Senate blocks Democrats' bid to give U.S. troops more time at home

[rodeodance]

Source: McClatchy Newspapers

Posted on Wed, Sep. 19, 2007
Senate blocks Democrats' bid to give U.S. troops more time at home
Renee Schoof | McClatchy Newspapers

last updated: September 19, 2007 07:13:47 PM

WASHINGTON — In another defeat for Democrats trying to change President Bush's Iraq policy, the Senate on Wednesday blocked legislation requiring that members of the active-duty military must spend at least as much time in the United States as they've spent in Iraq or Afghanistan before they can be sent back to the war zones again.

Democrats plan several more bills in the next few weeks to try to speed troop withdrawals, but the one on "dwell time" was considered their best chance to get the 60 votes needed under Senate rules to shut off debate. It fell four votes short: 56-44.

A weaker "sense of the Senate" version that would've endorsed the policy as a desirable goal without mandating it also fell short, 55-45.

American soldiers generally now are deployed to Iraq for 15 months and get 12 months back in the United States, which includes time away from home spent training for their next missions.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/v-print/story/19836.html

[Cha]

1. That, unfortunately, should play well

in a political ad that the Dems make to get the news out that it's the Dems who care about the troops..not the repukes, not joe lieman.

[fujiyama]

18. It would play

if Democrats knew how to create effective ads in the first place. Dems just don't take advantage of the shit republicans give them.

[movonne]

19. Let Move On do it...they know how...

[napi21]

2. What the Dems need to do is state a list of all the bills they have

tried to pass that are in the best interests of the American people and the Pubs have blocked! Portray the Pubs as the ultimate obstructionists of all time! State it every day, and every time they get their faces in front of a camera and a mike! Yes I know this is a Pub tactic, buty damn it, it works!

[pinto]

4. I think the Republican roadblock of the Webb amendment is a good talking point.

*Unanimous* Dem support, blocked by the Republicans, in a procedural move (cloture).

Where was their famous "up or down" vote on this pro-troop amendment?

Hypocrites.

:kick:

[Cha]

6. Exactly! Does anyone know, please,

who the repubs were that voted yes on Webb's Bill?

[WCGreen]

7. Snow and Hagel I know for sure...

[Cha]

12. Thanks! You mean they didn't listen

to mel martinez' crazy diatribe and think,"hey, yeah, we can't let them get some rest..that would demean them"?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1852222

[pinto]

14. Sanders (I) and 6 (R), can't remember who, voted aye, along with all the Dem's.

Sorry. It may be up at the Thomas (Library of Congress) web page by now.

http://thomas.loc.gov/

[Cha]

15. Thanks, pinto! I've learned Snowe, Hagel,

coleman,and Sanders. Someone from Minnesota said they gave coleman permission to vote that way so he could point to it when he was campaigning because they had enough votes already..but not on the Habeus Corpus.

[cannabis_flower]

23. The full list of Republicans that voted with us...

Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Hagel (R-NE)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Sununu (R-NH)

[Cha]

24. Collins! Wow! And lieman

threw a fundraiser for her!
Thanks for this list, cannibis..I see Gordon wants to show his face in Oregon!

[napi21]

8. Absolutely! But the Dems have to keep yelling "OBSTRUCTIONISTS"!!!!

In almost every interview of "the people on the street" I hear the same thing. Congress is worthless, they can't do anything, they have no spine! Well, especially in this vote, every Dem they elected to change things voted for some very reasonable and logical change, and there's just not enough of them to get it passed! Make OBSTRUCTION the issue! Repeat, repeat, repeat, does work with the voters!!!!!

[daninthemoon]

10. The gloves have to come off, as long as truth is on our side. I

expect we'll hear something soon from shrub, or the pentagon about how this bill would have somehow harmed the troops. We absolutely need to hear from the dems LOUD and CLEAR, before the rethugs have put some bizarro Orwellian spin on it.

[napi21]

13. The WH already has put their spin on it. "It would handicap the

President from his total war authority"

[MikeNearMcChord]

3. Force the Repukes to filibuster

Expose them in the light, make them defend their shameful actions.

[bluestateguy]

5. This is on them. Harry Reid did his job.

He held the party caucus together. This bill did not pass because a majority of Republicans opposed it and would not let it come up for a vote.

[Nite Owl]

9. Can't Reid block

any amendments for anything coming to vote for the GOP? Bring it all to standstill, they block then no votes for them and if they then block everything then no votes. That would get attention and make them stop the filibustering. Reid controls what comes to the floor.

[sandnsea]

11. Republicans Block - please email

[e-mail]

These people have got to stop cheering that Democrats were defeated, when the people voted for what the Democrats are fighting for.

The Republicans Blocked help for our troops. That's what this nitwit should have written.

[OnyxCollie]

16. Support the troops? Nah.

Repugs are scum, pure and simple, and all Dems need to do is grab the media bullhorn and shout it out.











But they probably won't...:eyes:

[msongs]

17. another DECEITFUL headline - the RePUBLICANS blocked the bill nt

[Divine Discontent]

20. SERIOUSLY WTF????? ANGERRRRRR

the republicans blocked this bill - NOT the senate! mother F**KERS! I am so pissed.. I wish Hillary/Obama or one of the other candidates running for president would make a note to speak about the bias in reporting and how things are worded sometime SOON - because if they don't - this same SHIT is gonna happen to them - it is CLEAR that the republicans made this bill fail, hurting the troops, and yet they wrote "SENATE BLOCKS TROOP BILL"

[aaronbees]

21. Slanted headlines are a powerful tool

Media like McClatchy and AP have learned that well.

[Pesky_Hound]

22. They deserve at least this much

The troops shouldn't get just the same amount of time off as they served, it should be the time they spent plus 50% more. So a year in Iraq or Afganistan would mean 18 months stateside if that is what they wanted to do.