I guess we’ll have to get back to the regular give and take of politics sooner rather than later — I’d rather wait myself. But before you spout off to me about how Republicans are being obstructionist and how the war is a failure, read this article from the Washington Post where Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC and third in line in the House) said up to 47 Democrats wouldn’t even vote to end the war if the surge is succeeding (as even the New York Times acknowledged yesterday). http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/30/AR2007073001380.html

While there are a lot of things the Democrats can’t agree on, when they pass a bill (and they have passed bills), that is all the agreement they need. Now if Bush signs a bill passed by the Democratic House and Senate, it becomes law. If Bush vetos the bill, and the Republican minority sustains the veto, then it is, in fact, the Republicans who have “obstructed” what the Democrats wanted to do. Its the same thing with the cloture votes - the Democrats vote for something, but it goes nowhere because the Republicans keep them from getting 60 votes.

Now, I am not using “obstructed” as a negative term. The Republicans have the right to obstruct Democratic legislation, just as Bush has the right to veto it. That is how the system works. But it will be very clear to voters in 2008 that the Democrats are working to end the war and the Republicans have obstructed those efforts and are working to keep the war going.

As to the success of the surge, didn’t the Sunnis just quit the gover — you know what, never mind. Why even bother. If you guys want to believe the surge is working, that’s great. I hope you keep on believing that right up until the 2008 elections.

“THEY WILL GREET US AS LIBERATORS!”

Voters expect results, and now that they aren’t seeing any from the Democrat-controlled Congress, other than conducting partisan investigations, they aren’t liking it too much, hence the abysmal approval ratings for Congress. Keep up the good work.

Come on, you’re smarter than that. There has been little “obstruction” in fact. The Dems can’t even agree among themselves on spending and other issues. They have spent more time re-naming federal buildings and launching investigations than anything else.

Moreover, on the Iraq issue, there have been several news stories, including an article in the NY Times on Monday, about how the surge is working and violence is lessening all across Iraq. Yesterday a Washington Post reporter asked Rep. James Clyburn how Democrats would react if Gen. Petraeus said in September that the surge is successful and we would be foolish to pull out now. Clyburn’s response was, “It would be a real big problem for us” if the surge worked. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/30/AR2007073001380.html