Hall of Shame: The Democrats cave on Iraq withdrawal

[thatcrazycajun]

As I type, the 110th Congress prepares to knuckle under to the Bush Regime and draft new legislation to fund the continuing Iraq occupation, sans any kind of timetable for U.S. troops to withdraw. Evidently Reid, Pelosi & Co. would rather not spend the summer doing the cajoling and arm-twisting, coupled with growing public support for withdrawal, that could bring them within sight of the veto-proof majority they need—or, more importantly, being bashed by Junior Bush and his Karl Rove-directed GOP goon squad for not "supporting the troops."

Now comes word that not only are they not convincing enough Republicans to vote for an end to this fiasco, but some of their own members have either lost heart or forgotten why their party was given control of Congress last fall, and are voting with the GOP! Talk about a sudden case of localized osteoporosis...in the backbone.

Courtesy of Democrats.com: On May 10th, the House of Representatives voted on the McGovern Amendment to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq within 180 days. The amendment was defeated 255-171.
All Republicans voted to keep U.S. troops in Iraq except Ron Paul (TX) and John Duncan (TN).
169 Democrats voted to bring our troops home, but 59 broke ranks and voted with the GOP:

Alabama: Bud Cramer Arizona: Harry Mitchell Gabrielle Giffords Arkansas: Mike Ross Vic Snyder California: Howard Berman Dennis Cardoza Jim Costa Jerry McNerney Colorado: John Salazar Mark Udall

Florida: Allen Boyd Tim Mahoney Georgia: John Barrow Sanford Bishop Jim Marshall David Scott Iowa: Leonard Boswell Illinois: Melissa Bean Daniel Lipinski Indiana: Joe Donnelly Brad Ellsworth Baron Hill

Kansas: Nancy Boyda Dennis Moore Kentucky: Ben Chandler Louisiana: Charlie Melancon Maryland: Steny Hoyer Dutch Ruppersberger Minnesota: Collin Peterson Missouri: Ike Skelton

Mississippi: Gene Taylor Nevada: Shelley Berkley North Carolina: Bob Etheridge Mike McIntyre Heath Shuler North Dakota: Earl Pomeroy Ohio: Zack Space Charles Wilson

Oklahoma: Dan Boren Pennsylvania: Jason Altmire Chris Carney Tim Holden Allyson Schwartz South Carolina: John Spratt South Dakota: Stephanie Herseth Tennessee: Jim Cooper Lincoln Davis Bart Gordon John Tanner

Texas: Henry Cuellar Chet Edwards Gene Green Nick Lampson Solomon Ortiz Ciro Rodriguez Utah: Jim Matheson Virginia: Rick Boucher Wisconsin: Ron Kind

All U.S. Representatives must run for re-election to another two-year term in 2008.

Then on the 16th, the Senate voted on the Feingold-Reid Amendment to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq by March 30 of next year. This amendment likewise went down to defeat, 67-29.
GOP Senators voted unanimously against the amendment.
29 Democratic Senators voted for the amendment, but 20 voted against:

Arkansas: Mark Pryor Blanche Lincoln Colorado: Ken Salazar Delaware: Tom Carper

Florida: Bill Nelson Indiana: Evan Bayh† Louisiana: Mary Landrieu*

Michigan: Carl Levin Missouri: Claire McCaskill Montana: Max Baucus John Tester

Nebraska: Ben Nelson New Mexico: Jeff Bingaman North Dakota: Kent Conrad Byron Dorgan

Pennsylvania: Bob Casey Rhode Island: Jack Reed West Virginia: Jay Rockefeller Virginia: James Webb**

One-third of all Senators must face the voters in 2008 to win their next six-year term.
If you see your Congresscritter(s) listed here, give 'em a shout and tell them they need to straighten up and fly right (or rather, left) on this issue, 'kay? Thanks.
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†Yes, the late Birch Bayh's son.
*Memo to former New Orleans mayor Moon Landrieu and his son, Louisiana lieutenant governor Mitch: You guys need to have a talk with your daughter/sister!
**Webb can almost—almost—be forgiven for his vote, representing as solidly "red" a state as he does and having won there last fall by a Bush/Gore-thin margin (he's only even in that seat now—and his party in control of the Senate—because his GOP opponent, George Allen, chose not to demand a recount). But as they say where I come from, "'Almost' only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and Breaux Bridge."

Comments

[scruffycritter.livejournal.com]

I only count 19 Senators on your list. Missing one?

[thatcrazycajun.livejournal.com]

I thought I might have dropped one in reformatting the list, but I went back and checked; all 19 names I have on my page are there, and no others are on the Senators list. Either Democrats.com miscounted or they lost a name in the original posting.

[starmalachite.livejournal.com]

[Webb is] only even in that seat now—and his party in control of the Senate—because his GOP opponent, George Allen, chose not to demand a recount.

No, he's it that seat because he won it narrowly but so undeniably that even Allen could see there was no point in a recount.

BTW, re: userpic: Remember her? She's as opinionated as ever. *g*