The Shrinking Senate
17 February 2007 11:50 am by Taylor Marsh
The Shrinking Senate
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http://taylormarsh.com/video/__IRAQ_TheSenateShrinks_2-17-1.wmv\">Watch the video . |
\”I don\’t want this vote to occur. …\” – Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott
Well, the vote occurred today, because Senator Reid made the senators come in on a Saturday, but the Republicans made sure
that with men and women dying on the battlefield, the United States Senate would
not debate the Iraq war, using Senate rules to shrink away from their elected
responsibility. The video of Reid above says it all. In the end, the Senate rejected a motion to debate the Iraq war resolution, 56-34.
Senator John McCain didn\’t even show up for the vote. And this guy wants to be president? Nine Republicans didn\’t show up. I guess a war just doesn\’t warrant the attention.
This hardly ends it.
Today I am ashamed of the United States Senate. But I am particularly glad
that I am not a Republican. I have voted Republican in my lifetime, but this
Senate vote illustrates why I never will again. I am also glad I am not represented
by Joseph Lieberman.
Putting politics above our troops in order to save a president that long ago
lost the American people\’s respect is not leadership.
Refusing to debate is a sorry act by these men and women, especially the 34 Republicans who refused
to allow the greatest deliberative body on the planet to rise up against Mr. Bush\’s escalation in Iraq. An escalation, let me add, that not even Oliver North supports, though he\’s clearly not the only military man against the Republican escalation.
This is a sad day for the Senate. It\’s a fateful day for the Republican Party, but at least the Democrats stood up and pushed the point. But in the end the Republicans didn\’t have the courage to debate the Iraq war. A war that is bleeding this country
in blood and treasure.
Now, before you enjoy your Saturday, take a moment to count how many Senate Republicans voting against debating the Iraq war resolution have ever worn the uniform. It won\’t take long.
