UPDATED: after the veto: what Dems should do next

It now seems certain that the final bill Congress sends to George Bush will contain language calling for a timetable for troop withdrawal.  Bush has pledged to veto such a bill.  So then what?

Here's my take: congressional leaders should go public with the message that Congress and the President are deadlocked, and the will of the people should govern.  Here's how it could work out.

Update:

It appears some commenters don't understand that Congress does not have to override the veto.  If there's a veto, Congress must pass another bill.  Republicans presume that Democrats will cave, and a Blue Dog/Republican coalition will write a "blank check" bill.  Congress should not allow this to happen.

Congress could ask as many pollsters as possible to put the question to the American people: do they favor a phased withdrawal over an 18-month period (or whatever timeline winds up in the final bill), or do they favor giving George Bush a blank check to fight the war how he pleases, for how long he pleases, spending as much as he pleases.  Alternatively, they could just point people to polls already published, but it won't hurt to ask again.

Specifically, do the American people favor the approach the Democrats took, or do they favor the approach that George Bush prefers?

Now, we all know how such a poll will come out; pollsters have already been asking this question and related questions.  Details can be found here.  Setting a timetable for withdrawing all troops is favored by an overwhelming 60-38 ratio.  Reagan didn't beat Mondale that badly.

By consistently using the message that the people will decide, and then by using polling results to show how the people are deciding, Democrats should be able to keep wavering moderates in the fold.  Hell, break the numbers down district by district, and get local reporters asking congresspeople why they are going against their constituents' will.

The Democrats should then go ahead and put another bill on George Bush's desk that is consistent with the peoples' choice.  Any mau-mauing by the pundits should be answered by "What part of 'democracy' do you fail to understand?"

Then the Democrats should be crystal clear in every communication that they have voted to provide funding, and it is only the President's vetos that are holding up funding.