Senate Dems Block $575B Defense Spending Bill

[DonViejo]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats sidetracked a $575 billion defense bill for next year late Thursday and threatened to shut down Congress' work on spending legislation, accusing Republicans of shortchanging domestic programs. The move prompted the leaders of each party to testily accuse the other side of dysfunction.

Both parties support the defense measure itself. But Democrats fear that if it is completed and sent to President Barack Obama, they would lose leverage with the GOP for future spending measures financing health, public works, law enforcement and other domestic programs.

The Senate voted 50-44 to head off a Democratic filibuster of the bill but fell 10 short of the 60 votes needed, effectively stalling the measure.

As Democrats made their intentions clear, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said they should be renamed "the dysfunction party" and warned that this is a dangerous period to block money for the Pentagon.

-snip-

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/harry-reid-senate-dems-block-defense-bill

[drray23]

1. Good job.

It's about time the gop gets a taste of their own medicine. Besides it is obscene to allocate so much money for the pentagon when we have so many domestic issues to address. Our military budget is bigger than the next 10 countries put together. it's 3 times China, 11 times Russia for example:

http://www.globalfirepower.com/defense-spending-budget.asp

[Ohioblue22]

4. Arent Most of those 10 our allies

[Massacure]

17. Yes.

Of the next 10 highest spending countries, four are in NATO: Britain, France, Germany, and Italy. Two other countries are close allies: Japan and South Korea. The only two potential adversaries are China and Russia.

The fact that the US spends more money on its military is a misleading figure though. Wages levels in the United States are higher than in Russia or China, and so they can manufacture a tank or plane for a less than it costs the United States to. The average country spends 2.1% of its Gross Domestic Product on military spending, whereas the United States spends 3.3%. If military spending was cut from $575 billion down to $400 billion, it would be on parity with the world average. It doesn't need to be cut by a factor of 10.

[Yupster]

18. A large part of the defense budget is salaries for military

An American soldier might make $ 40,000 a year where a Chinese soldier makes $ 240 a year.

That's where a big part of the budget goes.

[CrispyQ]

2. ...this is a dangerous period to block money for the Pentagon.

I'm so sick of this fear mongering bullshit! Where's the money for our roads, bridges, & parks? What about the danger of a nation in decline? I've gotten to the point where I can hardly stand anyone who I know is a republican. How any decent person can support that party is beyond me.

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Mitch the Obstructionist complains about dysfunction

Rich indeed

[underpants]

5. "dysfunction party"? Geebus Mitch get a grip

[Crowman1979]

6. Oh! So now Turtleman hates filibusters?!?!

[Javaman]

7. it's blocked until it's not.

yes, I'm a cynic.

[lark]

8. Sorry, Mitch, it's you and your party that are ultra dangerous to America & it's people.

Last edited Fri Jul 8, 2016, 03:36 PM - Edit history (1)

You are the party that say they ignored intelligence briefing that Osama was going to attack in America. However, at the same time Ashcroft said he had to fly in private airplanes because of the danger of Al Quaeda attacking an airplane. Which is it folks? Repugs are the party that enabled 9/11, then refused to investigate, never made president or VP testify under oath, hid results of forced investigation, refused to release report, then when it did release redacted important information about the cause - Saudi Arabia, which is still not released. Repugs are the party that disdains women, LGBT and other minorities, the party that has almost killed the American middle class by encentivizing corps. to move American jobs offshore. You, sir, and your party are totally despicable. This is well shown in who is your candidate for president, the worst person ever to get that far.

Fixed typo

[red dog 1]

13. "Obama was going to attack"?

I'm sure you meant "they ignored the intelligence briefing that OSAMA was going to attack.

[lark]

16. What a typo!

Man, one letter can make such a difference!! Thanks for alerting me to this, it's now fixed.

[red dog 1]

19. According to Republican leaders, Obama has been on the attack since he became POTUS

but the truth is, THEY have been on the attack since Jan. 20, 2009, when they secretly met to sabotage the U.S. economy.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/6/8/1098434/-Eric-Kantor-Pail-Ryan-Kevin-McCarthy-Plot-To-Sabotage-US-Economy-with-Frank-Luntz

[bemildred]

9. Good. nt

[Democat]

10. Block every Senate action until the Supreme Court is filled

Why not stop the entire business of Washington until Republicans approve a Supreme Court justice?

[nolabels]

11. Sounds like a good idea and probably why it won't happen

I am fifty-seven and of all those years have yet to see something congress passes that puts the people they are representing first.

Sure some of them are good people but most of them have been bought off, and when the compromise for another crappy justice comes along that will fit then that person will be installed

[red dog 1]

14. + 1

I wish the Senate Dems would do that!

[vkkv]

12. McConnell "a dangerous period to block money for the Penta- er, Defense Contrators".. nt

[red dog 1]

15. K&R!

The Turtle saying they should be renamed "the dysfunction party" is a clear case of
"the pot calling the kettle black"