After the 9/11 attacks, George Bush had political capital to spend. With his support skyrocketing, he chose to make every idiotic choice he possibly could, alienating America across the globe and becoming the worst President in US history. Politicians do not get many opportunities like the one George Bush was given. But he blew the support in such a horrific fashion that in November of 2006, the Republicans suffered one of the worst defeats in Congressional history, losing both chambers of Congress. The American public wanted the Democrats to do one thing: Get the US out of Iraq. And, not surprisingly, the Democrats took that political mandate and totally fucked it up.

George Bush’s approval numbers are nearing Nixon territory. At this point, he could probably rape a blind 13-year-old midget on camera in the Oval Office and his numbers would not get much worse than they already are. Now, ad that to the fact that Americans support some sort of withdrawal from Iraq by a large margin and it sounds like a great combination if you are the opposing party, right? Not if that opposing party is The Party of Being Afraid. Like the pussies they are known to be, the Democrats caved on the recent spending bill and gave Bush a blank check.

The Republicans called the Democrats’ bluff and they scampered away like the frightened kittens they are. A tremendous opportunity lost. I believe the Democrats made a political calculation – one they will come to greatly regret. New polls out this week suggest the public is upset that the Democrats caved on the Iraq spending bill. Way back in April, the Democratic led Congress had a 54% approval rating, but that has now plummeted to 35%. In April, the Democrats held a 24% approval rating advantage over Bush. That advantage has now dropped to 3%. That is what happens when you play politics instead of doing what you were clearly elected to do.

The Democrats stupidly thought keeping Iraq alive and in the President’s court, would benefit them as people became increasingly upset over the summer. But that plan quickly backfired. The Democratic base, many of who were energized in their opposition against the war, has bailed – hence the rapid drop in poll numbers. Staffers on The Hill are said to be completely shocked at the anger spewing forth from the base. This just goes to show how distanced from reality they are. Did they not see the polls? Did they think they were given control of Congress to talk the talk and not walk the walk?

During the long standoff over the funding, Republican lawmakers kept throwing the month of September around. “We’ll wait until September to see if the surge is working,” they kept saying. The Democrats believed they could use the entire summer to hammer away at Bush on the war and they chose to wait until September. They were totally outflanked by Republican leaders. Now Republicans are beginning to float bills around, different ways to withdraw or reduce troops in September – in other words, the Republicans in Congress will take the credit for any withdrawal that takes place. After all, it will be done on their timetable. And worst of all, by signing onto the funding bill, the Democrats took part ownership of a war that was never theirs.

And make no mistake about it, the Democrats could have stopped this war – by not funding it. Bush could not veto an end to funding. He would not get a bill to veto, just a letter saying, “No more money after March. Sorry, bro.” All Congress had to do was grow a backbone and tell the President that funding for the war would end in March. If a year is not enough time to safely withdraw our troops, then we will never be able to remove them.

Will this translate in the next election? Probably not. The Republican field is one of the most pathetic in generations. They are a group of hardcore right wing/religious fanatics who are completely out of touch with the average American. Republicans will suffer greatly until they purge their party of lunatics.

But the Democrats had a moment in time they can never get back. A moment they wasted. They will now be seen as the “other” party. The party you go to if you don’t want to vote for the other guys, not as a party of action, not as the party a backbone, not as a party you can believe in to stand up for doing what is right.

Reid and Pelosi took it up the ass one this one, and they will deservedly suffer the consequences.

FearTheReaper hates Democrats but he hates Republicans more. He supported them hoping they would put a stop to the war. Now he thinks they can fuck off.