19 Democrats side with the Republicans to Defeat a Bill to Defund the War

This is what happens when a bill to surrender in Iraq is proposed that includes no pork. The same pork, by the way, that Democrats said they would get rid of during the campaign last year. But that’s a different post, for another time.

Back on topic now, why would 19 Democrats vote to defeat a bill that set a timetable for withdrawal in Iraq? The Democrat leadership has been telling us they were elected to end the war, yet 19 vote against doing just that. The answer is simple, the American people do not want to suffer defeat in Iraq and the senate knows this. They know it would be political suicide to defund our troops in harm’s way so they vote against ending the war all the while saying they are going to end it. I have to believe that America can see through this charade, I still have faith in our citizens.

The Senate on Wednesday rejected legislation that would cut off money for combat operations in Iraq after March 31, 2008.

The vote was a loss for Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., and other Democrats who want to end the war. But the effort picked up support from members, including presidential hopefuls previously reluctant to limit war funding – an indication of the conflict’s unpopularity among voters.

The proposal lost 29-67 on a procedural vote, falling 31 votes short of the necessary votes to advance. Of the 67 senators who opposed Feingold’s proposal, there were 19 Democrats, 47 Republicans and Connecticut Independent Joseph Lieberman. Of the 29 supporting, 28 were Democrats and Vermont Independent Bernard Sanders.

28 Democrats voted for the bill, 19 voted against it. It sounds to me like the Democrats can’t decide what to do. They sound divided, you wouldn’t guess that though from hearing Harry Reid:

“We stand united…. in our belief that troops are enmeshed in an intractable civil war,” said Reid, D-Nev.

A 28-19 vote is united? Ask Carl Levin:

Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said he opposes any measure that cuts off money for the war.

“We don’t want to send the message to the troops” that Congress does not support them, said Levin, D-Mich. “We’re going to support those troops.”

That doesn’t sound like unity to me. The only unity I see here is the Republicans, none of them voted in favor of surrender.