We'll Meet Again - UPDATED

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday March 05, 2007 · 9:03 PM PST

2007/03/05 · 21:03

Tonight I was going to write a Kumbaya on defunding, as I believe Geekesque and I, my doppelganger for the "we can't defund" group, reached a better understanding of our differences.

Instead my diary is about something else.

We'll

273 votes Vote Now!

We'll

meet again

57 votes

don't know where

4 votes

don't know when

5 votes

But I know we'll meet again

22 votes

some sunny day.

32 votes

Keep smiling through

16 votes

just like you always do,

9 votes

So will you please say hello

9 votes

to the folks I know

4 votes

Tell them I won't be long.

8 votes

They'll be happy to know

4 votes

that as you saw me go,

7 votes

I was singing this song.

31 votes

Other

40 votes

Don't know

24 votes

Leaving Iraq: Details Tomorrow, Progressive Caucus Impatient

Big Tent Democrat

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Sunday March 04, 2007 · 9:02 PM PST

2007/03/04 · 21:02

Congressman Murtha said today:

MR. RUSSERT: What are the Democrats going to do to try to stop the war in Iraq?

REP. MURTHA: Well, the, the details haven’t been released yet. Until the members see it, we’re not going to talk about the details of what’s going to happen. That will be released tomorrow.

I'll withhold judgment then Congressman. Meanwhile, the Out of Iraq Caucus is:

becoming increasingly frustrated by what its members say is the Democratic leadership’s unwillingness to heed their calls for decisive action to the end the war.

Me too.

Big Tent Democrat

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Saturday March 03, 2007 · 9:02 PM PST

2007/03/03 · 21:02

Do I have to write it again? Yes.

Why? Because I believe there is no more important issue today that ending the Iraq War. And the only way to do it while Bush is President is to defund the war.

The particulars are available in my diary list. But I want to expand on a tangential issue - the harmful (yes I think it is harmful) subsuming of issues for candidates for the 2008 Presidential election. It has no only infected the discussion here, it has infected community behavior. It is extremely harmful imo.

Big Tent Democrat

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday March 02, 2007 · 9:05 PM PST

2007/03/02 · 21:05

Continuing to earn my keep as ~~Vilsack supporter~~, ~~Bob Johnson supporter~~, Edwards shill (for those who really want sound ground to attack me, I will almost certainly be a Clark supporter if he runs, even though I rip him TOO), I want to address the central defense presented for Obama's opposition to defunding the Iraq Debacle, that legislative realities make it impossible. To wit:

. . . In the Senate you still need 60 votes. . .

Indeed, count up to 67 to overcome a Bush veto. And this is precisely why Obama is full of shit on this. NO LEGISLATION ending the Iraq Debacle can overcome this reality. That is why Obama's proposal, Murtha's proposal, Sestak's proposal, etc. are all bullshit. I am for defunding the war because it requires precisely NO passage of any laws, rather the ensuring that no laws are passed that fund the Iraq Debacle. The defunding bar is in fact the lowest we can hurdle, and thus the one REALISTIC proposal for ending the Iraq Debacle.

Poll

167 votes Show Results

What is the more realistic possibility?

167 votes Vote Now!

What is the more realistic possibility?

Congress NOT funding the Iraq Debacle in the future

92 votes

Congress adopting the Obama Proposal and Bush not vetoing it

17 votes

Other

58 votes

Obama Gets Punked On Iraq

Big Tent Democrat

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday March 02, 2007 · 10:26 AM PST

2007/03/02 · 10:26

From TalkLeft:

Via dpg, in an interview with Ed Schultz, Barack Obama chose to insult those of us committed to ending the Debacle in Iraq while simultaneously getting punked by George Bush, and bringing Jim Webb along for the ride.

More.

Big Tent Democrat

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday February 28, 2007 · 9:03 PM PST

2007/02/28 · 21:03

Many Democratic Senators like John Kerry and Hillary Clinton have argued for years that their vote in October 2002 in favor of the Iraq AUMF was not a vote for war, but to give the President leverage. That is a crock of course. No, the stark choice presented was for war with Iraq or against war with Iraq.

Today, the choice for Congress is just as stark - for continuing the Iraq Debacle or for ending the Iraq Debacle. Democrats in Congress simply have not and apparently will not anytime soon accept this reality. More and please use Danby's diary for action contacts.

Poll

65 votes Show Results

What God would you pray to if a shark was eating you?

65 votes Vote Now!

What God would you pray to if a shark was eating you?

Neptune

5 votes

Poseidon

9 votes

Yahweh

4 votes

Allah

1 vote

Zeus

1 vote

Defunding

23 votes

Jehovah

1 vote

Osiris

3 votes

Other

18 votes

How Are The Dems Doing On Iraq? Badly

Big Tent Democrat

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday February 27, 2007 · 9:23 PM PST

2007/02/27 · 21:23

Today, in Kos' FP posts asking how the Dem leaders are doing, I had an exchange with some kossacks about Senate Leader Reid. Reid's numbers deteriorated badly and one kossack wondered why there was a divergence between Speaker Pelosi and Leader Reid. I think the differences are easily explained. While Pelosi has not distinguished herself on Iraq, she had other notable successes. By contrast, Reid not only was ineffectual on Iraq, he almost blundered into a serious mistake when he embraced the Warner Amendment on the Surge.

This kossack pointed to the Senate rules as an explanation. But the Senate rules come as no surprise to anyone. Reid should not have been surprised by GOP recalcitrance and obstruction. It was to be EXPECTED! The lead on Iraq must come from the House. The Senate needs to understand and accept this. More.

Update [2007-2-28 1:19:37 by Big Tent Democrat]: Use Danby's diary for action contacts.

Big Tent Democrat

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday February 26, 2007 · 9:07 PM PST

2007/02/26 · 21:07

There was a time, circa 2005 and 2006, when I argued against Dem plans for Iraq:

With due respect to everybody that wants to play President, Bush is the President and we should concentrate on ripping him to shreds for the Iraq Debacle, including his current failures. . . . None of it matters until Dems get some power.

But now Dems control the Congress, and this approach will no longer work. For in 2008, the American People will PROPERLY ask what did the Dems do to end the Iraq Debacle?

Big Tent Democrat

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Sunday February 25, 2007 · 9:16 PM PST

2007/02/25 · 21:16

Sy Hersh's New Yorker article points to a key issue about the BushCo drive for war with Iran:

The [Bush Administration] panel initially focused on destroying Iran's nuclear facilities and on regime change but has more recently been directed to identify targets in Iran that may be involved in supplying or aiding militants in Iraq, according to an Air Force adviser and a Pentagon consultant, who were not identified.

To me, this is confirmation of my view that the road to war with Iran runs through Iraq.

Big Tent Democrat

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Saturday February 24, 2007 · 10:45 PM PST

2007/02/24 · 22:45

Will Dems in Congress end the Iraq Debacle? Let me say this, I do believe the majority of Dems in the House WANT to. But it is beginning to look like they have no clue how to do it politically:

The story of Murtha's star-crossed plan illustrates the Democratic Party's deep divisions over the Iraq war and how the new House majority has yet to establish firm control over Congress. From the beginning, Murtha acted on his own to craft a complicated legislative strategy on the war, without consulting fellow Democrats. When he chose to roll out the details on a liberal, antiwar Web site on Feb. 15, he caught even Pelosi by surprise while infuriating Democrats from conservative districts.

I was not a fan of Murtha's plan. I found it too clever by half. But the BIGGEST problem with the Dems right now are the idiot Representatives quoted on the record in this story, including our friend Joe Sestak. Let's call them out on the flip.

Big Tent Democrat

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Saturday February 24, 2007 · 3:55 PM PST

2007/02/24 · 15:55

The Media has always virtually ignored the issue of money in politics. I have always considered it a major issue, but, like the Israel/Palestine issue, not seeing any readily discernible solution, I don't spend much time on it. The Media does not either, other than using it to extoll how much of a maverick McCain is or covering Abramoff's crimes.

But the Washington Post pays attention now, because it can bash Dems. Clearly, the hire of John Solomon was for this purpose. Today, he joint authors another hit piece:

Democrats took over in January after a campaign that accused Republicans of fostering a "culture of corruption" in Washington and "selling access" to lawmakers. Abramoff has been convicted of fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy and is in federal prison. Now, with the tables turned, Democrats are courting Abramoff's most famous clientele -- Indian tribes.

What a bigoted piece of crap - Indian tribes are reduced to being "Abramoff's clients? Outrageous. And wrong.

Big Tent Democrat

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday February 23, 2007 · 8:33 PM PST

2007/02/23 · 20:33

This ought to be interesting:

American troops seized and then released the eldest son of Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, perhaps the most powerful Shiite political leader in Iraq, after he crossed the border from Iran into Iraq on Friday morning.

Who is Hakim? This guy:

President Bush's encounter at the White House today with Iraqi Shiite politician Abdul Aziz al-Hakim—seldom result in sweeping policy shifts. . . . So what signal, exactly, is President Bush trying to send by meeting with Hakim, one of the most revered, but also controversial, Shiite figures in Iraq?

So the Sunni, Al Qaida, Sadr and now SCIRI are the bad guys in Iraq? Any "good" guys left? Well, Chalabi is always available . . . More.

Newer
Older

RSS

We'll Meet Again - UPDATED

Leaving Iraq: Details Tomorrow, Progressive Caucus Impatient

Different Day, Same Issue

60 Votes, Defunding Iraq and Obama

Obama Gets Punked On Iraq

Iraq and the Congress: 2 Choices, For or Against

How Are The Dems Doing On Iraq? Badly

Fast Forward: 2008, What Have Dems Done To End The Iraq Debacle?

To Prevent War With Iran, End the War In Iraq

How Not To Handle The Politics of Iraq

The Media: Business As Usual

More Iraqi Enemies: US Detains Son of Shia Leader Hakim