Democrats
Buy War From Bush
And Use It To Fund Projects
For Their Constituents
By Kevin Zeese
02 March, 2007
Countercurrents.org
The Democrats Iraq War may be
even more disgusting than the Republicans. They are using it as a Christmas
tree to fund a host of projects that they could not get funded in any
other way.
The Democrats have reportedly
decided to pass the Iraq War supplemental with meaningless restrictions
designed to embarrass the president rather than end the war or bring
the troops home safely. They will require the president to explain why
he is using troops that are not combat ready, rather than stopping him
from doing so. See http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/02/28/democrats.iraq/
The article reports: “Pelosi
spokesman Brendan Daly said the goal was “to get consensus within
the caucus on this” and “pass the war funding bill.”
So, while the Democrats claim to be passing the supplemental to support
the troops they are providing funds to allow non-combat ready troops,
who will be ill equipped be sent into a quagmire with no clear goal
in a war that cannot be won and is not supported by the American public.
The Democrats say they are
providing the funding “for the troops” but now that they
have decided to pass the supplemental – essentially giving a president
they constantly criticize as irresponsible another $93 billion on top
of the $420 billion already provided – their other agenda is becoming
clear.
The Associated Press reports
that the Democrats plan to use the Iraq War to fund projects for their
constituents. The Democrats illegal war in Iraq – they are in
the process of buying it from the President Bush so we may as well start
calling it “The Democrats War” – will be a Christmas
present for California's avocado growers and others. The Speaker of
the House, who is based in California, is bringing home the guacamole
– more than $1 billion in aid to California avocado growers on
the backs of U.S. troops!
The Associated Press (full
article below) is reporting that the Democrats “hope to load this
measure up with $10 billion in add-ons, from aid for avocado growers
to help for children lacking health insurance. Lawmakers also hope to
add money for drought relief in the Great Plains, better levees in New
Orleans and development of military bases that are closing down.”
Maybe some of these projects can be justified, but they should be justified
on their own not on the backs of U.S. soldiers risking life and limb.
The Democrats are confident
they can get these billions in tax payer give-a-ways through because
the Republicans will not vote against the war funding and Bush will
not veto it. Who knows what giveaways will be added by other Members
of Congress as this bill works its way through the House and Senate.
Pork barrel politics on the backs of U.S. soldiers makes an already
ugly war even more ugly.
The Democrats may find the
political price is higher than they expect. The public wants the war
to end, they don’t like tax dollars given to campaign contributors.
So, the Democrats in less than two months in power are abusing their
majority status – using the war to fund projects for their friends.
Is this why the voters gave the Democrats majority power in both Houses?
Kevin Zeese is Director of
Democracy Rising (www.DemocracyRising.US) and co-founder of VotersForPeace.US.