Battling Bush on the Cost of War

[Alcibiades]

Source: Time

In the coming weeks Bush and Obey will go nine rounds — literally. Bush has threatened to veto nine of the 12 spending bills for fiscal 2008 — which are expected to reach his desk in November — because Democrats added more than $20 billion for education, health care and science programs that they say are vital. The Constitution may have granted Congress the power of the purse but Democrats don't have the votes to override Bush's veto. Ahead of this fight, Obey chose last month to announce his intention to shelve the President's annual supplemental request for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — $200 billion for 2008 — until Bush consents to a timeline for withdrawing U.S. combat troops from Iraq. Bush may have the veto, but he can't force Obey to move that bill out of committee.

"I was trying to demonstrate that it was rampant hypocrisy for Bush to say: 'Ooh that $20 billion in education, health care and sciences is going to unbalance the budget,'" Obey said in a ghoulish tone, shaking his hands for effect. "'But, ooh it's a national necessity to borrow $200 billion for this misbegotten war in Iraq.' Ten times as much money."


Read more: http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1675471,00.html

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They just had Obey on NPR, where he made comments similar to those in this article, adding, without qualification, that Bush's goal is to stall and keep the occupation going as long as possible. He said something along the lines that this war has already ruined one administration and he does not see it ruin another.

If Pelosi and company fight Obey on this, then the people who fear the worst about the current Democratic congressional leadership are right, and they deserve to be thrown out. If, on the other hand, Obey is working in conjunction with the leadership, if they have been biding their time and have picked this as the fight they want to fight, we should win this one.

I also think I have a new hero.

[WCGreen]

1. Save us Obey one kanobi....