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Audacity of Truth
Whiner-in-Chief:
"[W]hether the grumbling is about Republicans on Fox or bloggers in pajamas, there's a word for what the president and his aides are doing. That word is "whining." And nothing [...] does more damage to Obama's credibility or authority than the sense that a popular president is becoming the whiner-in-chief."
- John Nichols, Nation Magazine - 10/12/09
Weak-kneed Democratic House passes spending bill that includes deadline for Iraq pullout
The bribery worked:
WASHINGTON (CNN) — President Bush slammed Democrats on Friday after the House narrowly approved a supplemental war spending bill that includes an August 31, 2008, deadline for combat troops to leave Iraq.
“Today, a narrow majority in the House of Representatives abdicated its responsibility by passing a war spending bill that has no chance of becoming law, and brings us no closer to getting our troops the resources they need,” Bush said about an hour after the vote.
The House voted 218-212 to approve the $124 billion spending bill that includes the deadline.
Bush said the vote had only one outcome: “It delays the delivery of vital resources for our troops.”
He repeated his promise to veto the legislation if it reaches his desk. The measure appears unlikely to pass the Senate with the deadline intact.
Bush said a spending bill must become law by April 15 to avoid causing hardships for military personnel.
The President’s response to the bill:
The purpose of the emergency war spending bill I requested was to provide our troops with vital funding. Instead, Democrats in the House, in an act of political theater, voted to substitute their judgment for that of our military commanders on the ground in Iraq. They set rigid restrictions that will require an army of lawyers to interpret. They set an arbitrary date for withdrawal without regard for conditions on the ground. And they tacked on billions for pet projects that have nothing to do with winning the war on terror. This bill has too much pork, too many conditions and an artificial timetable for withdrawal.
As I have made clear for weeks, I will veto it if it comes to my desk. And because the vote in the House was so close, it is clear that my veto would be sustained. Today’s action in the House does only one thing: it delays the delivering of vital resources for our troops. A narrow majority has decided to take this course, just as General Petraeus and his troops are carrying out a new strategy to help the Iraqis secure their capital city.
Amid the real challenges in Iraq, we’re beginning to see some signs of progress. Yet, to score political points, the Democratic majority in the House has shown it is willing to undermine the gains our troops are making on the ground.
Democrats want to make clear that they oppose the war in Iraq. They have made their point. For some, that is not enough. These Democrats believe that the longer they can delay funding for our troops, the more likely they are to force me to accept restrictions on our commanders, an artificial timetable for withdrawal, and their pet spending projects. This is not going to happen. Our men and women in uniform need these emergency war funds. The Secretary of Defense has warned that if Congress does not approve the emergency funding for our troops by April the 15th, our men and women in uniform will face significant disruptions, and so would their families.
The Democrats have sent their message, now it’s time to send their money. This is an important moment — a decision for the new leaders in Congress. Our men in women in uniform should not have to worry that politicians in Washington will deny them the funds and the flexibility they need to win. Congress needs to send me a clean bill that I can sign without delay. I expect Congress to do its duty and to fund our troops, and so do the American people — and so do the good men and women standing with me here today.
I don’t think this bill will have a chance in the Senate. McConnell won’t let it.
In any event, Democrats have finally put their true colors in writing in a binding bill for all to see. Not only that, the signal they’ve sent out to the American people is that they want the war over before a Dem president is (possibly) elected. They’ve also sent a message to the enemy: we’re ready to give up the fight. Of course, that’s a signal they’ve been sending almost since the first shot was fired in Iraq, but it was amplified today. This is a ‘victory’ for Speaker Pelosi, but a losing bill for America. Shame on the Democrats – for those who still have any.
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10 Responses to “Weak-kneed Democratic House passes spending bill that includes deadline for Iraq pullout”
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To borrow a phrase from John Kerry, the House members who voted for this disgrace are a
Once again, the Dems put party before country. No longer surprising, but still revolting. You can bet that al-Qaeda’s celebrating tonight.
I think this is a win for the cut-and-run Democrats either way. They knew Bush wouldn’t go for a time-line pullout. They know he’d veto the bill because of that addendum. That’s the reason why they put the pork on the bill. To get it to pass the House. That’s why the time-line was attached to this funding bill. To get it to fail for the President. If the bill completely passed or failed, either way, they’d get their way.
If the President cannot get proper funding for the effort there, would it not essentially be the same as having this bill passed with the time-line attached?
The cut-and-run appeaser Democrats can get their way, either way… or at the very least try very hard to do so. If it gets to the President and he vetos it, they can say to their liberal constituents, hey, we tried. You wanted this and our hands were tied. They can then later say, hey, guess what… we’ll still get our way… no money, no more time.
At least the President is consistent in his support.
San Fran Nan “Pulloutsi” is a joke…but not a funny one. She’s the “Queen of Pork”…
La Duchesa Pelosi wins big. She rammed through the bill over the objections of the most moonbatty members of the moonbat caucus, whatever they’re calling it. (They have so many.) Something with the word “pink” in it? I forget. Doesn’t matter. And it doesn’t matter that the bill isn’t going to pass, either. There was never a chance it would have.
So what does matter? This: La Duchesa got her way. She proves she can maintain control of the House. She’s a playah now, so stop with the cut-and-run, appease, al-Qaeda is celebrating emo crap, and face facts. She won what she wanted to win. Tip your hat.
It’s strange that she could bribe the support of the conservative Dems, but not the ultra-liberal ones. They’re as big of a thorn in her side as any Republican.
You go, ulra-liberal Democrats!
I think this is a win for the cut-and-run Democrats either way.
I don’t think so, Trafford. This is going to devolve into a battle of wills, but in the end, time is on the side of the White House here. At some point, the lack of funding will become critical, and the blame will be squarely on Congress for failing to pass a bill that wasn’t overloaded with pork. Especially in an election year, that’ll be very difficult to spin positively.
La Duchesa got her way. She proves she can maintain control of the House.
It’s a Pyrrhic victory for her at best, Leslie. She called in every political IOU she had, loaded the bill down with bribes, and was still only able to squeeze out a six-vote win on a bill that won’t become law.
so stop with the cut-and-run, appease, al-Qaeda is celebrating emo crap,
Gotta disagree. AQ sees any sign of weakness or compromise – even futile ones like this – as progress for their side. They’ve said openly that expelling the US from Iraq is their most immediate goal, and now they’ve got the House Dems on record as supporting it. Right now they’re thinking that half of the Congress is in their camp, and if they can only get someone like-minded in the White House next year, they win. You better believe they see this as a cause for joy.
The Dems shame began with the 1960 JFK election they “won”. When the US people stop supporting them the shame will end. Until then Shame thy name is Dems.
That’s ok. Nancy and the rest of the Dems think that this will appease the nutroots, but it won’t. They will think that they will be satisfied with what they “tried” to do. I doubt it will get through the Senate, and when it fails the extremists will go after Pelosi and Co. even worse.
What Bush ought to do is sign the thing, then issue a signing statement along these lines:
“The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan need the funding provided in this bill, so I’ll sign it and take the money. However, it also contains several elements which are unconstitutional on their face. These elements will not be followed, pursuant to my oath of office to uphold the Constitution. Now, if you think you can get to 67 Senators to sustain an impeachment, go ahead. Until then, F.O.A.D.”
Trillions in wealth redistribution from the rich to the poor PER year.
People in the bottom 3/5ths rejoice. The government gives you more than you pay in taxes.