CA State Senate Advances Out of Iraq Bill

The state Senate on Wednesday passed a bill that would place before California voters in the Feb. 5 primary an advisory question on whether the president should immediately withdraw U.S. military forces from Iraq.

Senators voted 23-11 along party lines with Democrats in support and Republicans opposed.

If approved by the Assembly and signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the bill would be the first known state declaration against the war. Many cities and local governments have adopted similar nonbinding statements. Backers of the bill are hopeful the measure inspires other states to take similar votes.

Bravos and Credit to Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata.

Delicious Irony Alert:

Some Republicans and political analysts, however, have criticized the bill as a political ploy to lure more votes out for the Feb. 5 primary.

OooOOOoooooh. Luring people out to vote. OoooOOOooooooh.

That made me chuckle because the word luring has negative connotations. As in using bait to trick someone into biting the hook, or a spider luring a fly into her web. Actually, it's a good thing to give people encouragement to vote, doncha think?

They're probably mostly annoyed that the Dems took a page out of their playbook.