NYT: "Americans waiting for Congress, under Democratic control, to show leadership on...Iraq"

[ProSense]

Editorial

In Search of a Congress

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Published: September 21, 2007

If you were one of the Americans waiting for Congress, under Democratic control, to show leadership on the war in Iraq, the message from the Senate is clear: “Nevermind.” The same goes for those waiting for lawmakers to fix the damage done to civil liberties by six years of President Bush and a rubber-stamp Republican Congress.

The Democrats don’t have, or can’t summon, the political strength to make sure Congress does what it is supposed to do: debate profound issues like these and take a stand. The Republicans are simply not interested in a serious discussion and certainly not a vote on anything beyond Mr. Bush’s increasingly narrow agenda.

On Wednesday, the Senate failed to vote on two major bills. One would have restored basic human rights and constitutional protections to hundreds of foreigners who are in perpetual detention, without charges or trial. The other was the one measure on the conduct of the Iraq war that survived the Democrats’ hasty retreat after last week’s smoke-and-mirrors display by Gen. David Petraeus and President Bush.

There were votes, of course, but not on the bills. They were cloture votes, which require 60 or more Senators to agree to cut off debate, eliminating the possibility of a filibuster, so Senators can vote on the actual law. In both cases, Democrats were four votes short, with six Republicans daring to defy the White House.

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[midnight]

1. While it might not seem fair to lump everyone in this group.

Sen. Feingold has been trying to work a manuvure to reign in the money for this war. But it sure makes you wonder if their is something wrong with these people who only bring themselves to the forefront when they are running an election. I would like to see as much dedication for the peoples causes, as there is for the election causes.

[KittyWampus]

2. We should list all the votes that the NYTimes have labeled Democratic failures in headlines

when it was the GOP who sank the various measures and prevented things from passing.

No matter what happens, it is titled "Democratic Failure".

Every single time.

The NYTimes has some fucking nerve.

[The Count]

4. TRUE DAT! The 6 republicans that dared go against the White House get commendations

but all of them blocking everything are no more mentioned than the sky being blue or the water wet.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Bush and Congress are both playing for time and praying for a miracle.

They're both looking for some way to avoid blame for a catastrophic war that's been lost.

Bush and Petraeus assure us that "progress is being made" while congress continues to throw money at a problem they won't admit has no chance of being "solved".

[jzodda]

5. Give us 60 Senate votes in the next election, problem solved

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. Better make that 85 considering yesterday's MoveOn vote.