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The Politics of Ending the Iraq Debacle

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Tue Mar 20, 2007 at 08:20:47 PM EST
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On February 26, I wrote a post titled Fast Forward: 2008 . . . What have Dems Done To End the War in Iraq?, I said:

And now we come to some practical realities - the Congress can only end the Iraq Debacle by NOT FUNDING IT. It may scare some people to say those words - I think it is an unfounded fear as I have explained many times. But let me give them a political scenario that is scarier -- come 2008 -- when faced with the question "What did a Democratic Congress do to end the Iraq Debacle?", when the answer is nothing, what do you think the voters are going to say? Spineless Dems ALWAYS lose. Always.

Recent polling should send a shiver down the Dems' spine:

A new poll finds that the approval rating of the Dem-controlled Congress is on the skids among not just Republicans, but Democrats, too -- and the pollster speculates that the Dems failure to "do anything substantive" on Iraq could be the reason why.

Greg Sargent says:

It'll be interesting to see what sort of impact, if any, Thursday's House vote on its Iraq withdrawal plan will have on these numbers.

Matt Stoller is confident it will help the Dems:

If the supplemental bill passes the House, I expect this slide to reverse itself.

I am also confident it will somewhat. In the very short term. But it will even further the damage when it counts - November 2008. Because this bill does NOTHING to end the war.

Matt thinks branding the bill "anti-war" means something. Maybe in the very near term. In the long run, meaning the 2008 election, the label is only going to inflame the anger further. Becsause progressives and the Dem base will know they were lied to, by Democrats.

I repeat, the so-called pragmatists are what I call political idiots.

The part of me that likes being proven right hopes the bill passes and my predictions are borne true.

The better part of me wants it desperately to fail so that Dems can do what they were elected to do - end the Debacle.

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    The Politics of Ending the Iraq Debacle | 2 comments (2 topical)

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    Behind such Republicans as Paul Ryan (WI 1) (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by Ben Masel on Tue Mar 20, 2007 at 08:51:43 PM EST
    who's only willing to give the war 6 more months.

    according to the poll (none / 0) (#2)
    by Stewieeeee on Wed Mar 21, 2007 at 02:46:29 AM EST
    america is expecting congress to clean up after their mistake.

    until the polls for defunding come back in the 60s, or at least high 50s, this is what we're stuck with.

    even then, even people like reid, webb, tester and others aren't going to support something that they believe could hurt the troops in any way shape or form.

    if america didn't want the war to last until 2008, they should not have voted for bush in 2004.  that had to be obvious to even the most clueless voter.

    but it's true.  i have no doubt the dem led congress will be blamed for not being able to bring the troops home.

    The Politics of Ending the Iraq Debacle | 2 comments (2 topical)

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