I compliment Sen. James Webb on his post-State of the Union speech, and he goes and votes against Sen. Dodd's amendment to require Congressional approval to increase troop numbers in Iraq. Also voting in surprising fashion were Democrats Casey, Cardin, and Nelson. Republican senator Hagel showed that he's another all-talk Republican: despite his blistering criticism of the Bush administration, he also voted against Dodd's resolution.
Biden also voted against the resolution, but at least he has a good reason:
I'm not for capping for a simple reason: It maintains the status quo. I don't want a cap; I want to reduce. Capping goes out there and says the status quo is just fine, No. 1.
No. 2, if we're really going to do something about this, which if, in fact, we can't dissuade the president by showing him he has no support, then I think we have to change the authorization for the use of force and make it directly deal with this straight up. Capping and limiting funds are constitutionally able to be done, but they will not get the job done.
And I think we should be talking -- I've drafted; I'm not going to introduce it right now -- an authorization for the use of force that renders the last one null and void.
Someone needs to explain to certain Democrats that they actually will have to do something.