3,837 reasons I CANNOT support Edwards, Hillary, Dodd, or Biden in the primary

[UrbScotty]

http://icasualties.org/oif/BY_DOD.aspx

They gave Bush a blank check, and now they seem surprised he cashed it.

And because of this, nearly 4,000 American troops, - and countless thousands of others - have died.

Shame on them.

If you want me to support you for the Democratic Party nomination, then ACT LIKE A DEMOCRAT.

BTW: Here's the "inexperienced," "naive" Obama on Iraq in 2002: http://www.barackobama.com/2007/09/12/remarks_of_senator_barack_obam_23.php

[Colobo]

1. That's right.

[shireen]

2. heartbreaking

there's a human being behind each number. that's so painful.

[1932]

3. I'd vote for 2 or 3 of them based on the belief that fewer people are going to die to further bad US

foreign policy.

[pnwmom]

4. They didn't give Bush a blank check.

They gave him a limited IWR in October, because otherwise, in January, the new Republican Senate WOULD have given him a blank check, that would have allowed him to invade not just Iraq, but Iran, Syria -- anywhere in the world, according to Chuck Hagel.

Bush took that limited approval and rewrote the terms, attacking Iraq without waiting for the weapons inspectors to finish the job.

The Dems didn't give him a blank check, but Bush acted as if they had. And once the Rethug majorities were in place, it was all moot anyway. There was nothing the Dems could do to stop him.

[cali]

9. Senator Leahy said repeatedly in his speech prior to the

vote that they were giving bush a blank check. He knew what he was talking about.

[janx]

45. He often does. n/t

[Pawel K]

13. Stop making excuses for them. They could have easily blocked the resolution

you know, like the republicans continue to do with vitually every new bill we try to pass.

[FlaxieB]

14. Not only did they give him a blank check they allowed him to roll back some of our

Rights. I will not vote for any of them that voted to authorized the war.

[pnwmom]

23. At the time of the October IWR, Bush was still enjoying

90% approval ratings. His high approval helped sweep in new Rethug majorities into both houses of Congress. We could have voted en masse in October against the IWR -- despite its support by the American public, due to Bush's P.R. job -- and then watched as an even greater Rethug majority took office in January, big enough for him to do anything he wanted on any issue he chose, without any help from us.

[Pawel K]

24. I hear this a lot. Do you have any poll numbers to back up what you are saying

I am not talking about Bush's poll numbers, I am talking about individual senate races. Did any senators that voted against the IWR lose the election? Why couldn't those same senators have blocked the IWR?

[Hippo_Tron]

40. True, but John Kerry would probably be President if Dems had been decisively against the war

And we'd be out of Iraq by now if that were the case.

[Skittles]

20. GEE

do ya think the fact that that bastard bush STOLE THE ELECTION may have given them their FIRST CLUE that HE DOESN'T PLAY BY THE RULES? FUCK THEM ALL.

[Carrieyazel]

25. Of course they gave him a blank check---- to invade Iraq.

It was an authorization of force. Shrub used it to say, "see here, all these Democrats support me". They then did whatever they wanted in regards to Iraq. All of those senators blew it. Why agree with Shrub??? No one could stop him, but why endorse his bloody catastrophe, and give him even more reason to do anything he wanted?

[Nederland]

26. Educate yourself

Read it. Read it all. It was a blank check.

http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/bliraqreshouse.htm

[madmunchie]

37. The worst thing that I see on DU are all of the passionate supporters

of these same people that handed Bush the power AND SUPPORT to go into Iraq. I knew that it was a mistake, why didn't they????? There are so many on DU that totally ignore the HORRIBLE jugement used and then they proceed to forgive when they voted for The Patriot Act, Voted YES to free trade with China? voted YES on the 2001 bankruptcy bill? Voted against the 2002 amendment for voting rights to be reinstated to convicted criminals? What is going on here???? With Democrats like this why do we need Republicans? To say the least. I am so disgusted with some of the candidates of the Democratic Party, The Democratic Party in general and DU is getting pretty bad to. People that passionately support Democratic Candidates with all of this baggage should not be calling themselves Democrats.

[AtomicKitten]

5. You have that exactly right.

And I concur.

[DemFemme]

6. Amen. n/t

[FrenchieCat]

7. And for those with hazy memories, some of those candidates gave

Bush more support in gaining that Blank check than others.

I'm keeping that in mind as well....cause dead bodies can tell no lies...nor can they change their minds or change the subject.

[Adelante]

8. Yes nt

[cali]

10. i'm right there with you . A blank check it was. Here's Leahy on

that point. His entire speech was fuckin' prescient.

"Blank-check resolutions, such as the one the President proposes, can likewise be misinterpreted or used in ways that we do not intend or expect. It has happened before, in ways that many people, including Members of Congress, came to regret. That is why a thorough debate is so necessary. And that is also why this Vermonter will not vote for a blank check for this President or any President. My conscience and the Constitution do not allow that."

[Kahuna]

11. Same here. If one of them wins the nomination I will vote for them..

But they won't get my vote or support in the primary. They make me sick. All of them.

[venable]

12. I was actively against the war and the IWR, and I will vote, happily, for

Edwards, Kucinich, Biden, Obama, Dodd, or Richardson. In that order.

I am interested in where our country goes from here, and I trust these candidates.

I made even more adamant statements against the war, lobbied heavily by phone and email for legislators to vote no on the IWR, and took to the streets up to and beyond 'shock and awe'. In spite of that, I would not make a good president.

[NotGivingUp]

15. same here. the only one who has my vote is kucinich. n/t

[huskerlaw]

16. Obama has voted to continue funding that war

how is that any better?

[CTLawGuy]

21. what happens after the war starts is more complex

defunding is not a guaranteed winner especially when Bush doesn't care about the troops' welfare.

I don't blame him for voting for funding. If our troops are stuck there, protect them as much as possible. Congress cannot pull the troops out itself.

[huskerlaw]

22. It really isn't that much more complex

When the Democrats finally grew a spine and demanded a timeline in order to continue funding, Obama sat on the sidelines, quietly, until it was quite obvious that they didn't have the votes. Then and only then did he vote for the timeline.

That's not leadership. Neither is claiming that he wouldn't have voted for the war from the safety of Illinois. He is now in a position to make a difference and he has not taken the opportunity to do so.

[CTLawGuy]

27. at least he voted the right way

unlike JRE in 2002. Thanks Johnny...

Obama was running for US senate at the time in 2002. If the war went well the Rs would have beat him over the head with the speech and probably killed his candidacy. It was quite a political risk.

[huskerlaw]

29. Doesn't matter

Obama showed ZERO leadership skills on the timetable vote.

I would rather have a candidate who is fighting for the right thing NOW than one that was fighting for the right thing 5 years ago.

[phen43]

35. does matter!!

why do you say he's isn't fighting now? Just because of his support of the troops?

[CTLawGuy]

17. kick

NT

[bigwillq]

18. Indeed

same goes for the ones who continue to fund it.

[Skittles]

19. THANK YOU

and what is worse is, they knew he'd cash it - they did it for career purposes - they can all fuck themselves. IF *I* knew bush inc was full of shit WHY DIDN'T THEY? I suspect they DID KNOW but voted for it anyways. FUCK THEM ALL.

[hfojvt]

28. that's not very many reasons

Edwards supports the working class.

How many workers have died in industrial accidents since the war started? Something like 20,000 I believe.

Edwards was the first major candidate to drive the point home that health care reform needs to cover EVERYBODY! How many people have died since the start of the war due to lack of health care coverage? I would be surprised if it's less than 4,000.

Edwards is calling for an end to poverty. Over 30 million Americans are living in poverty, and often dying due to poverty-related causes. Again I would guess that has been more than 4,000 over the last 4.5 years, probably more than 15,000.

Soldiers are not the only Americans who needlessly die, although the media hypes them as a way to promote the 'honor' of war.

Also, the IWR was not a total blank check. It required Bush to goto the UN. At the time, I was hopeful that the UN would not approve it. The security council also gave Bush a blank check, including Syria!! However, Bush lied to them too. Negroponte specifically said that the first resolution did not authorize war, that a second resolution would be required for that.

[Clark2008]

33. Bullshit he does.

I think he's a conniving little bastard posturing for votes, myself.

[hfojvt]

34. the way I see it

even if he only supports them verbally, that's more than any of the other major candidates are doing.

[madmunchie]

38. Excuses excuses......Edwards is going to walk on Mars to...do you buy

that as well? Nobody ever said that JE wasn't a good salesman, its just his record in the Senate is terrible...HIS RECORD... you know the thing that documents what he voted for and what he voted against????

JE was in the Senate for 6 short years and spent close to half of that time campaigning for POTUS, therefore not really serving his constituents and doing his homework on some of the disasterous bills he voted for.

The guy that only (served?) 1 term as Senator WHILE he was campaigning for POTUS? The guy who....#1 voted in support of the IWR, #2 co sponsored the bill #3 voted for the Patriot Act #4 took years to admit that voting for the IWR was a mistake and #5 now voted NO on the Durbin and Levin amendments??????????? #6 Edwards did not champion or sponsor any poverty legislation during the 6 years he was a Senator, #7 he co-sponsored a massive increase in H-1b Visas...

I look at what Edwards HAS DONE, NOT what he SAYS he is going to do.


It makes me sick that so many Dems are willing to let an apology (coming years after the horrible error in judgement) excuse Edwards, it reminds me of the Repugs supporting Bush Bush supporters are also mesmerized by what Bush says and Bush supports don't seem to pay attention to what he has done.....otherwise known as his record.

I knew better about Iraq, why didn't Edwards? - -

How do you overlook this horrible error in judgment that has resulted in thousands and thousands of lives ruined and lost? Isn't that what the POTUS'S job is all about? Making important judgements based on sound knowledge and experience and isn't that why Edwards screwed up so badly, he didn't use sound judgement and he didn't have enough experience - even when Gore, Byrd, Clark (Democratic Party Leaders)and Kucinich and Durbin and Finegold all spoke out against going into Iraq (before Edward voted)? Edwards sided with the Republican President and against many Party leaders. How could anybody support Edwards just because he SAYS some of the right things and says it with style. If he were going for an Academy Award I'd say give it to him hands down. But he isn't, he is going for a job in which he has no credible record or experience. Remember what he says he can easily get from from polls, so that he knows what will fly and what won't. Like I have said before, with Dems like this, who needs Repubs.

[phen43]

30. I completely agree

Remember, it's the strength of one's character that really counts!!:patriot:

[LWolf]

31. I agree. And, of course, that's why I can't vote for Obama either.

He voted to continue increasing the death count every time he voted to fund it.

[phen43]

32. Can't wait for the debate!!!

May the best man(woman) win!!!!:headbang:

[Think82]

36. How about voting for the guy with the plan to end the war responsibly w/o leaving chaos?

That is, of course, BIDEN

[adnelson60087]

39. And what exactly has Obama done about Iraq since he's been a Senator?

Has he voted against funding this mess? Or does he do a "Hillary" by "playing it safe" so as not to get labeled by the Righties?? Edwards made his mistake back in 2002-2004, but has owned his responsiblilty for it. That is the mark of leadership.

[alteredstate]

41. k & rt

[janx]

42. I'm with ya!

:toast:

I can't support them in the primary either.

[Catchawave]

43. I'm still supporting Edwards n/t

[janx]

44. kickeroo