Jim Webb's Statement On Levin-Reed
As usual with Senator Webb, it makes you want to stand up and cheer. He is unbowed by these extremists masquerading as a "party of freedom" and "liberty"...blah blah blah...BS, BS, BS...
Here is part of his statement on chickenhawk Republican Senators, most of whom never served when they had a chance, but who callously send others abroad to die in their phony war of freedom in Iraq while allowing Al Qaeda to grow stronger in Waziristan:
Before I speak about Iraq, I believe it is important to mention another issue at play here tonight. What does it mean to have majority rule in a democracy?For the rest go to Raising Kaine.
Harry Reid and Dick Durbin are right. There is no justifiable reason for us to be denied an up or down majority vote on this and other issues. Why should it take more than 60 percent of the members of the Senate to decide a matter of policy? If it took 60 votes to be in the Senate, most of us wouldn't be talking tonight.
I support this amendment. I have reservations about certain parts of it, and I want to make them clear. But I do intend to vote for it and I suggest to my colleagues that they do likewise.
posted by Cliff Schecter @ 9:25 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Great guy that Jim Webb.
I'll bet he smells much better than Fred Thompson.
Hey Cliff, I enjoy seeing you on T.V. and I like your blog. Although the subject itself is not enjoyable, I enjoy watching you on T.V. because you can meet them swiftly on the misleading talking points coming from the right.
Although, I do have a serious problem with the Democrats as well. Not because I disagree with them, but what their priorities are.
It seems much of the Democratic Party's debate on the Senate floor is always trying to assert themselves as patriotic. I can understand their reasoning for it, as FAUX News continues to tarnish the views against the war as unpatriotic.
Why is the war debate centered around the troops? If Democrats allow the Republicans to control the direction of the debate, the Republicans will always have the upper hand because Democrats have willingly relegated themselves to the Iraq debate by continuously playing defense.
I, like a hapless hopeful, stayed up to watch the debate and it was an all night suckfest puckering up to our kids in uniform. Please, I know my words are a hard pill to swallow, but allow me to explain.
I believe the United States military exists to serves the American people and not direct them. We have allowed the Republicans to use the war machine to direct and control the Iraq debate and I feel this is immoral.
I stayed up expecting passionate speech about the war and about what should matter the most. It ended up being a "No, I'm rubber and you're glue - whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you!" crap debate. I got more passion in Optimus Prime's speech in the new Transformers movie.
None of our Senators emphasized what should be the critical and prominent concern in the Iraq debate - the children of Iraq. I believe it was Ward Churchill that said the prime reason 9/11 happened was because of the children of Palestine. Although I feel Hamas and Hezbollah have taken on violent activities due to dubious reasons than noble causes, there is some truth in action for the Palestinian children - the children of Palestine are undoubtedly suffering immensely.
And that's what I wanted to see that night - emphasis on the children of Iraq. Doing what's best for the children of Iraq. Again, arrogance and selfishness within the Senate floor make the case based on our troops - which should be part of the reason and not thee reason to end the war.
Instead, every democrats took the podium only to say "Hey! I am patriotic!" and wouldn't stop talking about the troops.
I assert there was absolutely no substance from the arguments presented by the Democrats which left me very angry.
When will Americans and our Senators realize that we have prioritized patriotism over humanity? We want to end the war because of patriotism - not because of the suffering children in Iraq. I ponder if the Democrats and Republicans even know that children live in Iraq? Has a decade-long embargo on Iraq dulled their sensitivities to the children of Iraq?
When the Democrats hit the podium to speak - why was their Presentation board begging to "Let Us Vote" instead of showing the pictures of dead children/suffering injured girls ravaged by the war in Iraq? Why were they not demanding to end the war now for the children of Iraq? Why are we ending the war for the troops?
Could it be that the Democrats think the American people have no heart for the children of Iraq? When Republicans attack with "You're not patriotic!" why do the Democrats whimper and confine themselves to the debate exactly how the Republicans want it? Why are they not hollering "What have you done for the innocent in Iraq?", "What is our responsibility to the children in Iraq?", "What should our course of action be when we know that the children will suffer more knowing that the longer we stay the more hatred and violent acts will be committed in Iraq endangering more children?"
No, instead it was all about the troops. It was all about a military machine that directs the course of this nation and not obey an act out the will of the nation.
Our debate on Iraq has become militant and much of the blame rests on the Democrats for allowing it.
I'm appalled by our indifference to those suffering in Iraq as if they don't exist or matter. All Democrats have to say is "Look at the children! What have we done for them?! If we stay, what can we predict for them?"
If Republicans had noble causes in mind (which I seriously doubt), that fact should not override the the other fact that due to piss-poor execution to "liberate" Iraq should call for an immediate change in leader in conducting this war, starting with the C-in-C, which about 40 percent of Americans say would support impeachment.
"We are patriotic!" says the Democrats, and it will always be met with "No, you're not!" from the Republicans - leaving the Iraq debate stuck in a rut while morals and values take a back seat.
Democrats need a new vision statement - a new course on the Iraq debate - a revival of humanity overcoming this nation rather than blind patriotism.
I have the highest respect for the troops that serves this great nation - but that's just it. The military serves the interests of the nation and we should never ever submit to letting the military direct any war debate. To do things solely for the troops means the military and the Republicans will forever control the debate.
Jim Webb- my hero.
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