I think Bush is praying that Democrats will stop the funding for the war

[mtnsnake]

This surge thing has got to be the biggest Rovian ploy ever. Everyone and their mother knows that the surge in troops won't make a shred of difference in the inevitable outcome. Bush knows his war is a disaster. What better way is there for him to come out of this than to have....#1)The Democrats stop the funding for the surge. #2)The war comes to a grinding halt. #3)Democrats are blamed for the war's failure because they were responsible for cutting off the funds for the "troops" (really the war). I can just hear the right wing pundits now.

Democrats are caught between a brick and a hard place. What will they do when it comes down to a vote on funding?

[Kagemusha]

1. The precedent that the President doesn't have unlimited war powers

would bring tears to Bush's eyes. He'd never accept it quietly. It's a matter of principle, principle that Cheney tells him on a daily basis, must not be compromised for anything. It's not just Bush's power, but the power of the institution, which must be aggrandized.

[Tarc]

2. Vote to cut funding, hopefully.

Congress needs to stop worrying and just have faith that the majority of Americans are not going to fall for the "Democrats hate the troops!" bullshit.

Vote to cut NOW. Kick Rove and crew while they're down on the ground.

[IsItJustMe]

3. I don't think this is likely in the short term. Most people would see this war as a

miserable misadventure, you can tell that the momentum, out on the streets of America, just isn't there, to stop this failed policy. The time is coming however, you can feel it in the wind.

[C_U_L8R]

4. He's double-dog dared us

and we should call him on it

It has nothing to do with supporting or not supporting the troops... that's a silly premise.
It's all about correcting a lame-brained presidential "decision".
Stopping Bush is what congress is "supposed" to do

[mtnsnake]

5. I couldn't agree more with you, but will Congress have the guts?

It has nothing to do with supporting or not supporting the troops

We know it and they know it, but will our Democrats have the resolve to cut off his funding, knowing that "the silly premise" will be exactly how they'll be portrayed? Let's hope they're above that and do the right thing. If not, then they'll have no other recourse other than to impeach him in a last ditch effort to stop the madness.

[C_U_L8R]

6. I really don't know - I hope they do

The Dems need to be fearless and unrelenting

[zbdent]

7. Didn't Dornan propose just that in 1995 with Clinton in Bosnia?

[Tellurian]

8. Well, I have an idea...

Charges have to be brought by the World Court accusing Bush and Cheney of War Crimes...The Constitution protecting them can be bypassed by a simple majority Senate vote, demanding they step down during the investigation. The template for the stand down was created by Gingrich when they were gunning for President Clinton's Impeachment. It was created to remove VP Gore after the take down of President Clinton and the installation of Gingrich as the protem president.

I miss Charles Ruff. I loved his brilliant mind. He was President Clinton's attorney during the Impeachment. He was a Top of the Line Constitutional Scholar, he knew how to use the Constitution to blindside Federalist shenanigans.

[mtnsnake]

11. Wouldn't that be sweet

seeing the two of them caught in that "stand down" due to a template that a neocon, Newt Gingrich, created.

[Tellurian]

14. The one who would know..

is Bill Clinton, himself.. Of course, he was pretty "tied" up at the time and may not be aware, or hasn't seen the paperwork (writings) removing Gore IF his own removal had been accomplished. As I mentioned before, and I don't know if you've been successful in communicating the name of the attorney, Bruce Ackerman to the Clintons. He is both a Constitutional Scholar and Federalist expert that would be the (only) one to quickly find a successful breach between the Federalist transition and the Constitution itself. He is responsible for blueprinting the strategy for Bush v Gore. Olson and Tribe were puppet players in the grand scheme. It was Ackerman who used the assumption, "the Constitution does not state every vote must be counted in a Presidential election" and ran with it with no opposition at all from the other side, simply because it was TRUE.. (It was a feat of brilliance on Ackerman's part. I'm not so sure Ackerman was aware of all of Bush's intentions at the time he agreed to this maneuver. He saw it as an academic challenge and his satisfaction was derived from the final outcome. I don't believe Ackeman would be in agreeance with what Bush has done with his new found power courtesy of Ackerman)

The most difficult step for the Bush Team was getting to the SCOTUS to have this predetermination foisted on us as their ultimate final Supreme Court decision.

So, it's creative use of our Constitution and talking to the right attorney that can turn our circumstance around.I'm hoping they don't actually think the Bush Adm will allow an election to take place...removing them from power.

If they do,

....Shouldn't the newest Bush signings, posting a gatekeeper for future Congressional Legislation be a signal indicative of their intentions of non-relinquishment of power and control now or ever?

....Shouldn't the fact Bush is hiring Civilian Mercenaries under the employ of the federal government be a sign?
....Shouldn't the fact Bush has removed the Governor's authority to direct National Guard troops, authorizing NGTroops under HIS sole authority be a compilation of signals pointing to ONE END?

BUSH HAS NO INTENTION OF LEAVING THE WHITE HOUSE for a very long time unless he IS preempted from staying by the RULE OF LAW, NOW! Before it's TOO LATE?

[RC]

12. Sounds good to me. When does it happen?

::: crickets chirping :::

[BlameCanada12]

9. Playing politics with human lives... - God Bless the USA!!! n/t

[Kolesar]

10. The "Surge" might just be Bush's mode of careening from one disaster to another

All the while, nothing sticks to him. Well, almost nothing (ref. 11/7/2006). This has been the course of his presidency:
F'ck with China--China shoots down spy plane
Harken Energy
Kenny Boy at Enron
9/11
Saudis fly home
Dept of Homeland Security
Saxbee Chandliss
Can't get Osama
Invade Iraq
Lose Iraq
Male prostitute in White House
Tom Delay
Lie about climate change
Katrina
...on and on...

[harveyc]

13. The American people will ...

back the Congress if they take a stand against Bush and cut the funds for the Iraqi War. This is the only way they can end the war in Iraq before the 2008 elections and get our soldiers out of there.

It is time for some leadership in Congress based on principles and convictions and promises.

I understand the 2008 Iraq supplemental will be presented to Congress next Monday for $100+ billion and it is usually voted on in March / April.

We can't afford to have another 394-22 vote like we did last year on the 2007 supplemental.

[Tellurian]

15. Bush can force Martial Law on us at any time..

The call to end the War is becoming Louder and Louder day by day.
If Anti War demonstrations continue to be peaceful makes no difference.

Bush will direct provocateurs to created notable civil unrest in the country,
blaming it on Anti-War protesters then calling for the need to declare Martial Law.

Under Martial Law, all future elections are suspended indefinitely.
So, taking to the streets is not really a safe plan for us as it could and will backfire on us.

Here's a thought, I hadn't thought of in a very long time.

When the Gore v Bush Trial was going on, and the outcome left us wanting. I had wished we had
taken to the streets so it would have prompted President Clinton to declare Martial Law...and suspend
any further elections indefinitely.

In hindsight, we wouldn't have known all we do now about the seditious nature of the Neocon's agenda or that they fully intended to fulfill their PNAC aspirations.

And probably wouldn't have believed anyone telling us, the appointment of a Republican President would be the biggest mistake of our lives. Where he intended to remove Hussein from power, attack the sovereign country of Iraq, plunder their oil, send thousands of our soldiers to their death, shred our Constitution, allow 9/11 to happen, see Bush appoint himself dictator of the good old US of A... our Congress hamstrung to the gills by nefarious deletions to our inaliable protections.

No, I don't think we would've believed this could happen in OUR country..

After all, we're Americans living in a DEMOCRACY. We reside in the Land of the FREE and the home of the BRAVE! How could it possibly happen here?

But, It Did!

[Name removed]

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