Congressional and Senate Dem Leaders Lag Far Behind Their Base
It's been over a year since Democrats became the majority party in Congress. However, the Democratic base and other regular American constituents have been way ahead of Democratic elected officials on Capitol Hill on so many issues. They have known for quite awhile, through common sense and from everyday experience, that Bush's invasion and occupation of Iraq is wreaking havoc on the US economy.
Now, some Democratic member of Congress are trying to play catch up.
The NYTimes reports, "In a shift from last year’s failed legislative efforts to force a reduction of troops, the Democrats’ new approach is aimed primarily at framing the issue for the November elections by focusing on the financial cost of military operations and on the war’s implications for the nation’s troubled economy.
"The war issue had faded from focus on Capitol Hill early this year as lawmakers spent the first weeks of the term negotiating an economic stimulus package. But it came gusting back onto the Senate floor on Tuesday..."
However, instead of being ahead of the curve, Senate Democratic leaders still lag way behind the majority of the American people.
"The heck with Congress' big stimulus bill. (Underline added) The way to get the country out of recession _ and most people think we're in one _ is to get the country out of Iraq, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll," says an AP article.
"Pulling out of the war ranked first among proposed remedies in the survey, followed by spending more on domestic programs, cutting taxes and, at the bottom end, giving rebates to poor people in hopes they'll spend the economy into recovery.
"The $168 billion economic rescue package Congress rushed to approval this week includes rebates of $600 to $1,200 for most taxpayers, the hope being that they will spend the money and help revive ailing businesses. President Bush is expected to sign the measure next week. Poor wage-earners, as well as seniors and veterans who live almost entirely off Social Security and disability benefits, would get $300 checks.
"However, just 19 percent of the people surveyed said they planned to go out and spend the money; 45 percent said they'd use it to pay bills. And nearly half said what the government really should do is get out of Iraq."
The Progress Report from the Center for American Progress in its piece, "The Economic Costs of War" states, "a coalition of progressive groups -- including MoveOn, the Center for American Progress Action Fund, USAction, SEIU, VoteVets, and Americans United for Change -- announced a new "Iraq/Recession" campaign. This $15 million nationwide effort will aim to end the war by raising awareness of the domestic costs that have been neglected because of President Bush's singular focus on Iraq."
It quotes John Edwards, " 'All of these things are made worse by the war in Iraq. ... People don't understand why we're spending $500 billion and counting at the same time we have 47 million without healthcare, 37 million living in poverty.' "
While the majority of regular Americans are smarter than their elected Capitol Hill representatives about Bush's failed Iraq invasion and occupation being a disaster for the American economy, progressive organizations must resort to a $15 million awareness campaign, to persuade a deliberately thickheaded Congress via their constituents, to acknowledge the obvious and do the logical: get out of Iraq to save a US economy in crisis.
Senate Democratic leadership's constant caving to Bush and their Republican colleagues' anti-Constitution and anti-regular hardworking Americans policies begs the question: whether these Senate Democratic leaders, in their Senate 100 club bubble, believe that senate collegiality and corporate special interests are more important than upholding the Constitution and promoting and protecting the common good.
Now, some Democratic member of Congress are trying to play catch up.
The NYTimes reports, "In a shift from last year’s failed legislative efforts to force a reduction of troops, the Democrats’ new approach is aimed primarily at framing the issue for the November elections by focusing on the financial cost of military operations and on the war’s implications for the nation’s troubled economy.
"The war issue had faded from focus on Capitol Hill early this year as lawmakers spent the first weeks of the term negotiating an economic stimulus package. But it came gusting back onto the Senate floor on Tuesday..."
However, instead of being ahead of the curve, Senate Democratic leaders still lag way behind the majority of the American people.
"The heck with Congress' big stimulus bill. (Underline added) The way to get the country out of recession _ and most people think we're in one _ is to get the country out of Iraq, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll," says an AP article.
"Pulling out of the war ranked first among proposed remedies in the survey, followed by spending more on domestic programs, cutting taxes and, at the bottom end, giving rebates to poor people in hopes they'll spend the economy into recovery.
"The $168 billion economic rescue package Congress rushed to approval this week includes rebates of $600 to $1,200 for most taxpayers, the hope being that they will spend the money and help revive ailing businesses. President Bush is expected to sign the measure next week. Poor wage-earners, as well as seniors and veterans who live almost entirely off Social Security and disability benefits, would get $300 checks.
"However, just 19 percent of the people surveyed said they planned to go out and spend the money; 45 percent said they'd use it to pay bills. And nearly half said what the government really should do is get out of Iraq."
The Progress Report from the Center for American Progress in its piece, "The Economic Costs of War" states, "a coalition of progressive groups -- including MoveOn, the Center for American Progress Action Fund, USAction, SEIU, VoteVets, and Americans United for Change -- announced a new "Iraq/Recession" campaign. This $15 million nationwide effort will aim to end the war by raising awareness of the domestic costs that have been neglected because of President Bush's singular focus on Iraq."
It quotes John Edwards, " 'All of these things are made worse by the war in Iraq. ... People don't understand why we're spending $500 billion and counting at the same time we have 47 million without healthcare, 37 million living in poverty.' "
While the majority of regular Americans are smarter than their elected Capitol Hill representatives about Bush's failed Iraq invasion and occupation being a disaster for the American economy, progressive organizations must resort to a $15 million awareness campaign, to persuade a deliberately thickheaded Congress via their constituents, to acknowledge the obvious and do the logical: get out of Iraq to save a US economy in crisis.
Senate Democratic leadership's constant caving to Bush and their Republican colleagues' anti-Constitution and anti-regular hardworking Americans policies begs the question: whether these Senate Democratic leaders, in their Senate 100 club bubble, believe that senate collegiality and corporate special interests are more important than upholding the Constitution and promoting and protecting the common good.
Posted by Kaz at 2/27/2008 3:43 PM 
Categories: Democratic Party, Democrats, Progressive, Iraq, Economy, Senate, Congress
Categories: Democratic Party, Democrats, Progressive, Iraq, Economy, Senate, Congress
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