What happens in Congress, imo, is based on what happens

in homes across america. Many GOPers, running for reelection, went on record last spring and into the summer as stating we need to give the surge a chance, and need to give the gen time until the september report - telling their constituents that this was a last chance for the admins policies.

IMO, what the General says (and how it is hyped) is not going to determine how strong congress does or doesn't act - it is how the folks back in the districts react - whether they remain angry and cynical, or whether they are placated by the report - that will direct how that block of wavering GOP congress folks respond - and in truth how some of the blue-dog dems will respond.

Hence the media hype. If the public can't be sold... then the GOPers know their seats are in danger - and a number of them are going to have to start moving away from the president, and the war - or face political suicide. If enough move - then they give safe harbor to the teetering blue-dogs.

So why do I write the obvious? Because there has to be a counter-surge - a citizen counter-surge. Get folks who are not regular writers to the local papers to write. Get folks who don't usually call or write to their congressmen and congresswomen to call or write. Increase the intensity of the backlash. THIS is the moment, imo, when there can be the most momentum to give the citizen backing to those on the Hill who in their hearts do not want to keep supporting these policies, but fear political backlash (a sad truism) and further shift the momentum to the belief that the backlash will be at those continuing to support the war. It isn't enough to act - but instead to get a couple of other people who don't normally act to act quickly in response to the inevitable (and already ramping up) propaganda.

Let the peoples' counter surge begin...