Let's Take A Vote
Power Line
Speaking of good news coming out of the House of Representatives, the Republican leadership is moving toward a quick vote on Jack Murtha's resolution demanding immediate surrender in Iraq. I think that's great: let the Democrats stand up and be counted.
The Associated Press seems to think it's dirty pool to actually make the Democrats vote on Murtha's resolution.
Their article begins:
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House Republicans, sensing an opportunity for political advantage, maneuvered for a quick vote and swift rejection Friday of a Democratic lawmaker's call for an immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq.
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When was the last time you saw an AP article whose first sentence included the words: "Democrats, sensing an opportunity for political advantage..."?
This lead is a little puzzling, too, since farther down in the article, the AP suggests that most Americans favor surrender in Iraq:
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By forcing the issue to a vote, Republicans placed many Democrats in a politically unappealing position - whether to side with Murtha and expose themselves to attacks from the White House and congressional Republicans, or whether to oppose him and risk angering the voters that polls show want an end to the conflict.
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This obviously makes no sense. If most Americans really do favor an immediate pollout, then why would Democrats fear "exposing themselves to attacks from the White House"? And why would the Republicans gain politically from taking a position that "angers the voters"?
The answer is that, according to every poll I've seen, a clear majority of Americans oppose surrender in Iraq. Cut-and-run is the approach favored by the Associated Press, the major media and the Democratic Party's left-wing base; but that base comprises a small minority of voters. So it makes perfect sense to ask Congressional Democrats to state whether they want to surrender in Iraq, and turn that nation over to al Qaeda, or not.
More than that, of course, it's the right thing to do.
Notwithstanding the media's breathless heralding of each liberal politician who comes out against continuation of the war, a substantial majority of House members will vote to reject the call for surrender. That's good, as our service personnel deserve the assurance that our government continues to stand behind their mission.
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