The Progressive blogosphere is resonating today with outrage over the decision by the Congressional Democrats to give Bush a war supplemental spending bill without withdrawal deadlines.

The New York Times:

Congressional Democrats relented Tuesday on their insistence that a war spending measure set a date for withdrawing American combat troops from Iraq. Instead, they moved toward a deal with President Bush that would impose new conditions on the Iraqi government.

The decision to back down was a wrenching reversal for leading Democrats, who saw their election triumph in November as a call to force an end to the war. It was the first time since taking power in Congress that the Democrats had publicly agreed to allow a vote on war financing without a timetable for troop withdrawal.

But even so, many Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, indicated that they would not support the war money, meaning that a significant number of Republicans would have to sign on to ensure the plan’s approval.

The bill does some good things, including raising the minimum wage. But that's not the point. We won the November election because the nation is sick of the republican war. Now, we've taken over part-ownership of it.

Congratulations.

Not much to do at this point, except this: call your Reps and see to it that they vote against the final appropriations bill. The roll call vote for today's vote is here. A majority of Democrats voted for the bill with the troop withdrawal deadlines, it should be noted. It's a republican war, let them take the blame for it. If we can't end this maddening waste of blood and treasure, at least, let responsibility for it rest where it belongs.

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