Robert Parry: Will the Dems Finally Play Hardball?

[babylonsister]

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2007/020707.html

Will the Dems Finally Play Hardball?

By Robert Parry
February 7, 2007

The Republicans scored a political victory of sorts by thwarting a non-binding Senate resolution that would have expressed mild disapproval of George W. Bush’s military escalation in Iraq. When the resolution was blocked, White House officials reportedly gave each other high-fives.
Share this article

The GOP’s use of parliamentary procedures to prevent a floor debate was another sharp elbow in the ribs of the new Democratic congressional majority, which has been trying since November to behave in a bipartisan way on foreign policy, graciously approving Bush’s new war council with nary a tough question.

However, perhaps the humiliation over the Iraq War resolution will finally show the Democrats that it’s time to play the political game the way the Republicans do – to win. It also may be time to start seeking meaningful accountability from senior figures in this administration, not just from low-level has-beens like former Iraq proconsul Paul Bremer.

For instance, there’s the case of Vice President Dick Cheney, who organized a smear campaign against Iraq War critic Joseph Wilson. The public evidence is now overwhelming that Cheney abused his authority to discredit Wilson, a former ambassador who had undertaken an important fact-finding assignment for the CIA.

Currently, Cheney’s former chief of staff I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby is on trial, facing five felony counts of perjury and obstruction of justice for allegedly seeking to conceal his role in attacking Wilson, which included disclosing the identity of Wilson’s wife, Valerie Plame, a covert CIA officer.

After Plame’s identity was exposed, her CIA career was destroyed and her spy network examining nuclear proliferation in the Middle East was compromised.

Since independent counsel Patrick Fitzgerald has given no indication that he intends to expand his Plame-gate investigation beyond the Libby trial, it perhaps is time for the House Judiciary Committee to formulate plans for hearings on Cheney’s role.

more...

[AndyA]

1. If I could recommend this 100 times, I would, because I feel this is very important.

I just finished reading the Consortium article, and it says just what I've been thinking. The time for bipartisanship is OVER. The time for being fair is OVER.

Treat the bastards the way they've treated us for the past six years. Give them a dose of their own medicine.

THE DEMS NEED TO PLAY TO WIN. TO HELL WITH BIPARTISANSHIP.
Being nice will just get us pushed around by the MINORITY PARTY. We all know that the GOP does nothing that isn't in their best interest. Fight fire with fire!

[cyclezealot]

4. Dems only know how to play nice.

I hope the Dems learned what it is like to be second class. These repukes don't know how to be nice. They get in again they will be even more vengeful. We must demand backbone from our Dems, demand they expose Repuke courruption and install a working class agenda.

[Jacklyn75]

2. K & R! n/t

[Phredicles]

3. Cripes yes! When the hell will the Democrats in congress get it

through their thick yet overly accommodating skulls A) how the Pulicans work and B) that the very future of this country is on the line?

[LibDemAlways]

5. Repukes aren't interested in making nice and

even putting on a pretense of bipartisanship. They intimidate and bully and use whatever they can to further their agenda. Meanwhile, Dems are busy trying to be accommodating, and Reid is saddled with vichy "Independent Dem" Lieberman whose ass has to be kissed daily to prevent him from bolting to the other side.

It looks like the power the Dems gained in November has no muscle behind it.

[checks-n-balances]

6. I really think the Dems have the Stockholm Syndrome! And they won!

The more they get abused and bullied, the more they back down.

They need some heavy-duty quick "reality (psycho-)therapy" to snap them out of it!

WHEN are they gonna finally GET IT? It's already almost too late.

PATHETIC!!!!!