The Do Next-To-Nothing Congress
Today's 246 to 182 vote in the House, approving a non-binding resolution that "disapproves" of President Bush's escalation of the war in Iraq, is a fraud. And a cynical and shameless one at that.
This resolution is nothing more than a chance to give Congressional Democrats — and a handful of Republicans — a vehicle to claim that they voted for the war before they voted against it. Nothing makes a politician's day like having it both ways.
Bush is a war criminal who deserves to be impeached, convicted, and sent to prison, not handed a toothless and weak-kneed rebuke.
But impeachment is simply not on the table. The pretenders in Congress continue to care much too much about their own careers, and much too little about the cost of Bush's crimes in terms of American and Iraqi lives.
Comments
I disagree, abi. I think the non-binding resolution is an important first step in stopping this war. If they voted to defund the war right away, Dems would get hammered at the ballot box for the next 20 years by Rove's minions as deafeatists, pussies, cowards, etc. So they have to tread carefully. That said, you're right that the resolution is essentially meaningless. Except that it does register disapproval for a policy that is ALREADY showing signs of failing. Since they're already on record saying they disapprove of the policy and many Repubs are on record as supporting the policy, it's just another sign that the GOP is incompetent, out-of-touch with reality etc. I have a feeling that the Surge will be declared a failure before long and then the onus will be on the Repubs who voted to support the surge to show that they're more than a Rubber Stamp for the most unpopular preznut since Nixon. At that point, Dems can come along w/ a real proposal to end this fucking war and NOT get blamed for losing the war (as they did with Vietnam.) Ultimately it's not about saving political asses. It's about making sure the blame for this failed policy goes exactly where it belongs (w/ the admin and their GOP minions) so that these morons don't get to make unfettered policy again any time soon.
That's my take, at any rate.
Posted by: reality-based educator | February 20, 2007 10:35 AM
You may be right, Kvatch, but I don't give the Dems that much credit.
Posted by: abi | February 20, 2007 12:08 PM
I have to agree with RBE's opinion about the resolution being an important first step. I think the Dem's needed to make it a part of the historical record. That, combined with the polls that show people feel the war was a mistake, will serve to cement Bush's legacy as a failure.
I think I'm one of the few people against the war who is also against impeachment. My reasoning is that it would just deflect attention away from the problems that need to be worked on - and many of those issues revolve around Iraq and our soldiers. We had enough government girdlock during the Clinton years. Our soldiers deserve a government focused on them and their plight instead of the village idiots running this country.
Posted by: Kathy | February 20, 2007 07:32 PM
rbe, my apologies for the name error. ;-)
Kathy, I think it's a mistake not to impeach both Bush and Cheney. I can't imagine a more serious crime than fabricating reasons for starting a war. Impeachment (even if they're not convicted) will make the next set of village idiots think twice before doing something similar.
Posted by: abi | February 20, 2007 08:22 PM