Interesting that you mention Nader, Jack. When he said there was no difference between Republicans and Democrats, I knew he was wrong, but on the Iraq War, his warnings have come true. The Democrats are running an anti-war charade. All they had to do was stop funding Iraq and it would have ended. They didn't need a veto-proof majority - they could have stopped it by not passing that last huge appropriations bill. They could have said, "Not one more cent for Iraq so save a little of what you've already got to bring the troops home." And if the President refused to pay for it, ordinary citizens would have bought the tickets home themselves.
Instead, the Dems gave in - the one institution with the power to end the Iraq War, and they rolled over. That makes them accomplices in this thing, and the American People know it.

Now the big question is "Why?".
Is it the secret oil leases for the oil the big oil companies were supposed to get, the economic necessity of keeping the war going to bolster the economy, or something else?
I just wish the Dems had more spines among them.
Still looking for that honest person...

This is why going into Iraq was so totally stupid in the first place. Everything that Cheney talked about in his now-famous "quagmire" video said would happen.

However, what will happen if we now just walk away? Are we prepared to simply accept the thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, of deaths while Iraq spins apart? Are we willing to accept Iran taking over the Iraqi oilfields in the south? Don't we have some responsibility for all this.

I literally hate Bush, Cheney and their neo-con idiots for getting us into this position. Every Democrat, including Hillary Clinton, that voted to authorize this insanity shares the bloody hands as far as I'm concerned.

The democrats really should not have given in like Bill from the first comment has mentioned, when will this big mess ever be resolved?

That makes them accomplices in this thing, and the American People know it.

Amen.

I am not in any way, shape, or form a granola-crunching peacenik type, but WTF is the recently elected majority in congress afraid of? It must be the spin machine media--if they can't stand up to that, they don't deserve our votes.

There is too little meaningful difference between the major parties when it comes to power politics, imho. And if the news media would cover third party candidates in a serious fashion instead of making cariacatures out of them-or ignoring them completely- I think we'd have better public conversation and better choices.

Forget about W and leave him as the figurehead for all that's wrong with the admin.. Impeach Cheney. On Iraq and lying us into occupation and Plame gate. Duh. Even if it does not succeed, it certainly would provide grist for dumping those without the courage to support his ouster.

where is the politician who actually heeds the will of their constituents? do these folks really forget they work for us? if the majority of defazio's constituents demand impeachment, then it needs to happen. there is already legislation on the table to do so. defazio et al just need to get a spine.

"Still looking for that honest person..."

Hmmm, who's more naive, the good secular liberal or the fundie christian nutcase. Maybe they're both equally dense. Stop looking for Jesus Christ in a suit in your government and embrace its structural criminality and your life will improve measurably.

That's the first step. The second is taking their power away permanently.

What, you thought that the Democrats would be pulling out of Iraq? Feh! Not anytime soon. They know what the stakes are. They're just preening and posturing like they're gonna pull out to pander to the hate-Bush ant1-war crowd. You know, people like you. You are in the minority on this issue, and not just the minority, but a decided minority. Meanwhile, they'll grope for your vote just the same, and they'll even keep giving you a reach around every so often so you'll feel like you're loved.

You are in the minority on this issue, and not just the minority, but a decided minority.

Really? Gee, I'm looking at the last congressional election...

Jack, you might want to look at the latest approval ratings for your beloved democrat controlled congress. Even the EVIL Bush-Chaney poll higher than that miserable lot.

I'm with Oscar. Seems I'm one of the few remaining liberal Democrats who are very uneasy with a fast troop pullout from Iraq. I opposed the war for moral reasons, and I am uneasy with a fast withdrawal for moral reasons. As we leave, the security situation will deteriorate, and that will mean bloodshed, perhaps massive bloodshed. That blood will be on our hands, too. Is there no one out there in the anti-Iraq-war crowd that feels a bite of conscience about this? We seem to be the only country in the world that will throw a lighted match into a barn of dry straw, then walk away as it's burning saying "Oops! My Bad! You guys put it out."

I despise W, Cheney, and the bullying neo-cons as much as anyone, but don't condemn those that want a thoughtful withdrawal policy.

If Hillary wins the nomination, expect a Republican to win the Presidency. Rove has been planning this for years. He WANTS Hillary to win the Dem nomination.

your beloved democrat controlled congress

You definitely need a remedial reading comprehension class.

I bet the internet could promote into existence a write-in candidate, (even 435 of them), who was generally agreeable to a 33% consensus, and beat both parties.

As a public policy, what say we require all valid votes to be handwritten? No boxes to check or holes to punch, no pre-printed candidates' names. Voters take their cheat sheet along to jog their memory for whatsisname. (Super easy in Oregon.) Illegible writing disqualifies the ballot, but only after a series of examiners can't majorly agree on what the scribble says. Misspellings are not disqualified, except by the same 'examiners rule.'

Broadcast ads saturated with emotional button pushings and heartstring strokings, could not deliver the illiterate vote.

And it lets us step away from computer counting.

Thank you for your post on Congressman's DeFazio's mindset which equates to the DLC/DNC talking points. I am active in the LA impeachment movement. We have gone to Hon. Waxman's office (chairman of the House Oversight), Hon. Gallegly (Rep. sits on the House Judiciary Committee); Hon. Schiff (Dem on the HJC) and to the LA City Council - second largest city in the USA.>\

These "elected" officials are parroting down to the pause and punctuation the talking points from the Democratic Party leadership. When I went into Congressman Waxman's office I was respectful and timid about keeping the video on continuously - not any more. My Video Cam gloves are off.! Video Warfare for Democracy! The Constitution is their Employee Handbook - PERIOD!

I believe it is time to do a "tough love intervention" with these elected officials. No citizen should go into these meetings without a live Vid Cam recording their words and body language. At the LA City Council we had a minimum of 45 citizens at this meeting. The largest group to "lobby" the City Council in years. Most members read their email, Councilman Garcetti left the hall, Bernard Parks did not look up once. Get it live and broadcast it all over the world.

I am going to the San Fernando Valley City Council meeting today - my video cam will be locked & loaded to memorialize their reactions to hearing their constituents holding them responsible.

I call it "vid_clips_4_the_Constitution.". My verbal assault as well as other members of the LA contingent may be found at.

Footsteps_2_Impeachment Part 1 & 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWj4Zn_uRRc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMb1w9bPI18

Waxman Clips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hhp-w93mZk0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r31XkMyXvJY

www.voa2008.blogspot.com