in 1968, the Democratic Party tore itself apart. On one side were those who opposed the Vietnam war. On the other was Lyndon Baines Johnson, who ultimately declined to run for re-election and threw the race wide open. Are we seeing the same today? The Hill reports:
Congress's failure to secure a timetable for withdrawing American troops from Iraq has split anti-war activists on the tactical question of whether to attack Democrats, who now control Capitol Hill.
The split has also underlined accusations among some activists that MoveOn has abandoned its credentials as an issue-based advocacy group and now instead provides cover for Democratic Party leaders.
The tension in the Democratic party is that the Democrats want to be able to influence the war in Iraq, without taking any blame for what happens afterwards. As Captain Ed summarizes brilliantly:
Quite obviously, the Democrats have decided that they cannot win the next election on the platform of United for Peace and Justice, or Code Pink, or Voices for Creative Non-Violence. They represent the fringe of American political thought, and that path takes the Democrats right back to 1995. That's why they can't vote to defund the troops in Iraq, and why they couldn't stand up to the supposedly-irrelevant George Bush on FISA. In short, they want to take the money from the fringe-Left groups, but they won't deliver on their agendas -- for which we should all be grateful indeed.
If you're an anti-war Democrat look forward to continuing frustration and the ongoing question about who to vent your frustration at. Note also that the the most vocal opponents of the Iraq war, Bill Richardson and John Edwards, don't have to actually vote on the matter.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
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Blocking Idiots at 4:09PM on Aug 9th 2007
2. The undeniable success of the surge so far has James Clyburn D-S.C. acknowledging out loud it will be "a big problem for us."
With a 14% approval rating it is obvious they can't pander to everyone.
Democrats will find it hard to get support for troop withdrawl from the more moderate "blue dog" Democrats if the surge reprot in September is positive.
Brookings Institution analysts Michael O'Hanlon and Ken Pollack stated "There is enough good happening on the battlefields of Iraq today that Congress should plan on sustaining the effort into 2008."
Democrats may have seen this coming as they were desperate to get out of Iraq in May-June.
Many Democrats would rather have the war lost and blame it on the GOP as insurance leading up to the 2008 elections.
I am looking forward to watching the "blue dog" Democrats save the Democratic party from left leaning oblivion in September.
Pete at 5:18PM on Aug 9th 2007
3. "Brookings Institution analysts Michael O'Hanlon and Ken Pollack stated "There is enough good happening on the battlefields of Iraq today that Congress should plan on sustaining the effort into 2008." (Pete)
Why stop in 2008? I firmly believe that 'SUCCESS' can be achieved in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and so on.
If play our cards right, we can achieve 'SUCCESS' for an indefinate period of time. That's IF we we play our cards right.
Vote Republican, and ensure continued 'SUCCESS' in Iraq year after year after year after year.......
vegastracon at 5:41PM on Aug 9th 2007
4. The result of the 68 presidential election was a change of party. Then it took 6 years to get out of Vietnam. And when we finally left, there was a reign of terror and our side lost. Would it happen again?
Steve Bonomo at 6:18PM on Aug 9th 2007
5. Steve;
You left out the part about Democrats cutting the funding to South Vietnam. Democrats cutting the funding sent the signal to the North we had totaly abandoned South Vietnam. The North invaded the South, we "choppered out" of the embassy and "our side lost."
If it does happen again, as things stand now, it is much more likely to happen at the hands of Democrats.
Respectfully Pete
Pete at 10:54PM on Aug 9th 2007
6. Lets be real, the dems are the ones who want to save lives. Iraq is a disaster and we need out.
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Patrick at 12:44PM on Aug 10th 2007