Democrats Feel Liberals' Antiwar Heat (take a bow, DUers!)

[babylonsister]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines07/0110-08.htm

Published on Wednesday, January 10, 2007 by the Los Angeles Times

Democrats Feel Liberals' Antiwar Heat
Freshman and veteran lawmakers alike risk the ire of bloggers and other activists if they waver on an Iraq exit.
by Janet Hook


It did not take long for Rep. Nancy Boyda, a freshman Democrat from Kansas, to learn the price of defying her party's liberal base. After she said she would support President Bush if he proposed an increase in U.S. troop levels in Iraq, antiwar bloggers fumed and MoveOn.org, the liberal advocacy group, considered running a television ad attacking her.

"If a member of Congress is wrong on Iraq, that is not what we voted for," said Tom Matzzie, MoveOn's Washington director. "There will be people watching to make sure they do the right thing."

That kind of political pressure is already being applied, not just to junior lawmakers, but also to Democratic leaders. It prodded them into making Iraq more central to their first 100 hours in control of Capitol Hill than they had planned. And it is creating tension between many Democrats and the liberal activists who will be increasingly important as the 2008 presidential campaign gets into gear.

Antiwar protester Cindy Sheehan, demanding a troop withdrawal, disrupted House Democratic leaders at their first-day news conference on ethics. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada was deluged with complaints when he appeared to be open to a troop increase and posted a notice on a liberal blog to explain that he was misunderstood. Dozens of demonstrators rallied outside a Washington think tank when Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) spoke in support of a troop escalation.

Antiwar activists, who believe that Democrats owe their 2006 election victories to voter discontent with the Iraq war, are thrilled that most congressional Democrats oppose Bush's proposed troop increase. But lawmakers are divided over how far to go in fighting the plan, and activists worry that the party will not have the political stamina to block the escalation and, beyond that, force a withdrawal of all troops.

"We have to look closely, not at what they say, but how they vote," said John Isaacs, president of Council for a Livable World, an arms control advocacy group.

more...

[mzmolly]

1. And now the left has money. Moveon is a very powerful PAC,

Democrats will listen. However, it's not JUST the left as the article notes, it's the right and center as well who now oppose this war.

Thanks for the post. :hi:

[Morgana LaFey]

6. And just think --

MoveOn got its start as a direct push-back to Republicans' overreach in impeaching Clinton. For anyone who doesn't know their story, they were a grassroots push to give Clinton a reprimand (or whatever) and just Move On!!

[Nite Owl]

7. That's when I joined

when they wanted to moveon from the Clinton impeachment. Now look at themm, all grown up and ready to rumble!

[LittleClarkie]

2. But Mr. Matzzie, you didn't vote for her. Kansas folks did.

"If a member of Congress is wrong on Iraq, that is not what we voted for," said Tom Matzzie, MoveOn's Washington director. "There will be people watching to make sure they do the right thing."

She's from Kansas after all, and represents the people who DID vote her in. While I may agree with Mr. Matzzie on the right course of action, I dislike the strong arm tactics, and the attitude that all must agree with our point of view or we will MAKE them agree. That is not the way of democracy.

[endarkenment]

5. MoveOn is a national organization

and it has chapters in Kansas and it funds and supports candidates all across the country, including Kansas. So let me see if I have this right, it was ok for MoveOn to support her when she was running for office, but we are supposed to sit down and shut up now that she is in office? I think not.

[LittleClarkie]

8. No, but do your interests and the interests of a majority of her constituents

match up? Should your voice be louder than theirs?

[huskerlaw]

9. And who says

that the interests DON'T match up?

Regardless, MoveOn has the right to tell any elected officials that they disagree with their position.

With your logic, anyone outside of Connecticut shouldn't hold Joe Lieberman accountable either. Because, after all, the people of Connecticut did vote for him. :eyes:

I think not.

[LittleClarkie]

10. It wasn't a statement

It was a question. That is what I'm asking.

Nevertheless, it is Kansas, after all, as in "What's the Matter With..."

[cassiepriam]

3. In the 60's we took to the streets, now we just pound our keyboards.

Who knew the work we do here is so important!

[az chela]

4. Time for us to fight back!!!!

No more war ,screw the repukes,they are going DOWN
No more funding
End the war now