Such a cynical political strategy of 'running out the clock' is 1. gutless, 2. will facilitate (if not directly cause) more American 'working class' soldiers' and Iraqi deaths, and 3. run the SUBSTANTIAL RISK that Bush will use the extra time on the clock to launch nuclear war on Iran ----- in which case all bets are off.
Why won't MoveOn move forward? Because it was founded and is controlled by a couple well-to-do Democrats - Wes Boyd and his ilk - who would like to avoid at all costs embarrassing other wealthy Democrats. Publicising the Lee Amendment would do just that - make the Dems who vote it down (which would be almost all) look bad in the eyes of MoveOn's rank-and-file constituency. That is the last thing they want. From its inception, MoveOn has been nominally anti-war, and has mostly functioned as a mechanism to draw progressives into the Democratic Party - where all social movements go to die. A giant case in point was in 2004, when MoveOn played a hefty role in the implosion of the anti-war movement into the Kerry campaign, which almost fatally crippled the movement for over two years. I unsubscribed from MoveOn long ago because of their unprinicpled politics; namely, the fact that they subordinate ending the war to getting (often pro-war) Democrats elected to office.
Thank you for this article. It is extremely helpful to call out those that are siding with the war bringers and sustainers.
Yes, moveon is playing a dangerous game at the expense of the deaths of hundreds of US troops and tens of thousands of Iraqi deaths. They are a thorn in the side of progress. They muddy the waters, and keep their members in the dark. OK, maybe it's not completely dark with all those candles.
While traditional faxing and calling reps is still needed, here is an alternative to holding a candle in the wind:
The Occupation Project - a campaign of sustained nonviolent civil disobedience to end any additional funding of the war
http://vcnv.org/project/the-occupation-project
and an analysis that is similar to what is offered here by Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber by a person with the Occupation Project.
http://vcnv.org/node/794
And here is a link to a video of a recent "haunting" action that constitutes what I believe will become a next step taken by a small but highly dedicated portion of antiwar groups:
Video: Protest Targets Representative Ehlers' Support of the Iraq War
http://www.mediamouse.org/features/031907video.php
that we remain together.
that we moveon members, that we democrats, progressives, dnc, dlc, all factions, organizations, internet sources and groups maintain all that we have in common and share especially in opposition to our american invasion of sovereign iraq.
we agree more than we differ.
this administration, this corporate structure worldwide pays attention to "how we are." at risk of paranoaia i urge caution we not be so readily divided or be afraid of disagreement between us. and not present any false face of unity, also, when we do disagree. remember that we are the majority in our congress. we are moving toward more opportunity to unite, vote and win! we can maintain what we've gained and continue building on it. for moveon to contain us all and provide for us great avenues and outlets for hope, descension and expression-largely united!-is invaluable. i can only thank moveon.
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