July 28, 2006:

For the past several years, Democrats have not been a position of power, so they have the unfortunate vantage point of complaining about Bush's policies without having the ability or will to do anything about them. While this strategy may have worked in the past, it is starting to buckle under it's own weight. Some Dems have taken a more hawkish stance than their Republican counterparts (Sens. Clinton, Leiberman, Biden), and have even gone so far as to throw up red herrings (ie: Dubai Port Deal). The latest act of Democratic pandering to the Jewish vote in America smacks of a cheap ploy. Dems are trying to act more pro-Israel than their Conservative counterparts... and these are the people who are trying to invoke "the Rapture"! Who are they hoping to get on their side, the Evangelical Christian Majority? Peter Bienart's latest column points out the error of the Democratic method.

Normally, these Dems would be taking bush apart for his lack of Diplomacy, yet here they are touting the Administration's empty justification that Israel is "justifiable defending itself". There is no justification for deliberately destroying civilian life, be it done by suicide bombers, militants, or a Government-backed army.

This whole lack of debate on the issue only proves how strong AIPAC is in deciding who has a political career in American Politics. Please contact the 8 members of Congress who had the courage of their convictions to vote against a resolution that gives Israel a "blank check" in their disproportionate attack on civilian Lebanon. Call the toll-free numbers for the Washington, DC switchboard at: 1-888-355-3588 or 1-800-828-0498

They are:
1. Jim McDermott - D from Washington
2. Carolyn Kilpatrick - D from Michigan
3. Neil Abercrombie - D from Hawaii
4. John Conyers - D from Michigan
5. Ron Paul - R from Texas
6. John Dingell - D from Michigan
7. Fortney Stark - D from California
8. Nick Rahall - D from West Virginia and a Lebanese-American

It's also worth writing them letters of support, especially since you can be 100% certain they will be receiving plenty of hate mail at the moment.