I like this.  Here's Jerry Nadler, on the floor.  

That is why this resolution must be only the first step.

In the Supplemental Budget we will consider next month, we should exercise the only real power we have - the Congressional power of the purse. We will not cut off the funds, and leave our troops defenseless before the enemy, as the demagogues would imply, but we should limit the use of the funds we provide to protecting the troops while they are in Iraq and to withdrawing them on a timetable mandated in the law. We should provide funds to rebuild the army and to raise our readiness levels, for diplomatic conferences in case there is any possibility of negotiating an end to the Iraqi civil war, and for economic reconstruction assistance, but above all, we must use the power of the purse to mandate a timetable to withdraw our troops from Iraq.

We must use the power the people have entrusted to us. The best way to protect our troops is to withdraw them from the middle of a civil war they cannot win, and that is not our fight.

Good job, Jerry!  Lots of progressive caucus members feel this way.  Of course, saying it on the House floor and blasting Bush is only the first step.  The next step is to publicly blast Democratic contenders in the Presidential race that won't use the power of the purse to protect our troops.

There's more...

I'm wondering who you like and why.  Here's my list of favorite politicians, though it's by no means comprehensive.  These are all people that I think are courageous and smart about wielding power, as well as interested in pushing the progressive populist agenda forward in their own way.

Deval Patrick, candidate for Governor of Massachusetts.  Deval is simply awesome.  He's smart, honest, a risk-taker, credible, progressive and a fighter.  His campaign is the most innovative state-wide campaign this cycle (with possible competition from Connecticut), and he's turning out to be competitive against a very strong Massachusetts machine using an organizing base tied into the web.  As one savvy Boston-based political consultant told me, Deval is the most exciting thing to happen to Massachusetts politics in over 20 years.  I agree.  His opponents are good people, but they just don't hold a candle to Patrick.  He will be a transformative force in American politics and government for 20 years if he wins.

Runners Up
Eliot Spitzer, Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate in New York
Bernie Sanders, Congressman from Vermont and Senate candidate
Jerry Nadler, Congressman from New York
Barbara Boxer, Senator from California
Ned Lamont, candidate for Senate in Connecticut
Ed Markey, Congressman from Massachusetts and potential candidate for Senate in Massachusetts in 2008
John Edwards, former Senator from North Carolina, former Vice Presidential candidate
Jerry Meek, Chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party
Kent Conrad, Senator from North Dakota

Runners Up, Second Tier
Chris Bell, former Congressman from Texas and current gubernatorial candidate
Nancy Pelosi, Congresswoman from San Francisco (I know this is a shocker)
Bob Menendez, Senator from New Jersey
Ron Wyden, Senator from Oregon
Louise Slaughter, Congresswoman from New York
Byron Dorgan, Senator from North Dakota

I also enjoyed meeting Robert Rodriguez, a smart 29 year old challenging a corrupt and doddering old Republican in California's 25th district.  It's a tough district, but it's great the Democratic party is fielding such talent all over the place.

There's more...