Patrick, the democratic party is in a bit of a pinch. Every political move right now is being done with 2008 election in mind. Every Democrat with any hope of running for office in 2008 knows that they cannot be as liberal as they would like to be. They are caught between a Iraq and a hard place (that was good). If they cut off funding for our troops, they have basically thrown in the political towel for the '08 election. If they don't cut off funding, they risk losing campaign contributions from the ultra-libs that provide most of their money. As the democrat base has moved further and further left, democrats have had an increasingly difficult time positioning themselves as liberal enough to raise money but moderate enough to win general elections. What makes it more difficult for them is that Bush doesn't have to answer to anyone. He's not in the running anymore. He doesn't have to worry about what the conservative base thinks, which is apparent from the amnesty provisions in the Immigration bill, and can be as liberal or conservative as he likes. My guess is that Bush wanted this type of legislation all along but knew that conservatives would have thrown him out in 2004 had he tried to pass it before then. One thing liberals and conservatives can agree on is that this bill stinks.

Patrick, the democratic party is in a bit of a pinch. Every political move right now is being done with 2008 election in mind. Every Democrat with any hope of running for office in 2008 knows that they cannot be as liberal as they would like to be. They are caught between a Iraq and a hard place (that was good). If they cut off funding for our troops, they have basically thrown in the political towel for the '08 election. If they don't cut off funding, they risk losing campaign contributions from the ultra-libs that provide most of their money. As the democrat base has moved further and further left, democrats have had an increasingly difficult time positioning themselves as liberal enough to raise money but moderate enough to win general elections. What makes it more difficult for them is that Bush doesn't have to answer to anyone. He's not in the running anymore. He doesn't have to worry about what the conservative base thinks, which is apparent from the amnesty provisions in the Immigration bill, and can be as liberal or conservative as he likes. My guess is that Bush wanted this type of legislation all along but knew that conservatives would have thrown him out in 2004 had he tried to pass it before then. One thing liberals and conservatives can agree on is that this bill stinks.

When "Oil companys and Corporations of America " can control the goverment of the USA,a poltican has no chance of being honest and do what thee voters ask for !@@

Patrick:
The spineless Democrats fear losing control of the Senate (far quicker than the 2008 elections). If they had voted the people's choice and defunded the Iraq war, Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT) would have defected. Remember, Joe is a former Democrat that is a supporter of the Bush/Cheney war. He lost his primary election, ran as an independent, and won re-election with the help of the Republican Party (that abandoned their own candidate...who couldn't have beat the Dem anti-war candidate). He has threatened to caucus with the Republicans should the democrats vote to defund. If he caucuses with the GOP, the GOP gains control over the Senate...and we're back to where we were this time last yea4r...corrupt politicians with nobody looking out for the American people. As much as the Democrats have lost their backbone, it's better than having the Sectarian-Regressive Repulicans in power, once again, giving Bush/Cheney a blank check on everything. At least the Dems have re-instated the checks and balances that made this country great.