tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28821987.post6695768155812052428..comments2023-12-30T21:07:49.487-07:00Comments on Arizona 8th: Mr. President, Ram It Down Their Throats!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28821987.post-64557980064035771052007-04-04T08:40:00.000-07:002007-04-04T08:40:00.000-07:00The difference, Mr. Bryan, is that Republicans act...The difference, Mr. Bryan, is that Republicans actually DO care when our representatives become Porkers. Does the name Ted Stevens ring a bell, Bridge to Nowhere? The fact that many Republicans became pork loving sycophants led heavily to Democratic gains last election, and not only due to Democratic voting. <BR/><BR/>We also try to get rid of crooks as well. How's the honorable William Jefferson doing?<BR/><BR/>If your tossing about the term hypocrite makes you feel better, then by all means. . . I suspect that tomorrow I will be a misogynistic racist Jesus freak. <BR/><BR/>I, however, am not making the argument that "If a billion dollar spinach subsidy saves even one soldier, then it was well worth it!" Honestly, take a step back and look at that.<BR/><BR/>Democrats haven't made the case that immediate withdrawal is for the best interests of our country. Instead they have relied upon emotional appeal, bribery, and deceptive legislation. Make the case, convince us, and be sure to take into account what happens in the years after withdrawal. I haven't yet seen that covered. <BR/><BR/>Hell, I'd settle for convincing us that you were sincere. Loading up the War Funding bill with pork certainly doesn't show this. Limp- wristed non-binding resolutions don't show this. Pull the funding.<BR/><BR/>But you don't have the votes for that. If you don't have the votes, you don't have a mandate.<BR/><BR/>And thanking you for posting at our site.Framerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09867927854445059711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28821987.post-81643971974074752082007-04-04T00:46:00.000-07:002007-04-04T00:46:00.000-07:00Like the waiting period for ex-Congress members to...Like the waiting period for ex-Congress members to become lobbyists, I think there should be a decent interval between Republicans lading their own bills with pork in order to pass them and their criticizing Democrats for doing some (though to a much lesser extent) of the same to advance a sincere but politically difficult proposition that the majority of Americans agree on: that there should be a definitive end to the occupation of Iraq. Hypocrisy isn't pretty, Framer, but you don't get to call others on it until we are done paying the interest on your party's logrolling. <BR/><BR/>We won't even go into breaking House rules to hold open votes for hours at a time in order to browbeat members into changing their votes - at least Democrats haven't sunk that low. When we start blackmailing our members with promises of seats to members' children, pressuring donors into cutting off those who don't vote with the caucus, and yanking committee assignments at the whim of the leadership to enforce discipline, then you can tell me that Democrats are bad as the Republicans.<BR/><BR/>Every day our troops are in the quagmire of the Iraqi occupation, more soldiers will surely die or be maimed. It is thus incumbent upon those of us who recognize that there is no military solution in Iraq to advance the time-table for withdrawal any way we can. How much is one of our troops' lives worth? Is there a price tag you are willing to place on their heads? The American people gave Democrats a mandate to get our troops out of Iraq, and I for one, do not begrudge spending whatever it takes to make that happen and thereby save as many American soldiers as possible from death or permanent disability in a foolish and clearly lost cause.Michael Bryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18280801107264937519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28821987.post-21518609895631222812007-04-03T14:33:00.000-07:002007-04-03T14:33:00.000-07:00Just for the record, Sirocco, I think that if you ...Just for the record, Sirocco, I think that if you strip the pork out of the bill, it does not pass with the withdrawl date. There was a reason why the pork was loaded in the first place; to bribe wayward Democrats into voting for the withdrawl date, which is disgusting whether you are for or against the war.<BR/><BR/>Democrats won't even get Harry Mitchell back on board if they don't fix the pork AND arbitrary withdrawl date. I would suspect there are plenty others right there with him.<BR/><BR/>The vote was just too close to choose a second veto battle with the president on. Democrats would definately come out on the wrong end as Mitchell rightly realizes.<BR/><BR/>Just sibmit the bill for veto already, and stop playing games. The battle was ultimately lost when the pork was inserted. You lost whatever high ground that you thought to occupy. It will be really hard to argue the earnestness of the Democratic position with that crap in there.<BR/><BR/>But by all means, feel free to try to prove me wrong.Framerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09867927854445059711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28821987.post-52211159339056337962007-04-03T11:35:00.000-07:002007-04-03T11:35:00.000-07:00Hey Frank,You never got a chance to take me up on ...Hey Frank,<BR/><BR/>You never got a chance to take me up on my invitation to Drinking Liberally at the Shanty on Thursdays at 6pm during the campaign. How about you come on down and we have a discussion about Iraq? We haven't a guest speaker for the next two meetings, so you would have the floor to yourself.Michael Bryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18280801107264937519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28821987.post-68575177341130538332007-04-03T10:57:00.000-07:002007-04-03T10:57:00.000-07:00Oops. I suppose I should clarify that the "Bravo"...Oops. I suppose I should clarify that the "Bravo" was for Frank, not the other comments.Bruce P. Murchisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04737429841964173889noreply@blogger.com