What can the Dems do to change the course in Iraq?

[sundevil777 102]

Glenn Beck brought up a good point this morning. Howard Dean yesterday admitted that they can't change anything in Iraq without pres. Bush going along with it, unless they are willing to withhold funding. Not surprisingly, they didn't say that before the election.

So, what can they now do different to make a course correction that they couldn't do when they didn't have a majority in both houses of congress? They can make suggestions for new strategy, but are in no more powerful a position to force it to happen unless they withhold funding.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[warpedskydiver 0]

Nothing will change except who is in power in congress.

SSDD

[beowulf 1]

I really don't think it matters which party is in office or controls the Senate and the House. They are all still politicians.

[mnealtx 0]

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Howard Dean yesterday admitted that they can't change anything in Iraq without pres. Bush going along with it, unless they are willing to withhold funding. Not surprisingly, they didn't say that before the election.

They did...but you never saw it outside on the mainstream news... I wonder why?

Lou, GQ, Matt, Trauma... all you guys out on the sharp end... I'm sorry.

For the rest of us... I suppose we'll see if we truly "get the government we deserve".

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[kallend 2,150]

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Glenn Beck brought up a good point this morning. Howard Dean yesterday admitted that they can't change anything in Iraq without pres. Bush going along with it, unless they are willing to withhold funding. Not surprisingly, they didn't say that before the election.

So, what can they now do different to make a course correction that they couldn't do when they didn't have a majority in both houses of congress? They can make suggestions for new strategy, but are in no more powerful a position to force it to happen unless they withhold funding.

Why does that matter?

The FACT is that the voters have expressed dissatisfaction with the way Bushco has been running things. That is a very important message to give. It's called "accountability".

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[warpedskydiver 0]

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Glenn Beck brought up a good point this morning. Howard Dean yesterday admitted that they can't change anything in Iraq without pres. Bush going along with it, unless they are willing to withhold funding. Not surprisingly, they didn't say that before the election.

So, what can they now do different to make a course correction that they couldn't do when they didn't have a majority in both houses of congress? They can make suggestions for new strategy, but are in no more powerful a position to force it to happen unless they withhold funding.

Why does that matter?

The FACT is that the voters have expressed dissatisfaction with the way Bushco has been running things. That is a very important message to give. It's called "accountability".

John you are making huge assumptions as to why each voter cast his or her ballot for any candidate.

[rehmwa 2]

I think there a few examples though that the inference is very clear. When a Rep governor with VERY high approval ratings and a platform practically identical to his dem opposition still loses the race, you have to say that the issue was about changing the balance of power. (this is just a hypothetical example - perhaps in a New England state )

I'm excited, a mixed congress, a lame duck president,..... hopefully they get so busy infighting that nothing happens in the next 2 years at least. And if it does, it's because it's so important that everybody has to agree enough to get past partisanship.....

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[sundevil777 102]

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Glenn Beck brought up a good point this morning. Howard Dean yesterday admitted that they can't change anything in Iraq without pres. Bush going along with it, unless they are willing to withhold funding. Not surprisingly, they didn't say that before the election.

So, what can they now do different to make a course correction that they couldn't do when they didn't have a majority in both houses of congress? They can make suggestions for new strategy, but are in no more powerful a position to force it to happen unless they withhold funding.

Why does that matter?

The FACT is that the voters have expressed dissatisfaction with the way Bushco has been running things. That is a very important message to give. It's called "accountability".

I think it matters because the Dems said that they would chart a new direction in the war, a change of course. I'm now just saying that their majority in congress doesn't give the Dems the ability to do that anymore than they could before. It really was amazing the way that Howard Dean admitted they were powerless to make a change. That admission would not have helped his party win the election, there is no way he would have admitted that before, so that is why it is important.

If Bush sees the election as a message from the voters that he must change, then it will happen. This is similar to what Arnold did in California when his initiatives failed.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[rehmwa 2]

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I think it matters because the Dems said that they would chart a new direction in the war, a change of course. I'm now just saying that their majority in congress doesn't give the Dems the ability to do that anymore than they could before. ....... why it is important.

Well, if they say they'll chart a new direction, and they don't, then I know a few people here that'll have issues with the hyposcrisy of it.

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[kallend 2,150]

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I think it matters because the Dems said that they would chart a new direction in the war, a change of course. I'm now just saying that their majority in congress doesn't give the Dems the ability to do that anymore than they could before. ....... why it is important.

Well, if they say they'll chart a new direction, and they don't, then I know a few people here that'll have issues with the hyposcrisy of it.

Well, as our right wing friend said above, they can chart all they want (paraphrasing) but they can't do much without the CinC going along with it.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[rehmwa 2]

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they can chart all they want (paraphrasing) but they can't do much without the CinC going along with it

jeez, your heroes with only one day in the majority and already making excuses

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Gravitymaster 0]

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they can chart all they want (paraphrasing) but they can't do much without the CinC going along with it

jeez, your heroes with only one day in the majority and already making excuses

You're right. Most of the Dems who were elected were more conservative than liberal. I doubt Pelosico (I get credit for the name) is going to find it very easy to get much of her left-wing agenda through. I will enjoy sitting on the sidelines and criticizing everything Pelosico tries to do..

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[SkyDekker 1,465]

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John you are making huge assumptions as to why each voter cast his or her ballot for any candidate.

Rhode Island is interesting to look at in this regard.

[Zipp0 1]

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but are in no more powerful a position to force it to happen unless they withhold funding.

You answered your own question.

Read the Friedman OP-ED in the NYT online today (it's free this week). He has been hawkish on Iraq, as well as being a Pulitzer prize winning Middle East expert, and his outlook is very grim.

It's time to get our boys out of that cess pool and let them kill eachother.

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Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down.

[rehmwa 2]

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will enjoy sitting on the sidelines and criticizing everything Pelosico tries to do.

That's very democratic of you.

I'll sit back see 'what' they actually try to accomplish and praise and criticise as appropriate. Maybe it's unlikely, but the moderation of the Congress has the potential to get some things right.

More likely, it'll just be 'lame duck' for the next couple years.

But it's easier to try and be optimistic.

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Gravitymaster 0]

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will enjoy sitting on the sidelines and criticizing everything Pelosico tries to do.

That's very democratic of you.

I'll sit back see 'what' they actually try to accomplish and praise and criticise as appropriate. Maybe it's unlikely, but the moderation of the Congress has the potential to get some things right.

More likely, it'll just be 'lame duck' for the next couple years.

But it's easier to try and be optimistic.

Oh, I'll try to make it mostly constructive. Not the blatant personal attacks we've had to endure from the left for the past few years.

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[mnealtx 0]

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but are in no more powerful a position to force it to happen unless they withhold funding.

You answered your own question.

Read the Friedman OP-ED in the NYT online today (it's free this week). He has been hawkish on Iraq, as well as being a Pulitzer prize winning Middle East expert, and his outlook is very grim.

It's time to get our boys out of that cess pool and let them kill eachother.

Nice.. AQ will see the U.S. as being unwilling to fight, which will embolden them.

Hmm...that seems familiar... oh yes, it *IS* familiar, since that's how OBL saw the U.S. after Somalia...

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[billvon 3,119]

> I will enjoy sitting on the sidelines and criticizing everything Pelosico tries to do..

There's the hidden bonus for conservatives. They now have someone to blame for everything that goes wrong! Iraq war going poorly? It's the democrats! Out of control spending on the military? Democrats! Not enough spending on the military? Democrats!

[sundevil777 102]

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but are in no more powerful a position to force it to happen unless they withhold funding.

You answered your own question.

Read the Friedman OP-ED in the NYT online today (it's free this week). He has been hawkish on Iraq, as well as being a Pulitzer prize winning Middle East expert, and his outlook is very grim.

It's time to get our boys out of that cess pool and let them kill eachother.

Do you think the Dems will withhold funding?

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[Gravitymaster 0]

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> I will enjoy sitting on the sidelines and criticizing everything Pelosico tries to do..

There's the hidden bonus for conservatives. They now have someone to blame for everything that goes wrong! Iraq war going poorly? It's the democrats! Out of control spending on the military? Democrats! Not enough spending on the military? Democrats!

Hey, they claimed they would fix certain things. That's what they ran on, now it's time to put up. I will be anxiously awaiting their "Secret Plan" for Iraq.

My criticism won't contain the vitriol and hate that has come from the left the past few years.

BTW, love how the left starts trying to deflect criticism before it even starts.

Be careful what you ask for, you may get it.

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[mnealtx 0]

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BTW, love how the left starts trying to deflect criticism before it even starts.

Be careful what you ask for, you may get it.

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Like the "if we don't win, it's because the Republicans are cheating" press conferences last week?

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[NCclimber 0]

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> I will enjoy sitting on the sidelines and criticizing everything Pelosico tries to do..

There's the hidden bonus for conservatives. They now have someone to blame for everything that goes wrong! Iraq war going poorly? It's the democrats! Out of control spending on the military? Democrats! Not enough spending on the military? Democrats!

Hey, they claimed they would fix certain things. That's what they ran on, now it's time to put up. I will be anxiously awaiting their "Secret Plan" for Iraq.

My criticism won't contain the vitriol and hate that has come from the left the past few years.

I doubt most conservatives have any interest in dishing out the level of bitchin', whinin', moanin', hatin' we've been subjected to for the last six years. It just seemed so juvenile... so petty.

[idrankwhat 0]

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Glenn Beck brought up a good point this morning. Howard Dean yesterday admitted that they can't change anything in Iraq without pres. Bush going along with it, unless they are willing to withhold funding. Not surprisingly, they didn't say that before the election.

So, what can they now do different to make a course correction that they couldn't do when they didn't have a majority in both houses of congress? They can make suggestions for new strategy, but are in no more powerful a position to force it to happen unless they withhold funding.

First of all, when Beck does't wear a tie the foreskin pops up over his head.
That said, hopefully with a new Congress they'll actually start to debate alternatives. The alternatives posed by the Democrats were never even discussed and were simply labeled "cut and run" by the White House and the Republicans and the media simply repeated the catch phrases. I expect that there will be some changes. Some will come from the input that the Democrats will present and some will come from the right and the Bushies. I really believe that they would have changed course after this election even if the R's had held the House. Senator Warner made his own "cut and run" speech as did Baker's Iraq study group. Bush abandoned "stay the course" and went with "evolving tactics" so change was coming anyway. What it's going to look like, I have no idea. But lets hope that they actually try to talk about the issues and not revive the policy of personal attacks that plagued the 90's.
What I'd like to see personally is, not necessarily in this order:
1)Revisit campaign finance reform and shove the K street project up Norquist's ass.
2)Change the agenda so that we actually debate spending bills instead of things like Terri Schiavo. And in the process get the earmarks reduced from 15,800 to zero.
3)Get Pat Roberts to get off his ass and hold the hearings on part two of the 9/11 commission report.
4)Move the "war" on terror back into Afghanistan where it still is.
5) (my personal wish with no chance of realization) Tell Israel that the purse strings are in someone else's hands now and to quit with the crap or we're cutting them off cold.
6) Oh yea, a very public vote of "no confidence" for the Defense Secretary.

[kallend 2,150]

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they can chart all they want (paraphrasing) but they can't do much without the CinC going along with it

jeez, your heroes with only one day in the majority and already making excuses

Just agreeing with the guy on my right

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[kallend 2,150]

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I doubt Pelosico (I get credit for the name) -

Oh, you are SOooo clever. I bet you were a star in 3rd grade.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.