Did the House just vote on the bill that will drive drive Joe Lieberman permanently insane? Opinions vary.
The point will become moot if Harry Reid does him in first:
The Reid Joint Resolution builds on the longstanding Democratic position on Iraq and the Levin-Reed Amendment: the current conflict in Iraq requires a political solution, Iraq must take responsibility for its own future, and our troops should not be policing a civil war. It contains binding language to direct the President to transition the mission for U.S. forces in Iraq and begin their phased redeployment within one-hundred twenty days with a goal of redeploying all combat forces by March 31, 2008. A limited number of troops would remain for the purposes of force protection, training and equipping Iraqi troops, and targeted counter-terror options. A full description of the Reid Joint Resolution is attached to this release.
Reid is probably feeling feistier than Pelosi because this bill by itself will never break a filibuster. Then again, if Reid tacks it onto the appropriations bill like Pelosi did then it might not have to.
Stay tuned.
Richard Bottoms
I smell rope-a-dope. Maybe all that earlier non-binding hoo-haw had a purpose.
dreggas
Remember all the shrillness on the right over the “non-binding” resolution, how they claimed they couldn’t vote for it because it was meaningless and didn’t do anything. How they claimed it was nothing more than politics and all of them insinuated, for the most part, that if it would actually do something they would vote for it.
Check Mate.
Zifnab
Yeah, um… no. Republicans play the flip-flop game like its going out of style. Just see right-wing deluge of posts concern-trolling Gore’s electric bill. Or the support-our-troops-except-when-they’re-in-the-hospital Walter Reed boondoggle. Or just reference Iraq and Kosavo. Or their stance on deficit spending. Or civil rights. Or… anything.
The ditto-head 28%ers will just bumble along after, nodding and smiling. If this was three months of kabuki theater to get all the right people on the wrong foot, the Democrats must have forgotten who they were dealing with. Republicans live on the wrong foot.
dreggas
I don’t care about the 28 percenter’s they can continue to sit and spin. spread over X number of states and Congressional districts means the 28 percenters are a minority for the most part even in their own districts. So some of the the pubicans will vote against it. But when it comes down to the wire and the people in the districts of those who said they’d support a resolution that actually meant something are watching they will have a lot of explaining to do if they flip flop. Further any vote against it further cements the ownership of this war as belonging to the republicans.
Pb
And yet, they’re a majority within their party.
dreggas
And this is exactly the reason why the Republican party is going to hell in a hand basket.
sglover
Well sure. So what the Dems have to do is talk over them, as one does a badly-behaving child, or a mentally ill person who’s acting out. The Dems should meet the inevitable right-wing disinfo operation with blowtorch ferocity. The rumor is that they’re developing a spine — this might be their chance to prove it.
Marcus Wellby
Sorry, but I’ve been waiting for that to happen for over 10 years. I just can’t be bothered anymore. The Dems mysterious refusal to fight back can only be part of the plan. There is no excuse for it at this point.
Rome Again
I hate to agree, but I have to. God, I hate saying that.
Richard 23
So you don’t see anything hypocritical about al-Gore paying himself for his “carbon offsets?”
But I suppose that’s just “concern-trolling,” isn’t it? How honest of you.
dreggas
Oh isn’t this lovely:
Bush To scientists – you leave the country you better not talk about climate change or polar bears
Paddy O'Shea
Is George Bush clear on the concept that once his time in office is up he won’t be able to take the war in Iraq with him?
Seems kind of obvious, but I’ve learned that with this president one should not assume.
Jon H
OT: In that ad on the sidebar, is Emeril Lagasse cooking a bunch of black children, and exhibiting the finished product?
wonkie
I just watched ABC news. I think it was ABC. I only watch TV when I’m sick–inn this case I’m about halfway through drinking the colonoscopy prep annd I havenn’t eaten since Tuesday morning so I am very sick–so who knows? maybe i halllucinnated the wholethig BUT ANYWAY this is what I heard: the Joint Chiefs say we have to get out within thhe time frame suggested by the Democrats, that we cannot carry out the “surge” because we do not have enough troops. Well thhey said that there was too much stress onn the militray but that’s because of fighting on and on and on withh the same peole.
The Joint Chiefs said that.. Loserdefeatocrats?
Dug Jay
I’m afraid that “wonkie” was hallucinating and/or merely drugged out when watching TV.
RSA
I’m reminded of Margaret Mead, as quoted on so-called motivational posters (I much prefer the demotivational satires):
The current core of the Republican party represents the downside, of course.
Paul Wartenberg
Wait, what’s the discussion again? Oh, right. The simple fact that we are living through the most corrupt and inept administration in human history. Commodus never got this bad.
demimondian
Margaret Mead was wrong about a lot of things. The more accurate translation of her statement would have been
That’s on a motivational poster in my office.
Right next to the one that says
Richard 23
craigie
I don’t think I’ve read a better description of the modern GOP than that.
Punchy
The only way to explain that statement is to surmise that they’ve taken the name “The Joint Chiefs” quite literally.
Besides, we always have enough troops. According to the latest polls, approx. 30% of our population should be quite willing to pick up arms for our country. Right?
Punchy
The only way to explain that statement is to surmise that they’ve taken the name “The Joint Chiefs” quite literally.
Besides, we always have enough troops. According to the latest polls, approx. 30% of our population should be quite willing to pick up arms for our country. Right?
wonkie
Not drugged out. It would be much easier to prop for a colonoscopy if one could get drugged up.
stickler
Mr. Wartenberg:
For fuck’s sake. Commodus appointed his own damned horse to the Senate. He commanded people to worship him while alive.
George W. Bush has not gone that far.
Yet.
rachel
That was Caligula. Comodus was Marcus Aurelius’s kid.
craigie
Did Comodus invent the toilet?
rachel
Oops. Commodus. Damn typos.
28 Percent
We are a majority. REAL AMERICANS see your “sit and spin” incivility and hypocrisy and know that you are MUCH WORSE than we are. If they do not they are RINOS.
We are the majority but liberals like you keep us down but you won’t forever because no matter how bad anything a so-called “Conservative” does, there is always a LIBERAL who IS WORSE. We will keep you SPEWING HATE about “bad analogies” and “invalid comparisons” and other typical LIBERAL ARGUMENT until everybody is sick of the whole thing.
YOU WILL ALWAYS LOSE! GET OVER IT AND MOVE ON!
Punchy
Sorry, I must be in the wrong blog. I came here looking for Andrew’s rant on whatever Andrew rants on today, and instead apparently got HistoryBuffs.blog.nerd.solongagowhocares.com.
Now where the HELL is Andrew?
DougJ
Don Surber rocks.
Rome Again
Apparently you were never very good in math.
Andrew
Sorry, that’s all that I can write when I take so many downers. But really, Caligula was all the way back in 1979, so I can see how you might think that it’s ancient history.
Andrew
I’m sorry, but Don Surber ceased rocking whenever he took his world’s sexiest man picture off of his blog.
Pb
Heh; at least Don Surber is an honest fool. He sort of reminds me of when Chris Matthews would have a segment called “Tell me something I don’t know”–oh, let me count the ways… Well here’s one for you, Don: the Bush administration is composed of white-collar criminals. They have no problems with enabling their guys, and paying them with the government’s (your) money. And yes, even while there’s a war on–it’s called war profiteering, and they’re all for it.
Punchy
So were the BeeGees, but you don’t see me quoting lyrics from Stayin’ Alive, do ya?
Andrew
Ah, so you prefer the instrumentals, like Night on Disco Mountain?
Nick Kasoff - The Thug Report
Meaningless posturing all around. It won’t break a filibuster. And even if it did, it won’t sustain a veto override. But hey, Senator Reid just earned the DNC a big contribution from George Soros next time ’round.
Nick Kasoff
The Thug Report
Pb
Why do the obstructionist Republicans hate our troops so much?
Face
This shit slays me. Go on, Republicans, continue to filibuster the very legislation a MAJORITY of Americans want, and want badly. Continue to do the bidding of the 28% who still “believe”. Carry on with your over-the-top ridiculous rhetoric, bullet points, insults, and hyperbole.
And watch the Dems get 15 more Senate seats and 2 dozen more in the House. Dig your own grave; it’s less work for the rest of us.
jill
Remember all that talk just a half year ago about a permanent Republican Majority?
dreggas
Oddly enough the one who made them was named Thomas Crapper.
dreggas
Yes I remember and I am still laughing :)
Tim F.
I would love to see the president veto his own appropriations bill. Same goes for the filibuster. Fine with me if Republicans don’t want the money for their war.
dreggas
Exactly, let him go ahead and shoot himself in the foot even more.
Zifnab
Please tell me this man is a parody.
ThymeZone
That’s a Don Surber quote, from his blog as linked above.
Surber says that Congress “doesn’t run” the executive branch.
Excuse me, everyone, if I could have your attention … has there ever been a more completely stupid and fucking boneheaded comment seen on these pages in the context of non-spoofery? THE GUY ACTUALLY THINKS THIS.
In one paragraph, Surber ends congressional oversight.
WTF? Why in the world does anyone read such crap?
Surber, for many of you who just tuned it, was a mainstay of the “old” Balloon-Juice in its glory Righty days. He was one of the cool people that were above reproach around here back then.
The guy hasn’t got a FUCKING BRAIN IN HIS HEAD.
Pb
Don Surber: one of the last honest crazy people out there.
ThymeZone
Truen enough, but I find honestly overrated when it comes wrapped in an IQ of 63.
demimondian
I don’t suppose it would be hypocrisy to point out the ethical conundrum posed by a stupidity flame with a typo in it?
srv
WTF? 30,000 National Security Letters every year? And all they’ve got to show for it is Lockwanna, Lodi and Star of David?
ThymeZone
No, it would be “asininity” since typos have nothing to do with intelligence. They have to do with typing too fast, being too busy to proofread, uneditable posts, and poor hand position while typing, and other bad habits.
Any other questions? It’s 2007 and the world of software “engineering” can’t cobble us up fucking editable posts?
(Engineering is in quotes because retail software development is about as far from being an engineering discipline as it could possibly get. )
demimondian
Ah. You’re right, typos have nothing to do with stupidity, merely with the *appearance* of stupidity.
Hey, Herb, have you thought of a new career as a Republican-American? I think you have a true calling.
Zifnab
IM IN UR CONGRESS, CONTROLEN UR FINANCES!!1!
Seriously, though. It’s so nice to have control of both Houses of Congress. There’s no way we could play “Ok, vote this down, punks”, the same way otherwise.
ThymeZone
We’ll all await your paper on the link between intelligence and typographical errors.
ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…………
{ crickets }
{ silence, the sound of your brain at work }
{ and by that I mean, actually at work }
srv
Obviously some talent, as opposed to how kakistocrats ended up.
demimondian
Most of us have brains that are truly well-oiled machines, TZ. We’re not used to hearing them hum and smoke. You might want to have yours looked at.
Although that would require that it be found, first. Perhaps Richard23 would volunteer to do the searching?
ThymeZone
Yeah … you might want to check the “OFF” switch.
From what I can tell, it’s been stuck for about two years now.
RSA
I like how he gives Bush credit for getting Dennis Kozlowski convicted [in a New York state court]. It must be Bush’s aura of incorruptibility, or something.
ThymeZone
Really? You mean, like a 1947 Studebaker?
DoubtingThomas
I must say that made me chuckle, thanks! A nice way to start the weekend…
Richard 23
Looks like you lose, demi. There were two typos:
I think it drags the thread down to a crawl to have people complaining about other people complaining about typos.
Actually the IQ estimate might be a little high, too. But I won’t quibble over that. The “reality based” community has spoken, so it must be true.
Oh and I don’t like the current sidebar ad. Please change it.
And why do I get these awful headaches?
Oh, sorry for the interruption. Carry on.
Richard 23
Night on Bald Mountain was a real toe tapper. There’s nothing quite like classical music set to a disco beat. They don’t make quality music like that any more. Kids today are all into that “grunge” thing with the flannel shirts and facial pierces and junk.
Another good one was “A Fifth of Beethoven” by Walter Murphy.
That one always gets me out on the floor!
Punchy
Someone needs to fast-foward Dick Letters about 15 years or so….
Punchy
Or Dick Numbers. Whatever. I’m an idiot.
Richard 23
TGIF, Punchy! :-D
dreggas
No joke, but what is sad is that all the metal I used to listen to (before the whole grunge scene) is now played on the “Classic Rock” Station…man I feel old.
demimondian
That’s nothing — think about what it feels like when the music of your childhood ages off the Classic Rock stations…
Rome Again
Boy, ain’t that the truth!
Andrew
Thanks for the wikipedia link. Without that, I would have never known that Walter Murphy writes music for Family Guy.
On the other hand, I just listen to disco ironically, unlike you old folks who actually thought Travolta was an icon.
On the other, other hand, I can do the hustle.
Rome Again
I never thought John Travolta was an icon.
2 responses, not sure which I want to apply more:
1. I was doing The Hustle when you were probably playing Cowboys and Indians
2. Yeah, but can you Wagner Walk?
Richard 23
Hmmm, I did like Welcome Back Kotter. Gabe Kaplan was an icon.
Hmmm, and I can read Hustler, for the articles. Even though Larry Flynt is a leftist scumbag, Hustler does have some pretty good articles.
Andrew
No, nor can I do the Charleston or Lindy Hop.
Am I de-aging myself?
Krista
Never learned that one. Dad taught me how to jive, though. And Mom and I were doing a pretty mean Twist at her 60th b-day party recently. It’s kind of a shame that most people don’t know how to dance anymore.
Richard 23
I can do the pogo.
My favorite punk band would have to be Fear!
Richard 23
Krista, you can learn how to talk jive here.
I can’t help you with dancing jive or hand jive. So don’t ask.
Krista
Okay, then. What about East Coast swing? Friend of mine taught me that in university. Fun dance, and a hell of a workout.
I’m whiter than white — I’d sound like a complete asshat if I talked jive. Thanks, though. :)
Richard 23
Wasn’t there a rumor (rumour) that Bill and Hillary Clinton were swingers? Maybe you could ask them about East Coast Swing, Krista.
Or you could try here. There’s sadly no entry on Conservapedia yet.
Face
or this
mclaren
We only have 6 months to get this done. Remember: it’s a six month window, and that’s all. As in early 2003, when Joe Biden pointed out that we had six months to give “one last shot.” And when Tom Friedman pointed out in 2003 that the next 6 months were critical for Iraq. Yes, just 6 months. Six short months until mid-2007. Then we’ll enter the critical period of 6 months which will determine the fate of Iraq by December 2007. Then there’ll be a six month window for one last shot until mid-2008. Then the 2008 presidential election will form a crucial 6-month time period that will tell us whether Iraq will succeed. And then of course by mid 2008 we’ll need to schedule pahsed withdrawals, with the approval of the new president, by mid 2009. And in mid-2009 we’ll only have a 6-month window to get troops out of Iraq. And then…
…And by the year 3000 we’re only have a crucial 6-month timespan to get the troops out of Iraq…
Meet the new Iraq withdrawal deadline. Same as the old Iraq withdrawal deadline…6 months from now.
Pb
mclaren,
It’s called a Friedman Unit (or FU).