Lynn Woolsey confirms her status as an idiot *UPDATED*

I’m embarrassed to admit this, but Lynn Woolsey represents me in Congress. I didn’t vote for her — but this is what you get in a majority style democracy. Marin County has many virtues, which is why I like to live here, but wise political choices are not among those virtues.

Right now, as progress in Iraq gets better and better, Woolsey is attempting to subvert local councils by pressing them to denounce the war as “unwinnable.” Fortunately, in most communities, the council’s have figured out that (a) such denunciations are beyond their area of responsibility and (b) they really don’t want to end up looking like the Berkeley City Council:

REP. LYNN WOOLSEY wants Marin’s city councils to join her in opposing the war in Iraq.

Woolsey has made no secret that she wants the troops to pack up and return home .

Aside from the Fairfax Town Council, which often jumps into politics that stretch far beyond town borders, many Marin councils have rebuffed pressure to take official stands on the war.

They cite policies that limit their vision to local or state issues that directly affect their towns.

Local peace activists are hoping that Woolsey’s political prodding will be enough to get them to depart from business as usual. A petition is making the rounds in Mill Valley, asking the City Council to take a stand against the war, just as it did opposing the Vietnam war in 1968.

Woolsey asked local mayors: “To bring an end to the occupation and to halt the hemorrhage of tax dollars from local projects, I encourage local governments to add your voices to your constituents; by adopting resolutions sending a strong message to Washington – our troops have done everything that has been asked of them, and it’s time to bring them home.”

Woolsey said the war is “unwinnable” and affects every citizen.

Larkspur Mayor Kathy Hartzell said she hasn’t seen Woolsey’s letter, and Mill Valley’s was mailed to an old post office box address, said Mayor Shawn Marshall.

Hartzell added the Larkspur council doesn’t take stands on matters “that are outside the parameter of our responsibilities.”

Boro said he’s not planning to put Woolsey’s request on his council’s agenda, either.

There’s not a lot of political support for the war on the San Rafael council, he said – adding it is not an issue the council can control or have an impact on.

I’m too lazy to look into it, but I’d be willing to bet that Woolsey has never talked to Petraeus or anyone else with feet on the ground information about Iraq, and I also suspect that she’s never actually visited Iraq on a fact-finding mission. Facts don’t drive her; ideology does. As Bugs says, what a maroon.

UPDATE:  I dashed off the above post this morning, without a lot of effort.  Marooned in Marin, however, did put a lot of effort in a post on the same topic, and it’s well worth reading.