The 0 for 40 Congressional Democrats

Jim VandeHei and John F. Harris at The Politico write this morning about the Democratic Congress’ track record on legislation they’ve attempted to pass which would limit the president’s ability to command the war in Iraq:

As the congressional session lurches toward a close, Democrats are confronting some demoralizing arithmetic on Iraq.

The numbers tell a story of political and substantive paralysis more starkly than most members are willing to acknowledge publicly, or perhaps even to themselves.

Since taking the majority, they have forced 40 votes on bills limiting President Bush’s war policy.

Not a single one has passed both chambers, even though both are run by Democrats.

Indeed, the only war legislation passed during this Congress has been to give the president exactly what he wants, and exactly what he has had for the past five years: more money, with no limitations.

40? Wow. I’d no idea there had been so many.

And now with the increasingly positive news coming out of Iraq, the political problems only increase for the anti-war left: just how does a liberal Democrat go about putting on a public face of “supporting the troops” while at the same time downplaying their accomplishments and trying to force the Commander in Chief into a premature withdrawal, all in an effort to cater to their Nutroots base, and without looking like miserable failures when all is said and done?

That’s a quandary perhaps the Dems will let Senator Chuck Schumer try and resolve.

More: Read related thoughts via Gaius at BCB.

Related: Anti-War Voters Lash Out at Democrats They Helped Put in Office