Jim McGovern (D-MA), voting Yes, calls this a difficult day. I ask why? HE decides to talk about his bill calling for immediate withdrawal. HE says that unfortunately, people do not agree with him.
He says that passing this bill "sends a message to Bush and Cheney. Then he says we can't trust them. HE says defeating the bill leads to more of the same.
Excuse me, IT IS more of the same. Your protest that it is not the bill you want rings hollow. 218 votes? Real and menaningful deadlines? What empty words from McGovern. I would prefer none of his posturing about how bas the bill is but "it is the best we can do, for now." There will be no better bill later. This is it McGovern. This is the baseline. You voted for this crap now. You will now vote for again and again and again.
Just plain stupid.
Alcee Hastings (D-FL), voting yes. Voted against the war. We all support the troops. Rattles on about body armor, and troop readiness. Dems are for them. Bush against.
"This bill is not the end all be all for getting us out of IRaq. This is the first step."
No kidding Representative. This is not a first step and it helps not one whit for the next step. I wish these Representatives would explain how this bill is a step for anything? This "debate" is a joke.
Rep. Matsui (D-CA), voting YEs. - "Bill is not perfect but deserves ourt support because it offers the best chance to change course."
Why is that Congresswoman? Saying it don't make it so. In fact, it is just the opposite. She wants better she said. But this is the best we can do. Butg this stinks. It does not help. Will someone explain why this works? The Congresswoman claims this fixes a firm timetable. It pretends to . It does not. She then says that defeating this bill will cause a blank check to come after.
WHY?????? Why would the Democratic leadership put forward such a bill? The Congresswoman indicts the Dem leadership by basically alleging they will cave in to Bush. I would like to think better of them than that. But you know them better apparently Congresswoman. They are craven and spineless is your argument uin favor of this bill. How very nice.
Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), voting yes. The typical blah blah.
Peter Welch (D-VT), voting Yes. The same old. If I could write the bill I would . . . yadda yadda. Does it impose accountability, does it give a blank check. etc.
Same false nonsense that this bill does anything. Just lip service from him. He says it is not. It is. Every speech the same. Come September 2008, the truth will be seen.
From now on, "blah blah" means the typical "progressive" "IF I was writing the bill we would end the war today" nonsense.
Kathy Castor (D-FL), voting Yes. Would not write a better bill. She likes this one. Good for her. ASt loeast an honest supporter of the bill. I can respect that more than the "I would write a better bill crowd."
Dan Lungren (R-CA) is right. Put the question on ending the war to the table, not a bad politcal posture of a bill.
Carol Shea-Porter D-NH, Yes. She boohooed because her constitutents are not happy that she is voting for continuing the war. I expect a "blah blah" from her. Actually not even that. BAscially a false statement that Congress "will use the power of the purse," not in this bill Congresswoman.
Bill Pascrell (D- NJ), Yes. Makes a good point, supplemental due to Bush failures. But then asks a question best directed at him - "why are you carrying Bush's water?"
The same line about this bill ending the war. Again, it won't.
