally, this is the sign they are a member of the Corporatic Party.
September 26th, 2007 at 9:25 pmI called my Senators…Clinton and Schumer.. no one picked up on Schumer. Clinton, I left this venomous message. IT means nothing. Nothing means anything, anymore. We have a rogue government. It’s not that they don’t know we’re out here. It’s not that they don’t know how the majority of the constituents feel. So, it’s got to be something else, and now every “conspiracy theory” I used to doubt seems plausible. I am steeped in paranoia, and I’m beginning to believe there’s something truly evil happening here. And all of these blogs, are beginning to sound like the eulogies delivered at the funeral of one who died much too young and senselessly. I really have no idea what action can be taken at this point. I’m truly sickened.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:09 pmMore than 5 jews must be happily jumping right now…
Comment by Juan C. — September 26, 2007 @ 2:12 pm
Recommend (0) | Report Abuse
Ummmm, that is a very loaded and borderline bigoted posting, Juan. Perhaps you should explain what you meant by it.
Comment by Exley — September 26, 2007 @ 5:17 pm
I won’t speak for Juan, by perhaps he is talking about this:
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/fiveisraelis.html
September 26th, 2007 at 10:21 pmHow can we stop this horrible Democratic…I mean Republican…oh I just don’t know anymore…party? They are both the same now.
What the hell happened?
Vote out all the incumbents in 2008!
September 26th, 2007 at 10:25 pmI’m saddened to say it, but I now truly believe our votes mean nothing. They have been disabled by those that care nothing about this country or its people. Soulless sellouts, the whole lot of them.
Liberty and justice for all… my ass.
September 26th, 2007 at 11:00 pmQuit thinking you have a choice! I don’t even want to hear someone say dems are backing down! There is no one or the other they are the same.
September 26th, 2007 at 11:13 pmGoto goolge earth and look at the pentagram above the whitehouse. And this is not a holy war involving Christians and Muslims. It is George Bush implementing a world order. Just wait until they (George Bush and his cronies) set off a dirty bomb or worse in USA to speed up the process. Google George Bush and John Kerry skull and bones and see if you ever think in terms of DEms and Rep. again. We live in a Masonic Republic and not a democracy. Too bad the Church didn’t burn the rest of them when they burned Jacque De Moley at the stake.
So what was Durbin going on about? He had such fiery rhetoric against the bill, and here he rolls over….to read the roll-call is just depressing as hell.
September 26th, 2007 at 11:46 pmThis is troubling to say the least.
It’s now almost midnight on Sept. 26th and I am still royally pissed about what happened in the Senate today. How did god awful resolution come up for a vote today — with no debate or deliberation?
The staff people in the offices of Senators who voted yes today sound less than impressive. I heard all kinds of crazy excuses, but the worst was: This “weak” resolution doesn’t mean anything, it’s just words. I was told that the Senate passes these meaningless resolutions all the time. Just trying to make me feel better, I guess!
Newsflash to Demo staffers of Democrats who caved to Liebermann (!) an Kyl (!) today. It’s over, the war with Iran is on, air strikes against Iran are coming soon. Bush got his way, with a 76-22 bipartisan vote. You Dems don’t get a do-over on the vote. It’s over, done. What a pitiful spectacle.
September 26th, 2007 at 11:48 pmThis is more than caving in. This is complicity, pure and simple. No more hiding behind “political maneuvering” rationalizations.
There was a time when I would have considered voting for Obama and Clinton. They no longer appear on my list. Of the “likely” Democratic candidates the only one I will support is Edwards. This could be the first time ever I will put in a write-in name for president. As for congressional people, I’ll deal with them on a one by one basis.
To get any kind of meaningful counter-insurgence against the increasing congressional war cabal, I think we need to push very hard for 9/11 truth to gain the spotlight, and pull out the prop of manufactured lies that has supported the neocons, and now our elected government officials in their efforts to spread war and corporate power.
I am sickened by this vote.
donilo
September 27th, 2007 at 12:08 amAnother lie. Another war. Another country with oil, How many reports - NIEs and the UN ,stated that Iran was no threat? (All of them). Scott Ritter & the IAEZ say there is no evidence of a nuclear weapons program.
I grew up in Los Alamos - more nuclear physicists than anywhere else in the country. When I asked about what these weapons would do, no one filtered the information, no one watered it down so I could sleep at night, no one cherry picked it, - no one had an agenda to sell nukes to me.
And what are some Democrats doing at voting for this? What happened to the filibuster? Why can’t they understand what this could lead to with Russia and China? If these idiots want to get rid of nukes and stop terrorists, why don’t they declare war on Pakistan?
Someone tell me this is just a Stephen King movie where, one by one, people are becoming evil and insane, and soon there will be no one left who is aware of it.
September 27th, 2007 at 12:58 amIf this criminal administration attacks Iran: Don’t pay your income tax and walk out of work. On a massive scale this could be heard loud and clear.
September 27th, 2007 at 1:23 amJust so you know, if the Dems had lost the midterm elections in 2006, the jittery Rep Congress probably would have ended the war, but instead, the jittery Dems are expanding it - oh, the irony.
Add to this, Dem prez candidates are now retreating from retreat, stating that they won’t even commit to having all troops out of Iraq by 2013.
September 27th, 2007 at 1:50 amWe voted the Democrats in to stand up for the “little people” who can’t stand up for themselves or their sons, daughters, husbands, wives, etc. who are fighting this disgraceful war! Why have you NOT done anything to STOP THIS WAR? NOW YOU WANT TO START ANOTHER ONE!! NOT ONE MORE DEATH, NOT ONE MORE DOLLAR! 81 members of the House of Representatives have signed on to a letter drafted by Out of Iraq Caucus Chairs Reps. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), and Maxine Waters (D-CA) to the White House, declaring that they will appropriate no more funds for this war except to redeploy and protect our troops. There should be no question about EVERYONE signing this letter!
September 27th, 2007 at 2:00 amCongress has the power of the purse. It has the ultimate veto over the
war. Democrats control both chambers of Congress. They have the ultimate
veto over the war. If they chose not to schedule a vote to give Bush a
blank check, the war would end. The whole idea that they “can’t end the
war” is the highest form of dishonesty We want the rubber stamp STOPPED
and we want the war OVER!!! ABOVE ALL WE DON’T WANT ANOTHER WAR FOR SURE!!
I HAVE BEEN SAYING THE SAME THING AS MARDALA HAS SAID, DON’T PAY INCOME TAX AND WALK OUT OF WORK! THIS ACTION MIGHT TURN SOME HEADS! SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE TO CORRECT THIS INSANITY!
Amazing evil foolery. Yes, history in the making, boys and girls. The brains and the good hearts voted nay; the poor thinkers and amoral opportunists voted yay. My senators, Clinton and Schumer, voted yay. Revolting bragadoccio - like McCain and ‘Barb-Bomb Iran’! We’re a big step closer to that wasteland due to this vote.
So we should be clear now: The top presidential contenders are aligned with the arrogant, violent imperialism that, since the start of the Iraq War, has been openly promoted by the right and center as America’s right and duty: TO CREATE FREEDOM AROUND THE WORLD! What a bunch of duplicitous creeps many of our elected are.
September 27th, 2007 at 2:28 amIf you really want to know why this happened:
1. Go look up AIPAC on google
2. Read The Israel Lobby by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt.
3. Start asking yourself why there isnt any substantive debate about the effects of the U.S. relationship with Israel in our media.
September 27th, 2007 at 5:01 amGood! Lets get the end of the World over with. The anticipation is killing me.
September 27th, 2007 at 7:26 amFirst time posting here, so be gentle. I too couldn’t believe this was even brought to a vote much less what the actual tally ended up. Both my senators voted yes! But then I read that both paragraphs 3 & 4 were removed. They seemed to be the linchpins in giving the shrub the OK to make war. Having been removed what does this bill say really?
September 27th, 2007 at 8:59 amIf you really want to know why this happened:
1. Go look up AIPAC on google
2. Read The Israel Lobby by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt.
3. Start asking yourself why there isnt any substantive debate about the effects of the U.S. relationship with Israel in our media.
Comment by Clarionkiller — September 27, 2007 @ 5:01 am
This whole Mideast misadventure by the Neo-CoNaZionists should be called , The AIPAC/Exxon War”. Throw in a little Christian Fundamentalism and Islamic Fanaticism, and well, you know the rest.
September 27th, 2007 at 10:45 amFolks:
The resolution was mostly about the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which whatever else it is, includes a bunch of thugs that repress innocent people inside Iran and kill innocent people outside of it.
Senator Durbin and others objected to ambiguous language that they felt could be construed to authorize military action, and it got pulled from the resolution.
The rest is weak tea — a non-binding resolution about economic sanctions. While it may be debatable whether or not it would be good policy to prohibit investment in corporations that do serious business with the IRG — if the administration agrees with the resolution, it is in no way a declaration of war on Iran or an authorization of military force.
Bush is not going to use this resolution that way: Resolutions like this get noticed far more in Iran than they do in our own government.
Y’all are too quick to glom on to conspiracy theories, and divisive rhetoric that does nothing but serve the interests of the bellicose right:
So you want to leave the Democrats, vote green, and spew coarse myths about AIPAC and the “Neo-CoNaZionists”:
Bush and Cheney are cheering you on.
September 27th, 2007 at 12:41 pmThis is just bad journalism. Here’s why:
1. the text: which threatens to “combat, contain and [stop]†Iran via “military instruments.â€
is GROSSLY edited. after the “via” are words like diplomatic, economic, etc. etc. (READ it for yourself)
2. According to this very article:
Before the vote today, changes were made to the original amendment, with paragraphs three and four taken out completely
3. The paragraphs that were taken out were the ones that CONTAINED the text from my point #1. !!!
This whole article is now practically invalid!!
September 27th, 2007 at 2:23 pmAsk yourself, what is the “political” reason that the democrats would vote for this bill? Who are they “politically” appeasing? It certainly isnt the base of the democratic party.
September 27th, 2007 at 3:42 pm“…Bush is not going to use this resolution that way: Resolutions like this get noticed far more in Iran than they do in our own government.”
Comment by The Donkey — September 27, 2007 @ 12:41 pm
Donkey, you have more confidence in the current corrupt, crooked president than I do!
Have you ever read any of his “presidential signing statements?” There is NO LIMIT to how he will mangle the intent of a Congressional bill whose limit is clear. What will he do to an amendment whose intent is NOT clear?
If that doesn’t cause you concern, I contend that it SHOULD!
September 27th, 2007 at 6:10 pmthis is only a sense of the senate ammendment. So its not like we are about to invade iran or that there has been such authorization. It is obvious that with a coming election, it would be unwise politically to vote against some included provisions. That said, it is one thing to vote for this ammendment, and another to authorize military invasion. I find it hard to believe that all of the Democrats who voted in favor of this ammendment would vote in favor of any military invasion, especially in the midst of two current wars.
September 27th, 2007 at 7:47 pmditto #169. this is the worst kind of fear-mongering, in that it’s not based on truth. there’s enough true horrible bills being passed that we don’t need to focus on the bad ones.
September 27th, 2007 at 10:16 pmEven if the scary paragraphs were removed, the Democrats should still have voted “no”, to send a message.
First Barb Boxer comes across like a total fool when “questioning” Petraeus (”oops, I have no time left after my drooling blather!“).
Next Feinstein votes for this amendment.
And finally, Nancy “no impeachment” Pelosi seems to have misplaced her balls.
Living in San Francisco, I’m “blessed” to have these three as my elected representatives. God help us all.
Remember, folks: Iraq was Bush’s war. Iran will be **YOURS**. YOU will have blood on your hands if you do not take a stand.
September 28th, 2007 at 2:41 amVote for the only two presidential candidates that will follow the Constitution the president i