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Democrats fear that the focus on the war has blurred (Jeff Zeleny, 6/13/07, , NY Times)

Democrats argue that it is high time for the party to turn its attention to domestic issues — energy legislation, immigration overhaul and lobbying reform — to allay concerns that Democrats have not achieved enough significant accomplishments during the first six months of their majority. But other Democrats are demanding a return to the Iraq debate, which Reid has now pledged to do this month.

The proposals will not be new. Rather, Democrats intend to reprise at least four ideas when the Senate considers the Defense Department policy bill: a measure to reverse the authorization for the Iraq war, set a deadline for troop withdrawal, block money for major combat operations after March 31, 2008, and increase readiness requirements for troops to be sent back to Iraq. "On Iraq," Reid said, "we're going to hold the president's feet to the fire."

Democratic congressional leaders have been stung by the decline in congressional job approval ratings.

A Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg nationwide telephone poll released this week found that 27 percent of Americans approve of the way Congress is handling its job, while 65 percent disapprove. And 29 percent of the more than 1,100 poll respondents, all registered voters, said Democrats were working to change how government is run, compared to 63 percent who said Democrats are governing in a business-as-usual manner. The margin of error was plus or minus four percentage points.

Pelosi said it had been difficult to convince some Democrats that despite their majority, they are limited in how they can change the president's Iraq policy.

They believed their own press clippings last November when the fact is the midterm was almost completely inconsequential.

Posted by Orrin Judd at June 14, 2007 8:06 AM