This story is truly remarkable! After a blank check Iraq war funding bill was brought to the House floor today, 60% of Democrats held to the position they had last May and voted against the bill. Of course, as happened last May, the Bush Dog/DLC congresscritters voted for blank check funding of the war. However, what changed this time was that 132 Republicans voted present on the bill. Of course, this tactic was part of the strategy that they have been employing for the past several weeks, i.e. attempting to block all business on the House floor. Nevertheless, what happened this time was truly beautiful, as the Iraq war funding bill consequently failed 141-149!!!
Here is the roll call for that vote:
http://clerk.house.gov/...
Apparently, anti-war Democrats broke into ecstatic cheers after the results of the vote were announced. Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) apparently screamed "The war is over!"
Of course, Jackson's pronouncement is probably premature and the House leadership may still attempt to pass the bill by attaching it to vital domestic spending and/or general defense appropriations bills. The Senate on its part is already planning its own capitulation bill. However, we should all call or email the members of Congress who voted against the House bill and thank them for standing with the American people on the side of peace. At the same time, make sure to urge all of our Democratic members of Congress not to give in and vote for Iraq war funding just because it is attached to some important domestic spending bill. Remember them that every dime spent for the Iraq war is a dime taken away from these domestic programs.
Maybe if we try hard enough, we can succeed on this issue just like we succeeded on telecom immunity; by creating grassroots pressure on our representatives.
UPDATE: Based on the comments in the diary, I understand that the vote was this afternoon. Sorry for not having caught that news, as I was away from home at the time. Nevertheless, this is still a critical story that deserves to be commented on. I read Kagro X's story on this subject a few hours ago, where he blasted the Republicans for playing politics. While that is obviously true, I believe that there is truly a joyous component to their politics-playing here. It shows that if politics-playing Republicans and anti-war Democrats come together for a common purpose, we can end the war, albeit in a somewhat Machiavellian fashion.