"Choices" in any legislative body depend upon the number of votes a sponsor introducing a bill can count on. The House and the Senate are no different from a City Council in that respect.

Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid can not end the war on Iraq by themselves, as some people seem to think. If we don't do our part, and convince ALL Democrats, along with the required number of Republicans, to vote their hearts, and NOT their purses, neither body can override a presidential veto. That single "vote" by Dubya, and the tie-breaker vote by Cheney, are more powerful than all of the non-DLC Democratic votes combined.

Don't place all of the blame on Reid and Pelosi, rather place most of it where it belongs -- on the DLC "centrist" neocon-enablers, and the puppet Republicans. This fight did NOT stop with the November, 2006 elections, and we still have much work to do.

on this vote for the spending bill. He has really exploded. His show runs another 2 hours. http://www.kgo.com He has called for phone calls, emails, and most importantly, FAXES, to both Pelosi and Reid. The answering machines for both are full at this time. For those of you with FAX capability, find the numbers for both Washington and their local offices. Not only does this bill continue the funding for the war, it allows the increase in troop strength to 200,000 military plus the 100,000+ in mercenary strength. This spending bill is the result of the DLC DEMS and their meddling with the recent vote of the people. You can get Bernie live on the site. This is why Hoyer was named whip instead of Murtha. The one thing Nancy could have done is not to send the bill back to Bush. She did vote against this bill...but that isn't much help. If you can FAX, do so. You might want to email or call your own Reps/Senators and let them understand your anger. The increase in troop strength to over 300,000 including the mercenary thugs looks at this point like something we don't want to see coming at us. This bill needs to be held and NOT sent forward to the Senate. Bernie also asked where was MoveOn...so their absence has been noted. Ray Taliaferro follows Bernie at 1am pdt. Hopefully he will continue with the same theme.

A mind once expanded can never return to its original dimensions.

Anne Hathaway: 1556-1623

The greatest derangement of the mind is to believe in something because one wishes it to be so.

Your attack on the entire Democratic Party is typical of an "Independent" who contributes nothing but criticism.

For your information, the Democratic Party is NOT just the elected representatives in Washington, but includes the millions of Liberal American Democrats who are fighting for the return of American values to this country. The neoconservative corporate shills from both sides of the political aisle have had over a decade to implement their corporate (read fascist) agenda, and a return to a Constitutional America will not happen overnight.

For those of your group who believe that just because the Democrats won a very slim majority in the November, 2006 elections, you are entitled to some sort of "instant gratification," you are showing your lack of willingness to dig in for the long haul. I suppose that is why you choose to call yourselves "Independents." It must make it easier to blame everyone but yourselves.

Form a "new" Party? The Greenies and the Libertarians tried that, and where are they today? They have become little more than annoying spoilers, but at least they are committed to something, unlike aimless and unrepresented "Independents" (unless you count Lieberman). We Democrats are working very hard to get rid of the DINO "centrists" in our Party, and quite frankly, if you are not a part of the solution, then you are a part of the problem.

The Democratic Party is far from dead. It is in the process of renewal and recovery after being hijacked and held hostage by neoconservative "centrists."

stand up to Bush with a majority in both houses.>>>>>

Come on! Do you really believe people are stupid enough to fall for that silliness? Bush has the veto. Democrats do NOT have a large enough majority to override his veto's. The CONS are sticking with george, & it's the CONS who are stopping the end of this war. You want the war to end? Then contact the dumb a**es in the states that voted CONS into Congress, and get them to pressure their representatives.