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http://www.bradblog.com/?p=4123
BLOGGED BY Brad ON 2/5/2007 5:16PM
BREAKING: Feingold Excoriates Fellow Democrats for Failing to 'Play
Hardball' to End Iraq War
During Conference Call with Bloggers, the Wisconsin Senator Highly
Critical of Colleagues, 'Washington Insiders' and Even John Edwards
for 'Playing it Safe on This One'
Says 'Dems Trying to Have it Both Ways' While 'Americans are Dying
Unnecessarily'...
Blogged by Brad Friedman from Phoenix, AZ...
In a conference call with several bloggers concluded moments ago,
Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) had a number of harsh words concerning
today's procedural bickering and fillibustering by Republicans in the
Senate, which stifled both votes on his own legislation to end the
Iraq War as well as amendments offered by other lawmakers to several
non-binding resolutions that also failed to come to the floor for a
full vote.
Feingold's remarks were highly critical not just of the Republicans,
but even moreso of his own Democratic caucus colleagues, "Washington
insider consultants," and even former Senatorial
colleague-turned-presidential candidate John Edwards, for failing to
take a tough stand to end the war in Iraq.
In a passionate, thirty-minute call, Feingold stressed, "This is an
important moment to see if we're gonna try and end this war. Frankly,
I'm disappointed that Democrats are playing it safe on this one."
"We need to play hardball on this. We're gonna have to take the lead
on this issue and we're gonna need to tie this place up as long as it
takes," he said in describing what he sees as a fear and timidity in
his colleagues who now hold a slight majority in the Senate...
"The problem is a whole lot of middle-of-the-road Democrats who refuse
to pull the trigger, who refuse to do what needs to be done," Feingold
stressed. "Even people who voted against the war" seem afraid, he
explained. "It requires courage. It requires brinksmanship."
As we previously reported last Spring, after a bloggers' lunch with
Feingold in Los Angeles, the progressive third-term Senator continues
to place a great deal of blame for the failure to act among his
colleagues on the "Washington insiders, particularly from the previous
administration...who say if you're going to take a tough stand,
they're going to tear you apart."
He said the advice of the "media consultants" and "power structure in
Washington" has led fellow Democrats to believe they'll be criticized
if they withhold funding for a war they previously supported. Those
same insiders, he explained, previously supported the war and are now
scared to death about what would happen if their clients --- many of
whom who have now admitted their initial support for the war was a
mistake --- now took a tough stand to undo that mistake.
"They want their cake and to eat it too since they voted for the war.
They're trying to have it both ways. That has to end because Americans
are dying unnecessarily. Too many of my colleagues are trying to
massage this and have it both ways. That has to end."
Feingold was also critical of John Edwards who, he says, has been
"masquerading" as a critic of the war, but whose proposal so far only
calls for refusing to fund the proposed Bush troop escalation in Iraq.
Even he, Feingold said, fails in his rhetoric to call for withdrawal
and a full defunding of the current debacle.
In response to our query about whether or not the Democrats might
"call for a straight up or down vote" on some of these matters, as had
been demanded by Republicans during similarly contentious matters
while they owned the majority, Feingold said that's a possibility that
he hopes Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) would consider.
Expressing a mix of both praise and criticism for the Majority
Leader's handling of the matter, Feingold acknowledged "some problems
with the way [Reid] has handled this," but says "he's a tough guy" and
he's been "impressed" by him. He hoped that after today's session Reid
might "go home and think over what they did to us today" and consider
doing something like that.
In response to a question from Firedoglake's Christy Hardin Smith,
asking how bloggers and citizens might help in his fight, Feingold
urged folks to call their Congress Members to demand tough action in
hopes that it might give them the backbone to do the right thing.
"Call your members and demand a timeline to withdraw the troops and
withhold funding after that," he urged.
"I can't go home knowing that there are Wisconsin men and women who
are going to die unnecessarily because we refused to do the right
thing," the Senator concluded near the end of the early-evening call.
READER COMMENTS ON
COMMENT #1 [Permalink]
.... Diane said on 2/5/2007 @ 7:39 pm PT...
I would like the names of the Dems who are "playing it safe"...and any
Repugs we might be able to sway. I call various reps around the
country at least three times a week (800 828-0498)...But often feel I
could do a better job if specific people need to be targeted.
Names please?...Anyone?
Senator Feingold if you should read this please make it easier to help
you by providing a list of names that would enable us to use our
limited time more wisely.
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COMMENT #2 [Permalink]
.... Ram said on 2/5/2007 @ 7:45 pm PT...
To the Dems in office:
The repugs got voted out of office for a reason --- wishy washy
weakness. They folded to party interests, corporate interests, the war
agenda, group-think, and greed.
Grow a spine or get booted out the same way as your predecessors.
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COMMENT #3 [Permalink]
.... Lindy said on 2/5/2007 @ 8:55 pm PT...
Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Susan Collins (R-ME)
Norm Coleman (R-MN)
John Cornyn (R-TX)
Larry Craig (R-ID)
Elizabeth Dole (R-NC)
Pete Domenici (R-NM)
Mike Enzi (R-WY)
Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Pat Roberts (R-KS)
Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
Gordon Smith (R-OR)
Ted Stevens (R-AK)
John Sununu (R-NH)
John Warner (R-VA)
All up for election in 2008
But then there's the clown Lie-berman, voting sooo happily with the
republicans. Just forced himself into office, of course.
I dearly love Feingold and Jim Webb. We can speak their names with
pride.
--------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #4 [Permalink]
.... JPentz in Maryland said on 2/5/2007 @ 9:35 pm PT...
I would like a list of the spineless dems.
I know Mikulski has a spine, sort of. Well she is mad at Bush too.
--------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #5 [Permalink]
.... Lindy said on 2/5/2007 @ 11:50 pm PT...
CORRECTION: (I later read my previous info was a bit off):
Norm Coleman (R) and Susan Collins (R) voted "Yes"
and Mary Landrieu (D) did not vote.
I verified this was verified at:
http://www.senate.gov/le...session=1&vote=00044
--------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #6 [Permalink]
.... Paul said on 2/6/2007 @ 12:54 am PT...
And please note that Bush is attempting to cut Medicare and Medicaid
to help pay for his illegal war. He wants to put some of the burden on
the backs of elderly and poor, while the fat cats sacrifice nothing.
This should be well emphasized so that the applicable voters (like the
large number of Medicare-recipient voters) are well aware of it.
---------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #7 [Permalink]
.... Larry Bergan said on 2/6/2007 @ 1:09 am PT...
Feingold for majority leader!
He's absolutely right on the money. This is not the time for
bipartisanship or strategizing. The time has come to give the
Republicans hell.
I want to see one of those brush-ups right on the floor of the senate
until these bullies back down. They started it and they've been asking
for it. I guarantee you, the American people and the world would love it.
Our anger is REAL. We have the moral high ground. We can't lose!
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COMMENT #8 [Permalink]
.... Larry Bergan said on 2/6/2007 @ 1:15 am PT...
I'd like to see Feingold in the boxing ring with Reid.
Reid used to box professionally but I'll bet Russ could kick his wimpy
ass all over the mall!
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COMMENT #9 [Permalink]
.... Larry Bergan said on 2/6/2007 @ 1:17 am PT...
YEeeaaah!
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COMMENT #10 [Permalink]
.... bvac said on 2/6/2007 @ 2:08 am PT...
If Russ Feingold jumped off a bridge, I'd jump off two.
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COMMENT #11 [Permalink]
.... Dredd said on 2/6/2007 @ 4:50 am PT...
Fiengold is full of ****. It was the republicans who said they would
get out of the rubber stamp habit and allow a debate on the anti-Iraq
war resolution.
Do you just believe anything anyone says?
The vote was 49-47 and two republicans kept their word and voted for
the debate.
Lieberman is not a democrat, he is a DINO in some things, but he is a
neoCon when it comes to war. He favors the war in all its gory
"glory".
List the democrats and republicans who voted not to have the debate.
Then complain about the party who has the most members that do not
even want to debate it.
What hogwash Fiengold is putting out!
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COMMENT #12 [Permalink]
.... Will F said on 2/6/2007 @ 5:18 am PT...
The 'fake' opposition is angry about the 'surge' a.k.a. 'The 10%
solution'. Currently, approximately 200,000 soldiers fight for
'democracy' in Iraq [roughly US troops + foriegn troops + paid
mercenaries (i.e. Blackwater)]. So, the President's solution is to add
10% more (20,000 troops). Even assuming these extra troops perform
100% efficient, things will merely get 10% better in Iraq. Will 10% be
worth the continuing carnage of American soldiers? Don't look to the
Democrats for help. They will sit idly by as they did when the gov't
suspended habeas corpus, opened mail, banned the novel "America
Deceived" from Amazon, stole private lands, conducted illegal
wire-taps and continues wars in the Middle East based on a false-flag
event known as 9/11. If the Democrats (including Feingold) cannot stop
the current 10% increase in this war, then they will never stop 100%
of this war.
Only remaining link (until the gov't pulls the novel off Google Books):
America Deceived (book)
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COMMENT #13 [Permalink]
.... Pete Bogs said on 2/6/2007 @ 5:49 am PT...
Feingold is one of the few who have a pair in DC... I can't believe so
many people were not willing to go along with this resolution,
especially since it is a symbolic, non-binding one... come on, folks,
the blood of Americans is on your hands...
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COMMENT #14 [Permalink]
.... Dredd said on 2/6/2007 @ 5:50 am PT...
Feingold is from lofty Wisconsin, way up north, and evidently he sees
himself as being free from the problems of the rest of us as a result
of being that high up? No, Winconsin has a legal legacy where they
have even persecuted scientists based on the race of the scientist:
Academic doors were often closed to him, and one company in Wisconsin
decided not to hire him because of an ordinance forbidding blacks from
staying overnight within city limits.
(The Forgotten Genius).
If they will screw up hard science over racism, they will screw up
political science too. And this is what is being done by falsely
framing the fillibuster on the Iraq debate as a sigh of democratic
weakness. CLUE: the dems did not filibuster, the republicans did.
Let him tell us about the senate fillibuster the republicans used to
prevent a debate, the same fillibuster the republicans threatened to
do away with in the 109th congress if the minority dems then used it.
Let him also sprinkle in a little discussion about hypocrisy as well
.... only this time try doing it with the facts in hand.
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COMMENT #15 [Permalink]
.... Dredd said on 2/6/2007 @ 6:20 am PT...
Lindy #3
Of your list of senate republicans who are up for re-election in '08,
the senator from Maine, Susan Collins, and the senator from Minnesota,
Norm Coleman, are the only two republicans to vote "Yea", meaning stop
the filibuster and lets debate, for the first time, the Iraq war
escalation.
All the democrats who voted voted "Yea". So the democrats were unified
in their vote.
Republican senator John McCain was afraid to vote, because he is
watching the polls and the polls are against his neoCon position on
the escalation.
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COMMENT #16 [Permalink]
.... Dredd said on 2/6/2007 @ 6:26 am PT...
Here is the vote tally. A "Yea" means stop the republican filibuster
and debate the resolution, but a "Nay" means lets not debate the
escalation:
Akaka (D-HI), Yea
Baucus (D-MT), Yea
Bayh (D-IN), Yea
Biden (D-DE), Yea
Bingaman (D-NM), Yea
Boxer (D-CA), Yea
Brown (D-OH), Yea
Byrd (D-WV), Yea
Cantwell (D-WA), Yea
Cardin (D-MD), Yea
Carper (D-DE), Yea
Casey (D-PA), Yea
Clinton (D-NY), Yea
Conrad (D-ND), Yea
Dodd (D-CT), Yea
Dorgan (D-ND), Yea
Durbin (D-IL), Yea
Feingold (D-WI), Yea
Feinstein (D-CA), Yea
Harkin (D-IA), Yea
Inouye (D-HI), Yea
Johnson (D-SD), Not Voting
Kennedy (D-MA), Yea
Kerry (D-MA), Yea
Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea
Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Landrieu (D-LA), Not Voting
Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea
Leahy (D-VT), Yea
Levin (D-MI), Yea
Lincoln (D-AR), Yea
McCaskill (D-MO), Yea
Menendez (D-NJ), Yea
Mikulski (D-MD), Yea
Murray (D-WA), Yea
Nelson (D-FL), Yea
Nelson (D-NE), Yea
Obama (D-IL), Yea
Pryor (D-AR), Yea
Reed (D-RI), Yea
Reid (D-NV), Yea
Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea
Salazar (D-CO), Yea
Schumer (D-NY), Yea
Stabenow (D-MI), Yea
Tester (D-MT), Yea
Webb (D-VA), Yea
Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea
Wyden (D-OR), Yea
-------------------
Lieberman (I-CT), Nay
Sanders (I-VT), Yea
------------------
Alexander (R-TN), Nay
Allard (R-CO), Nay
Bennett (R-UT), Nay
Bond (R-MO), Nay
Brownback (R-KS), Nay
Bunning (R-KY), Nay
Burr (R-NC), Nay
Chambliss (R-GA), Nay
Coburn (R-OK), Nay
Cochran (R-MS), Nay
Coleman (R-MN), Yea
Collins (R-ME), Yea
Corker (R-TN), Nay
Cornyn (R-TX), Nay
Craig (R-ID), Nay
Crapo (R-ID), Nay
DeMint (R-SC), Nay
Dole (R-NC), Nay
Domenici (R-NM), Nay
Ensign (R-NV), Nay
Enzi (R-WY), Nay
Graham (R-SC), Nay
Grassley (R-IA), Nay
Gregg (R-NH), Nay
Hagel (R-NE), Nay
Hatch (R-UT), Nay
Hutchison (R-TX), Nay
Inhofe (R-OK), Nay
Isakson (R-GA), Nay
Kyl (R-AZ), Nay
Lott (R-MS), Nay
Lugar (R-IN), Nay
Martinez (R-FL), Not Voting
McCain (R-AZ), Not Voting
McConnell (R-KY), Nay
Murkowski (R-AK), Nay
Roberts (R-KS), Nay
Sessions (R-AL), Nay
Shelby (R-AL), Nay
Smith (R-OR), Nay
Snowe (R-ME), Nay
Specter (R-PA), Nay
Stevens (R-AK), Nay
Sununu (R-NH), Nay
Thomas (R-WY), Nay
Thune (R-SD), Nay
Vitter (R-LA), Nay
Voinovich (R-OH), Nay
Warner (R-VA), Nay
One democrat did not vote because he is in the hospital. Note that
republican senator Warner voted not to allow a debate and vote on his
own resolution which said the president's policy is wrong.
------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #17 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 6:40 am PT...
I'm with ya Dredd! Here's my version of the same.
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE S1566 February 5, 2007
Iraq Study Group said. That is what all
people say, with rare exception. Those
are the people holding hands with the
President.
We must heed the results of the November
elections and the wishes of the
American people. We must change
course, and this change starts with this
next vote.
This side-Democrats-have offered
the minority everything they have
asked for. Remember: Vote on Warner,
vote on McCain; you want a simple majority;
you want a supermajority; we
will go along with that. We have been
fair to them. Now the Senate must be
fair to our troops, their families, and
the American people. We must proceed
with a debate about Iraq and send a
clear message to President Bush that
escalation is not the answer.
Some say let the leaders work it out.
Part of this stall has been a stall for
obvious reasons. If not tonight, tomorrow?
I must file a motion to invoke
cloture on the continuing resolution
because the Republicans said they are
going to filibuster it. I have gotten letters
to that effect. We should have been
debating the Warner, McCain resolutions
today, but they have not allowed
us. They wouldn't allow us to proceed
on this matter.
I am telling everyone within the
sound of my voice, a decision will have
to be made whether to go further than
tonight, but the time is very tenuous-
very tenuous. If they stop us from
going forward on this debate, this does
not end the debate on Iraq. It may end
the debate for a few days or a few
weeks, but, remember, we have the 9/11
Commission recommendations coming
and that is open to amendment and I
can guarantee everybody there will be
Iraq amendments involved in that debate.
The supplemental bill is coming.
This is to fund the war in Iraq basically
more than $100 billion. I think
there will probably very likely be a
number of amendments dealing with
Iraq.
They can run, but they can't hide. We
are going to debate Iraq, and they may
have gotten all their folks to vote
against the motion to proceed, they
may stop us temporarily from debating
the escalation, but they are not going
to stop us from debating Iraq.
We have lost 3,100 soldiers, sailors,
and marines. They are dead, Madam
President. We don't know the exact
number of how many have been wounded-
24,000, 25,000.
We are not going to allow the situation
in Iraq to continue. It is wrong.
There can be no military solution. The
President has been told that. I think it
speaks volumes when he meets with
the Iraqi Prime Minister who is elected,
and the Iraqi Prime Minister says:
Mr. President of the United States, get
all American soldiers out of Baghdad.
That's what he said. I think it speaks
volumes when military commanders
say that it is not the way to go. We
know what Casey said. His tune has
changed a little bit since he was relieved
of duty over there.
The families of the 3,100 soldiers who
have been killed, the families of the
24,000, 25,000 who have been wounded
demand we go forward with this debate.
We are going to start voting momentarily,
and remember what the vote is.
The vote is whether we can proceed to
debate the escalation of the war in
Iraq. And the Republicans have told everybody
they are all going to vote no.
If they think this can pop up real easily
again, I think they may have another
thing coming.
I repeat, the Republicans left town
and left the Government without adequate
resources to go ahead and complete
funding of the Federal Government
for this year. We have to take up
the work they did not complete. They
funded the Government until February
15, and now it is up to us to make sure
the Government continues to run.
If they want to pull a Newt Gingrich
and close down the Government, that
is their responsibility. But I believe we
should move forward and make sure
the Government is funded, and there is
not a lot of time for Iraq. That is a sad
commentary on the situation because
we lost days as a result of these parliamentary
delays.
I ask unanimous consent that if we
get to third reading of S. 470 it then be
turned into a concurrent resolution
and passage occur on the concurrent
resolution and not S. 470. Before hearing
how anybody feels about this, I said
last week that we would be happy to
consider this bill as a resolution. Everybody
heard me say that. The American
people heard me say that. So anybody
who tries to hide under a procedural
vote because this is a bill and not
a resolution is not being fair because
simply I have stated-and I know that
everyone in this Chamber heard me say
this, and I have said it many times-I
ask unanimous consent that if we get
to third reading of S. 470, that it be
turned into a concurrent resolution
and that passage occur on the concurrent
resolution and not S. 470.
I add another unanimous consent request
to this. I am willing to change it
to a concurrent resolution right now,
as I was willing to do last week.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there
objection?
Mr. MCCONNELL. Reserving the
right to object, this is essentially the
same unanimous consent request propounded
last Thursday night. This
matter ought to be dealt with as a concurrent
resolution. It is clear the other
side does not want to vote on the Gregg
amendment. Therefore, I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection
is heard.
CLOTURE MOTION
Under the previous order, pursuant to
rule XXII, the Chair lays before the
Senate the pending cloture motion,
which the clerk will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
CLOTURE MOTION
We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance
with the provisions of rule 22 of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby
move to bring to a close the debate on the
motion to proceed to Calendar No. 19, S. 470,
Bipartisan Iraq legislation.
Carl Levin, Joe Biden, Ken Salazar,
Harry Reid, Pat Leahy, Sherrod Brown,
Patty Murray, Robert Menendez, John
F. Kerry, Barbara Mikulski, Dick Durbin,
Jack Reed, Tom Harkin, Dianne
Feinstein, Bill Nelson, H.R. Clinton,
Herb Kohl, Ben Nelson.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unanimous
consent, the mandatory quorum
call has been waived.
The question is, Is it the sense of the
Senate that debate on the motion to
proceed to S. 470, a bill to express the
sense of the Congress on Iraq, shall be
brought to a close?
The yeas and nays are mandatory
under the rule.
The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk called the roll.
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the
Senator from South Dakota (Mr. JOHNSON)
and the Senator from Louisiana
(Ms. LANDRIEU), are necessarily absent.
Mr. LOTT. The following Senators
were necessarily absent: the Senator
from Florida (Mr. MARTINEZ) and the
Senator from Arizona (Mr. MCCAIN).
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
SANDERS). Are there any other Senators
in the Chamber desiring to vote?
The yeas and nays resulted-yeas 49,
nays 47, as follows:
[Rollcall Vote No. 44 Leg.]
YEAS-49
Akaka
Baucus
Bayh
Biden
Bingaman
Boxer
Brown
Byrd
Cantwell
Cardin
Carper
Casey
Clinton
Coleman
Collins
Conrad
Dodd
Dorgan
Durbin
Feingold
Feinstein
Harkin
Inouye
Kennedy
Kerry
Klobuchar
Kohl
Lautenberg
Leahy
Levin
Lincoln
McCaskill
Menendez
Mikulski
Murray
Nelson (FL)
Nelson (NE)
Obama
Pryor
Reed
Rockefeller
Salazar
Sanders
Schumer
Stabenow
Tester
Webb
Whitehouse
Wyden
NAYS-47
Alexander
Allard
Bennett
Bond
Brownback
Bunning
Burr
Chambliss
Coburn
Cochran
Corker
Cornyn
Craig
Crapo
DeMint
Dole
Domenici
Ensign
Enzi
Graham
Grassley
Gregg
Hagel
Hatch
Hutchison
Inhofe
Isakson
Kyl
Lieberman
Lott
Lugar
McConnell
Murkowski
Reid
Roberts
Sessions
Shelby
Smith
Snowe
Specter
Stevens
Sununu
Thomas
Thune
Vitter
Voinovich
Warner
NOT VOTING-4
Johnson
Landrieu
Martinez
McCain
The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this
vote, the yeas are 49, the nays are 47.
Three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen
and sworn not having voted in the
affirmative, the motion is rejected.
The majority leader is recognized.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I enter a
motion to reconsider that vote.
----------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #18 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 6:47 am PT...
Then everybody ought to read Alexander ****burn's article in The
Nation "Who Can Stop The War." Let's get it right folks!
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COMMENT #19 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 7:07 am PT...
Hey Dredd
seems like your into science too. Check out this article:
Before The Big Bang
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COMMENT #20 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 7:16 am PT...
I don't want to get in trouble for reposting the above so here's that link:
It's in black and white, read for yourself!
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COMMENT #21 [Permalink]
.... Dredd said on 2/6/2007 @ 7:17 am PT...
Ancient #17
I adjusted what I saw as a typo. Reid, the democratic leader, voted
"Yea" instead of "Nay".
Here is an article that catches the true nature of the lead up to the
vote and the vote itself:
Today's vote was absolutely WOEFUL. It makes me ashamed of the Senate.
I worked for that institution for six and a half years. It was always
the place of reason and debate. Today, debate was silenced. It's
tragic. It's what Republicans are all about.
(The Shameful Senate).
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COMMENT #22 [Permalink]
.... Dave said on 2/6/2007 @ 7:33 am PT...
With the exception of only a few, our two parties are duplicitous in a
false left-right paradigm. The level of bi-partisan hand-holding
beyond public scrutiny should be relegated to the center-ring and
viewed as professional wrestling. The good clown - bad clown Punch and
Judy show that these demonic marionettes preform daily would be
threatre of the absurd if so many innocent weren't dying.
Woody Allen stated in a film, "That he was once Hebrew but, has since
converted to narcissism". I think that pretty well says it all about
our power structure and who is in control.
If we don't stop these neo-pagans and insane Zionists soon, nuclear
war is our future.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #23 [Permalink]
.... Dredd said on 2/6/2007 @ 7:34 am PT...
Ancient #19
Science. An abstract concept, yet quite useful. I say abstract to
emphasize, as your link does, that what is practiced is not always
what is preached. Think of the millions of science textbooks that are
at first worshipped then thrown into the trash and hated when a new
fact enters the picture. (that may be why textbook companies like to
invest in research) A sort of scholarly planned obsolescence.
A current story shows that science, which is what astronauts are
expert at, does not change a person such that the person is immune
from emotions and other essences which militate against science:
Nowak --- who was a mission specialist on a Space Shuttle Discovery
flight last summer --- was wearing a trench coat and wig and had a
knife, BB pistol, and latex gloves in her car, reports show. They also
found diapers, which Nowak said she used so she wouldn't have to stop
on the 1,000-mile drive. Reports show that after U.S. Air Force Capt.
Colleen Shipman's flight arrived, Nowak followed her to the airport's
Blue Lot for long-term parking, tried to get into Shipman's car and
then doused her with pepper spray.
(Sexy Science and Astronauts).
Feingold is showing us that political science likewise does not offer
immunity from the plagues upon the human mind, such as inflamatory
rhetoric posing as fair factual comment.
I mean it does not take political rocket science (or even an
electronic voting machine) to count a hundred votes.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #24 [Permalink]
.... Dredd said on 2/6/2007 @ 7:52 am PT...
Speaking of political science, and Feingold's mastery of it or the
lack thereof, note that the science of psychology may experience the
benefits that Ted Haggard brought to political science (stumping for
republicans) as Pastor Ted.
He is now saying that he has been cleansed and is heterosexual and
that his years long homosexual behavior while a pastor preaching fire
and brimstone against homosexuals ... has faded away.
He is studying psychology with this wife in an online college
somewhere.
Hell, why doesn't he just run for senator as soon as he becomes an
ePsychologist ... those he helped get erected into the republican
ranks would filibuster along with him.
They could vote "Yahoo" instead of "Yea" or "Ney", and it would be a
big bang of sorts.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #25 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 8:15 am PT...
Dredd
Thanks for correcting the Reid vote, didn't catch that. And your
comment about text book companies is true enough when you know that
those companies are basically Repub owned. Reminds me of the phrase,
its not about what actually happened but who gets to write what
happened.
Your astonaut comparison is also quite to the point. (I was just
reading a similar article.) I'm just hoping Feingold was trying to
steele Dems resolve to keep pushing in this situation. But, that's why
I'd have Gore as Prez and Feingold as Vice.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #26 [Permalink]
.... GrannyB said on 2/6/2007 @ 8:23 am PT...
What's MISSING in this entire discourse is the REAL REASON our
Congressionals can't or WON'T actually DO anything to strongarm Bush
into bringing the troops home:
CHECKOUT http://www.wrmea.com/arc...es/june2003/0306036.html
and weep!
You will find out that everyone of our "Heroes" and Biggies -from BOTH
parties, has taken Bribe Money from AIPAC (I know, but that's what it
amounts to!) Note especially the amounts the ones on the Defense
Committee get, like McConnell, Biden, Warner, Collins, Hillery, Durbin
and especially Carl Levin!
Then ask yourself why none of them has the backbone to stand against
Bush's war, let alone one that Israel wants for its own advantage!
-------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #27 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 8:29 am PT...
GREAT STUFF DREDD, KEEP ON GOING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #28 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 8:35 am PT...
Well, if that ain't the definitive list! Thanks GrannyB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #29 [Permalink]
.... Sandy said on 2/6/2007 @ 9:07 am PT...
Did anyone notice that McCain did not vote.Why not?
----------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #30 [Permalink]
.... Robert said on 2/6/2007 @ 9:12 am PT...
Any senator can be critical of his colleagues during a conference call
to a blogger. That's no distinction. What is needed is for a senator
to be critical of these people to their face, publicly, and
officially.
------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #31 [Permalink]
.... texaslady said on 2/6/2007 @ 9:29 am PT...
Ok - what happened to Hagel, Smith, Graham, Warner who have all come
out against the escalation? Seems like all talk and no walk to me. The
majority of Americans are for a discussion and these wimps crawl into
a hole.
I can understand Landriu she is trying to pry the promised money out
of the hands for war to help her state but why the others?
How can one party hate another so much they will consign more of our
soldiers to death? How many have to die for this administration?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #32 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 9:31 am PT...
Someone PLEASE tell me is campaign finance even on the horizon at this point?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #33 [Permalink]
.... Agent 99 said on 2/6/2007 @ 9:34 am PT...
The apocalypse is on the horizon, big as heck.
These ****s are keeping us busy while the administration starts World
War Three.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #34 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 9:35 am PT...
.....reform that is!
------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #35 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 9:55 am PT...
Very true 99, but that's why I think Feingold is moving in the right
direction, especially in light of what GrannyB posted.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Brad Friedman
www.BradBlog.com
BLOGGED BY Brad ON 2/5/2007 5:16PM
BREAKING: Feingold Excoriates Fellow Democrats for Failing to 'Play
Hardball' to End Iraq War
During Conference Call with Bloggers, the Wisconsin Senator Highly
Critical of Colleagues, 'Washington Insiders' and Even John Edwards
for 'Playing it Safe on This One'
Says 'Dems Trying to Have it Both Ways' While 'Americans are Dying
Unnecessarily'...
Blogged by Brad Friedman from Phoenix, AZ...
In a conference call with several bloggers concluded moments ago,
Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) had a number of harsh words concerning
today's procedural bickering and fillibustering by Republicans in the
Senate, which stifled both votes on his own legislation to end the
Iraq War as well as amendments offered by other lawmakers to several
non-binding resolutions that also failed to come to the floor for a
full vote.
Feingold's remarks were highly critical not just of the Republicans,
but even moreso of his own Democratic caucus colleagues, "Washington
insider consultants," and even former Senatorial
colleague-turned-presidential candidate John Edwards, for failing to
take a tough stand to end the war in Iraq.
In a passionate, thirty-minute call, Feingold stressed, "This is an
important moment to see if we're gonna try and end this war. Frankly,
I'm disappointed that Democrats are playing it safe on this one."
"We need to play hardball on this. We're gonna have to take the lead
on this issue and we're gonna need to tie this place up as long as it
takes," he said in describing what he sees as a fear and timidity in
his colleagues who now hold a slight majority in the Senate...
"The problem is a whole lot of middle-of-the-road Democrats who refuse
to pull the trigger, who refuse to do what needs to be done," Feingold
stressed. "Even people who voted against the war" seem afraid, he
explained. "It requires courage. It requires brinksmanship."
As we previously reported last Spring, after a bloggers' lunch with
Feingold in Los Angeles, the progressive third-term Senator continues
to place a great deal of blame for the failure to act among his
colleagues on the "Washington insiders, particularly from the previous
administration...who say if you're going to take a tough stand,
they're going to tear you apart."
He said the advice of the "media consultants" and "power structure in
Washington" has led fellow Democrats to believe they'll be criticized
if they withhold funding for a war they previously supported. Those
same insiders, he explained, previously supported the war and are now
scared to death about what would happen if their clients --- many of
whom who have now admitted their initial support for the war was a
mistake --- now took a tough stand to undo that mistake.
"They want their cake and to eat it too since they voted for the war.
They're trying to have it both ways. That has to end because Americans
are dying unnecessarily. Too many of my colleagues are trying to
massage this and have it both ways. That has to end."
Feingold was also critical of John Edwards who, he says, has been
"masquerading" as a critic of the war, but whose proposal so far only
calls for refusing to fund the proposed Bush troop escalation in Iraq.
Even he, Feingold said, fails in his rhetoric to call for withdrawal
and a full defunding of the current debacle.
In response to our query about whether or not the Democrats might
"call for a straight up or down vote" on some of these matters, as had
been demanded by Republicans during similarly contentious matters
while they owned the majority, Feingold said that's a possibility that
he hopes Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) would consider.
Expressing a mix of both praise and criticism for the Majority
Leader's handling of the matter, Feingold acknowledged "some problems
with the way [Reid] has handled this," but says "he's a tough guy" and
he's been "impressed" by him. He hoped that after today's session Reid
might "go home and think over what they did to us today" and consider
doing something like that.
In response to a question from Firedoglake's Christy Hardin Smith,
asking how bloggers and citizens might help in his fight, Feingold
urged folks to call their Congress Members to demand tough action in
hopes that it might give them the backbone to do the right thing.
"Call your members and demand a timeline to withdraw the troops and
withhold funding after that," he urged.
"I can't go home knowing that there are Wisconsin men and women who
are going to die unnecessarily because we refused to do the right
thing," the Senator concluded near the end of the early-evening call.
READER COMMENTS ON
COMMENT #1 [Permalink]
.... Diane said on 2/5/2007 @ 7:39 pm PT...
I would like the names of the Dems who are "playing it safe"...and any
Repugs we might be able to sway. I call various reps around the
country at least three times a week (800 828-0498)...But often feel I
could do a better job if specific people need to be targeted.
Names please?...Anyone?
Senator Feingold if you should read this please make it easier to help
you by providing a list of names that would enable us to use our
limited time more wisely.
----------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #2 [Permalink]
.... Ram said on 2/5/2007 @ 7:45 pm PT...
To the Dems in office:
The repugs got voted out of office for a reason --- wishy washy
weakness. They folded to party interests, corporate interests, the war
agenda, group-think, and greed.
Grow a spine or get booted out the same way as your predecessors.
----------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #3 [Permalink]
.... Lindy said on 2/5/2007 @ 8:55 pm PT...
Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Susan Collins (R-ME)
Norm Coleman (R-MN)
John Cornyn (R-TX)
Larry Craig (R-ID)
Elizabeth Dole (R-NC)
Pete Domenici (R-NM)
Mike Enzi (R-WY)
Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Pat Roberts (R-KS)
Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
Gordon Smith (R-OR)
Ted Stevens (R-AK)
John Sununu (R-NH)
John Warner (R-VA)
All up for election in 2008
But then there's the clown Lie-berman, voting sooo happily with the
republicans. Just forced himself into office, of course.
I dearly love Feingold and Jim Webb. We can speak their names with
pride.
--------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #4 [Permalink]
.... JPentz in Maryland said on 2/5/2007 @ 9:35 pm PT...
I would like a list of the spineless dems.
I know Mikulski has a spine, sort of. Well she is mad at Bush too.
--------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #5 [Permalink]
.... Lindy said on 2/5/2007 @ 11:50 pm PT...
CORRECTION: (I later read my previous info was a bit off):
Norm Coleman (R) and Susan Collins (R) voted "Yes"
and Mary Landrieu (D) did not vote.
I verified this was verified at:
http://www.senate.gov/le...session=1&vote=00044
--------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #6 [Permalink]
.... Paul said on 2/6/2007 @ 12:54 am PT...
And please note that Bush is attempting to cut Medicare and Medicaid
to help pay for his illegal war. He wants to put some of the burden on
the backs of elderly and poor, while the fat cats sacrifice nothing.
This should be well emphasized so that the applicable voters (like the
large number of Medicare-recipient voters) are well aware of it.
---------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #7 [Permalink]
.... Larry Bergan said on 2/6/2007 @ 1:09 am PT...
Feingold for majority leader!
He's absolutely right on the money. This is not the time for
bipartisanship or strategizing. The time has come to give the
Republicans hell.
I want to see one of those brush-ups right on the floor of the senate
until these bullies back down. They started it and they've been asking
for it. I guarantee you, the American people and the world would love it.
Our anger is REAL. We have the moral high ground. We can't lose!
----------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #8 [Permalink]
.... Larry Bergan said on 2/6/2007 @ 1:15 am PT...
I'd like to see Feingold in the boxing ring with Reid.
Reid used to box professionally but I'll bet Russ could kick his wimpy
ass all over the mall!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #9 [Permalink]
.... Larry Bergan said on 2/6/2007 @ 1:17 am PT...
YEeeaaah!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #10 [Permalink]
.... bvac said on 2/6/2007 @ 2:08 am PT...
If Russ Feingold jumped off a bridge, I'd jump off two.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #11 [Permalink]
.... Dredd said on 2/6/2007 @ 4:50 am PT...
Fiengold is full of ****. It was the republicans who said they would
get out of the rubber stamp habit and allow a debate on the anti-Iraq
war resolution.
Do you just believe anything anyone says?
The vote was 49-47 and two republicans kept their word and voted for
the debate.
Lieberman is not a democrat, he is a DINO in some things, but he is a
neoCon when it comes to war. He favors the war in all its gory
"glory".
List the democrats and republicans who voted not to have the debate.
Then complain about the party who has the most members that do not
even want to debate it.
What hogwash Fiengold is putting out!
----------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #12 [Permalink]
.... Will F said on 2/6/2007 @ 5:18 am PT...
The 'fake' opposition is angry about the 'surge' a.k.a. 'The 10%
solution'. Currently, approximately 200,000 soldiers fight for
'democracy' in Iraq [roughly US troops + foriegn troops + paid
mercenaries (i.e. Blackwater)]. So, the President's solution is to add
10% more (20,000 troops). Even assuming these extra troops perform
100% efficient, things will merely get 10% better in Iraq. Will 10% be
worth the continuing carnage of American soldiers? Don't look to the
Democrats for help. They will sit idly by as they did when the gov't
suspended habeas corpus, opened mail, banned the novel "America
Deceived" from Amazon, stole private lands, conducted illegal
wire-taps and continues wars in the Middle East based on a false-flag
event known as 9/11. If the Democrats (including Feingold) cannot stop
the current 10% increase in this war, then they will never stop 100%
of this war.
Only remaining link (until the gov't pulls the novel off Google Books):
America Deceived (book)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #13 [Permalink]
.... Pete Bogs said on 2/6/2007 @ 5:49 am PT...
Feingold is one of the few who have a pair in DC... I can't believe so
many people were not willing to go along with this resolution,
especially since it is a symbolic, non-binding one... come on, folks,
the blood of Americans is on your hands...
-------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #14 [Permalink]
.... Dredd said on 2/6/2007 @ 5:50 am PT...
Feingold is from lofty Wisconsin, way up north, and evidently he sees
himself as being free from the problems of the rest of us as a result
of being that high up? No, Winconsin has a legal legacy where they
have even persecuted scientists based on the race of the scientist:
Academic doors were often closed to him, and one company in Wisconsin
decided not to hire him because of an ordinance forbidding blacks from
staying overnight within city limits.
(The Forgotten Genius).
If they will screw up hard science over racism, they will screw up
political science too. And this is what is being done by falsely
framing the fillibuster on the Iraq debate as a sigh of democratic
weakness. CLUE: the dems did not filibuster, the republicans did.
Let him tell us about the senate fillibuster the republicans used to
prevent a debate, the same fillibuster the republicans threatened to
do away with in the 109th congress if the minority dems then used it.
Let him also sprinkle in a little discussion about hypocrisy as well
.... only this time try doing it with the facts in hand.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #15 [Permalink]
.... Dredd said on 2/6/2007 @ 6:20 am PT...
Lindy #3
Of your list of senate republicans who are up for re-election in '08,
the senator from Maine, Susan Collins, and the senator from Minnesota,
Norm Coleman, are the only two republicans to vote "Yea", meaning stop
the filibuster and lets debate, for the first time, the Iraq war
escalation.
All the democrats who voted voted "Yea". So the democrats were unified
in their vote.
Republican senator John McCain was afraid to vote, because he is
watching the polls and the polls are against his neoCon position on
the escalation.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #16 [Permalink]
.... Dredd said on 2/6/2007 @ 6:26 am PT...
Here is the vote tally. A "Yea" means stop the republican filibuster
and debate the resolution, but a "Nay" means lets not debate the
escalation:
Akaka (D-HI), Yea
Baucus (D-MT), Yea
Bayh (D-IN), Yea
Biden (D-DE), Yea
Bingaman (D-NM), Yea
Boxer (D-CA), Yea
Brown (D-OH), Yea
Byrd (D-WV), Yea
Cantwell (D-WA), Yea
Cardin (D-MD), Yea
Carper (D-DE), Yea
Casey (D-PA), Yea
Clinton (D-NY), Yea
Conrad (D-ND), Yea
Dodd (D-CT), Yea
Dorgan (D-ND), Yea
Durbin (D-IL), Yea
Feingold (D-WI), Yea
Feinstein (D-CA), Yea
Harkin (D-IA), Yea
Inouye (D-HI), Yea
Johnson (D-SD), Not Voting
Kennedy (D-MA), Yea
Kerry (D-MA), Yea
Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea
Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Landrieu (D-LA), Not Voting
Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea
Leahy (D-VT), Yea
Levin (D-MI), Yea
Lincoln (D-AR), Yea
McCaskill (D-MO), Yea
Menendez (D-NJ), Yea
Mikulski (D-MD), Yea
Murray (D-WA), Yea
Nelson (D-FL), Yea
Nelson (D-NE), Yea
Obama (D-IL), Yea
Pryor (D-AR), Yea
Reed (D-RI), Yea
Reid (D-NV), Yea
Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea
Salazar (D-CO), Yea
Schumer (D-NY), Yea
Stabenow (D-MI), Yea
Tester (D-MT), Yea
Webb (D-VA), Yea
Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea
Wyden (D-OR), Yea
-------------------
Lieberman (I-CT), Nay
Sanders (I-VT), Yea
------------------
Alexander (R-TN), Nay
Allard (R-CO), Nay
Bennett (R-UT), Nay
Bond (R-MO), Nay
Brownback (R-KS), Nay
Bunning (R-KY), Nay
Burr (R-NC), Nay
Chambliss (R-GA), Nay
Coburn (R-OK), Nay
Cochran (R-MS), Nay
Coleman (R-MN), Yea
Collins (R-ME), Yea
Corker (R-TN), Nay
Cornyn (R-TX), Nay
Craig (R-ID), Nay
Crapo (R-ID), Nay
DeMint (R-SC), Nay
Dole (R-NC), Nay
Domenici (R-NM), Nay
Ensign (R-NV), Nay
Enzi (R-WY), Nay
Graham (R-SC), Nay
Grassley (R-IA), Nay
Gregg (R-NH), Nay
Hagel (R-NE), Nay
Hatch (R-UT), Nay
Hutchison (R-TX), Nay
Inhofe (R-OK), Nay
Isakson (R-GA), Nay
Kyl (R-AZ), Nay
Lott (R-MS), Nay
Lugar (R-IN), Nay
Martinez (R-FL), Not Voting
McCain (R-AZ), Not Voting
McConnell (R-KY), Nay
Murkowski (R-AK), Nay
Roberts (R-KS), Nay
Sessions (R-AL), Nay
Shelby (R-AL), Nay
Smith (R-OR), Nay
Snowe (R-ME), Nay
Specter (R-PA), Nay
Stevens (R-AK), Nay
Sununu (R-NH), Nay
Thomas (R-WY), Nay
Thune (R-SD), Nay
Vitter (R-LA), Nay
Voinovich (R-OH), Nay
Warner (R-VA), Nay
One democrat did not vote because he is in the hospital. Note that
republican senator Warner voted not to allow a debate and vote on his
own resolution which said the president's policy is wrong.
------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENT #17 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 6:40 am PT...
I'm with ya Dredd! Here's my version of the same.
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE S1566 February 5, 2007
Iraq Study Group said. That is what all
people say, with rare exception. Those
are the people holding hands with the
President.
We must heed the results of the November
elections and the wishes of the
American people. We must change
course, and this change starts with this
next vote.
This side-Democrats-have offered
the minority everything they have
asked for. Remember: Vote on Warner,
vote on McCain; you want a simple majority;
you want a supermajority; we
will go along with that. We have been
fair to them. Now the Senate must be
fair to our troops, their families, and
the American people. We must proceed
with a debate about Iraq and send a
clear message to President Bush that
escalation is not the answer.
Some say let the leaders work it out.
Part of this stall has been a stall for
obvious reasons. If not tonight, tomorrow?
I must file a motion to invoke
cloture on the continuing resolution
because the Republicans said they are
going to filibuster it. I have gotten letters
to that effect. We should have been
debating the Warner, McCain resolutions
today, but they have not allowed
us. They wouldn't allow us to proceed
on this matter.
I am telling everyone within the
sound of my voice, a decision will have
to be made whether to go further than
tonight, but the time is very tenuous-
very tenuous. If they stop us from
going forward on this debate, this does
not end the debate on Iraq. It may end
the debate for a few days or a few
weeks, but, remember, we have the 9/11
Commission recommendations coming
and that is open to amendment and I
can guarantee everybody there will be
Iraq amendments involved in that debate.
The supplemental bill is coming.
This is to fund the war in Iraq basically
more than $100 billion. I think
there will probably very likely be a
number of amendments dealing with
Iraq.
They can run, but they can't hide. We
are going to debate Iraq, and they may
have gotten all their folks to vote
against the motion to proceed, they
may stop us temporarily from debating
the escalation, but they are not going
to stop us from debating Iraq.
We have lost 3,100 soldiers, sailors,
and marines. They are dead, Madam
President. We don't know the exact
number of how many have been wounded-
24,000, 25,000.
We are not going to allow the situation
in Iraq to continue. It is wrong.
There can be no military solution. The
President has been told that. I think it
speaks volumes when he meets with
the Iraqi Prime Minister who is elected,
and the Iraqi Prime Minister says:
Mr. President of the United States, get
all American soldiers out of Baghdad.
That's what he said. I think it speaks
volumes when military commanders
say that it is not the way to go. We
know what Casey said. His tune has
changed a little bit since he was relieved
of duty over there.
The families of the 3,100 soldiers who
have been killed, the families of the
24,000, 25,000 who have been wounded
demand we go forward with this debate.
We are going to start voting momentarily,
and remember what the vote is.
The vote is whether we can proceed to
debate the escalation of the war in
Iraq. And the Republicans have told everybody
they are all going to vote no.
If they think this can pop up real easily
again, I think they may have another
thing coming.
I repeat, the Republicans left town
and left the Government without adequate
resources to go ahead and complete
funding of the Federal Government
for this year. We have to take up
the work they did not complete. They
funded the Government until February
15, and now it is up to us to make sure
the Government continues to run.
If they want to pull a Newt Gingrich
and close down the Government, that
is their responsibility. But I believe we
should move forward and make sure
the Government is funded, and there is
not a lot of time for Iraq. That is a sad
commentary on the situation because
we lost days as a result of these parliamentary
delays.
I ask unanimous consent that if we
get to third reading of S. 470 it then be
turned into a concurrent resolution
and passage occur on the concurrent
resolution and not S. 470. Before hearing
how anybody feels about this, I said
last week that we would be happy to
consider this bill as a resolution. Everybody
heard me say that. The American
people heard me say that. So anybody
who tries to hide under a procedural
vote because this is a bill and not
a resolution is not being fair because
simply I have stated-and I know that
everyone in this Chamber heard me say
this, and I have said it many times-I
ask unanimous consent that if we get
to third reading of S. 470, that it be
turned into a concurrent resolution
and that passage occur on the concurrent
resolution and not S. 470.
I add another unanimous consent request
to this. I am willing to change it
to a concurrent resolution right now,
as I was willing to do last week.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there
objection?
Mr. MCCONNELL. Reserving the
right to object, this is essentially the
same unanimous consent request propounded
last Thursday night. This
matter ought to be dealt with as a concurrent
resolution. It is clear the other
side does not want to vote on the Gregg
amendment. Therefore, I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection
is heard.
CLOTURE MOTION
Under the previous order, pursuant to
rule XXII, the Chair lays before the
Senate the pending cloture motion,
which the clerk will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
CLOTURE MOTION
We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance
with the provisions of rule 22 of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby
move to bring to a close the debate on the
motion to proceed to Calendar No. 19, S. 470,
Bipartisan Iraq legislation.
Carl Levin, Joe Biden, Ken Salazar,
Harry Reid, Pat Leahy, Sherrod Brown,
Patty Murray, Robert Menendez, John
F. Kerry, Barbara Mikulski, Dick Durbin,
Jack Reed, Tom Harkin, Dianne
Feinstein, Bill Nelson, H.R. Clinton,
Herb Kohl, Ben Nelson.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unanimous
consent, the mandatory quorum
call has been waived.
The question is, Is it the sense of the
Senate that debate on the motion to
proceed to S. 470, a bill to express the
sense of the Congress on Iraq, shall be
brought to a close?
The yeas and nays are mandatory
under the rule.
The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk called the roll.
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the
Senator from South Dakota (Mr. JOHNSON)
and the Senator from Louisiana
(Ms. LANDRIEU), are necessarily absent.
Mr. LOTT. The following Senators
were necessarily absent: the Senator
from Florida (Mr. MARTINEZ) and the
Senator from Arizona (Mr. MCCAIN).
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
SANDERS). Are there any other Senators
in the Chamber desiring to vote?
The yeas and nays resulted-yeas 49,
nays 47, as follows:
[Rollcall Vote No. 44 Leg.]
YEAS-49
Akaka
Baucus
Bayh
Biden
Bingaman
Boxer
Brown
Byrd
Cantwell
Cardin
Carper
Casey
Clinton
Coleman
Collins
Conrad
Dodd
Dorgan
Durbin
Feingold
Feinstein
Harkin
Inouye
Kennedy
Kerry
Klobuchar
Kohl
Lautenberg
Leahy
Levin
Lincoln
McCaskill
Menendez
Mikulski
Murray
Nelson (FL)
Nelson (NE)
Obama
Pryor
Reed
Rockefeller
Salazar
Sanders
Schumer
Stabenow
Tester
Webb
Whitehouse
Wyden
NAYS-47
Alexander
Allard
Bennett
Bond
Brownback
Bunning
Burr
Chambliss
Coburn
Cochran
Corker
Cornyn
Craig
Crapo
DeMint
Dole
Domenici
Ensign
Enzi
Graham
Grassley
Gregg
Hagel
Hatch
Hutchison
Inhofe
Isakson
Kyl
Lieberman
Lott
Lugar
McConnell
Murkowski
Reid
Roberts
Sessions
Shelby
Smith
Snowe
Specter
Stevens
Sununu
Thomas
Thune
Vitter
Voinovich
Warner
NOT VOTING-4
Johnson
Landrieu
Martinez
McCain
The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this
vote, the yeas are 49, the nays are 47.
Three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen
and sworn not having voted in the
affirmative, the motion is rejected.
The majority leader is recognized.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I enter a
motion to reconsider that vote.
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COMMENT #18 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 6:47 am PT...
Then everybody ought to read Alexander ****burn's article in The
Nation "Who Can Stop The War." Let's get it right folks!
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COMMENT #19 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 7:07 am PT...
Hey Dredd
seems like your into science too. Check out this article:
Before The Big Bang
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COMMENT #20 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 7:16 am PT...
I don't want to get in trouble for reposting the above so here's that link:
It's in black and white, read for yourself!
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COMMENT #21 [Permalink]
.... Dredd said on 2/6/2007 @ 7:17 am PT...
Ancient #17
I adjusted what I saw as a typo. Reid, the democratic leader, voted
"Yea" instead of "Nay".
Here is an article that catches the true nature of the lead up to the
vote and the vote itself:
Today's vote was absolutely WOEFUL. It makes me ashamed of the Senate.
I worked for that institution for six and a half years. It was always
the place of reason and debate. Today, debate was silenced. It's
tragic. It's what Republicans are all about.
(The Shameful Senate).
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COMMENT #22 [Permalink]
.... Dave said on 2/6/2007 @ 7:33 am PT...
With the exception of only a few, our two parties are duplicitous in a
false left-right paradigm. The level of bi-partisan hand-holding
beyond public scrutiny should be relegated to the center-ring and
viewed as professional wrestling. The good clown - bad clown Punch and
Judy show that these demonic marionettes preform daily would be
threatre of the absurd if so many innocent weren't dying.
Woody Allen stated in a film, "That he was once Hebrew but, has since
converted to narcissism". I think that pretty well says it all about
our power structure and who is in control.
If we don't stop these neo-pagans and insane Zionists soon, nuclear
war is our future.
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COMMENT #23 [Permalink]
.... Dredd said on 2/6/2007 @ 7:34 am PT...
Ancient #19
Science. An abstract concept, yet quite useful. I say abstract to
emphasize, as your link does, that what is practiced is not always
what is preached. Think of the millions of science textbooks that are
at first worshipped then thrown into the trash and hated when a new
fact enters the picture. (that may be why textbook companies like to
invest in research) A sort of scholarly planned obsolescence.
A current story shows that science, which is what astronauts are
expert at, does not change a person such that the person is immune
from emotions and other essences which militate against science:
Nowak --- who was a mission specialist on a Space Shuttle Discovery
flight last summer --- was wearing a trench coat and wig and had a
knife, BB pistol, and latex gloves in her car, reports show. They also
found diapers, which Nowak said she used so she wouldn't have to stop
on the 1,000-mile drive. Reports show that after U.S. Air Force Capt.
Colleen Shipman's flight arrived, Nowak followed her to the airport's
Blue Lot for long-term parking, tried to get into Shipman's car and
then doused her with pepper spray.
(Sexy Science and Astronauts).
Feingold is showing us that political science likewise does not offer
immunity from the plagues upon the human mind, such as inflamatory
rhetoric posing as fair factual comment.
I mean it does not take political rocket science (or even an
electronic voting machine) to count a hundred votes.
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COMMENT #24 [Permalink]
.... Dredd said on 2/6/2007 @ 7:52 am PT...
Speaking of political science, and Feingold's mastery of it or the
lack thereof, note that the science of psychology may experience the
benefits that Ted Haggard brought to political science (stumping for
republicans) as Pastor Ted.
He is now saying that he has been cleansed and is heterosexual and
that his years long homosexual behavior while a pastor preaching fire
and brimstone against homosexuals ... has faded away.
He is studying psychology with this wife in an online college
somewhere.
Hell, why doesn't he just run for senator as soon as he becomes an
ePsychologist ... those he helped get erected into the republican
ranks would filibuster along with him.
They could vote "Yahoo" instead of "Yea" or "Ney", and it would be a
big bang of sorts.
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COMMENT #25 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 8:15 am PT...
Dredd
Thanks for correcting the Reid vote, didn't catch that. And your
comment about text book companies is true enough when you know that
those companies are basically Repub owned. Reminds me of the phrase,
its not about what actually happened but who gets to write what
happened.
Your astonaut comparison is also quite to the point. (I was just
reading a similar article.) I'm just hoping Feingold was trying to
steele Dems resolve to keep pushing in this situation. But, that's why
I'd have Gore as Prez and Feingold as Vice.
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COMMENT #26 [Permalink]
.... GrannyB said on 2/6/2007 @ 8:23 am PT...
What's MISSING in this entire discourse is the REAL REASON our
Congressionals can't or WON'T actually DO anything to strongarm Bush
into bringing the troops home:
CHECKOUT http://www.wrmea.com/arc...es/june2003/0306036.html
and weep!
You will find out that everyone of our "Heroes" and Biggies -from BOTH
parties, has taken Bribe Money from AIPAC (I know, but that's what it
amounts to!) Note especially the amounts the ones on the Defense
Committee get, like McConnell, Biden, Warner, Collins, Hillery, Durbin
and especially Carl Levin!
Then ask yourself why none of them has the backbone to stand against
Bush's war, let alone one that Israel wants for its own advantage!
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COMMENT #27 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 8:29 am PT...
GREAT STUFF DREDD, KEEP ON GOING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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COMMENT #28 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 8:35 am PT...
Well, if that ain't the definitive list! Thanks GrannyB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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COMMENT #29 [Permalink]
.... Sandy said on 2/6/2007 @ 9:07 am PT...
Did anyone notice that McCain did not vote.Why not?
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COMMENT #30 [Permalink]
.... Robert said on 2/6/2007 @ 9:12 am PT...
Any senator can be critical of his colleagues during a conference call
to a blogger. That's no distinction. What is needed is for a senator
to be critical of these people to their face, publicly, and
officially.
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COMMENT #31 [Permalink]
.... texaslady said on 2/6/2007 @ 9:29 am PT...
Ok - what happened to Hagel, Smith, Graham, Warner who have all come
out against the escalation? Seems like all talk and no walk to me. The
majority of Americans are for a discussion and these wimps crawl into
a hole.
I can understand Landriu she is trying to pry the promised money out
of the hands for war to help her state but why the others?
How can one party hate another so much they will consign more of our
soldiers to death? How many have to die for this administration?
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COMMENT #32 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 9:31 am PT...
Someone PLEASE tell me is campaign finance even on the horizon at this point?
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COMMENT #33 [Permalink]
.... Agent 99 said on 2/6/2007 @ 9:34 am PT...
The apocalypse is on the horizon, big as heck.
These ****s are keeping us busy while the administration starts World
War Three.
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COMMENT #34 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 9:35 am PT...
.....reform that is!
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COMMENT #35 [Permalink]
.... Ancient said on 2/6/2007 @ 9:55 am PT...
Very true 99, but that's why I think Feingold is moving in the right
direction, especially in light of what GrannyB posted.
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Brad Friedman
www.BradBlog.com
