Thoughts this day regarding the democratic party and what they can and cannot do

[whosinpower]

Are you all still angry with the democrats? I don't blame you. You have the right. However, I am going to point something out that some of you may have already thought of.

George W. Bush is still president and he is the only one who can call off the war. Please correct me if I am wrong in this regard, but I thought it was only the commander-in-chief that did this...... And while the democrats may be able to cut funding to the war - this does not mean that George W. Bush would buckle under the strain and call home the troops. Think about this for a moment. Has he ever done anything that approached rational thought? He would not.

Either he would force a constitutional crisis, or he would leave the troops there and blame it all on the democrats - all of it. Think it is bad now? Just consider what would happen if they were stranded there.

And he is EXACTLY the sort that would use the blood of American soldiers as political collateral to maintain power.

While the majority of americans dislike the war - even hate it.....they don't hate it enough to call the whole thing off. War is such an integral part of your culture and your economy - even though nobody likes to talk about that dark dirty secret.

So - even if the democrats were able to cut off all funding - that would not necessarily mean the end of the war - because Georgie is not of sound mind.....and he would quite willingly let them bleed and die in the sand rather than allow a democrat to tell him how it is. In your hearts, you know this is true.

I am terribly saddened how your once great nation has been swallowed up by evil(yeah - it is a strong word but that is the closest word I can think of) within. Even moreso, because while your war machines march through the middle east, how many would give up the oil addiction??? Your lifestyle demands it, your corporations profit from it, and your children die for it.

There is hope however. In a rather profound and deliciously clever way - Al Gore, and what he stands for. But, I think we all must be willing - trully willing to radically change our lifestyle in order to make the world a safer place. This is the grassroots fundamental change that has to be in place. This is where the real revolution has to come from. Al Gore knows it - but can he be the catalyst as president - that is the question I am sure he asks himself every day. I know for myself and my family, we are looking at all options to ease out off the oil treadmill towards a totally self sufficient, self sustaining home. And because government and corporations won't do it for us - we are looking to do it ourselves - because the price of a barrel of oil might climb to $2000/ barrel - but that is still small change compared to the life of a human. I want out. Do you?

Take care of yourselves this memorial weekend.

[zalinda]

1. You are absolutely correct !!! n/t

[elocs]

2. I think if the Democrats thought not funding the war would actually bring the troops home,

then they would have done it. I hardly think that if the funding were cut Bush would say, "Oh, gee. There's no money to fund this war that I love so dearly. I give up. I guess I'll just have to get out now and bring all the soldiers home. Those bad Democrats really showed me." Hardly. He would leave them there because he does have the money to keep it going for awhile, but regardless, he would blame each and every death in Iraq on the Democrats. The Main Stream Media would eat it up and fan the flames until polls would show a majority of Americans would believe the lie. So I think at this time the Democrats are just being realists. Plus, Pelosi and Reid would probably like to see the Democrats win the White House in 2008 and expand their lead in the House and Senate. Sometimes you need to balance short term gratification with long term goals.

Don't put your hope in Gore as our savior. As things stand now I just do not see him as a candidate. I don't think he has the desire for a campaign anymore. It behooves him to keep his candidate status ambiguous because it amplifies his voice and brings attention to the issues which are important to him. He is vocally fired up about global warming, but I do not hear the same zeal from Gore about the war, or health care, or poverty. He is more of a pseudo candidate otherwise you would hear him speak out about a wide range of issues.

[Phredicles]

4. But I think if Commander Guy kept troops in Iraq after a defunding it

would highlight the illegality of his actions. It would lay bare still further the unconstutional nature of his ambitions. In short, the country would see exactly what we're up against. We'd face a choice as a country of what we want to be, which is scary because I'm not entirely confident the right choice would win out. But there would be clarity. As it is, we're just continuing along with our slow, shuffling, aimless march towards totalitarianism.

[elocs]

5. What the country would see would be Bush and the MSM blaming the Democrats

for each and every soldier's death in Iraq. You would see parents who had lost a son or daughter cursing the Democrats in their tears on the network news. That message would overpower the stupidity of the entire fiasco.

[Phredicles]

7. Yeah, but I don't think people are buying what the MSM's selling anymore

If they did, wouldn't the Dear Leader's approval rating be higher than 28%. We're seeing the limits of what spin and BS can accomplish.

[whosinpower]

8. You misunderstand me regarding Gore

I am not talking about him running - I am talking about his passion to combat global warming and what that would mean to the oil barons should the majority of americans fundamentally change the way they live thier lives. Al Gore is not the saviour - you and I and every person who drives a vehicle, owns a home have the potential to be saviors. We are the saviours if we admit our lifestyle is the cause of this all, and make changes to restore the balance.

Global warming, health care and poverty AND the war are all tied together. Because we, as consumers want stuff, we want big fancy cars and homes that are nicer than our parents, and all the toys that go along with living the good life. However - there is a price to that livelihood--and it is being exacted on the troops and on the people in many war torn nations.

That is the sacrifice all of us has to make in order to end the war. We must adjust our living style. That is the revolution I am talking about. Global warming is just a symptom of our wasteful ways. The oil companies do not want to talk about it (hence the deniers) because that would mean the end of their days of power. The military industrial complex doesn't want to talk about it either. Why have a war if there is nothing for the corporatists to gain. There is no money in that. At the end of the day - that is all the war is about...power and money.

so - even if Al Gore did run and was president.....could he convince that nation what must be done? Not many people want to admit that they are inadvertantly to blame because they just want the good life. They do not connect the dots, so to speak, because to do so puts the blame on consumers. If the oil companies had no customers - they would have no power. It is only because there is a market for their product that they have become critical to the economies of the world. But, oil is running out and we need to accept that and move on before we totally obliterate our ecosystem and the entire planet. If it isn't Iraq - it will be some other oil producing nation. Ending the war in Iraq is just a blip - ending war for oil and ending the oil addiction is a fight you and I can and should do.

[mrcheerful]

3. That was one of the poiints I made, Dem's defunded the Veitnam war and Nixon waited 2 years before

signing the peace agreement with the north Veitnamese. Thinking that cutting the money off would make shrub bring troops home wasn't going to happen. Remember what happened when the Dem's refused to fund Reagans Contra's, Did it stop Run Away Ronnie? Nope, he went into the drug trade business for money for Contra's. And what did the Dem's get when they tried to bring Reagan up on charges? Ollie North steeped forwards and claimed Ronnie knew nothing about it. So did North get punished for his actions? Nope, the god damn sheep made him into a god damn national hero. Then what happened? We started losing to the fucking pukes because we were so mean to Run Away Ronnie.

[Initech]

6. I honestly don't think even Superman could clean up W's mess.

But Al Gore will most certainly get things started, and that would be great. The neocons are scared of him, and rightfully so - he is their worst nightmare. He's pretty much the exact opposite of Bush in every way, shape and form.

[madokie]

9. So Fuching

true. Have the best weekend you can have

[Toots]

10. According to that outdated piece of paper the US Constitution the Congress is

the only body with War making powers. That means by Constitutional authority they are the only means to War. Either starting or stopping it. The President has the authority to immediately use the Armed forces to Defend from attack but it falls upon Congress to declare a war and that means they can also declare it over..