 |
 |
Steve Gilliard, 1964-2007
It is with tremendous sadness that we must convey the news that Steve Gilliard, editor and publisher of The News Blog, passed away June 2, 2007. He was 42.
To those who have come to trust The News Blog and its insightful, brash and unapologetic editorial tone, we have Steve to thank from the bottom of our hearts. Steve helped lead many discussions that mattered to all of us, and he tackled subjects and interest categories where others feared to tread.
Please keep Steve's friends and family in your thoughts and prayers.
Steve meant so much to us.
We will miss him terribly.
The theory of pessimists
Let's see which if the Republicans up for re-election in 2008 voted against debating the Iraq surge: Lamar Alexander (R-TN) Lookit here -- Chuck Hagel once again proves he's all talk, but when it comes time for action, he buckles. Susan Collins of Maine and Norm Coleman of Minnesota both buckled to political reality -- they'll both be axed in 2008. But the rest of these guys? Dole, Warner, Cornyn, Smith (!), McConnell, Sununu, Demonici, Chambliss -- we'll make you regret this vote in 2008. This was always the GOP's war, but now more than ever. Not a single Democrat voted against cloture. Well, Harry Reid did, but that's a procedural step that allows him to bring up the legislation again at a later date. That's why we used to always see Bill Frist voting with Democrats every time the Dems defeated legislation in the the old Republican Senate. Lieberman, of course, voted with his soul mates on the wrong side of the aisle. Republicans are so far gone on the issue, that Warner and Hagel voted to prevent debate on their own resolution. So this "non-binding resolution" wasn't as useless as I thought. Now, we can beat Republicans over this vote for the next two years. Send them a big "thank you" present. Because of the Senate filibuster and presidential veto, It's near impossible for Democrats to end this war. But what we can and do, and should do, is keep bringing up these resolutions. Bring them all up -- the Kennedy measure, the Dodd measure, the Obama measure, and anything else lying around. Bring them up and keep forcing Republicans to stand with Bush in support of this war. Because in 2008, we'll elect people who WILL end this war, from the White House, to the Senate, to the House. And the more Republicans obstruct even the most toothless "non-binding" half-measures to express disapproval on the war, the more the American people will see who will prolong the quagmire, and who will work to end it. Labels: Iraq, Shia, US Army, washington
Republicans refuse to debate Iraq surge
by kos
Mon Feb 05, 2007 at 04:37:36 PM PST
Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
Thad Cochran (R-MS)
John Cornyn (R-TX)
Larry Craig (R-ID)
Elizabeth Dole (R-NC)
Pete Domenici (R-NM)
Mike Enzi (R-WY)
Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Pat Roberts (R-KS)
Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
Gordon Smith (R-OR)
Ted Stevens (R-AK)
John Sununu (R-NH)
John Warner (R-VA)
I think people misunderstand how I feel about the war. I am a pessimist, the worst will happen.
All this talk about electing people to end the war is so much nonsense to me. We don't have the luxury of time, we never did, but the recent Sunni offensive in Baghdad speeds things up. Even among the left, people assume that the American army can control things for two years.
I consider that foolish thinking. Sadr has reigned in his people and the Shia have paid for it in blood. That will not last forever.
The assumption is that we can keep things together and I don't think that is the case. The US Army is on a time clock which ends before 2008. It's falling apart as we speak. It has unreliable allies.
I don't disagree with Kos, nailing the Republicans is always good. But I think by June, it will be totally irrelevant. We will have far more pressing problems in Iraq than to worry about what Congress dpoes.