Gutless democrats -- an explanation

Ezra Klein offers up an explanation for why the Democrats didn't have the guts to pass a meaningful bill to fund, and end, the Iraq occupation. Learned helplessness.

Welcome to the learned helplessness of the Democratic Party. They've been spanked on national security for so long that they literally cannot conceive of pulling out a win merely because their position commands overwhelming public support. At best, the reprisal will be delayed a few years, until the Right convinces a fickle populace that the Reid-led withdrawal lost the war for us.