All along Senator Feingold from Wisconsin was my first choice to be the anti-war candidate for the Democrats in 2008. After the stellar 2006 election cycle Russ decided not to run much to the dismay of the left. Yesterday, however he renewed his stance as the only one in the Senate who is truly anti-war.
In a vote of 94-1 the Senate agreed to increase the federal debt limit by $850 billion -- from $8.965 trillion to $9.815 trillion -- and then proceeded to approve a stop-gap spending bill that gives the Bush White House at least $9 billion in new funding for its war in Iraq. Additionally, the administration has been given emergency authority to tap further into a $70 billion "bridge fund" to provide new infusions of money for the occupation while the Congress works on appropriations bills for the Department of Defense and other agencies.
Translation: Under the guise of a stop-gap spending bill that is simply supposed to keep the government running until a long-delayed appropriations process is completed -- probably in November -- the Congress has just approved a massive increase in war funding.
The five senators who did not vote were Democrats Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden and Republicans John McCain and Sam Brownback.
In the House the measure passed 404-14 with many in the anti-war caucus casting nay votes including Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul.
Feingold said of the measure:"I am disappointed that we are about to begin the 2008 fiscal year without having enacted any of the appropriations bills for that year. I am even more disappointed that we voted on a continuing resolution that provides tens of billions of dollars to continue the misguided war in Iraq but does not include any language to bring that war to a close. We need to keep the federal government operating and make sure our brave troops get all the equipment and supplies they need, but we should not be giving the President a blank check to continue a war that is hurting our national security."
Said Kucinich:"Each year this war is getting more and more costly --- both in the amount of money spent and in the number of lives lost. Now this Congress is providing more funds so the administration can continue down a path of destruction and chaos...the Democratic leadership in Congress needs to take a stand against this President and say they will not give him any more money. That is the only way to end this war and bring our troops home."
When you went to the polls in November, 2006 did you think this is what you were getting? Discouraged does not even begin to tell what I am feeling here on September 28, 2007.
4 comments:
Feingold would have been a fine choice for president. (tee hee)
The one thing about this spending bill, or perhaps it's a different spending bill it's hard to keep up, the Dems tacked the Matthew Sheperd Hate Crimes legislation to it. I'm sure they'll pull that off in conference. Yay for democracy!
There is always an excuse though...if we are truly anti-war and they are truly the majority party - do something!
I know they passed the Hate Crimes bill that passed ( I am not sure this was tied to it) but they run the show. Do both!!!!!!!
They are such wimps and it is all because of corporate money. They are so scared of pissing of the corporate scum that come sucking at the trough.
Am I too harsh?
Nope never too harsh. I agree, the same old dog and pony show is starting to get really fucking old. This is why I only pay half attention - which maybe a bad plan. Hard to say.
Hard to say is right. Your sanity or democracy. I am leaning toward my sanity lately.
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