Dems Hold All the Card on Iraq, So Why Are They Folding?

[BigBearJohn]

Remember earlier this summer when Harry Reid and the Democrats vowed they were "going to hold the president's feet to the fire" on Iraq? Well, now it appears they've decided to play footsie with the White House instead and take what one Democratic strategist calls "a more nuanced approach" that includes backing off demands to set a firm withdrawal date.

In anticipation of next week's inevitably sunny side up -- and statistically cherry-picked -- report from Gen. Petraeus, the White House has cranked up its spin machine, and the Democrats are falling into their default duck-and-cover mode.

Now the air on Capitol Hill is full of talk of "bipartisan compromise" and even Ken Salazar's insipid proposal, which Reid himself had previously rejected as a "toothless tiger," is getting renewed interest.

"I can't believe how Democrats are playing this game," a Republican strategist told me the other night. "They hold all the cards -- and they are folding."

This spineless approach is the last thing Democrats need. Do they have no memory of 2002 and 2004, when caution and timidity led to defeat? If 2008 doesn't turn out to be a landslide for Democrats, it will be because of the seeds of caution being planted now.



MORE AT SOURCE:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/dems-hold-all-the-card-on_b_63398.html?view=print

[ananda]

1. This q. has been answered so many times..

.. fear, greed, pressure.

[leftchick]

2. COMPLICITY

they are complicit in the corporatist war profiteering. Simple as that.

[Disturbed]

3. The Dems have found a way now to keep the US Occupation

going.That is what they wanted all along. They voiced the opposite just to garner votes for '06. Dems will still pretend to be in favor of US Draw Down from Iraq to garner a majority in the Senate & the Pres. for '09 all the while keeping the US Occupation active. There is no way that Repugs or Dems are going to allow Iraq's oil to be controlled by "Terrorists" or anyone else. The US Govt. will control that oil flow & the US Occupation shall continue for decades in one form or another. Americans are being gamed by both Repugs & Dems.

[leftchick]

6. exactly!

The US "security interests in the Middle east" is code for OIL!

[Zhade]

30. I sense a lot of no-shows at the 08 elections.

With the Dems' continuing refusal to obey the law and hold this administration accountable for its crimes, i may sadly be one of the many who decide it's not even worth playing the game anymore.

[BeFree]

4. Well

The truth is that most people want this crusade too continue... they want the Holy War to never end until it's all over. And they make up the majority of voters.

The best we can do is pick 'em off one at a time by making them see that if the war continues they will have to pay for it, either with their kids' lives or their kids' fiscal future...

[MannyGoldstein]

5. "We Suck Slightly Less Than Republicans - Who Else Ya Gonna Vote For, Suckers!"

This is the current strategy of the Democrats as a whole, learned at the feet of the Clintons. They simply move slightly to the left of the Republicans, and figure that we'll vote for them because the alternative is worse.

[Disturbed]

7. Yes, that is the game.

The Repugs are imploding. With a few more scandals, esp. of the sexual nature, the Repugs will be viewed as perverts. The Dems are gambling on the notion that most Americans will favor Dems because the Repugs are losers & pervs. The US Occupation may draw down a bit but in no way will there be all out draw down. There is way too much to lose for America in the ME to pack up and allow Iran to be top dog in the ME.

[Zhade]

31. Heck, they don't even move left.

They're yesterday's conservatives.

[LiberalAndProud]

8. Anti-obstructionism.

If the current Iraq War policy is given every chance to succeed and fails nonetheless, it will be easier to argue that the policy is flawed. Everything the war machine needs, it gets and still we see no significant progress, certainly no sign of victory by any measure. How will that shape up in the general election campaign, do you suppose?

Political strategy, plain and simple, and the lives lost in the meantime? ... collateral damage.

[Disturbed]

10. "the lives lost in the meantime?

Acceptable losses or the price that must be paid for America's survival. Other rationals may be forthcoming.

[sandnsea]

9. Why not post Kerry's blog

Where he warned us about this kind of Republican propaganda.

Why not respond to my post earlier, where I told people that Obama said the same thing - now is the time to keep the pressure on Republicans because THEY are the ones who are really waivering, despite the media spin.

Why do DUers always rally around what Republicans say about our party instead of what our own party members are telling us.

[BigBearJohn]

12. This whole article came from Huffington Post.

[sandnsea]

13. You chose to post this shit

So I'm asking you why.

[BigBearJohn]

17. Shit? That's a bit strong. Can't you express yourself without being vulgar?

I chose to post it because I think the Democrats
in Congress have itin their power to stop this war --
and they are not using it. That's why.

[sandnsea]

19. So you don't think they are prepared to fight

despite the numerous comments by various Democrats saying they are, and warning us not to let the WH win this propaganda war. Helping the WH convince the American people that the surge is working and Democrats are folding is the precise way to make sure the war won't end.

And when people are helping to do that - then it's shit. And if the word shit offends you, then you need to get out more and see what shit people really have to live with and deal with every minute of the day.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sandnsea]

21. I post fact and people attack

Again and again and again. *sigh* Ignore is a good place for people who help the WH spin their lies too.

[Zhade]

32. Maybe when they actually do something, then you'll be right.

Let's take the war funding bill - the Dem leadership DID NOT HAVE TO BRING IT TO THE FLOOR. Yet they did.

Why?

[sandnsea]

26. Durbin: "No More Blank Checks For Iraq"

Are DUers secretly routing for Dems to fail? Is that why no one would respond to this thread?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1764485

[Zhade]

33. Because it's more bullshit talk, when we've seen them fold again and again?

What, should we believe their empty promises over their lack of action?

[paulk]

35. it sure does seem that way, doesn't it?

the number of people on this board who are willing to condemn the Democrats beforehand is discouraging.

[AndyTiedye]

11. Because Bush** Still Holds the Trump Card And Always Will

All he has to do is stage another "incident" and declare martial law.

[Red Zelda]

14. Pelosi and Reid and that other guy

are HORRIBLE leaders.

[ThePowerofWill]

15. Being spineless does not help.

Dem's as a group tend to be cowards. Scared to take a real stand only to be painted with a unflattering moniker, which they lack the intestinal fortitude to defend. Vicious cycle of cowardice upon cowardice.

There are strong Dem's with spines, but they tend to get drowned out, and toned down by the cowards.

[mmonk]

16. They are on board with the overall geopolitical strategy

except for the progressive caucus. Some of you get fooled with political double speak. I don't.

[tom_paine]

18. Why? Because they WANT TO.

They want to keep their perks, their power, maybe even their lives (enemies of Bushler seem to often meet with accidental deaths and mysterious suicides).

But I can't make excuses anymore.

I would rather die, yes you heard me, than behave with the bootlicking cowardice they have.

Mind you, nobody has ever anthraxed the guy next to me as a warning, so maybe I am full of shit, but that is how I feel.

[Disturbed]

23. The Dems were really stupid to cave in on the funding.

They could have sent another Bill upping the ante, knowing that it would be vetoed. Then that veto would not have been over ridden, as they knew it would not, but it would have made them appear strong. All the while they could still be secretly supporting the US Occupation, which most of them do support.

[tom_paine]

25. I no longer care what reasons are behind this

and there almost certainly are.

Personally, I don't give a good goddmaned if their's a Bushie standing in the office of each Dem Senator with a baggie of anthrax spores to be open over ttheir heads in the even NewHitler is displeased.

The time is past, the die is cast. Speak now, or forever hold your fucking peace (and hold your nose, too, when the wind blows in from the camp crematoria).

Stupid, scared, foolish? What does it matter as the Shadow of Totalitarin Darkness spreads over the Earth, as it did the last time the Bushies tried this, in Germany 1933.

[Zhade]

34. Cave? THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO BRING THE BILL TO THE FLOOR!

I am so fucking sick of people (not you specifically) ignoring that fact.

[Nite Owl]

22. These are not stupid people

in Congress so the only other thing they could be is complicit. They want the campaign donations or whatever but they have no intention of doing what is right or anything that will help the people in favor of the corporations. It isn't about us, about doing something because it is the right thing to do, it's all about what they can get.

[Disturbed]

24. I agree with everything you posted except that they are not stupid.

They were stupid. They could have played their game a whole lot smarter instead of folding in the 1st round. They could have avoided being viewed as weak by doing what I mentioned. Yes, they were stupid. They will again be stupid in the next round. They are also arrogant because they believe the the Dem base will vote for their members no matter how complicit they are with the Busholini Regime. They could lose their game because they are too stupid to play it looking like winners.

[Nite Owl]

29. You're right

I was thinking more in terms of their being lawyers etc. but that is not really a measure of intelligence, it's life and using what you know and they certainly don't/won't.

[LaPera]

27. Because they don't how to play the game. Republicans bluff, the Dems even with a good hand are

are so afraid of losing, they back off and give the game to the republicans without even a fight or bluff of their own....Even though the Dems should be controlling the game, they worry way too much what others will say about the way they play the game, to win one has to be clever and ruthless....the republicans know this is how to play and win!

[frogcycle]

28. all the dems have to do

is nothing

they gave him the supplemental.

they can just turn a deaf ear to the request for $50B

just don't bring a bill to the floor.

just start taking care of other business.

just fucking IGNORE it.

the "surge" that the asshole trumped up this time last year was supposed to last three months.

Six months later they claimed it had just started. Now its been another three months. We should just "stay the course." Use the fucking money you got last go-round, asshole. Or go find the billions that have been lost and handed over to your buddy contractors in no-bid contracts to do nothing. You want less spending, smaller government, belt-tightening? Well, get started fuckface!

[Disturbed]

36. Dems are afraid of the Rethug Machine that is aided by

most of the Corp Media. The Rethugs are clever at framing issues & pounding them out, as Busholini truthfully said, "Catapulting the propaganda". I'm sure that he didn't think up that little gem. Busholini is the front man of the Machine. Since he knows that he will not be Impeached he is bold & gives the finger to the Dems. The Dems allow themselves to be on the defensive & they lose almost every round.