Carl Levin is the chairman of the Senate Armed Services committee. And he is not going to cut funding for the troops in Iraq. He explains himself in today’s Washington Post. He chooses a good ally in Abraham Lincoln, who famously opposed the Mexican-American War but voted to supply the troops.
Levin lays out his plan to pass a law forcing the president to redeploy troops out of Iraq. He and Sen. Reed (D-RI) plan on introducing their plan as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Bill.
Support for our approach has grown steadily. In June 2006, our measure received 39 votes. In March, it received 48 votes. In April, it received 51 votes, including those of two Republican senators. By contrast, only 29 senators so far — none of them Republican — have voted for a funding cutoff. That’s a long way from the 60 votes needed to end a filibuster or the 67 needed to override a veto.
Levin makes a good mathematical point. But 51 is still miles away from 67. It kind of undermines his point about the funding cutoff having no chance. Maybe so, but neither does his approach. The only effective thing possible is to refuse to fund the war if an acceptable bill cannot be passed. Armando made this case during the first round. The reason Armando’s strategy never had a chance is because people on the Armed Services committee, led by Carl Levin, thought that ‘to stop funding for the war…sends the wrong message to the troops’.
I have sympathy for Levin’s position even though I think he is wrong. Levin is responsible for our Armed Forces, and it is irresponsible to put them in a situation where they might go without supplies because the Congress refuses to pass a supplemental funding bill that is to the president’s liking. Unfortunately, we have no other options. Congress is now more unpopular than the president, and it is precisely because they backed down on the war. So, politically this is hurting us, not helping. And it isn’t helping to end the war. That is why I feel Levin needs to make the difficult step of cutting funding if the president will not back down.
One thing should be clear. Ending the war is a good move strategically and politically. The people on the Armed Services committees are loathe to make a bold move, but until they get on board the war will go on.
People send the wrong message all the time – the error comes in the interpretation.
Some of us would think it means we’re done paying for this war, some that we don’t love the troops.
Seems to me that one side represents the truth of the matter, and the other represents the spin, but then my first reaction is usually an absolutist one.
The Senator wrote a good argument for his position, but you’re right about this, Boo.
They’ve been pushing that rock up the hill for years, the time has come for one mighty shove to get the job done.
here we go again. why can’t they learn that their roll is to just shut the hell up, take whever crumbs are thrown their way, bow, and that the massa! Levin is just one more fat pig that has lost any respect from the folks cause of his continuing, false assumption along with his refusal to put these bastards up against the wall, slap them silly and make their remaing time a living hell.
I’m with that 100% Bill…until you start making sarcastic references to slavery. Some shit just shouldn’t be touched that way. My opinion.
Hey Super! I tend to be sensitive about slave references, too, but I understand. Levin just spilled a bunch of ink opining about his own weakness. He has further undercut himself and his party and has underlined his ineptitude and unwillingness to stand up for himself.
AND he invoked Lincoln for “cover.” Sheesh. This is both politically stupid and morally repugnant.
Now that you mention it, perhaps you’re right, Super. A rat would have more self-respect than this.
Hi AP :o)
I know…it’s bad enough that they won’t do anything, but then to run on about why they can’t is cowardly. Something i saw on television right after Bush vetoed the first war funding bill the democrats sent up nearly made me ill to watch. It was Pelosi getting teary eyed in her post veto statement to the press with somber faced Reid. I understand the emotion behind the tears and it has nothing whatsoever to do with her gender, but you just don’t need to be crying to the American public when you capitulate to a criminal president, period. There’s no more room for weakness or the appearance of it. You can be thoughtful and strong at the same time.
It’s ugly, all of it, and it’s time for them to stop. But they won’t. It’s almost as if they enjoy the beatings they’re taking for all the cowering and simpering and justifying that they practice.
Hi super..I don’t know what pisses me off more-the dems not having a spine or their constant whining lately about why they supposedly can’t do jack shit.
This bs about funding the troops is nothing more than a red herring for their cowardice-as if funding was cut off the troops would somehow be stranded in Iraq and never be able to come home-again what utter bs and anyone who believes that must also believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy still.
The tooth fairy is driving good families to financial ruin with her (I assume it’s a her) bloated and inflated price guide that’s far outstripping the average wage in this country ;o) Christ, I’ve seen little brats running around with gluttonous glee waving a $5 bill they just got for a lousy incisor! What gives? :o)
There are legislative approaches that can work, but I’m not sure they’re being taken. For example:
and investigations are opportunistic, rather than disciplined, determined and focused, the Dems will continue to have minimal leverage.
Levin’s arguments have validity only in a partisan political context. He’s afraid of what people will think, and how that will affect Dem political fortunes. Period. Refusing to fund the war has nothing whatever to do with equipping “the troops”. It means they have to come home. When I think of the hours I spent trying to get Dems in charge of Congress I want to puke. What a gang of worthless cowards. Nader had it exactly right all along.
That’s what you all remind me of. Yes, the war needs to end. But, this is only ONE ISSUE.
NOTHING in politics happens quickly. NOTHING. THis issue will take a Democratic president.
Instead of whining and puking, work to ensure a Democratic president is the ONLY way that this war will end. NOTHING that the congress can do in the next 2 years will do the job. It’s called math, and math ensures that Bush wins.
You want to see babies and whining? Read Levin’s pathetic excuse for going along to get along. Oh, sorry, I forgot: we just have to wait for a Dem president and a veto-proof majority in both houses of Congress. THEN the Dems will make their stand.
Nothing happens quickly? Bullshit. Reagan and Gingrich transformed America to its very roots in a matter of months. It’s called knowing what you want and figuring out how to get it. The Dems so far are too busy whining to do either.
You appear to be glossing over Clinton’s interest in getting stuff done. He wanted to do welfare reform, and so did Gingrich.
With Bush, there is no interest whatsoever in any compromise on Iraq. He has staked his entire political existence on Iraq. How will you convince him to move?
The huge lack of support for Congress means that WE democrats are undermining our Congress. We need to support the Dems. We use the following argument: It’s Bush’s war, it’s the republican war.
If we repeat this frequently, it will change the minds of some Republicans. That’s all we have right now.
No it’s not all we have. We have “We’re not going to fund Bush’s war any more. We will fund bringing the troops home.” But that would take more than counting votes in the back room.
Having met Sen. Levin on a couple of occasions, I believe he is a honorable man. However the sense I get when I listen to him in person is that he believes the Federal Government is operating as it has in the past. Bush may have screwed up a bit with the Iraq invasion, but other than that, the current situation is nothing different than other times in the past, when a Democratic Congress had to cope with a Republican Executive Branch. I feel that Bushco. has entered entirely new and dangerous ground. I feel as though our republic hangs on the edge of an abyss. Maybe my perceptions are wrong, but I don’t think Levin sees it that way.
seems sen feingold doesn’t approve of levin’s self-serving screed.
via progressive patriots e-mail:
flippity, floppity sen. levin?
shaping up to be a long 19 months ahead.
lTMF’sA
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