Is it too late to start a "Draft Obey For President" movement?

He has since been undercut by the House Democratic leadership, but anyone who takes a stand, saying that it's wrong to trade the lives of American servicemen and -women serving overseas for domestic pork projects deserves a promotion.

From David Rogers of the Wall Street Journal on Monday (thanks to David Sirota for spotting this) (emphasis mine) -

A $522 billion omnibus spending bill had been scheduled for a House vote Tuesday, but House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D., Wis.) abruptly announced he won't file it tonight and recommended substantial revisions before a floor vote. Obey said he is prepared to cut billions from domestic programs and eliminating all home-state projects or spending "earmarks" favored by lawmakers in both parties.

"I'm not in the business of trying to pave the way for $70 billion or $90 billion for Iraq for $10 billion in table scraps," Obey said. "We asked Bush to compromise. He has chosen to go the confrontation route."

"I want no linkage what-so-ever between domestic [spending] and the war. I want the war to be dealt with totally on its own. We shouldn't be trading off domestic priorities for the war."

However, just this morning, the House Democratic leadership surrendered to George Bush, agreeing to give him what he wants.

From The Hill -

Pelosi told the Democratic chairmen of the House Appropriations subcommittees, the so-called appropriations cardinals, that earmarks would stay in the omnibus and that Democratic leaders would accede to cut spending to levels demanded by President Bush in order to save 11 spending bills from a veto, said sources familiar with a meeting that took place in Pelosi’s office early Wednesday morning.

I've got a suggestion for all of the Democrats in Congress (not that I expect that any to read this, much less actually follow it :) ) -

You want to beat the Republicans? You want to maintain a majority in Congress for more than one term?

Then do your jobs. Govern responsibly. Craft and pass good bills. Address the needs of the American people, and help guide the country forward.

Then when Bush and his water-carriers try to derail your efforts (as they always do), they'll look churlish, unprofessional, and irresponsible.

A significant voter registration trend in Arizona, one that is reflected nationwide, is the ever-increasing number of 'independent,' or unaffiliated, voters. Every day, people wonder if there is any real difference between the two major parties.

And the soulless calculations like "let's give Bush 'X' number of dead American soldiers in exchange for 'Y' billions in pork" only adds to the disgust.