Rep. Woolsey Admits Democrats in Congress Are Giving Up On Iraq
By Nicole Belle Wednesday Apr 16, 2008 3:00pm
Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks interviewed Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA06) about what the Democratic majority in Congress is planning to do to get us out of Iraq.
Lynn Woolsey: I'll tell you one of the things -- and you're just going to hate this -- because I hate it. But, there's this sense that we don't have the votes to do what we need to do, the right things to do, so we're not going to do anything, virtually. And what I say is, okay well if our troops, our wonderful troops over there say, "Well, you know, this is really hard and I don't know we can win this battle, so I think I won't do it." I just think we are looking at this so wrong. And I think the people of this country...89 percent of Americans polled are saying that our economy is directly related to our involvement in Iraq. I mean, they get it. We shouldn't be there in the first place. It's bringing our country down and our economy down. So I would think that the reason they made us the majority party anyway was so that we would do something about it.
The entire interview is available here. I'm out of words to express my disgust. Hopefully, you aren't and you can contact your congresscritter and remind them that even if they're calculating on you not voting for another Republican majority, there is always a "write in the blank" option on the ballot. That includes all incumbent Republicans. There isn't a safer action for Congress to make, given the polling of how Americans feel about the war and yet, they don't feel they can get the votes. Unbelievable. How about this as a reason? We can't afford this anymore.
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I like her analogy. She's dead on (no pun intended).
First!
my life is now complete. I think I'll go end it all now.
$170 billion more??????????????? You have to be pulling my freaking leg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CK @ 2:
'Sorry, not just yet. lol
What can they do? How about impeachment hearings. Lets get all the dirty laundry out on a daily basis and see if that doesn't change things a little.
...and I have given up on Democrats.
Time for a new Constitutional Convention. Our alleged "representative" government isn't even trying anymore.
Time for a new Constitutional Convention.
Another politician that thinks; 'their job is too hard....'
Boot 'em all out!
we need more progressives and less democrats. i cant wait for the end of the byrds, liebermans, and clintons.
The ads are really getting out of hand here. Now we have infomercials?
democrats have given up being democrats.
psssssst...hey pelosi! don't-schedule-the-appropriations-bill-for-a-house-floor-vote
This brings us back to ...
RON PAUL .
There's nothing you you can do about it, it's a two party system.
Homer: "Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos."
emphasa @ 14:
we have a ONE party system. It just APPEARS like two parties thru the magic of TV.
Nicole Belle points out that the Democrats "... don't feel they can get the votes" to stop the war/occupation. Unfortunately, liberals and Democrats continue to propagate this myth. The Democrats do not need enough votes to overturn a veto, if this is what Ms. Belle is implying. Whenever Bush [or the next president, Democratic or Republican] says that he or she needs more money for the occupation, those in congress can end the occupation by simply not voting for the bill. If no bill comes before the president [liberals should not be fooled. If a Democrat is elected president, he or she may very well attempt to keep the occupation going] the president cannot then veto a bill which has not been placed before him or her. As Congressman Kucinich has attempted to point out, apparently to no avail, there are already enough funds available in the pipeline to provide for the welfare of the troops in Iraq.
Congress certainly has the power to end the occupation by not voting for a funding bill. But they apparently do not have the courage or common sense to do so. So much for believing that those in office actually believe in supporting the troops.
Reinstate the draft. Problem solved.
This is why the Democratic controlled congress has a low approval rating.
Impeachment is off the table-Pelosi and Harry Reid must go!
The spineless Dems only care about getting reelected.
Need term limits and a populist movement.
not to be rude, but i didn't need rep woolsey to tell me the obvious.
casper46 @ 17:
... for warmongers only.
There's plenty of money locked up in Rich Republican stowaway bank accounts and we shouldn't waste it on stoopid skuuls and stoopid hellth kare when we can fit turrists over ther. It's guns and butter now and always. Gotta say...tax cuts for the rich has kilt this gummit and economy.
"Rep. Woolsey Admits Democrats in Congress Are Giving Up On Iraq"
They gave up on the Constitution too.
They gave up on the Truth (JFK and beyond)
They gave up on the Rule of Law.
They gave up on the Bill of Rights.
They gave up on the Vote being sacred.
These effs gave up on everything except the importance of getting re-elected.
Chico Hussein @ 21:
Bullsh*t! Start the draft lottery for EVERYONE 18 to 35 and this quagmire would cease to be.
casper46 @ 17:
It occured to me after this comment that the '60s slogan "never trust anyone over 30" should have been "never trust anyone over the draft age".
13 Chico Hussein Says:
yikes...
gimme kucinich
Stupid Republicans wouldn't pay more taxes even if it kept their own kids safe at home.
casper46 @ 24:
The quagmire will cease when we LEAVE, not when we add more fuel to the fire.
It's the SUPPORT for this war that will disappear instantly the minute the warmongers are forced to 'sacrifice' . According to polls, there's enough of them that we dont need everyone 18-35. This is Iraq remember, not WWII.
Samson- @ 26:
Yikes, perhaps. But this thread is about ending the war... period.
Ron Paul beats even Kucinich on that front.
The sad thing is she's right.
Democrats are short about five anti-war votes in the Senate.
We may be in the majority but if the GOP fights really hard (and they do every time on Iraq) it's not enough for us to get a bill by them.
Oh Godfather,what can I do? boo ho,sob,sniff? "You can act like a man", bitch slap, bitchslap,bitchslap!!! Fucken bunch of toads, thats the last straw, damn if I'll vote for a sitting dem who gives them a dime more! Go ahead and fuck around you yellow mucks we are keeping track and you will pay the piper and if the banks are still around you can take it to one of them.
McCain is going to win.
Demo's had the Presidency handed to them and they will blew it.
Clinton's goal is to win in 2012.
Chico Hussein @ 28:
Sorry if I came off as a hawk. (Wasn't my intention). I'm just saying if everyone had to sacrifice equally for this occupation, the uproar would make it impossible to go on. And I also said "lottery". I remember everybody of age watching the days come up in the 60's. A lot of these congresspeople have kids of age. Think it would change many of their positions. I wish it was over yesterday, but this slaughter just keeps going on and on.
And other fun facts...
Fish can be found in the sea.
Dogs like bones.
Food can be tasty.
They gave up on everything. People say they don't have enough votes... is this really the time to worry about bureaucracy? They should be voting with their feet walking out of the building every day that passes we live with criminals in power. They should be contacting the media every day and reiterating that the people are on THEIR side, not the side of corruption. There's more to taking a stand than effing procedure! They lack spine, and Pelosi was a colossal mistake for a leader as she has proposed to ultimately be ineffective and do nothing. That's not a Democracy it's a bad joke.
While everyone waits around to see what is going to happen in Iraq, people keep getting killed. Obama is right, if we can't get it right in seven years, why do we think it would be right in fourteen years?
The criminals are going to walk away next January and the invasion will continue. How many more are going to be killed while bush basically waits out the rest of his term?
Congress needs to shut off the money tap, that would be a beginning.
The democrats are destroying democracy.
The whole idea behind a democracy is that if the representatives in power don't do what their constituents want them to do, then they get voted out of power.
By not holding votes because "they won't win", they are preventing the voters from knowing where their representatives stand on the issues. They are not holding the issues up for the people to see and consider, they are hiding them under the table in the hopes that the voters will somehow do the right thing in spite of themselves.
They are taking away the whole point of having a representative democracy in the first place, turning the whole thing into a shallow popularity contest of the sort used to select a high school prom king and queen.
harley @ 32:
Joe's,
Yesterday Smokey, the apartment maintenance man next door, helped me haul a dead washing machine to the city dump. I asked him what he thought about the Obama thing.
"Huh?" he said.
He spoke for millions.
borrowing from john 'we need to keep this torture stuff hush-hush' ashcroft, history will not judge the democrats kindly for their spinelessness.
people like me, viscious independents, are less likely than ever to donate money, or what have you, to help further the party's needs. snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, the dem politicians have missed a great opportunity to remake the party into something that might inspire people to get involved.
Simply put, the Dems no longer want to pretend they don't like the war. Why are all polititians such sons of bitches?
Geraldo @ 37:
This current Dem lineup truly stinks.
They are coming for YOUR children, and there's nothing you can do about it.
Kiss them goodbye, or you will be labeled an enemy combatant. If you are not with the U.S., you are against her. You, and your family will wind up in Gitmo, and your neighbors and family won't know what happened to you, and why should they...they wouldn't want to create problems for THEMSELVES would they, making inquiries into matters of national security.
L.A. Confidential @ 41:
They may as well just all be wearing Togas with the rest of the Repugs. Togas should be the Congressional Uniform.
I desperately wish our wonderful troops over there would say "I don’t know we can win this battle, so I think I won’t do it.” also "I'm done torturing and/or killing people who in the end are just like me." The deepest dread of the exploiting class is that the segment of the oppressed class used as their enforcers might realized they are being used.
You're witnessing the End of America right here folks.
We must get out of Iraq. Here is a Dem doing her job: see video: Sounding the Alarm: Stop the War President Now
We all know that U.S. strikes against Iran would be disastrous. Middle East experts generally agree that Iran would respond to a U.S. strike by attacking U.S. and Israeli interests throughout the region and possibly globally. These strikes would lead to a greater Middle East war, including greater loss of life, financial burden, over stretch of our military and worse.
37 Geraldo Says: The democrats are destroying democracy.
The whole idea behind a democracy is that if the representatives in power don’t do what their constituents want them to do, then they get voted out of power.
By not holding votes because “they won’t win”, they are preventing the voters from knowing where their representatives stand on the issues. They are not holding the issues up for the people to see and consider, they are hiding them under the table in the hopes that the voters will somehow do the right thing in spite of themselves.
They are taking away the whole point of having a representative democracy in the first place, turning the whole thing into a shallow popularity contest of the sort used to select a high school prom king and queen.
I guess that you havn't heard that every bill the dems try to pass the repugnants block. Some fault lies with the dems but you people don't ever want to blame those that are most responsible, repugnants.
Simple. On the bill to provide more funds for this war for oil, simply include a tax hike on the rich and corp interests (the ones that benifit) to pay for it and let Bush veto that and explain it.
I told you so and I told you so I told you so I told you so I told you so I told you so I told you so
I would like to see the argument surrounding Iraq framed in this way:
If we stay there six more months, at an average of two soldiers dying each day, 360 more soldiers will be DEAD who are now living. Should we try to count the wounded too? Never mind about Iraqis (most of the U.S. doesn't give a hoot about those poor people). But if we started talking about how many of our own soldiers will be dead in six months--well, maybe then the Congress could wrap their damn thick heads around this? I get sick thinking about it, but they don't seem to.
They'll never get anywhere if they don't try. Anybody who is sitting there making excuses needs to be booted out of office this November. What a bunch of gutless losers.
If you reinstate the draft I assure you the ratings for American Idol, Flavor of Love, and whatever other idiotic television show is popular will go down and marches all around the country will go up.
This is why it hasn't happened.
Democrats, in general, want to protect their cushy positions and future earning potential.
What happened to checks and balances?
"Not having the votes?" I'm sick of this shit. When the repubs were the majority, they did whatever they wanted. The repubs are the minority, they still do whatever they want. Can we impeach Pelosi for gross dereliction of duty?
How can 70 % of the US population oppose whats happened and happening in Iraq and you not have the votes? Exactly who are these elected public servants representing?
Must be a sweet job. Do next to nothing. Get all your meals, travel and whatever you can pad your expense account with for free, steal as much as you can get away with and then retire to a cushy private sector job where you do pretty much the same thing until you finally retire in luxury. No wonder none of them want anything to change.
I don't know... it seems to me, with all the rampant crime in high places going on in Washington, and all the action needed, and in view of major elections coming up in less than 7 months, spending time on an action that would be only symbolic might not be the wisest choice.
To be honest, I don't expect anything that major to be accomplished until after Jan 20. It is unrealistic to expect otherwise. And as I said, if they instead direct their limited time toward efforts were they DO stand a chance of accomplishing something, then I'd rather they do that.
I am so f-ing sick of this "we don't have the votes" crap. I've seen whining Democrats on TV saying the same thing.
OK, we get it. You're useless. You've figured out a way for the 2 party system to put this country into a stalemate. So the only logical answer is to disband it completely, and start over with something else.
SteveK Says: I am so f-ing sick of this “we don’t have the votes” crap. I’ve seen whining Democrats on TV saying the same thing. OK, we get it. You’re useless. You’ve figured out a way for the 2 party system to put this country into a stalemate. So the only logical answer is to disband it completely, and start over with something else.
--------------------------
We're not useless you troll. WE DO NOT HAVE THE VOTES. Even if we had enough to pass it, the president would just veto it anyway. Remember, Lieberman will always vote against it... that's 50-50 split in Senate. Plus republicans will just filibuster it, and in that case we're 10 short.
Wait until a democrat gets into office. Then we will see if the democrats are really willing to do what they want. If they aren't, then well, I give up all hope for the country. But if they are, let them.
Furthermore, I'm not sure many people would disagree a two party system sucks major ass. The american reform party, the green party, the libertarian party... they're all viable candidates for 3rd parties. But with an electoral college and a monopoly on the ballots in this country by the major parties, it's absolutely impossible for a 3rd party to develop and win.
Sounds like this is something that started sometime last year. Why don't Bush and Cheney, et al. care? Such totalitarians!
This is why the country needs to shrink government.
A nation of free people are unconquerable, and a nation of free people do not engage in empire-making wars across the world. A nation of free people only want to talk, trade, visit, and learn from the people of the world.
This country has fell into the depths of collectivism and depravity, where the traditions of liberty and freedom have been beaten down and attacked, where every problem that occurs seems to only be able to be solved by central authority figures, who are constantly defending their own ineptitude and inabilities.
There has been MANY people over the years who have said that more government is not the answer, that people are incorrect in thinking that a democratic majority will somehow fix the fundamental problems of this nation. But they were ridiculed by the left and right, and they were labeled as "fringe" intellectuals, that are "out of touch" with reality, and whose opinions comprise the beliefs of only a small handful of the nation and thus, must be wrong because they are in the majority.
Well, this thinking is crazy, stupid, irresponsible, naive, pretentious, and ignorant.
The people we must listen to are those that teach us about freedom, liberty, and prosperity, not group think, more government, and welfare/warfare.
This nation is WILLINGLY going down the shitter, yet everyday there are people who are trying to say that this does not have to happen, that we can stop it, that we can learn about the traditional liberal values such as independence (self-responsibility), unrestricted cooperation with other humans in order to make our lives better (free trade), and hope (non-cynicism).
The best weapon in the world, the strongest weapon there is, is the same weapon that has brought down entire armies throughout history, and will always be the strongest weapon: The truth, which may be NOT what we want to believe. The more we face our inner demons and outer demons with truth, the better off the country will be. The truth is out there, and I'm mad as hell that people don't want to learn about it.
We Democratic voters were duped in 06. Even without a majority of votes, they could have TRIED to do something. It would have been on record.
While I will never vote Republican, the Dems need to get rid of the DINOs and ineffective losers.
Funny how the GOP held slim majorities in both the House and Senate...and did whatever the hell they wanted. Once again, the two parties are playing by different rules. The GOP will punch you in the mouth and dare you to complain...while the Dems meekly crawl around begging for acceptance. Leave it to the Dems to bring a knife to a gun fight.
Spineless pussies.
Luckily, my rep, Carol Shea-Porter, has the guts and integrity to follow through with her campaign promises and fight against the war every day.
Thank you, Congresswoman Shea Porter.
Dems are taking the path of least resistance and the easy way out; however, they will find that, by doing this which is a clear abrogation of their duty and their oath of office, they will find themselves "on the easy way OUT" the next time they're up for re-election.
Regardless of whether they have the votes or not, it is incumbent upon them to represent the people and DO WHAT'S RIGHT. To not do so is a clear derelection of duty and they will be pushed out of office for it.
The same goes with signing on for impeachment proceedings against torture mongers Bush/Cheney. Just because they're running out the clock and the legislature doesn't want to be distracted and use up all their precious energy (hah!) on impeachment right now, it's the principle of the thing - impeachment is no longer a 'CHOICE" but AN OBLIGATION sworn to when they took their oath of office - to uphold the constitution and laws of this country. Anything less is another abrogation of duty.
Impeachment will show the rest of the world that we admonish and abhore what this administration has done and the face of "america" is NOT George W. Bush. The mere act of impeachment will show the rest of the world that we are not hypocrites - and do walk our own talk - and bring our criminals, regardless of their rank or office, to the justice they deserve.
Anything short of this leaves us sinking to the depths of a third-world country who's tanking faster than the Titanic, thanks to these neonazis running the show. Our economy is tanking right along with our military and soon there will be nothing worthwhile left to this country.
INVESTIGATE.......IMPEACH......INCARCERATE
Taking this disgusting derelection of duty by the Democrats one step further, I can see Independents and even some Demcrats voting for John McCain if this continues.
Be careful what you ask for, Dems! You may lost the game in the process.
On another topic....if you watched the debate last evening on ABC, you watched a Charlie/George "dog and pony show". What a disgrace! Phew! These two grown men made total buttholes out of themselves in their Repuglicanism in asking moronic questions ad nauseum. I can't believe ABC would stoop to this nadir. Many americans like myself are planning to boycott ABC, Disney, and all of their advertisers products for this charade they perpetrated and spun as a legitimate, intelligent "debate".
ABC/Disney: SHAME ON YOU! The american people will show you their disgust by hitting you both in the pocketbook - the only thing that matters to you since the almighty dollar (greed) has become your God.
She is right about one thing, the public shouldn't like that excuse. I despise it. When you think about how this country had come about when only a handful of men got together and decided it wasn't right that the British should have so much control without representation from the colonies. At this time the majority of the population was pro brits... and these men were putting their lives on the line. This current democratic party is spineless or they are bought out by the corporations, which I feel is the real reason. The public has been "dumbed down" with all the rediculous tv on so they are being led around like sheep.
If Nader were president, there would be an immediate change. This congress is a farce..
vote Nader.
I might add that if Nader were president, we would see a huge resistance from this democratic party. It would show their true colors.
The obvious illogic of the situation won't stir them to action. The growing chrous of Iraqies saying leave doesn't stir them to action.. The continuing number of coffins and military graves does not move them, nor the reports of war induced stress illnesses and post trauma violence.. Not even bankrupting the nation to keep it all going makes any dent on their thinking... Almost like they don't really care either way, just make it up as they go along. I'm beginning to really think the only thing that moves these people to any kind of action good or bad at all is the promise of money directly flowing into their pockets to make anything happen. That to me feels like exactly the wrong way this is all suppose to work. I thank (read blame) the lobbiests in part for this sad circumstace. But I also hold these politicians themselves responsible for not seeing past this obvious pay to play scam and responding appropriately to it... At this point? It all feels like a scam and extortion at work by politicians and lobbying firms against the best interests of the nations soverignty and its citizens. And the nation suffers because of it.. I'm sure someone in D.C. would quickly describe all this as merely 'enlightened self interest' at work though. A convienent excuse no doubt................JD
Democrats in Congress do not have the luxury of doing nothing! That's not why we elected them.
I can't stand it when people call them, "Congresscritters."
Never, ever thought I'd see the day, but I am bereft of hope. Just can't take it any longer. I hope McSenile wins............the INVASION, healthcare, social security, the country's infrastructure, ECONOMY, foreclosures, NOLA, and on and on and on............the Republickons (PLEASE DON'T EVER USE THE TERM CONSERVATIVE, NAME ONE THING THESE EVIL MOFO'S HAVE EVER CONSERVED) deserve to INHERIT A COUNTRY UNDONE.
Things fall apart, indeed...............read W.B. Yeat's poem, The Second Coming. It suits this bunch of pigs to a tee....................SLOUCHING TOWARD THE OIL.
How about you try anyway, because its your fricking job?
I was thinking about this the other day. I got one of Dianne Feinstein's pre-made responses that says we must concentrate on the iraq war rather than impeachment. I said to myself, obviously they've given up on the iraq war so what now, they get to just sit around? Impeachment will enable us to end the war.
It's all about the 30 second ad and the hard to defend seat.
If the Congress stopped funding the war, the Repubs would attack with a 30 second ad barrage in all the 'purple districts', screaming the lines "Dems don't support the troops".
And then, come November, they all get replaced by more Rethugicans.
I'd write my Rep, but he quit to become a K street lobbyist. Lovely, eh?
cd @ 30:
No, she is not right. As I stated in my comments at #16, the Democrats do not need a majority to defeat a bill. If Bush or whoever the next president is asks for another bill to maintain the occupation, i.e. the [alleged] need for more funds to keep the occupation going, then, as Kucinich has tried to point out, they do not have to vote for that particular proposal. When that happens, the president then cannot veto that bill because there will be no bill in front of him or her to veto. As I said before, congress has the power to bring the occupation to a halt but they apparently do not the courage or common sense to do so.
Not surprised in the least. The political system in the United States is utterly bankrupt. Time to tear up the Constitution and start over.
Drew @ 60:
casper46 @ 3:
Casper@3: Yeah, I'd like to know how my generation, my children, my children's children, my evolutionary descendants who look like Neanderthals due to the oncoming ice age when Global warming is over and done with, their evolutionary descendants, and all that are gonna quit paying for these wars. Damn. This is why people turned on the Mexica, you know.
Drew: The hell you smoking? Give me some, it certainly would take my mind off things. To say the USA is collectivist is to call Soviet Russia and Mao's China an anarchy.
I'm a progressive in Woolsey's district, and this is how I feel about Woolsey and the rest of the Out of Iraq caucus.
They are using the Out of Iraq caucus as a smokescreen for doing nothing about our Iraq policies, while doing all kinds of idiotic things about NCLB, national security, and earmarks for pet projects. Have a conversation with any one of these Out of Iraq blowhards, as I have done with Woolsey, and you will discover that they don't even really want to talk about Iraq. They do, however, want to tell you how great NCLB is for America's public schools, how necessary it is that we make into a national law the the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act, and how much pork-barrel spending they have brought home to their constituents who donated to their campaigns.
There is no such thing as a progressive member of Congress. They are all in it for themselves, for the national prestige, for the best health care benefits available to any American citizen, and so that they don't have to go back to actually doing something productive for a living.
.
In 2006, these Dem's ran on... "BRING THE TROOPS HOME!"
On inauguration day 2009, there will be more troops on the ground in Iraq than there were on election day, 2006.
I can't help but feel indignant about being told to F.O. by the Dem's. Run on a promise... "Read my lips..." and then break that promise. Oh, well then, I give up on the Dem's.
D O
N O T H I N G
D E M S
.
The Democratic Congress always "had the votes" to not fund the war. They still have all the votes necessary not to fund it again.
And what I say is, okay well if our troops, our wonderful troops over there say, “Well, you know, this is really hard and I don’t know we can win this battle, so I think I won’t do it.”
um... this sounds, to me, kinda like she's saying to the troops that it's ok to go awol... or something like it...
just a first reaction i had when reading that...
Just another reason why I'll never vote rep or dem. It's always funny when someone tells me I'm wasting my vote when I cast my straight ticket libertarian ballot in each election. I think voting for the right or left candidates is wasting my vote and this story proves my point. Right = Left and Left = Right - They are same the same party pretending to do the peoples work. Yeah Obama sounds different but in the end he is the a product of the same corrupt political system, and as much as he keeps saying change deep down he knows nothing will change.
I'm sorry I feel this way, but I despise spinelessness. And for some reason, Dem congresscritters have this quality in spades. It makes you understand how evil can succeed and prosper in the world.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing" - Edmund Burke
I would go further and say "A good man who does nothing about evil, may as well be an evil man"
One more result of 'impeachment off the table'.
There will be a Democratic President in nine months. Then disengagement frm Iraq can begin on a policy basis, can be managed, planned, and with luck - avoid a chaotic aftermath. Any attempt by Congress to try to force an unplanned unfunded unmanaged withdrawal this close to January 2009 is bound to cause more damage than it avoids. The hard reality is the best course is to wait for the next administration to take control
I know everyone's pissed off and rightfully so but what exactly do you think would happen if Congress moves to de-fund the war? I really think chimpy would hold the troops hostage and leave them in Iraq and then the repug machine would turn it into political fodder this year. Congress did pass a bill with benchmarks and chimpy vetoed that. We're not dealing with a rational person in the White House.
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