If you ask House Progressive Caucus members what they believe today, you’d better ask them the same question tomorrow to see if the political wind has changed direction.
I’m declaring the progressive wing of the Democratic Party now officially dead. Cause of death — broken spine. It’s an old story of wavering and vacillation from Vietnam to Iraq.
Their moment in the sun lasted less than 24 hours. It came on the wings of this Washington Post story from Monday:
Democratic lawmakers’ letter calls for direct U.S. talks with Russia
A group of 30 House liberals is urging President Biden to dramatically shift his strategy on the Ukraine war and pursue direct negotiations with Russia, the first time prominent members of his own party have pushed him to change his approach.
A letter sent by the group to the White House on Monday, first reported by The Washington Post, could create more pressure on Biden as he tries to sustain domestic support for the war effort, at a time when the region is heading into a potentially difficult winter and Republicans are threatening to cut aid to Ukraine if they retake Congress.
Then, a day later in WaPo, came this:
Liberal Democrats withdraw letter to Biden that urged him to rethink Ukraine strategy
The Congressional Progressive Caucus has withdrawn a letter, signed by 30 House liberals and sent to the White House on Monday, that urged President Biden to negotiate directly with Russia to bring an end to the war in Ukraine.
It wasn’t like the letter they published on Monday was calling for a surrender to Putin, a decrease in US weapons deliveries to the killing fields, or a ceding of any Ukrainian territory to the Russians. No, quite the contrary. The letter actually called for continuing unlimited military aid to Ukraine. That was its weakness from my point of view.
But all it took was a glare from Nancy Pelosi and the liberals folded like cheap suits.
We’ll be talking about the letter and other issues of war and peace Friday on Hitting Left when our guests will be anti-war activists from CODEPINK, Medea Benjamin, Maya Khan, and Melissa Garriga.
Tune in 11-noon CT to WLPN 105.5 FM in Chicago. Streaming live at lumpenradio.com
Caucus members had to reach deep to explain their retreat.
“Timing in diplomacy is everything,” Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), one of the letter’s other signatories, tweeted Tuesday morning. “I signed this letter on June 30, but a lot has changed since then. I wouldn’t sign it today.
But what exactly has changed between June and October that would negate the need for ceasefire and peace talks between the combatants? And by combatants, I include the US and NATO in what has largely been turned into an unwinnable, big-power proxy war.
You can say that it’s strictly up to Zelensky to decide how and when the war ends, but to pretend that the US and NATO aren’t involved in calling the shots is to ignore reality.
The West has interests in this conflict and to suggest that it is merely loading a gun and handing it off to Ukraine is disingenuous at best and dangerous at worst. (The Hill)
Rep. Chuy Garcia, one of the retreating signers (who’s contemplating leaving congress and running for Mayor of Chicago) added:
“The letter’s underlying message remains pertinent. I strongly support Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s illegal invasion. And I strongly believe that diplomacy should continue to be a powerful tool in our foreign policy arsenal.”
Fine, but then why walk it back now?
More, from WaPo…
The liberal Democrats noted that the war’s disastrous consequences are increasingly felt far beyond Ukraine, including elevated food and gas prices in the United States and spikes in the price of wheat, fertilizer, and fuel that have created global food shortages, not to mention the danger of a nuclear attack by Moscow.
Yes, it’s okay to mention the growing threat of nuclear war.
Finally, there’s Rep. Jayapal’s concocted story that the letter was drafted "several months ago" and "unfortunately was released by staff without vetting."
Oh please.