Any DEM that does not vote to stop $$$ for escalation is NO longer a DEM in my book.

Lets see - I believe Feingold, Obama, Kennedy, Kucinich, Boxer, and Warner-Levin(combo), have all proposed some kind of plan to eventually bring our troops home from the Iraq quagmire (my apologies if I left someone out). At face value, Feingold's plan seems the most assertive in it's resolve to begin the redeployment sooner then later (6 months out) and still provide safeguards to soldiers in the field.

Kudo's to all the above folks for doing something to stem the tide of resources, death, and needless waste spent on this lost cause daily. Special recognition to Dennis Kucinich who, IMHO, has been consistently the most focal and passionate politician out there opposed to the Iraq fiasco from it's inception. In contrast, we have the likes of McCain, Lieberman, Shrub, and Shooter who propose to recklessly and blindly continue to march our children into a civil war on the brink of chaos.

We DEMS as well as Independents and even Rethugs voted last November with the number one mandate across our country to be to END this damn war. Now that we are seeing a real possibility of finally cutting into the $8 billion + we are spending every month, I'm pondering what I expect of our elected DEMS on the hill.

With all the myriad of options and directions, I expect ALL DEMS to swiftly and decisively back which ever plan(s)that get us out the quickest and unequivocally cuts funding for more escalation ASAP. And regarding that plan:

I believe enthusiastic support of it should be a litmus test of loyalty to the DEMOCRATIC party and the voices of the voters last November! If anyone does otherwise, I'd have to suggest they join Lieberman and McCain for lunch with Shrub and Shooter - cause they won't be DEMS in my book any more!


Think I'm being a little harsh - or do you agree? :shrug:

because this country wants the war stopped. And pulling funds is the best way. The maniac in the white house is sending more troops and asking for almost 300 billion more dollars. While the butt is cutting funds right and left for social programs to benefit the poor and the middle classe. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. We should send letters to our representaive and senators and tell them we will start a recall procedure. Even if we don't have one, we can let them know we are upset that they are dragging their feet.

There are those out there who would like to have a litmus test to define who really is an Åmerican.
As far as a litmus test for who is a Democrat, many would have different ones such as if a Democrat does not support impeachment, then they cannot be considered a Democrat. As Democrats we do have a set of core beliefs, but there is no need to try and narrow the definition as to who is a Democrat based upon a single issue. I want to see our party include more Americans by being more inclusive and not trying to push people out of the tent based upon anybody's litmus test, especially one so narrow. Now if anybody wants to have a litmus test as to who they would vote for, then we all do that, but somebody does not have to agree with all of my beliefs to be a Democrat.

To expect it of every DEM.

In almost any other view elocs, I do agree with you about (not having) litmus tests and appreciate what you said about our party being more inclusive. Yes, we do have a BIG blue tent and flexibility to live under it while not all marching in lock step (that's a damn good thing).

That being said, I believe the Iraq war is in a category of it's own - the humanitarian disaster there like Darfur - is grave and requires immediate action to help slow the tide of death. Yet in Iraq, the Shrub regime's gross miscalculations and lies that led us there in the first place - are in direct correlation to how royally f'ked up it is now. The Iraq war fiasco was the number one driving force behind change last November - and because of that, I feel DEMS have a unique moral prerogative to VOTE in representation of the will of the vast majority of DEMS that elected them.

On almost any other issue, I can see room for divergent views. Though on the Iraq war - I see no compromise, no middle ground, and no solution other then to vote to stop it.



peace~