And the "debate" will be different after the August "terror" attack (heck, Jane Harman even knows about it: "if we're attacked in August."), and Georgie's declaration of martial law!
How much more murder, death and damage are the Democra*s going to allow to occur before they impeach?
Answer: Never (see above post)
"Congress Not Expected to Vote on Iraq Policy Before Recess" by CARL HULSE
WASHINGTON, July 31 — Congressional Democrats pulled back Tuesday from a final series of votes on Iraq policy before the August recess, hoping a month spent at home with voters frustrated by the course of the war would persuade more Republicans to join Democrats in supporting a troop withdrawal.
The strategy reflects a calculation by Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate that the best approach politically is to deny Republicans the opportunity to put themselves on record against the current policy in Iraq, leaving them to explain to voters why they have steadfastly backed President Bush on the war.
“They are going to have to make a decision over the summer whether they are going to continue to be George Bush’s rubber stamp or be part of the voices for change in Iraq,” said Representative Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.
Republicans said the Democratic strategy showed the party was more interested in trying to take political advantage of public unease with the war than it was in finding consensus solutions.
“They have actually taken great steps to make sure that there are no enticing provisions in the legislation that might actually attract Republican votes,” said Brian Kennedy, a spokesman for Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the Republican leader. “When it comes to the war in Iraq, they are banking on failure.”
Republicans say they believe that most members of their party remain willing to await a September report from the top American military and diplomatic officials in Iraq before embracing any shift in stance. They also point to new reports of military progress in Iraq and accuse Democrats of following a political strategy built on the premise that the Bush administration’s policy will falter.
“Now that we are seeing some progress on the ground in Iraq, the Democrats don’t want to believe it,” said Representative David Dreier, Republican of California. “Democrats should stop fretting and simply focus on supporting, rather than undermining, the strategy finally yielding results.”
Democrats say they see little chance that the forthcoming September report will reflect strong political progress in Iraq, given that its Parliament is on vacation. On Tuesday, Democratic leaders began to discuss the idea of developing their own review of political progress in Iraq.
At the same time, antiwar groups allied with Democrats plan to use the next month to pound more than 60 key Republican lawmakers at home through a $12 million campaign of protests, neighborhood walks, yard signs and media spots as part of an “Iraq Summer” campaign to try to draw the legislators away from the administration.
“The Republicans did not get any political cover votes going into August and we have set an ambush for them,” said Tom Matzzie, Washington director for Moveon.org, which is affiliated with the Americans Against Escalation in Iraq coalition.
Mr. Matzzie and other advocates joined Congressional Democrats in saying that one of their main goals was to prevent lawmakers who have consistently voted with President Bush on Iraq from returning home and portraying themselves as critics of administration policy.
To bolster that approach, House Democrats have decided not to allow votes on emerging Iraq proposals — including some that were attracting bipartisan support — though senior Congressional staff members said that the agenda remained somewhat in flux.
Still, it appeared certain that consideration of one such plan, by Representative Neil Abercrombie, Democrat of Hawaii, would be put off until September at least. That plan, approved by the Armed Services Committee last week by a wide, bipartisan margin, calls for a report from the administration within 60 days on plans to reduce United States forces in Iraq.
Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the House speaker, said on Tuesday that the measure would not come up this week. “We have to discuss the timing on that,” Ms. Pelosi said.
Democrats also said it was unlikely that the House would consider a new proposal by Representative John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania, the Democrat responsible for the House oversight of Pentagon spending. The Murtha plan calls for a withdrawal to begin within 60 days of the measure becoming law, but does not set a deadline for completing it. The concession, meant to attract Republicans, angered antiwar Democrats who saw it as a step backward.
Democrats said the main Iraq-related proposal likely to be considered by the House this week would set new troop readiness standards and require members of the military to get at least the same amount of time at home as they spent in Iraq before any redeployment overseas. Despite Mr. Bush’s ability to waive the requirement, most Republicans have opposed it.
A similar proposal was blocked two weeks ago by a Republican filibuster in the Senate. Senate Democrats put off consideration of a major Pentagon policy measure after Republicans blocked a withdrawal timetable, leaving some centrist Democrats and Republicans frustrated that they were not allowed votes on alternative approaches that called for a change in policy but fell short of requiring a pull-out.
Some Democrats said they argued privately that it could be the party’s advantage — given sagging Congressional approval ratings and complaints about a lack of accomplishment — to move ahead with a proposal that could draw broader support. But they said party leaders ultimately decided the disadvantages outweighed any advantage."
I'll never vote Democra* again!
I did ONCE this PAST ELECTION, but NEVER AGAIN!!
You will LOSE the House and Senate next year Democra*s!
Was your TWO-YEAR FAILURE WORTH IT?
And Repuglicans? Forget it!
There is only ONE REPUBLICAN I SUPPORT and that is Ron Paul -- the ONLY HOPE for America!
