MITCH McCONNELL LEADS THE REPUBLICANS ON A RAMPAGE OF OBSTRUCTIONIST FILIBUSTERS

Apropos of the fake problem the Post discusses about fake moderates in the GOP, there is a solution: a fake amendment to replace the Webb Amendment (which is, of course, far too real for the Post's fake moderates). The clowns inside the Beltway-- even some on the Democratic side of the aisle-- seem to keep buying, after all these years, the Bush Regime propaganda spin. The American people... not so much anymore.

After switching votes and opposing the Webb Amendment-- which he already voted or once-- and thereby guaranteeing it's failure, one of the fake moderates, John Warner, teamed up with one of the Senate's craziest war fanatics, John McCain (who apparently took a few hours off his 24/7 pointless fundraising jag to do his bit for endless war) to undermine Webb's legislation by "compromising." The compromise will be a gentle suggestion to... George Bush, who probably peed in his pants laughing when Cheney explained it to him. This is another of Warner's kooky nonbinding "sense of Congress" resolutions that does nothing. Zero-- except for derailing efforts to end the war.

The Love the War/Hate the Troops coalition is in its death struggle. Webb's amendment is overwhelmingly supported by active duty military men and their families. That could spell the end of the line for coalition members like Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and John Sununu (R-NH) where the voters they will be facing next year tend to love the troops and hate the war.

Earlier today, Republican obstructionists led by Mitch McConnell had already killed a bill that the majority of senators backed to restore habeas corpus. The backers of both parties failed to shut down McConnell's filibuster 56-43 (4 short of the required 60 votes). All 50 Democrats plus 6 Republicans voted to restore habeas corpus. Lieberman plus 42 Republicans voted again it (with Saxby Chamberpot too frightened to come out from under his desk and vote at all). Oh, and just for the record, fake GOP moderates like Norm Coleman, Susan Collins, Lamar Alexander stuck with their far right extremist buddies on this. Russ Feingold and Chris Dodd both explained their disappointment to their constituents and made the point of why this is so important. Russ:

"It is deeply disappointing that a minority of the Senate once again blocked efforts to restore the writ of Habeas Corpus. The Military Commissions Act, which Congress passed last year, contradicted the fundamental principle that in America, the government does not have the power to detain people indefinitely and arbitrarily. We can and should bring terrorists to justice but we can do it without sacrificing the values upon which our nation was built."

Chris:

"America's moral standing, and with it the security of the United States, suffered another setback today, atop a pile of setbacks that has accumulated over the past six years. The outcome of this vote is both symbolic and tragic. Each of us in the Senate faced a decision either to cast a vote in favor of helping to restore America's reputation in the world, or to help dig deeper the hole of utter disrespect for the rule of law that the Bush Administration has created. Unfortunately, too many of my colleagues chose the latter, and my disappointment runs deep. But I will not rest my case with this vote. Instead, this defeat will only deepen my resolve to restore the rule of law and with it American security, for far too much is at stake-- for every American-- to simply give up the fight."

You don't find many posts here quoting the NY Times' stupidest and most dishonest columnist, David Brooks-- except to make an example of a moron writing propaganda for the extremists. But in today's column Brooks discusses Defense Secretary Robert Gates' assertion that he doesn't know if invading Iraq was a good idea or not. (Last week Bush's pet general said he doesn't know if fighting there is making us any safer or not. But Mitch McConnell and the Republicans in Congress want to stay there forever anyway. That's why they all need to be defeated. Every. Single. One. Of. Them.

If you'd like to help, let me suggest dropping by our Blue America page and dropping whatever you feel like into the campaigns to replace Susan Collins with Tom Allen (ME), Charlie Dent with Sam Bennett (PA-15), Dave Reichert with Darcy Burner (WA-08), Chris Shays with Jim Himes (CT-04), Randy Kuhl with Eric Massa (NY-29), Dan Lipinski with Mark Pera (IL), Tom Reynolds with Jon Powers (NY-26), James Walsh with Dan Maffei (NY-25), Mike Pence with Barry Welsh (IN-06), Mean Jean Schmidt with Victoria Wulsin (OH-02), and, here in California David Dreier with Russ Warner and Gary Miller with Ron Shepston.


UPDATE: WEBB AMENDMENT NOT ALLOWED A STRAIGHT UP OR DOWN VOTE-- REPUBLICAN LOVE THE WAR/HATE THE TROOPS COALITION OBSTRUCTIONISM PREVAILS

The vote to shut off the threat of a Republican filibuster-- cloture-- needs 60 to pass. It got 56 votes. Last time the Webb Amendment came up it was also filibustered to death by McConnell, Lieberman and the GOP and the cloture vote was 56-41. The differences this time were that Tim Johnson (D-SD) is out of the hospital and he voted with the rest of the Democrats, making up for desertion by flip-flopper John Warner (R-VA). Last time Brownback was out on his pointless campaign so he didn't bother to vote-- I guess Kansas doesn't have sons and daughters dying in Iraq, so it doesn't matter there-- and this time he voted with the GOP, as did Vitter, who was chasing whores or finding new diapers or whatever he does when he isn't in the Senate voting the fascist party line.

A postscript to Howie's post (below) about the vote tomorrow on the Webb Amendment: Do we have a senator more useless than Holy Joe Lieberman?

"For some reason, the political establishment persists in seeing him as some sort of independent player when he has actually been one of the more destructive forces in the congress, using his status as elder statesman to give cover over and over again to the worst excesses of the GOP."
--Digby, in a rip-roaring, raging post, "Webb's Righteous Amendment," on Campaign for America's Future

Who's the "elder statesman" who's got Digby in a lather? Of course it's soon-but-not-soon-enough-to-retire Virginia Sen. John Warner, who actually said of fellow Virginia Sen. Jim Webb:

"I certainly support the concept he brings. But I am in the reconsidering posture."

{Hey, you can't make this stuff up!)

"Now we find," Digby writes,

that one of the great statesman Warner's last acts may be to pull the football out from under Jim Webb, whose Amendment to allow the military a decent interval between deployments is coming up for a vote. [See Howie's post, below.] Like clockwork, Warner, who had supported the bill is now saying that he may not since the Bush administration has agreed to his propaganda ploy to bring home a handful of troops for a big Christmas pageant, (which I'm sure the President, the Vice President and Senator Warner will milk for all its worth.) You could make big money in Vegas by betting on Warner to stab Democrats in the back every time and take some cheap shiny trinket from the White House as a reward.

The Webb Amendment is a powerful piece of legislation, backed by the Military Officers Association and many military families who are seeing their loved ones deployed over and over again until their marriages and their finances are at a breaking point. Although it may serve to force the administration to withdraw troops more quickly than they wish to, this is not a political ploy. Even before the surge, experts said that the Iraq war was breaking the military. Now it is far worse. Someone has to step in and do something about this problem and it's obvious it isn't going to be the Republican party.

Digby supports a common-sense proposal made by Mark Kleiman last week:

The Democrats should offer the Webb Amendment when the Defense Appropriation comes up. If the Republicans want to filibuster, fine. Don't pull the amendment. Just let them keep filibustering. As long as the amendment is on the floor, there can be no vote on the bill itself. Keep calling cloture votes, one per day. After a few days, start asking how long the Republicans intend to withhold money to fund troops in the field in order to pursue their petty partisan agenda.

If the Republicans in the Senate hold firm, it's their stubbornness that's holding up the bill. If they fold, and the bill gets to the President's desk and he vetoes it, then pass the same damned bill again. And start asking how long the President intends to block funding for troops in the field in order to pursue his petty partisan agenda.

As of October 1, there's no money to fund the war. So the usual move is to pass a continuing resolution, which keeps the money flowing until the appropriation passes. Fine. Pass a continuing resolution with the Webb Amendment attached. If the CR runs into a filibuster or a veto, ask how long ...

Really, this isn't very hard. With the voters overwhelmingly interested in getting us the hell out of Iraq, the Democrats can make full use of the power of the purse without worrying about a backlash, especially with Webb as the public face of the campaign.

Footnote Plan B is to pass the amendment in the House and let the Senate conferees accept the House version. Then it goes back to the Senate for a straight up-or-down vote, with the Republican dead-enders in the position of directly voting against money to fund the troops in the field. Not a vote I'd care to defend, especially if I were up for re-election next year.

Works for us, Mark. Senator Reid?
.

TOMORROW WE CONFRONT THE SENATORS WHO LOVE THE WAR AND HATE THE TROOPS

Tomorrow the Senate will again take up the Webb Amendment that mandates that frontline troops be given as much time away from battle as they've spent fighting. The House has already passed it and a majority of senators favor this approach as well. Again, Bush vows to veto the bill if his stooge Miss McConnell fails to obstruct it to death. Last time it came up there were 56 votes for it. It needs 60 to get by McConnell's Cheney-mandated filibuster. One of those votes will be Tim Johnson (D-SD) who is back in the Senate. The Republicans who are wavering and could be pushed into a position to support the troops instead of supporting the failed policies of this Regime include:


Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)
DC: 202-224-6665
Anchorage: 907-271-3735

George Voinovich (R-Ohio)
DC: (202) 224-3353
Cleveland: (216) 522-7095

Elizabeth Dole (R-North Carolina)
DC: 202-224-6342
Raleigh: 866-420-6083

John Warner (R-Virginia)
DC: (202) 224-2023
Roanoke: (540) 857-2676


Arlen Specter (R-Pennsylvania)
DC: 202-224-4254
Harrisburg: (717) 782-3951

If you're not sure what to say, take a look at a video Jim Webb made today:




UPDATE #1: IT'S CRUNCH TIME

Christy has all the latest-- plus the tools for contacting our employees in DC. Just a few hours left.