Day Two, take three

Waiting for the wife to get back from her conference sessions…

I visited the Tower of the Americas and The University of Texas San Antonio Institute of Texan Cultures this afternoon. While at the tower, I finished Sam Harris’s book The End of Faith.

Politics
At least some at the Daily Kos understand that politics aren’t always a neat, easy package. FleetAdmiral has written some good diaries to this effect; his latest one is about the Iraq funding bill.

I’ve seen several arguments as to why Democrats should have clung fighting Bush on the supplemental until the end of the world, damn the torpedoes.

One of the most common themes is that Democrats hold the upper hand in the polls on the issue. This is a yes and no.

While the American people do oppose the war, and support things like timetables and benchmarks, they are also against defunding.

The most recent poll to ask this question was a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll from May 4-6.

39% favored, and 60% opposed Congress refusing to fund the troops (the actual question was “One proposal would not provide additional funds for U.S. troops in Iraq and would require the U.S. to withdraw all its troops by March 2008. Would you favor or oppose that bill?” – and I doubt there is 60% disapproval because of the March withdrawal date)

Of course, there is this question, which I think gets to the heart of the matter that if Democrats waited much longer, they were going to make themselves excessively vulnerable:

“Who do you think is MORE responsible for the fact that the U.S. troops currently in Iraq have not yet received additional funds

Bush – 34%
Congress – 44%
Both – 14%

so 48% say Bush is entirely or partially responsible, but 58% say that for Congress

Here is a CBS/New York Times poll from April 20-24:

If George W. Bush does veto [The Iraq Accountability bill], what should the Democrats in Congress do next: should they try to withhold funding for the war until George W. Bush accepts a timetable for troop withdrawal, or should they allow funding for the war, even if there is no timetable?”

Withhold funding – 36%
Allow funding – 56%

Democrats say to withhold funds, 51% to 41% while independents say to allow funding 52% to 38%

Then there is a CBS poll from April 9-12 (note that the funding question is asked a little differently)

“Which of these comes closest to your opinion? (1) Congress should block all funding for the war in Iraq no matter what. OR, (2) Congress should allow funding only for a limited period of time. OR, (3) Congress should allow all funding for the war in Iraq without a time limit.”

Block all funding – 9%
Time Limit – 61%
No Limit – 30%

I say this question is different from the two above, because the previous polls largely deal with withholding funding until Bush signs the law or funding for a few months then quitting, while this question is basically asking about cutting off funds right now and not approving any more (something which some people here actually support).

I should also note that they asked this question again to a different group where the options were listed in reverse. Not much different there either – 12% supported blocking all funding, 55% said have a time limit, and 28% said no limit. [...]

Go to the article to see the links to the references.

Fred Thompson
Interestingly enough, the Republican candidates appear to be something of lady’s men. Fred Thompson, though he is old, fat and balding, has picked up a trophy wife:

which came after his previous girlfiend Lorrie Morgan:

There are those who say this will hurt him, especially in the Republican primary.

Nonsense. Most any Republican “guy” would envy the old s.o.b. Heck, even I envy that ass-pect of his life.

True, he is a shallow-minded dolt who is lost without a script, but that is another matter.