hmmm

[BT]

“Republicans Block Senate Debate on Iraq”


So says the Associated press:

Republicans blocked a full-fledged Senate debate over Iraq on Monday, but Democrats vowed to find a way to force President Bush to change course in a war that has claimed the lives of more than 3,000 U.S. troops.

“We must heed the results of the November elections and the wishes of the American people,” said Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Reid, D-Nev., spoke moments before a vote that sidetracked a nonbinding measure expressing disagreement with Bush’s plan to deploy an additional 21,500 troops to Iraq.

The vote was 49-47, or 11 short of the 60 needed to go ahead with debate, and left the fate of the measure uncertain.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky described the test vote as merely a “bump in the road” and added that GOP lawmakers “welcome the debate and are happy to have it.”

Actually this is just spin. The Democrats actually want to end debate and vote on the resolution. What the Republicans are arguing for is keeping debate open and considering other resolutions. That of course might make passing the proposed resolution less likely, which is what they are trying to avoid.

Typical in politics, and unfortunately typical for the AP.

UPDATE: Captain Ed weighs in on the Democratic spin the AP is parroting:

Reid and the Democrats insisted on blocking any consideration of alternatives and demanded an end to debate — which makes Reid’s complaint that the GOP would not allow debate on the issue somewhat mystifying. Cloture is an end to debate on the floor, a limitation to allow a vote on the question before the Senate. The filibuster provides for unlimited debate, which the Republicans appear ready to provide. Dick Durbin accused Republicans of running from the debate, but in truth the Democrats tried to shove Warner-Levin down the GOP’s throat in order to demand that the US run from Iraq. It’s a strange accusation to make that a political party exercises cowardice in not allowing the other to demand retreat — a position that some Democrats clearly want to make.
http://asecondhandconjecture.com/?p=474

[sirs]

.....and all this bluster towards a toothless non-binding resolution.  Is this what congress is all about now........who has the most hot air?       

[Brassmask]

They're all acting like cowards in my opinion.

Everybody says that something should be done but nobody's doing anything about it and nobody wants to pull the trigger.

Where are the men and women of action?

[Amianthus]

Where are the men and women of action?

Not in Congress, that's for damn sure.

People of action generally have done things they might not be proud of; therefore they cannot run for Congress because their "dirt" will be dug up by their opponents.