Why Haven’t We Blockaded Iran Yet?
It’s because of You. Us. The Netroots.
On May 22nd a House resolution was introduced which would authorize a naval blockade of Iran. With no publicity from that Bush-hating liberal media, H. Con. Res. 362 was sailing through the House. The “leadership” bragged that the bill would “pass like a hot knife through butter” before the end of June.
The bill steamrolled its way through the House; at one point it had more than 200 cosponsors. It seemed like a done deal. But then those damn Intertubes kicked in. After tens of thousands of e-mails, online petitions and phone calls, co-sponsors started dropping like flies.
Barney Frank (D-MA) — who later apologized for “not having read the bill more carefully” — Robert Wexler (D-FL) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) were among the first to change their minds.
On June 24th the Seattle Post-Intelligencer took notice; or maybe they didn’t want to get left in the dust by thousands of bloggers and netsurfers. In an editorial, they asked “are supporters of Res. 362 asleep at the wheel, or are they just anxious to drag us into another illegal war?”
As of this date, H. Con. Res. 362 is still stuck in committee.
Aside from being ignored by the “media,” this bill seemed unstoppable for another reason: It was being pushed by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). They’re one of America’s most powerful lobbying groups. They pretty much get what they want.
Activist groups who thwarted this bill (for now) include: Peace Action, United for Peace and Justice, the National Iranian-American Council, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, and Just Foreign Policy.
Another major player — and not mentioned in the article — is the Libertarian Downsize DC.
And speaking of oblivious legislators who vote for a bill without even knowing what’s in it — one of Downsize DC’s long-running campaigns is the Read The Bills Act. As the name implies, this bill would require all lawmakers to read an entire bill — and sign a statement verifying that they’ve read it and understand it — before they’re allowed to vote yes or no on it. What a concept.
cross-posted at Bring It On!
Labels: Downsize DC, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Iran blockade, Just Foreign Policy, National Iranian-American Council, Peace Action, Read The Bills Act, United for Peace and Justice
posted by Tom Harper @ 4:03 PM
14 Comments:
It is one thing to have a bill about technicalities and legal mumbo-jumbo go unoticed.. but when a bill about Iran being "blockaded" is flying under the radar that really says something both about the power of AIPAC and the media's lack of reporting about this Resolution. Absolutely Despicable.
SM
*I Added this blog to my 'Blog Link.' Great Content.
SM: Yup, absolutely despicable. The power of some lobbying groups, combined with a docile lapdog "media" -- terrible combination.
Thanks for linking.
Not reading the fine print and suffering the consequences is only for us little people, not them. They're Very Important®.
This only goes to show that the lie-brul media, unlike the peace-loving Bush administration, is the one who wants war.
I bet that if it was one of those pork bills it would go through like lightning, but when it comes to something serious, something that needs to be done, nobody wants to get their hands in it. Political ambitions vs. reality. I watch the news for stuff like this, and your post is the first time I hear of it, nothing like the media and their agenda, ah?
Excellent post
Randal: OK, I get it now. When a peon signs something without reading the fine print, that peon suffers the consequences. But when a VIP signs something without reading it, the peons suffer the consequences. Got it.
Aleja: Yup, the "media" keeps ignoring important stories more and more often. Looking at an "alternate" news site like AlterNet, and then looking at a mainstream site like Yahoo! or MSNBC -- it's like two different worlds. It's hard to tell if the mainstream media is doing this on purpose, or if they really think the public is only interested in celebrity gossip and the latest gaffes from McCain and Obama.
That Aipac was able to ram this act of war through Congress without even a glance from members therein shows that Aipac (and other lobbies) have too much clout with our Congresscritters.
Thankfully, some people stood up and demanded that we not enter another war, hopefully this will squelch the call for war with Iran coming from the neocons.
Lew: That particular bill is probably dead in the water. But these neocon organizations keep coming back and back and back with the same gimmicks again and again. We'll have to keep watching them like a hawk until the end of Dumbya's term; and probably after that too.
A warning to Americans:
The powerful (both open and secret) lobbies of The Islamic Republic of Iran is succeeding in stopping the naval blockade.
These lobby groups have indirectly allied themselves with the unwary leftist and liberal Americans who are, unknowingly, serving the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Islamic Republic of Iran's unprecedented and massive internet campaign is strongly supporting and feeding their lobby groups.
These massive propaganda campaigns are continuing by the Islamic Republic of Iran to indirectly control the US policies and to buy more time for Iran's government. They are currently unchecked by the US.
The Western world will pay a heavy toll for their delays in countering Iran, and for inadvertantly taking the Islamic Republic of Iran's bait.
That's some pretty shrewd detective work you've done there.
OK, I confess: my real name is Abu Hassan Ali, and I've been diligently working, along with thousands of comrades, for the violent overthrow of America and all the other decadent Satanic countries of the West. We will bury you.
MWAAHAAHAAHAAHAAHAA!!!
Dammit, Abu! You weren't supposed to tell anyone! Now the Great Satan will bring down their Evil Hammer of Democracy and smash the World Caliphate before it even gets off the ground!
Randal: Easy now, Gamal Abdullah (oops, sorry! I mean "Randal"). Not to worry. There are so many thousands of us Islamofascists working the intertubes, nobody can stop us. Those gullible liberals are putty in our hands. With their unwitting help, we will overthrow America and take over the world.
"...the Read The Bills Act. As the name implies, this bill would require all lawmakers to read an entire bill — and sign a statement verifying that they’ve read it and understand it — before they’re allowed to vote yes or no on it. What a concept."
That is assuming some of them can actually read.
Snave: Good point. Some of them really make you wonder.
Tom,
I really try very hard to maintain dignity....within reason, and respect toward all my readers. I have pointed out many times that Olmert, and his co-idiots, and The Bush gang are what screw with the world. I guess there are a few others that fall in there, but WOW you mentioned AIPAC. Good for you.
I lost a reader because they thought I was bashing people of jewish heritage, but that was not the case. I was pointing out that their leaders, and ours will kill their own respective peoples for money, and personal gains.
They misunderstood because of conditioning, and/or direct manipulation; I don't want anyone in the World to be unhappy, or suppressed. Way to go on calling one of the many player's at the card table!!!!!!!!!!!.....WAIT A SECOND????
Alright Abu I just finished reading the comment section. I don't know after reading Anon comments, and knowing your truth if I can come back to this site.
Thank You Anon!!!
Peace and Freedom
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