[lbo-talk] A Pathetic Congress (and Opposition)

[Nathan Newman]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steven L. Robinson" <srobin21 at comcast.net>
-But why did they have to line up with the repugs and GW Bush? If the bill
-was phony, they could have abstained and voted 'present' As it is, they are
-on record for 'opposing' immediate withdrawal. That may serve some tactical
-purpose of Pelosi and the national democrat leadership, but it does not
-serve the purpose of the anti-war movement and the result of the vote
-certainly looks like a solid front of the political class AGAINST the
-anti-war movement. SR

Imagine a scenario where 100 Democrats voted Present and the other half 
voted Yes, which was a likely outcome of your strategy.  That would have 
really registered overwhelming support for the war.

But when known strong anti-war Congresspeople all vote together for the 
resolution, it emphasized that the vote is a farce and prevents registering 
ANY VOTE on the issue.   It was specifically to prevent this vote from 
having any meaning that Dems voted so overwhelmingly against it.

Letting the opposition choose which vote to make meaningful is insane.   The 
best way to destroy such a tactic is to make a mockery of it.  And since all 
Democrats weren't going to vote against it or vote present, the best way to 
make it meaningless was to all vote for it.

-- Nathan

---- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nathan Newman" <nathanne at nathannewman.org>
To: <lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org>
Sent: Saturday, November 19, 2005 1:34 PM
Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] A Pathetic Congress (and Opposition)


> What a pathetically stupid article, but typical of the Counterpunch style.
>
> The House GOP refuses to allow actual bills calling for withdrawal that
> could garner signficant vote support and instead proposes one designed to
> embarass withdrawal supporters-- and Counterpunch bashes the Democratic
> leadership rather than the GOP leadership.
>
> These are the same kinds of leftists who would blowup a political meeting
if
> one word was misstated in a resolution, but expect Dems to vote for a
> "withdrawal" bill written by rightwingers.

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