Clinton and Schumer Favor War Funding

[babylonsister]

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/22852

Clinton and Schumer Favor War Funding
Submitted by davidswanson on Thu, 2007-05-24 00:23. Congress

By Jessica Maxwell, Syracuse Peace Council
www.peacecouncil.net

We sent a delegation to DC to meet with Clinton's and Shumer's offices Monday to deliver almost 2,000 petition signatures from Syracuse area demanding an immediate withdrawal of US troops. Both indicated they were supporting the supplemental at that time - Clinton's office tried to downplay the importance of the supplemental and stress her support for rescinding Congress' decision to grant Bush war powers. Our delegation was pretty clear that the supplemental is what we're watching and her support for that means she supports the war. We got pretty good coverage of our local demo outside her presidential campaign fundraiser at the NYS Fairgrounds with our slogan: "2008 is too late, end the war now!"

Schumer's office claimed he had to support the supplemental because of all the domestic funding in it, but looks like that's going to be gutted now. We're following up w/both offices about our anger over this spineless bill - although I can't say we're surprised after the meetings we had.

Our Congressional Rep (Walsh-R) issued an open letter to constituents recently calling for us to give the surge until september to work - we're keeping track of US/Iraqi deaths from the date of his statement and publicizing them at weekly peace demos. We're trying to make sure that everytime one of our Senators/Reps is in the news we're there too - we heckled Walsh and Giuliani on their way into a luncheon fundraiser yesterday in Syracuse. We'll make the phone calls to our reps on the supplemental, but I think most of our energy is going into actions right now.

[Heath Hatcher]

1. Self deleted

[Heath Hatcher]

2. This is suppose to surprise me how

That Clinton and Schumer are pro-war?(Clinton espically), no big deal there this is definetly expected of those two.

[ShortnFiery]

3. Why am I not surprised that war-mongering DLC Democrats support this bill?

:eyes:

[illinoisprogressive]

4. Typical of the DLC types. The DLC supports the war and Bush policies.

[SaveElmer]

8. WHat makes you think Obama is voting against it?...

And what will you do if he votes for it?

After all just a week ago he said he could accept a bill that did not include a timeline for withdrawal...

[William769]

54. Do you even know whats in the bill?

Pretty sure you don't, as usual.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

5. HRC is showing her true pro-war colors again. How can any Dem vote for her after this?

[Heath Hatcher]

6. I don't know

When SaveElmer pops his head back on this forum you can ask him.

[ProudDad]

7. You can ask

but don't expect a coherent answer...

(Bad Me) :spank:

[Heath Hatcher]

9. Why's that Prouddad?

[ProudDad]

50. It was just a gratuitous

pull of our friend save_elmer's leg.

Totally beneath me... :evilgrin:

[ElizabethDC]

10. You assume that all Dem voters must hold the same position that you do on Iraq

well, they don't. I'm still voting for her and I doubt she'll lose many votes over it, anyway.

[SaveElmer]

12. Hillary hasn't actually said which way she is voting...

They are using as a source someone who supposedly overheard someone saying Hillary was going to vote for it when they were delivering petitions...hardly authoritative...but what do expect from a crowd that view the Washington Times and Fox News as reliable sources...

In either case, it's just best to let people vent and not interfere for a few days...

You can bet if she does end up voting against it, they will find some way to criticize her for it...

[ElizabethDC]

15. Obviously, they will criticize her no matter which way she votes

and my vote for her isn't riding on this vote, in any event. I just hate the notion that all Dems must feel the same way about a certain issue - it is the "big tent" party, after all!

[SaveElmer]

16. Unfortunately...

DU is not the place to be if you are looking for a reasoned discussion of issues, with different perspectives being tolerated...generally it is a my way or the highway type of atmosphere here...

[ElizabethDC]

21. I know, and it's unfortunate

for some reason, I just keep coming back :shrug:

[Heath Hatcher]

23. "generally it is a my way or the highway type of atmosphere here..."

Yes unfortuently I learned that the hard way this morning regarding Iraq...I was placed on the ignore list by two members. Hell with them if they cant take a opposing viewpoint.

But besides that i'm addicted, what can I say I like to discuss politics

[SaveElmer]

29. "But besides that i'm addicted, what can I say I like to discuss politics"

Well you are in the right place for that...

[draft_mario_cuomo]

30. So why do you post here if it is so bad?

Oh wait... ;)

[SaveElmer]

31. I wasn't complaining...

I know what it is like here...it's good training for campaigning on the outside!

[ProudDad]

51. DU is no place to be pro-war

and expect us to just let it pass by as a "difference of opinion"...

"generally it is a my way or the highway type of atmosphere here..." I guess that's your perception of it...some self reflection perhaps??? :shrug:

[draft_mario_cuomo]

17. Anti-war people will naturally criticize a vote to continue the war

It is a shame Russ Feingold's name is not Russ Clinton...

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

13. I'm curious

about why you say that, since polls show that 70% of Americans want out of Iraq. To my mind, that means that a lot of voters will pass her by in Democratic primaries. But that aside, what is it about HRC that makes you think she is a strong candidate? I am curious, because from what I have read and heard, she's not that different from the rethugs. If she has something really great and wonderful that makes her stand out from the rest of the candidates (and I mean this sincerely and not sarcastically) I'd like to know what it is.

[SaveElmer]

14. Polls also say...

They do not want a cutoff in funds...

Some Senators who do want to get us out do not believe a simple cut off in funds is a correct strategy...

[Truth2Tell]

45. Polls only say that if

they are framed as a cutoff in funds for troops in the feild.

But that's phony proposition, and the public knows it.

[ElizabethDC]

19. I didn't say I didn't want us out of Iraq

people just differ over how they want to get us out. Hillary wants us out, too, despite all the talk on DU of her being pro-war.

As for her positions being similar to those of others - her positions on the issues are actually incredibly similar to Barack Obama's and they have almost identical voting records in the Senate. Frankly, the top three candidates have pretty similar stances on everything.

I don't have time right now to get into all the reasons why I think Hillary is *the* candidate, but there are several of us around here who are Hillary supporters, so you can just read our posts to see how we feel.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

24. thanks for the clarification

you've told me all I needed to know.

[ElizabethDC]

27. I don't know what that's supposed to mean, but, um, okay. n/t

[draft_mario_cuomo]

32. That is incorrect. Edwards position is different than HRC's

First, I don't see why Obama is the yardstick by which HRC's war record should be measured against. Feingold would be a better comparison...

==As for her positions being similar to those of others - her positions on the issues are actually incredibly similar to Barack Obama's and they have almost identical voting records in the Senate. Frankly, the top three candidates have pretty similar stances on everything.==

Edwards, like Kerry, Feingold, Kucinich, and Dodd, opposes the Dems capitulation to George Bush. HRC apparently favors it. Obama has been silent throughout the capitulation so we don't know what position he has yet but certainly Edwards and HRC have a stark difference on the war.

[ElizabethDC]

34. I was just speaking generally

we don't know how Hillary is going to vote on it - and I don't know about Obama either. Edwards doesn't have to vote on it. He can be against it now, but when his vote on it counted, he wasn't (obviously, neither was Hillary. I wish they both had voted against it.)

[draft_mario_cuomo]

37. Edwards "voted" on it by speaking forefully against the capitulation today

Edwards has advocated standing up to Bush since Bush threatened to veto. HRC has been nowhere to be found on the issue of whether Dems should stand up to Bush after the veto. Even if she meekly votes correctly tomorrow, there is a stark difference between showing leadership on ending the war and a meek, symbolic vote by someone who was silent on the issue for weeks. HRC could have used her stature and bully pulpit to build support for standing up to Bush; she opted to stay silent.

[SaveElmer]

39. Funny how Edwards screws up the "courage"...

Once he is out of public office and doesn't actually have to vote on anything...doesn't take a ton of courage to kibitz from the sideline...

[ElizabethDC]

41. Exactly. n/t

[karynnj]

47. I prefer Dodd to Edwards , he of course does vote and is voting against it

Dodd also has an environmental plan that both Gore and Kerry have said nice things about. Not to mention he gave a very strong speech against torture when that issue was before the Senate. (No equivications - like Hilalry made to the New York Daily News)

[draft_mario_cuomo]

49. As if being in the senate makes showing leadership more difficult

The problem is not location. Feingold, Kerry, and Dodd are all sitting senators leading on this. The problem is a lack of leadership on the part of some who conveniently use their presence in the senate as an excuse for their timidity, their deference to the latest polls and focus groups results, and their obssession with Dick Morris' triangulation strategy.

Casting a vote is not anymore difficult than publicly opposing capitulation in other forums.

[ProudDad]

52. Funny how HRC can't seem to find the "courage"

to vote what you say are her convictions... :shrug:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

11. Good for you

Keep up the pressure. Do you think that Clinton will lose support for her candidacy by voting yes on the bill?

[Heath Hatcher]

18. Yes I too is curious about Hillary

Do you think if she votes for this bill she will lose votes? I have to ask since your basically Hillary's biggest supporter on DU?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

22. I assume you aren't addressing me

but SaveElmer or another pro-Clinton supporter. Personally, I don't like her for reasons that go back to when she was First Lady of Arkansas. Let's just put it this way--this is a small state, and people get to know their pols, and how the pols treat the person on the street.

[Heath Hatcher]

28. I was talking to Elmer specically

[EFerrari]

20. You mean, THIS Schumer and Clinton? This is 9/17/2001

and there was still something in the air. :mad:

[PBass]

25. Was I mistaken? I thought Schumer and Clinton both voted for

the Feingold/Reid bill that was defeated. That was the bill with "teeth" and they both voted for it.

Or did I do too much acid in the 60s?

[EFerrari]

26. All of the acid I took didn't prepare me for BushWorld. lol n/t

[draft_mario_cuomo]

33. Yes, and now they favor caving in to Bush

[babylonsister]

36. They voted for it because they knew it wouldn't pass. And do you

know who I heard that from? Rush Limbaugh; he must have had a field day today.

[PBass]

40. Oh, good ol' "Damned if you do, damned if you don't"

This thread is idiotic. It says that Clinton and Schumer didn't support a bill which they actually did support.

But your comment that "they didn't really mean their vote" is helpful.

Maybe you should stop listening to Rush? Just a thought...

[babylonsister]

43. Get over yourself. They supported the Feingold bill because they

knew it wouldn't pass. They now plan on supporting *'s war funding. And I listened to Limbaugh in my DH's truck for a few minutes last week; he only gets one channel, not that it's any of your business.
Why don't you do a bit of research before getting nasty and spouting off? And PS, don't ask questions if you don't want answers.

[Truth2Tell]

46. That was the CYA bill

put up by Feingold-Reid with no chance of passing. It was to help everyone who needed to get on record opposing the war.

This one is the real bill. Let's keep our eye on the ball.

[PBass]

35. **ahem** May I quote from the same website?

Quote:

Here are the 29 who voted to end the war by next March:Akaka (D-HI), Biden (D-DE), Boxer (D-CA), Byrd (D-WV), Cantwell (D-WA), Cardin (D-MD), Clinton (D-NY), Dodd (D-CT), Durbin (D-IL), Feingold (D-WI), Feinstein (D-CA), Harkin (D-IA), Inouye (D-HI), Kennedy (D-MA), Kerry (D-MA), Klobuchar (D-MN), Kohl (D-WI), Lautenberg (D-NJ), Leahy (D-VT), Menendez (D-NJ), Mikulski (D-MD), Murray (D-WA), Obama (D-IL), Reid (D-NV), Sanders (I-VT), Schumer (D-NY), Stabenow (D-MI), Whitehouse (D-RI), Wyden (D-OR)

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/22511

(Just a little gratuitous Clinton bashing, then?

How sweet!)

:sarcasm:

[draft_mario_cuomo]

38. What relevence does that have to bending over for Bush tomorrow?

[PBass]

42. Ah, so we're bitching about tomorrow's vote before it happens?

Alrighty then.

This thread makes a lot of sense. Instead of being glad that Schumer and Clinton voted with Feingold, lets shred them for a vote that hasn't happend yet! Those assholes!!!!!

Meanwhile Senator Webb, Senator Levin and others didn't even vote for Feingold's bill, but I guess they get a pass (for not being named Clinton I suppose).

Carry on, lunatics.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

44. Feingold is consistent. He opposes capitulating to Bush

HRC was too busy focus grouping today to take a stand on the cave in.

[w4rma]

48. This is essentially IWR-2007. (nt)

[draft_mario_cuomo]

53. Bingo. Let's see where they stand in 2007

Let's see if HRC learned anything (from focus groups...) over the past five years and whether Barack Obama the U.S. Senator, presidential candidate, and rockstar has the same political courage Barack Obama the unknown state senator did half a decade ago.