TPM Cafe: Reid To Allow Vote On Feingold Measure To End Iraq War

[understandinglife]

Reid To Allow Vote On Feingold Measure To End Iraq War

By Greg Sargent

Good news for war foes: Harry Reid just spoke on the Senate floor, revealing that he'll allow a vote this week on the , which would cut off funding for the war by March 31, 2008.

This is a big deal for war opponents -- it's the first vote in the Senate on a measure of this kind. "This is a vote that folks have been clamoring for for some time now," enthuses a staffer who works for a Senator favoring the approach.

The staffer added that while the measure faces an uphill struggle, a vote on it will move the parameters of the debate and force Senators into a straight up-or-down vote on the war -- just as last week's House vote on Dem Rep. James McGovern's proposal to end the war did.

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Link: http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2007/may/14/reid_to_allow_vote_on_feingold_measure_to_end_iraq_war

Now we'll see just exactly where each of these folk stand ...

Psst -- All you US Senators ... hint hint ->

[understandinglife]

1. From the TPM Cafe Comments: "so how will the Presidential candidates (on both sides of the isle) ...

... vote and then how will that affect the campaign? It would seem to force a position that can not be modified for differant groups or am I missing something?

http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2007/may/14/reid_to_allow_vote_on_feingold_measure_to_end_iraq_war#comment-245458

Not missing anything, I'd say. Gonna be really interesting ....


DEAUTHORIZE THE WAR, NOW; FUND ONLY REDEPLOYMENT

[me b zola]

2. Get them all on the record!

:kick:

[understandinglife]

3. Yep. It's way past time for each of these folk to be held accountable.

FUND ONLY REDEPLOYMENT AND THEN HOLD THE PERPS OF THIS ATROCITY, ACCOUNTABLE

[understandinglife]

4. Bob Geiger's related DU post ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3264010&mesg_id=3264010


Peace.

[understandinglife]

5. Statement of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold

Statement of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold
On Feingold-Reid Being Brought Up for a Vote
May 14, 2007

“I appreciate the Majority Leader’s work to bring up the Feingold-Reid legislation for a vote. The American people deserve to have the Senate go on record about whether or not it wants to end our misguided mission in Iraq and safely redeploy our brave troops.”

The Feingold-Reid amendment will mirror legislation the Senators introduced last month with eight other cosponsors. The text of the original Feingold-Reid legislation read:

To safely redeploy United States troops from Iraq.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

(a) Transition of Mission- The President shall promptly transition the mission of United States forces in Iraq to the limited purposes set forth in subsection (d).

(b) Commencement of Safe, Phased Redeployment From Iraq- The President shall commence the safe, phased redeployment of United States forces from Iraq that are not essential to the limited purposes set forth in subsection (d). Such redeployment shall begin not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(c) Prohibition on Use of Funds- No funds appropriated or otherwise made available under any provision of law may be obligated or expended to continue the deployment in Iraq of members of the United States Armed Forces after March 31, 2008.

(d) Exception for Limited Purposes- The prohibition under subsection (c) shall not apply to the obligation or expenditure of funds for the limited purposes as follows:

(1) To conduct targeted operations, limited in duration and scope, against members of al Qaeda and other international terrorist organizations.

(2) To provide security for United States infrastructure and personnel.

(3) To train and equip Iraqi security services.

Link: http://feingold.senate.gov/~feingold/statements/07/05/20070514.htm

Thank you, once again, Senator Feingold for your support of our troops and your commitment to the rule of law.


Peace.

[dogday]

6. K&R

[understandinglife]

7. Atrios comments:

I imagine there's a pretty close correlation between those who regularly prattle on about Democrats needing to stand for things and show strong leadership, yadda yadda, and those who aren't too thrilled that they'll have to actually take a stand.

People hate this war and George Bush, I really don't know why some lawmakers are still a couple years behind the polls.

Link: http://atrios.blogspot.com/2007_05_13_archive.html#3736451969905153388

That tick-tock you're hearing, oh ye US Senators, are the final moments before your called to inform the American people if you're 'for us or against us.'


END THE WAR, NOW

[Bitwit1234]

8. Have you all been back to the vote on the senators site

Feingold and Kerry are still at the bottom. I don't believe they have so many votes against them they don't move. Some of those on top move up and down spaces when you vote. And I am sure eveybody on this site has gone there and voted for them.

[blm]

10. We have - but, there are also Dem staffers voting them down for their bosses

who have been pissed at both Kerry and Feingold since they forced the Iraq withdrawal bill last June that put Lieberman and other Dems on the spot. Lieberman's numbers started to go way down after that vote and then he lost the primary.

Not all Dems are on our side, especially when it comes to supporting withdrawal measures they'd rather ignore.

[understandinglife]

9. AP: Senate to Vote on Ending War Funding

Senate to Vote on Ending War Funding

By ANNE FLAHERTY

The Senate is expected to vote as early as this week on whether to cut off money for the Iraq war next year, as well as on a softer measure calling for troops to leave this fall.

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"The American people deserve to have the Senate go on record about whether or not it wants to end our misguided mission in Iraq and safely redeploy our brave troops," said Feingold, D-Wis.

However, Feingold's tough anti-war measure is unlikely to pass the Senate, where Democrats hold a narrow majority and several oppose using the budget to end the war.

Link: http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/05/14/ap3719194.html

Note the tragic irony - Dems control the US Senate, the majority of Americans want us out of the war, the budget is precisely how the Congress holds the Executive Branch accountable, and yet Feingold's "measure is unlikely to pass."

The stench from inside the Beltway is likely to get much worse in the next 24 hours ...


END THE WAR NOW

[pstans]

11. Draw the line in the sand

and find out who is with us and kick the rest of em out.

[bonito]

12. K&R!