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TechnoratiWar Funding Would Break Dem Promises
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is about to lead her party into a major showdown over Iraq funding by violating two Democratic campaign pledges in one fell swoop.
To the critics, whether anti-war activists or House Republicans, Pelosi has made her feelings clear: Get over it.
This week's maneuvering over a $200 billion war spending bill has revealed Pelosi self-confidently playing what she believes - with increasing evidence - is a strong hand.
Strong enough that she is expected to break one promise - her 2006 pledge for a more open and inclusive committee process - by circumventing the powerful House Appropriations Committee on the Iraq bill.
And when the final Iraq bill reaches the president's desk, any troop withdrawal conditions are likely to be gone from the legislation. That is another 2006 pledge that has fallen by the wayside.
Pelosi's calculation, say political analysts, seems clear. Democrats are using the Iraq bill as leverage for billions of dollars in domestic spending priorities. As for anti-war activists, they seem to accept the speaker's logic: More than 40 previous Iraq votes have left Democrats maxed out in terms of legislative efforts to dictate an end to the war over a veto-wielding President Bush.
Most of all, the early signs are that there will not be a backlash from voters. Democratic victories in recent special elections - Don Cazayoux in Louisiana and Bill Foster in Illinois - suggest that individual candidates are not suffering from the low public approval ratings that are afflicting the Democratic Congress.
House Republicans, protesting the bypassing of the Appropriations Committee, promise floor theatrics, with numerous floor votes when the Iraq bill comes for a House vote.
Explaining the threatened tantrum, Jo Maney, spokeswoman for Republicans on the House Rules Committee, said: "You said you were going to do something and you didn't. They are using process for political objectives."
Democrats countered that Republicans wanted to slow down progress on the floor. "Voters are frustrated about Iraq, but they know Democrats have pushed to bring the war to a responsible end," said Pelosi spokesman Nadeam Elshami.
Some important voices in the anti-war movement, meanwhile, are not blaming Democratic leaders for the inability to move war policy despite the 2006 campaign promises.
"People appreciate the leadership of the party have pushed this issue and advanced this cause," said Tom Andrews, the head of Win Without War. "Are we frustrated? Yes. But do we understand the dynamics [of Congress]? Yes. We're doing everything we can."
Political analysts also say voters don't care about procedural power plays, and those who care about the war realize that Democrats have stymied filibusters and vetoes when they tried to force troop withdrawals.
"In general, the public associates the war with Republicans and the president - there doesn't seem to be any political fallout for Democrats," said Julian Zelizer, a political science professor at Princeton University. "This [election] is not about the will of the Democrats to stop this war. ... And Republicans can't focus on Democrats' abuse of power. Democrats have only been in power two years."
Even so, the next few weeks will be a tightrope walk for Democratic leaders as they negotiate what is essentially the last major bill of the year and the last big fight with the Bush administration.
First, Pelosi will have to soothe the egos of committee chairmen like Dave Obey (D-Wis.) and John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) if she bypasses the committee process and strong-arms a bill through the House.
In her campaign pamphlet in 2006, which is still posted on the speaker's website, Pelosi declared that "bills should be developed following full hearings and open subcommittee and committee markups, with appropriate referrals to other committees."
If that promise is not upheld, Republican strategists say the GOP will be justified in creating as much procedural havoc as possible over the next few days, and California Rep. Jerry Lewis, the top Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, has warned of GOP floor protests.
"The Democrat leaders of the House and Senate are attempting to jam a 200-plus-billion-dollar spending bill through the Congress, with absolutely no oversight or scrutiny by the vast majority of members, senators or their constituents," Lewis wrote Monday in a letter to Obey. "Never in my 30 years in Congress has there been such an abuse of the processes and rules of the House."
When Republicans ran the House, however, they frequently bypassed committee, engineered strict procedural rules and, most notably, once held a vote open for three hours on a landmark Medicare drug bill. Still, Lewis points out that the GOP never skipped committee on an Iraq funding bill.
Democratic leadership aides don't dispute the fact that the majority has been unable to keep this promise of open committee debate, yet they lay the blame on Republicans in the House who have crafted one poison pill after another to wreak procedural havoc on otherwise noncontroversial bills.
The final version of the Iraq bill - the one that reaches the president's desk - will inevitably fund the troops with no strings attached, aides from both parties admit. Sure, there will be a conscience-soothing vote on a troop withdrawal timetable, but Democrats acknowledge such provisions will yet again fail to make it to the final version.
"The troops will get what they need," said one Democratic aide.
In 2006, Democrats promised to "ensure 2006 is a year of significant transition to full Iraqi sovereignty ... with the responsible redeployment of U.S. forces."
And even though anti-war activists have been hard on Democrats for failing to live up to this campaign promise, they believe the blame will lie with Bush and congressional Republicans for the failure to move war policy.
"Voters need to know Democrats are fighting for an end to this war," said Nita Chaudhary, a top official at MoveOn.org, a leader in the anti-war movement. "Voters are smart enough to know who really stands in the way in terms of an end to the war."
© 2008 Politico.com
84 Comments so far
Show AllCindy, I would be just fine- in fact estatic- if Congress did not trade "election-winning domestic spending favors that don't go nearly far enough to address domestic issues and still good goverment services, or even so far as to benefit corporations rather than the public as a whole" for "just one leader to stand by priniciple even if it meant there retirement and stop the war funding and start impeaching criminals"
I wanted Kuchinich, Gravel or Ron Paul; even though they were in the Money Party! What? They were unelectable? WHY?
Their plan didn't go along with the MIC. Yes you could say the media spoke for them too, and they never got their message to the public.
I find it interesting why a person tries to put words in another persons mouth in the absence of that person; JIM! Like you are hoping to speak through their popularity! Like I'm doing to you now!
How does it feel? Let people talk for themselves!
Pretty rude in my opinion.
I found the links about Obama convincing enough to believe his circle has their OWN agenda. Russia!
Besides MSM loves him! Does that tell you something.
little brother Your "lesser of evil" Cliche is bullshit.
Obama is not Evil...Cindy is not evil and none of us working for peace are Evil ... and those who accuse others of Evil are helping divide the peace movement.
Speak for yourself cause I have not been "tragically victimized" at all. the discredited philosophy is your "lesser of Two Evils" mantra.
It is all you got and it is false. like your "I think you'll find more conviviality among Pelosi supporters– and after all, Pelosi is the Smart Choice in 2008." Cindy cannot win, cannot beat Pelosi with her attitude and as much as I dislike Pelosi If McSame wins, with your help, it won't matter.
Your problem is that you can't face the fact that in the Real world a vote for a third party candidate helps elect McSame, the Hawk.
That is real and that is fact ...
Cindy needs to get used to the political world and so do you... This is about War and Peace, it is heavy, it is emotional and welcome to the political World!
Jimmy,
Please take it easy on Cindy. I'd rather see you attacking me for voting Green, in spite of the fact that you and I agree on more things than we disagree on. This has been one of the points I often emphasize on Common Dreams on how progressives squabble among themselves and acomplish very little.
Jim, with all due respect, but if the American people want to continue on the detrimental path of the Bush/Cheney regime by voting for McSame, then this country is doomed and will be defeated in the long run. Alliances are forming around the world as people are fed up with the "world's only super-bully" and will unite to take down our country.
How many more broken promises must we listen to before we see, in the words of the late singer, Marvin Gaye, "what's goin' on, what's goin' on?" The title of this article speaks for many of us.
if you need to attack a supporter for asking an important question, go ahead, but I can't support you now because I think you are not thinking about how to really end the war…
____________________________________
I hate to bust up your little pity party, but you need a Dope Slap for cramming that other big foot in your mouth by your petulant characterization of Cindy's response as "attacking a supporter for asking an important question".
I've never had the pleasure of meeting Cindy personally, and I'm not presuming to speak for her. But it's bleeding obvious that her response to your alleged "important question" was determined by your utterly tactless, insensitive, and ill-considered choice to use her late son Casey as a sock puppet to leverage your point.
And, to add insult to injury, your "important question" is simply an artifact of the two-dimensional "lesser-evil" philosophy that is bruited about in this venue every day. Yes, we know that fundamentalist lesser-evilists are fanatically devoted to the flawed and bankrupt dogma that Common Sense demands that we vote for the Lesser Evil candidate as our last, best hope to forestall Greater Evil.
This argument is as primitive and circular as a quartz pebble, and I don't want to waste time on a stale thread splitting it. Just don't flatter yourself that you have been Tragically Victimized by Cindy by Daring to Ask an Important Question. You have, in fact, been Tragically Victimized for being a rude ass and flogging a discredited philosophy to boot.
I think you'll find more conviviality among Pelosi supporters-- and after all, Pelosi is the Smart Choice in 2008.
Cindy,
You tell me, "Jim Glover
What indication has Obama given to you that he is going to end the war in Iraq?
And, you cannot know what Casey would want, can you?
That was a despicable use of Casey's name, just like the Dems and Repugs exploit the troops to keep this shit going.
Cindy"
So I am exploiting the troops because I want to end the War? I was assuming you want to end the war and Casey did too.
Now I can't assume that, OK! I thought that was the reason you are running for congress so if you need to attack a supporter for asking an important question, go ahead, but I can't support you now because I think you are not thinking about how to really end the war.... a wasted vote that helps the hawks is not using your head.
My whole life I have been working to bring the left and peace people together. I think Obama is honest and he is going to End the War and talk with the "enemies"... I take him for his word because he has shown he is honest and learns from mistakes.
The attitude of so many here is to divide the peace people and you don't seem to object and seem to go along with the bull thrown around by notgoingalong who says Obama wants to go attack Russia because he likes Brezinski...
Here is what he says about Israel and Jimmy Carter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjUP_0VFXLs&feature=related
If Obama is so for more war, why would Hamas who wants to live in Peace with Israel want Obama too?
I am glad I asked you about what your son would want because I thought you would tell me instead of attacking me for an important Question about War and peace.
So Go ahead Cindy and those many here who will help McSame and if he wins and the wars get worse you won't have anything to complain about because you are planning on being the new facilitators.... you are so mad you don't trust anyone but others who are so mad they can't reason anymore.
And when you are asked what did you do to stop it You can all say, "I voted for the Greens!"
Good Luck....
So, we should vote straight dems, even another dem against a dem (go Cindy), and then after 2 years of nothing and more future bills, throw them out the next election, etc, etc. Our nation needs statespeople who will drive out the money changers/lobbiests not more of the same ole same ole politics.
This just in from Bloombull News:
Headline--
Pentagon Says Army Pay Runs Out Unless Congress Acts
However, a journalistically accurate headline would be:
'Pentagon Says' --- Army Pay Runs out unless Congress acts [Truth to follow]
And a truly honest reporting by Bllombull News would say:
The military industrial complex 'faction' of this ruling 'corporatist Empire', hiding behind the facade of the two-party 'Vichy' American phony government, says --- we need this profitable war to continue, and the kids won't agree to die without some small measure of pay.
It is necessary to defeat Pelosi! I am happy that there is a person of prominence like Cindee Shehan that wants to tackle the job. But Cindee, like Obama, will have to put up with the media that will marginalize her efforts in whatever way possible and tell the constituency that she is unable to rise to becoming a congresswomen, because of her past miscues, although John MaCain's credentials were his beatings in a prisoner of war camp and flying a warplane!
I think it is necessary for Cindee Shehan or anyone else to defeat nancy Pelosi. However, to do that it is necessary to study the needs of the people of San Francisco and the American people. Yes, this this country desperately needs the end of back room politics which is why the war did not end with the election of a Democratic majority. This country requires a new and stronger third party with a credible leader.
The two party system with the mega-rich in control, must give way to an informed political party supporting the needs and desires of the average person, true populism but it is built at the grass roots level. There must be a credible third choice that gives the people of the USA an option. Cindee Shehan should use a careful campaign to not only defeat Pelosi but to assist in the development of a credible alternative to her policies.
The Green party may be that choice in the next election. If elected, if Obama does not perform and loses control of his promised agenda by the back room political boys after the election there will be another choice people will be angry as they are with Pelosi. This will be determined by the speed at which the USA exits Iraq and disavows empire building.
The world is at a critical juncture. The next ten years will determine whether human extinction, as the major threat presntly, hans humanity working together to end the use of petrolium. The endless talk about the supply of oil is not the issue, it is the end of its use to power transportation and energy requirements. This is the reason the USA was in Iraq! An end to petroleum will see an end to the oil wars and US involvement in the Middle East. . .that is the major problem.
Cindee Shehan should be helped to tie all these issues together so that she has an effective cogent campaign against Pelosi. New movements are not the answer because the time it takes to have them become credible and receive recognition can defeat good people who want to serve the country. Time is against us all in dealing with the environmental changes that must take place quickly.
Shehan's fight against the oil companies and Pelosi's inaction with the Iraq war both tied together with her big money contributions from special interests is the direction a campaign against Pelosi would find resonance with Pelosi's home turf and the public. This platform would have credibility if fashioned well and might become resonant with the voters if she is careful and measured in her approach.
The public miscues she has made in congress and elsewhere will be used against her by the Pelosi campaign she can be certain. She has a small amount of time to become a credible voice for the above. I hope she does becomes pro-environment and against the oil wars. This is her opening!
Good Luck, Cindee Shehan
libertas fugit May 6th, 2008 3:23 pm
"Somebody posted the "bandanna movement" the other day"
Great idea, mine will be on my cars radio antenna today.
Lobo Gris
This country needs some good parenting and tough love.
Show them that bad behavior has consequences and that brave truthfulness is its own reward.
Give your stimulus check to Cindy! If not send $10 or more. Help Cindy make a showing that cannot be ignored. Make an example of Pelosi, who could have done so much and declined to do anything.
I am proud to say that I will , once again, "waste" my vote by casting it for Ralph Nader. My vote goes, as should yours, to that candidate who best expresses my views for the course of this nation, not for a sham of a political party that has proven itself cowardly, complicit and ineffective in keeping promises.
As long as you folks believe that voting, again and again, for democrats who deceive you with campaign rhetoric and then betray you with votes in the legislature nothing is going to change. I will, howvere cast a ballot for at least one democrat this fall. Representative Sheehan has a nice ring to it, dontcha think?
Pelosi looks like the vampire that she is in this photo.
"We're doing everything we can"
haven't tried IMPEACHMENT yet
Bush is "giving" us each $600 (supposedly) as a stimulus (inflation) package. Pelosi thought it was a great idea and we need another one.
So it will feel that much better when we give part or all of our stimulus money to Cindy's campaign or to another campaign to thwart Bush and Pelosi's policies.
I find a book saying US has costed three trillion dollars for the war in Iraq:
http://dealstudio.com/searchdeals.php?deal_id=93000&ru=279
Incredible!
Thanks Peaceman,
On voting. If we fail to vote of conscience, by compromising for expediency, friendship, or weakness. Then what scruples is it by which we can criticize anyone else, on issues of war - if they live in, or as a politician, represent as district full of military industrial-complex corporations and employees? Further analogies are not needed.
Anyone in San Francisco, who agrees with Cindy on the war, but thinks Palosi can get more federal expenditures into the city, and be a more business friendly, attracting investments in grand schemes that would supposedly create jobs, and stimulate the economic life of the city, better than having a stellar moral force to inspire others to jump into the arena and end the war and redirect the suicidal slide into nuclear war that Palosi can't even begin to comprehend.
There should be no conflict in easily reaching the moral and sane side of the issue. it would be Cindy Sheehan, for there is always more at stake than the selfish interest of a few people on the take and ambitious ones on the make politically.
Likewise with Cynthia McKinney. It is simple and here is why. Ask yourself before others ask you, but for now, it is me.
Does Obama represent your point of view, your values, ideology in his unguarded early statement that "nothing is off the table" meaning nuclear weapons and bellicose statement on attacking Pakistan, I should review to be sure, but I think he indicated he would nuke it...
And of course Hillery has proven to be a war criminal and as co-president with her husband, a position he articulated during the 1992 election, "You get two for the price of one" - then accordingly she is indictable for war crimes in Yugoslavia and Somalia and Iraq for Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes.
Therefore to live up to your principles, maintain your scruples, you can not vote for Obama or Hillery, with becoming one of them. And you have no place to judge or criticise others. And that would include McCain and George Bush, junior and senior! Just shut-up, for you are one of them, just lining-up with another gang, but no moral or legal difference, maybe not even in degree of the suffering and destruction resulting.
As for the argument on the court, the senate confirms them, and Obama and Hillery were absent on the confirmation of the current attorney general and therefore couldn't even live up to their job as senators.
And then we have 9/11 and it is the bogus foundation for the wars of aggression and repressive legislation, and only Cynthia McKinney has taken a determined, serious, and proven course of action on it. Kucinich and Gravel most certainly did not. That is that compromising that is not acceptable from anyone, and if they know better, and pretend otherwise, they are accessories after the fact, complicit in mass murder and high treason, unfit to hold any office, or even vote or walk the streets.
Then there is the issue of concentration of wealth that must be addressed on limits and floors for income and wealth.
If what the Israelis are doing to the Palestinians are an unmentionable, then that is making peace with genocide to not be criticized by those who like it.
No fudging folks, no playing with principles, without being in violation with the Nuremberg Priniciples and the US Constitution, a demand I am making on the troops for obeying unlawful orders, and it is also unlawful to vote for a war criminal!
VOTE AMERICA FIRST AND ONLY AMERICA IF YOU WANT CHANGE.
The title of this is completely misleading. There are no "Broken Promises".
There are just as many Demon-crats with investments in military industry as there are Repugnant-ans. They all feel like McCain does. If we're there for another hundred years, they'll all die rich. Why leave, and have them take a financial loss, just because leaving Iraq is the will of the People?!
A promise that was never honestly and truly formed can not be broken. These people only do what they've always intended to do. Our ability to see what's really happening, as a society, is what's broken.
notgoingalong: Good link! Tarpley is another astute Sherlock Holmes, and good post by you.
Jim Glover: Kucinich, Gravel, and even Ron Paul wanted to bring the troops home "yesterday" and you see where it landed them. The real politburo that rules America threw three pieces of scrapes on the floor (Obama, Clinton, McCain) for the public to fight over. I would have to agree, Obama is the better of the three but not good enough for me. My vote will be for Cynthia McKinney, on the Green Party ticket, that was against Bush and his Republican and Democratic co-conspirators from the get go. No Jimmy, and all you others who think my vote is wasted by voting third party. The Democrats, and I was a die-hard one up until four years ago, have repeatedly let their constituents down by going along with their "friends" on the other side of the isle. "Birds of a feather flock together." If the 60-70% of citizens opposed to the US invasion and occupation of Iraq voted for McKinney, we would have a reversal of the staus quo and our loved ones would return home where they belong.
For all of you Common Dreamers who vote in Pelosi's district, PLEASE sign the petition for Cindy Sheehan, help her campaign with whatever you can afford, no matter how little, and PLEASE vote for Cindy and spread the word to others about the difference between Cindy Sheehan and Nancy "The Betrayer" Pelosi. It's that IMPORTANT!
And, as Curmudgeon99 said so well, if you want a democracy and representative government accountable to WE THE PEOPLE, the citizens of the United States, the time is now to organize and put into practice the seven magic words. "Take To The Streets, Withhold Your Labor." (peacefully) Just like the longshore men and women did last Thursday. That should have been the impetus for inspiring working people across the land to take part in more of these actions until we achieve results. Blogging hasn't stopped the funding for this murderous regime, has it?
It's time to shut down the wheels of commerce and a crooked, deceitful government, believing they are above the law. And it's time "the troops" call it quits and walk off the job. They should not be held to a higher standard than the petty politicians who have violated their oath of office. If the coward-in-chief thinks the Constitution is just a "piece of paper?", then the same can be said for an enlistment contract for commiting crimes for war-profiteers.
Cindy Sheehan, you rock! I hope to address you as "Congresswoman" in January, 2009.
Peace and Harmony
So "the troops will get what they need" again: an unlimited extension of orders keeping them in harm's way until an unidentified "victory" is achieved. The mindless Democrat who repeated this Administration mantra is as bad as the Rovian wordsmith who created it. The American voters in 2006 made very clear that what our "troops need" are orders returning them safely home. I join those commentators who vow not to vote again for politicians of either party who insist upon ignoring the will of the American people.
So now we have the pudding hitting the fan and the proof damn well sucks.The democrat skunks stink just like the other skunks. Cindy, you're getting my 25 bucks to start with and whatever else I can spare. If Move On has any real balls it would speak up to it's dem savior about this travesty that's taking place right now. More political lies; more political bullshit; what else is it going to take to convince us as a group that the system is totally gone to hell. No democrat or republican is going to do what he/she promises, period. Don't get over it, get rid of 'em.
Can't get over how useless the Dems are.
We need more choices. As long as the 2 major parties control things, the situation is hopeless.
Supporting either major party prolongs the hopelessness. It makes one complicit in keeping our currently terrible situation in place. All the people supporting these 2 useless, corrupt, duplicitous parties need to wake up and start working to actively oppose them. Stick your neck out.
Deran 12:49 pm wrote:
I'm a Leftist values voter. I vote my values not the party line. And I suspect the Democrats may well lose the Left values vote again.
Absolutely! Every now and then I find myself listening to Air America (aka Democratic Party Broadcasting System), where it seems on-air hosts have never even heard of Ralph Nader or Cynthia McKinney. I end up getting so angry I have to call and argue with Seder, Eliot, Greene, Bender, et.al., because they keep telling their listeners to vote as they plan to: for whomever the (D)s nominate.
NO!
The values and issues important to me, as a - for lack of a better word - progressive, such as war, imperialism, poverty, justice, racism, sexism, specieism, the environment, etc., are so much more important to me than the continued good fortunes of Pelosi, Reid, Hoyer, Emanuel, ad nauseum. To hell with the (D) party! After all, that's what they've been saying to me for the last 50+ years. They ignore me because (1) I live in D.C. and am therefore disenfranchised and (2) as a progressive they think I have nowhere else to go. They've colluded with the (R)s to effectively siderail any 3d, 4th, 5th party efforts, leaving the two parties mirror images of each other with a consequent revolving-door-stranglehold on power.
Jim Glover 5:51 pm wrote:
Cindy, a vote for a third party candidate for Prez would only help McSame keep the war goin.
Do you really think Clinton or Obama is going to end it? Or get tough on Israel re:settlements, ghettos, checkpoints, etc.? Or bring us any closer to a single-payer health care system where profit has been exorcised from the process? Or come down on run-away corporate power?
Clinton voted against Senator Dorgin's windfall profits tax on the oil/gas industry a couple of years ago, although she conveniently mentions it while pandering for votes. She worked to enact NAFTA, to get us into the WTO - do you really think a (D) at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. will be all that different from McBush?
jozef 9:30 pm wrote:
So then, why are people voting for Democrats? …… again…. and again ….
Because they think they're "wasting their vote" if they vote their values, their conscience. I think if everyone who agreed with Dennis Kucinich would've voted for him, we'd be seeing a very different kind of (D) primary right now.
To notgoingalong 8:40 pm, who wrote about Pelosi's ties to AIPAC and the debt she owes to Emanuel:
YEAH!
If you're afraid of voting your conscience and that others won't (the result being McBush winning the White House with the subsequent ability to nominate Scalia-Thomas-Roberts-Alito type Supreme Court justices), just remember: any McBush nominee has to make it through the Senate. Of course, the (D)s will pass along his nominees just as they passed on Bush's guys,
so why vote for these rectal aberrations?!
"If they really cared for the future they would sacrifice their ego for one election like Dennis and Edwards did, and say OK lets give Obama his one chance and if he turns out to be Evil than we can all unite and really change the system!"
I'm so tired of the "ego" schtick that is used against progressive third parties. What liberal Democrats call "ego" I call principles.
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, so I am suggesting a fresh tactic for the good of all."
That's exactly what most progressives do in every election cycle- give the Democrats yet another free pass this time and worry about our principles "later". The problem is that "later" never comes.
Cindy,
No doubt you are aware of the extremist viewpoints Zbigniew Brzezinski and his lust for attacking Russia and imperial mindset.
Barak Obama was his student in Russian studies at Columbia University in the 1980's and his mentor and sponsor as a potential asset towards his ticket back to the NSC as the imperial grand wizard in the white house as he was during the Carter's term as president.
The Iraq war is derided by Brzezinski as foolhardy and a waste of resources, whereas Russia is the grand prize on the Grand Chessboard. And ultimately his lifetime insane ambition.
So in a worse cast scenario, Obama would be for getting out of Iraq to attack Russia as his mentor and political master directs.
Obama's unquestionably obeisance to Brzezinski is well demonstrated in this 70 second video clip on You Tube.:
Obama: I've learned an immense amount from Dr. Brzezinski
Webster Tarpley as addressed this danger in grave detail in the following audio links:
Webster Tarpley & Jim Fetzer
Discussing:
Barack Obama, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Iran, Russia, China, Tibet, Reverend Wright,
Ford Foundation, Trilateral Commission, Jimmy Carter, Liberation Theology etc.
60 Minutes Radio Program of April 2nd 200&
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/webster-tarpley-on-the-dynamic-duo-with-jim-fetzer-april-2nd-2008/35...
April 2nd 2008.
Tarpley & Barrett
RBN Radio Archive
Zbignew Brzienzki leading Obama campaign
Part 1
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/webster-tarpleyzbignew-brzienzki-leading-obama-campaign-pt1/37206525...
Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvozpwYKuJs&feature=related
Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu_t9UkLobA&feature=related
10 minutes each
Jim Glover
What indication has Obama given to you that he is going to end the war in Iraq?
And, you cannot know what Casey would want, can you?
That was a despicable use of Casey's name, just like the Dems and Repugs exploit the troops to keep this shit going.
Cindy
Only a prez can End it with our help.
The Dems never promised to End it...the Big party wigs supported the Blue dog Dems but they did not do well.
We thought the Dems would do more even impeach, but that was our dream, the Dems as a party never promised that and you all know it. The few Dems like Dennis did well but now we have a chance to end it and Dennis will support Obama.
If Nader and Mckinney really wanted to end the War they would sacrifice their ego and say "OK we will give Obama the chance to end the war". and if he double crosses us or makes things worse that will be the right time to start a new force in America.
I like Mckinney too but she will set herself up like Nader as a spoiler to any chance of uniting for a future real third force in American politics.
If they really cared for the future they would sacrifice their ego for one election like Dennis and Edwards did, and say OK lets give Obama his one chance and if he turns out to be Evil than we can all unite and really change the system!
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, so I am suggesting a fresh tactic for the good of all.
But if the Greens and Nader get blamed for McSame continuing the war and Bushes game plan, the chance for peace and Justice people coming together might be too late and gone forever.
It is your choice, a chance for peace and justice or the same cynical nightmares repeated on Common Dreams.
The Washington Post published this behind the scenes report tonight describing the Dems fore-knowledge that troop withdrawal will be stripped out of their phony funding bill --- they have even planned for troop withdrawals to be sacrificed (and thus the troops to be sacrificed) --- as an item to be dropped in Senate negotiations.
In the next to last paragraph of the report, the Post states:
"Democrats said they hope the Senate will be able to pass its version of the bill next week, with the war and domestic spending included and the troop-withdrawal language stripped out."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/06/AR2008050602525_2.html?sid=ST200805060...
Heck of a job, Dems ---- planning to fail on stopping the war!
"Hoping" that the Senate will drop the troop withdrawal section of the bill.
What deceit. What lies. Have they no shame?
Hey Greener, I ain't speakin for Casey, I asked Cindy who I support a damn important Question.
We need to come together and elect a prez who will end the War.
Obama will help us do that if we come together now!
If anyone can, Obama is the Man!
A perfect description of Democrat complicity and guileful misleading of the American people --- which appeared today in WSWS:
"Apparently at issue (about funding the war) is a disagreement between House and Senate Democratic leaders about how far they should take the political charade that is organized each time the war spending measures come up. The aim of this exercise is to allow Democratic legislators to posture as war opponents, while assuring that the necessary votes are forthcoming to pass the legislation paying for the wars."
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/may2008/fund-m06.shtml
So then, why are people voting for Democrats? ...... again.... and again .... and again. Oh! How we love the pain. Every four years, the Democratic Party sucks in, chews, then spits out progressives and other well meaning folk. When will people finally get it? Democrat = Republican. Republican = Democrat. Democrat + Republican = 2 X Corporate Party. Who do you think is tinkling the champagne glasses at the people's expense? Both of them. That is why I am supporting and voting for Ralph Nader. Back in 2003 I had enough of the Democrats acting like Republicans and giving the GW the go ahead to "shock and awe". Today, the Democrats, like Al Gore did, are rolling over and playing impotent. They say they cannot end the war. Why the hell did we vote for them then in 2006? When will you finally realize NOTHING will change if we keep electing either/or candidate from the one party with two heads? When is enough, enough? Run Ralph! Run.
Impeachment would have been a distraction from the very important business the congress has to do. Thanks to the fact that impeachment has been off the table congress has been able to......
This article obfuscates the reality of Palosi and where her power base and direction comes from, and her duplicity. She is out of the closet as a duplicitous unconscionable hawk with emotional ties by virtue of my grandchildren having a Jewish father who sang to her in Hebrew bring tears to her eyes. But, beyond that is the mole from the Clinton White House who most likely engineered her into the becoming House Speaker, here is a few hints from Wikipedia.:<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rahm_Emanuel"<
Emanuel was chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for the 2006 elections. After the Democratic Party regained control of the House, he was elected as the next chairman of the Democratic Caucus. He is the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House
His father, the Jerusalem-born Benjamin M. Emanuel, is a pediatrician and was a member of the Irgun, a Revisionist Zionist paramilitary organization in the 1940s.
Rahm "Emanuel was so angry at the president's enemies that he stood up at a celebratory dinner with colleagues from the campaign, grabbed a steak knife and began rattling off a list of betrayers, shouting 'Dead! ... Dead! ... Dead!' and plunging the knife into the table after every name."[4] His "take-no-prisoners attitude" earned him the nickname "Rahm-bo".[8
Emanuel's knowledge of the top donors in the country, and his rapport with potential donors within the Jewish community helped Clinton amass a then-unheard-of $72 million
So honestly, AIPAC and Rahm Emanuel got her there, and in his position of Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, he made sure that antiwar demoncrats didn't get a cent in the primaries. So, the new house majority of new democrats was not representative of public demands whatsoever, and it was a covert operation to continue the wars of aggression, and I hope this will be check-out by those that read this. I think it is treason for Palosi, and an achievement for the dual US-Israeli citizen Rahm Emanuel.
Hopefully Cindy Sheehan will make an issue of this treachery and hidden hand of the war machine and premeditated vicious war criminal in her imperial purple, the signatory of death that only the Emperor could ware at pain of death for anyone else. And that is the arrogance and disgusting real face of an otherwise beautiful woman, what a waste and national disgrace, and danger to the lives of millions in the Middle East.
What's new? Dems are complicit. This war could not have been started by Bush without Dems' complicity, and could not drag on for so long without their continued support.
And yet the American Sheeple keep on cheering for Obama/Hillary......
If you can do it, start planninn now on how to get to CA and help Cindy's campaign. Picture thousands of anti-war volunteers flooding the district in the weeks before the election.
One of the things that Cindy's campaign will need is 'momentum' towards the end. The left has an built-in attitude that says we will lose such races. This will be a major obstacle this campaign will need to overcome at the end of the campaign.
Lots of voters in the SF area may be very sympathetic to Ms. Sheehan's cause, and very upset with Ms. Pelosi's actions. But they will also be thinking that voting for Sheehan is a wasted vote. Even in a race where the Republican will probably finish third behind Sheehan and Pelosi. Remember, the Democrats will be out with a flood of lies and propaganda at the national level about how its a wasted vote if you don't support their pro-war candidates. Some of that will filter down to this race just by osmosis.
So, having thousand and thousands of volunteers in the streets of the district in the weeks building up to the election will be critical. That's what will deliver the message to the voters in the district that this campaign will win. When volunteers for Sheehan are constantly knocking on their doors. When ever street corners has volunteers out with signs supporting Sheehan, that is what will build momentum and a 'we-can-win' attitude amongst the voters in the district.
Build that attitude, and it can be a landslide for Ms. Sheehan in this race. Ms. Pelosi's policies are not going to be popular in this district. Thus, if it becomes clear in the weeks before the election that the Sheehan campaign is strong, then a lot of momentum will be going that way.
Think of the message that will be delivered if the sitting Speaker of the House is defeated in an election by an anti-war candidate. That's the political equivalent of the 'big-one'. That's the 'shot-heard-round-the-world'.
So, make plans now to go to California in Oct and the first week of Nov. Earlier if you can of course, but the key days are always the days before the election. That's always when there's never enough volunteers, when more people are always useful.
Take that picture of Pelosi, then picture a look of 'what the heck just happened?' on her face. You can make that so.
link to AFSC-FCNL map of bases and other information:
http://www.fcnl.org/iraq/bases.htm
What bull ... both Obama and Hillary have PROMISED to keep the war going through 2012.
The only difference between Obillary and McCain is the rhetoric. There's damn little difference in policy. Both talk about trying to reduce the number of troops. Both promise to keep our troops in Iraq.
Face it, the Democrats are professional liars. They have to be, because they have to try to con the people who oppose this war into supporting their candidates that continue to support the war. So, they spread this constant lie that McCain is the evil bogeyman who must be defeated, when they have damn near exactly the same policies.
Go back and read the article that spawned these comments. The Democrats are shepparding through the Congress a bill to pay for the war. The Democratic leadership are the people making sure that this bill gets passed. In doing so, they are bypassing a chance to end the war right now. They don't have to pass anything, overcome any filibusters, nor override any vetoes. All they have to do is to refuse to fund the war. The Democrats have made it very, very, very, very plain that they won't do this. Thus they've made it very, very, very, very plain they won't end the war.
The sheer gall of the Democratic liars is amazing in that under the very same article that firmly announces that they support this war they then come out here and try to scare people into thinking that they have to vote Democrat to end it. Amazing the crap that comes out of that evil party these days.
Jim Glover, you shouldn't speak for Casey. That is hurtful to Cindy.
Casey's ability to speak for himself was taken away by the Republican and Democrat rush to war.
It makes no difference who you vote for, the war will go on unimpeded (it's actually an occupation). This is why I have no guilt about voting for other parties and independents.
I believed Nancy Pelosi's lies back in 2006, was actually happy when the Dems won (much like I felt back in '92, which turned out to be the biggest ripoff ever!) - but NOW i want Cindy Sheehan to WIN!
I call them the shameless and the spineless.
Cindy, a vote for a third party candidate for Prez would only help McSame keep the war goin.
Would your son like that no matter what your good intension?
Pelosi and the dems are such miserable failed fools I went to the registration office and un-registered. I will vote no more for lying fools!!!
No, see, many are still clearly confused -
Liars cannot break promises. Because, you see, they're liars, which makes their promises, well, lies.
The ones who have the problem are those who believe promises made by liars. And we're not just talkin regular liars here, but some of history's most notorious, and most expensively bought-off, liars.
Leave the liars alone. They're just doing what they do. Instead, stop believing anything they say, and then act accordingly.
How do you stop a war?
Don't pay for it!
I am voting Green.
Democrats are so useless. We'll never get peace and sustainability with these corporate lackeys.
"A Democratic aide said, 'the troops will get what they need.'" WTF? They need to go home! They need treatment for their physical and mental wounds! They don't need more funding for this never-ending nightmare!
It's obvious that Reid is gaga over Pelosi, fawning over her every chance he gets. Pelosi acts like the strutting prom queen, assuming every guy in the room wants her while she flirts with the class president. A pathetic bunch.
I'm putting a red bandanna on my truck antennae.
Somebody posted the "bandanna movement" the other day. The idea was taken from ancient Rome. A senator suggested that all the slaves wear white arm bands and another said, "No, if we make them do that, they'll see how many of them there are and they may revolt."
The writer said everybody who is mad as hell and not going to take it anymore should wear a bandanna, hang one on their car, their mail box, etc. Perhaps if we see how many of us there are, we'll wake up and do something.
I wear a red one. Seems appropriate. Let's try to make this work. If you couldn't walk down the street or drive on the freeway without seeing a sea of bandannas, perhaps we'd wake up and do something!
It is worth a try!
I actually despise Pelosi more than Bush. When you consider it carefully, you realize that Bush -- who lies every time he moves his lips -- is more honest & forthright than Pelosi.
I happened to see Harry Reid being interviewed by Jon Stewart last night. He's the same thing as Pelosi, except with less verbal facility. The interview was not as good as Stewart often manages -- he seemed to shy away from the no-strings-attached war-refunding issue. Nonetheless, one could see that Reid is a worm, like virtually all Democrats.
"The troops will get what they need," said one Democratic aide.
The generals will get what they need. Hang the generals, and the Democrats, and the fake anti-war orgs like Win [What, exactly?] Without War and MoveOn.org.
Michael Foley
Don't let a day go by without doing something concrete to replace your Congressperson.
"Get over it."
Thanks, I needed that. I have voted Democratic for half a century - no more.
I'll deny food, water, air and votes to both political parties (PBOT) that's Pox Be Upon Them. Call me when the revolution starts as I'm out to spend my 'stimulus' check on grapeshot for my blunderbuss...
Vichy-Pelosi
This would be a good bumper-sticker
A defeat of Pelosi at home would be highly symbolic and send a clear message to all of the presidents lackies. Please send some money to Sheehan's campaign. If Pelosi can go, then anybody can have their ass kicked out.
Vichy-Pelosi ...love it.
Deran May 6th, 2008 12:49 pm ...Well said..my feelings exactly. Do you know for sure Nader will be on all the ballots?
"Pelosi's calculation, say political analysts, seems clear. Democrats are using the Iraq bill as leverage for billions of dollars in domestic spending priorities."
Calculation? How do you calculate this? Is it:
("Billions of dollars in domestic spending") Divided by (The number of Deaths or Injuries to Soldiers and Iraqis between the time the bill is passed and the passage of the next 'dollars for occupation and pork' bill)?
How much for each life will we get?
Hi Cindy! Thanks for the input. I fully support your efforts to unseat this monster. I even sent you money to do that. But I have a quick question....
Pelosi is being primaried by Shirley Golieb (sp) who is running on an impeach now campaign. I also fully support her efforts to kick Pelosi off the November ballot. Are you supporting this effort? What do you think about Golieb as the Dimwit candidate?
Thanks.
If you want change:
www.CindyforCongress.org
www.votenader.org
The sooner we dump the dems the better.
Pelosi's calculation, say political analysts
Pelosi's calculation, say the informed public...
I wish the media would tell it like CD readers!
Doom 'n Gloom, I like your descriptive phrases there. You're right on.
;)
Pardon me, but I don't get it?SOmeone is surprised the Democrats have no spinal, no moral core? This is a splendid example of why I voted for Nader three times and have NO GUILT. The Democrats are spineless corporate hacks (the Obama Christ included - look at the $3 he got from Wall Street), who have spent the last eight years cowering in a corner while BushCo sent out nation into wrack and ruin (the economy is not his fault - he just did nothing to prevent the collapse).
This is also a reason I sent Cindy Sheehan $25 for congressional campaign against Pelosi.
I'm a Leftist values voter. I vote my values not the party line. And I suspect the Democrats may well lose the Left values vote again.
Pelosi has turned up the heat on the Washington cesspool as it boils the spoils of war in a corruption gurgling in the essence of evil as they do their dance of death.
And you wonder why countries like Russia and Venezuela turn to elected strongmen, and Islamists are winning elections in the Middle East. Does this look like a functioning democracy to you? Two unwinnable wars, a collapsing economy and all these clowns can do is jockey for personal power. And the nature of our electoral system has essentially created a two-party duopoly, with no way to change it. No matter who you vote for, it seems the self-absorbed meglomaniacs always make it to the top, because that's where they want to be.
Democrats' words don't match up with their actions. It's all a facade with them. They're not exactly "spineless" as they are in agreement with and are complicit with the Republican agenda.
Pelosi, with her botoxed face and dyed hair is as phony as can be.
Nothing will happen until all members of the working class in America follow the example of the ILWU and walk out on strike against the war.
This kind of hit to their pocketbooks may force a change.
It's worth a try.
If ever there was a time for the rise of third parties, it is now. There should be a third party convention, invite all alternative parties, Greens, Ron Paul Libertarians, Nader Independents, Progressives, etc. and let them hash out a plan and elect a candidate.
I know it could turn into a ruckus but so be it. The people have a common enemy, it's called their current government.
from the article:
"Voters are smart enough to know who really stands in the way in terms of an end to the war."
show me.
First of all, Win Without War is not a major "anti-war" organization, they are pawns of the Democratic Party as an adjunct to MoveOn.org. They are not going to say anything against the war funding now, because Democrats are in the leadership position.
Secondly, the true "anti-war" movement needs to make this an issue and support my campaign against Vichy-Pelosi.
Love
Cindy
www.CindyforCongress.org
(Thanks Samson)
Get out of the box. There is only one political party in America. The Uncle Buck party. Which consists of the political whores in D.C. and the lobbyists who pimp the whores to corporate America. It all makes perfect sense when you look at it this way. Our empire is quickly going down the tubes and no change of the king will stop it.
Hoa binh
As I posted on Politico:
Breaking promises doesn't matter anymore ---- this charade is thankfully over.
The Democratic Party is rightly recognized as part and parcel of the two-party 'Vichy' government, simply acting as a facade for the ruling-elite 'corporatist Empire'. The Democratic Party is fully exposed for the treason to democracy that it is, and for the pawn to Empire that it is.
Christopher Hitchens was certainly right in 2000 when commenting on Nader breaking the two-party duopoly of the 'corporatist Empire', when he said, "The Democratic Party is not so much dead as actually, visibly, palpably rotting on the slab."
The first level stupidity of the Democratic Party, involved in its own suicide, was Bill Clinton's DLC losing bet of trying to triangulate with corporatist fascism.
And the second level, self-inflicted coup de grace was provided by MoveOn.Org trying to triangulate, like a DLC-lite, against imperialist war without standing up to the 'corporatist Empire' behind these imperialist oil-wars abroad (and economic tyranny and looting at home).
As Hannah Arendt presciently warned decades ago about the Nazi Empire, the twin pillars of slavery to empire are that, "Empire abroad (always) entails tyranny at home."
The new third party of the working-class multitude that replaces the formerly progressive arm of the Democratic Party will do the heavy lifting/fighting to confront this empire --- not this dead Democratic Party which only offers the false 'hope' of a third candidate cloaked in the same corporatist Empire's dual party duopoly of deceit and control.
But then again the Pentagon, the corporate rulers, the corporate politicians who work for the corporate rulers--they all want this war, the oil, the control of the middle east. and on and on...
Restore democracy--end the rule of the ruling oligarchy!
If you don't like this, here's where to do something about it.
http://cindyforcongress.com/
Pelosi was elected to be Bush's worst nightmare. What a pisser. No wonder our troops are coming home depressed, they're pawns, who cares about them ?
Stilba, I don't know who to credit for this, but I recently came across another fitting name for our corrupt duopoly:
the Party of Cain vs. the Party of Judas
The Dems have always WANTED to fund this war. Go back to right after the 2006 elections and you can find Reid and Pelosi firmly promising that war funding would not be cut by this Congress.
They aren't spineless. In fact, you might say they are showing great political courage. In the face of the opposition of about 70% of the American people and damn near everyone in their party, they are making sure the money keeps flowing like big contributors want. A modern Democratic profile in courage.
Wimps. All the Dems needs to do is not pass the war funding bill in the House. End of story. The bill to fund the war fails--doesn't go to the senate for a vote ( all money bills must originate in the House), the president doesn't veto since there is no bill to veto!
Off the Table....????
What's especially interesting is that most of this money is borrowed. I can be especially generous with other people's money as well, it doesn't take a financial genius to screw up a budget. Pelosi is just another government employee with her hand in the war till, making money hand over fist....I wonder how much longer this insanity will continue before it all comes crashing down around them. Talk about a house of cards.
No. The Democrats have not done everything they can to end the war. For all the talk about Pelosi's brazenness, she hasn't refused to fund the war, and she hasn't allowed impeachment proceedings. This is all political maneuvering by spineless Democrats, no matter how it's re-portrayed, and no matter how sympathetic to this Congress some people will get as the end of the Bush residency nears.
When I was a schoolboy, my very first impression of the two parties ran: the Republicans are the Assholes, the Democrats are the Idiots, and together they lead our way of life. As I've gotten older, my views have become much more complex, but these simple concentrate-impressions remain disturbingly true.
Evidently they're all well-paid, comfortable lackies.
"Voters are frustrated about Iraq, but they know Democrats have pushed to bring the war to a responsible end,"
"Voters need to know Democrats are fighting for an end to this war,"
Bwahahaha
Republicans are gangsters and Democrats are comedians.