Patterico's Pontifications

12/10/2007

MoveOn.org Petitions Democratic Candidates to Filibuster War Spending Bills

Filed under: Politics,War — DRJ @ 12:16 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

This week, MoveOn.org plans to pressure four Democratic Presidential candidates, Senators Clinton, Obama, Biden, and Dodd, to filibuster any spending bill that does not include a timetable to bring the troops home from Iraq:

“Liberal group MoveOn.org is seeking this week to pressure the Senate Democrats running for president to oppose and block a war spending bill that does not include a plan for withdrawal from Iraq. Not satisfied with reports that a massive omnibus spending bill currently in the works will include some funding for the wars but no commitment to bring soldiers home, the group wants to get the Democratic candidates to stop the effort.

MoveOn plans to deliver petitions with the signatures of 15,000 veterans and military families to the congressional offices of Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.), Barack Obama (Ill.), Joseph Biden (Del.) and Chris Dodd (Conn.) on Monday. “The senators who are running for president have talked a lot about their leadership on Iraq — now is the time for them to show it by blocking this bad deal,” said MoveOn Executive Director Eli Pariser.

MoveOn wants the senators to lead a filibuster of legislation that does not include a timetable for troop withdrawal. The group’s initiative puts the Democratic senators in a bind. On the one hand, they will not want to upset the liberal base, but on the other, especially with an eye toward the general election, they will likely be hesitant to be seen as blocking funds for troops in the war zones.”

This seems like a particularly bad development for candidates like Hillary who are trying to please people on both sides of this issue, especially since recent improvements in Iraq are pushing this issue down on the list of concerns for most Americans. Politically, anti-war rhetoric may mobilize the Democratic left but it doesn’t do much to help Democrats with moderate voters.

— DRJ

8 Responses to “MoveOn.org Petitions Democratic Candidates to Filibuster War Spending Bills”

  1. Politically, anti-war rhetoric may mobilize the Democratic left but it doesn’t do much to help Democrats with moderate voters.

    Given current public attitudes about the war, how do you figure?

    Tom (4ee15d)

  2. Since the Surge is working, Tom, the Democrats have read the political tea leaves and you moonbats lose.

    PCD (09d6a8)

  3. Zing! You sure got me with that witty “moonbats” line. Damn–scorching comedy, brilliant logic–and I’ll bet you’re quite the looker, too. I’ll sure think twice before I try to post a comment here again, lest I be verbally humiliated again.

    Tom (4ee15d)

  4. Tom,

    I think as things begin to improve in Iraq, it will not be as big an issue to most Americans as domestic issues like housing costs, gas prices, etc. In part, it’s human nature to focus more on what’s happening in our own lives than on foreign events that seem relatively stable, and Iraq seems to be stabilizing. In addition, the rhetoric on the news and from Congress has turned down a notch. (That may have something to do with MoveOn.org’s desire to turn up the heat on the Senate.)

    DRJ (a6fcd2)

  5. I think you make good points, DRJ. Especially regarding this dynamic whereby whenever the war seems like less of a day-to-day crisis in the public eye, folks aren’t particularly interested in reviving the same old partisan fights. So trying to pressure the Democrats to stir it up again will only go as far as the public is actively worried/pissed off over the war, which seem to be dormant feelings these days.

    I never really can tell what drives MoveOn.org to do the next thing that they come out doing. (At least with the ACLU, which I support, there’s a guiding set of principles that one can get behind–or perhaps virulently oppose.) But MoveOn.org doesn’t seem to have much rhyme or reason–I generally don’t mind what they do, but frankly, I can only sustain being outraged for so long at a time. It’s not really my cup of tea.

    Tom (4ee15d)

  6. In the old days, filibusters were the exclusive province of Southern Senators intent on stopping civil rights legislation. The Left learning from the very old Right:
    Waal, cumraid, Ah thank weuns gots ta stop awl this heah Yew-essay reeactionary, warmongrin’, neocawn plottin’ an’ conspahrin’ agin them-awl pro-grissive fawces. Have ‘nuthuh Mao Tai julep.

    Bleepless (730ae6)

  7. Let me fix that for you, Bleepless :

    In the old days, filibusters were the exclusive province of Southern DEMOCRAT Senators intent on stopping civil rights legislation.

    JD (2c9284)

  8. The left has been calling for this for some time now. One of these days, they will be seen for who they are. I hope moveon.org gets their way, and then their masks will be removed for all to see. Voting to defund the soliders while in harms way would just be a truly fucking brilliant strategy, Soros. Thank you.

    JD (2c9284)


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