Is the Iraq War an EMERGENCY or ISN'T IT?

[FlyingSquirrel]

Think it was the Randi Rhodes show I heard this on today. I'll just paraphrase.

When Congress passes a regular budget as they do every year, there are some things they include in it and some things they don't. Apparently the president has some say with regard to this. Can't see why that would be, but that's the way it sounded as told by Randi (if that's who I was listening to.) There's a lot of wrangling, then it either passes and is signed by the President or gets sent back to be re-done with instructions. Something like that. I'm not a real expert on this process and right now I'm not interested in becoming one.

So here's the deal. In 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006, funding for the Iraq War was not included in the regular budget. It was considered an "Emergency Appropriation" or some such nonsense. (Ok, in 2002 I could see them calling it an "Emergency" even though they really didn't have to attack Iraq.) This in spite of the fact that it was clearly something they knew about in advance. By keeping it out of the regular budget, Republicans were able to both hide the true cost, and also continue to spend money on their pet projects and things that make the constituents back home happy.

Then came 2007. Democrats took over Congress. And for the first time since the beginning of the war, funding was included in the REGULAR budget. This apparently was done to hinder the Democrats' ability to pass their agenda. "Where's the money for all this pork gonna come from? They'll raise your taxes!" or something to that effect.

Now it's 2008 and guess what? The Iraq War is again an Emergency. Funding for the war will once again come from Emergency Appropriations bills instead of being paid for as part of the regular budget.

What happened? Did the tactic fail? Did it backfire? Did the president realize that all of a sudden normal people were able to see how truly expensive this war really was, what a waste it was, when it impacted the Federal Budget? Did Republicans in Congress complain to the president that they weren't able to get their own pork through? And that this might hurt their chances of re-election in November 2008?

All of the above?

Is this war an emergency or not? Is it only NOT an emergency in non-election years after your party loses control of Congress?

Enquiring minds want to know, Mr. Bush.

[GreenTea]

1. Randi is correct-The 550 billion and counting is also NOT counted in the Pentagon huge yearly budget

550 billion for Iraq so far; (700 billion by years end) is and has been going to republican corporations: (of coure they lie and want the occupation to continue}. The bulk of the 'funding" is certainly not going to the troops or Vets.

Plus we will have over a ten trillion dollar buget deficit before the fascist king leaves office.(Again, the Iraq war funding is not even being counted towards the deficit).

The oil companies are also stealing their share of oil in Iraq (and then gouging us at the pumps).

U.S. Corporate Contracts in Iraq (Partial List)

Halliburton and Kellogg,
Brown and Root:
Bechtel
Dyncorp:
Flour Corporation:
Perini Corp:
Gereral Electric:
Stevedoring Services of American:
Blackwater:
Skylink Air and Logistic Support USA:
Louis Berger Group:
Worldcom:
Research Triangle Institute:
Creative Association Int. Inc.:
AMEC:
Parsons Corporation of Pasadena, CA ($5.3 billion); Fluor Corporation of Aliso Viejo, CA ($3.75 billion); Washington Group International of Boise, ID ($3.1 billion); Shaw Group of Baton Rouge, LA ($3 billion); and Contrack International, Inc. of Arlington, VA ($2.3 billion).

Remember, this is just a partial list.

[FlyingSquirrel]

2. "before the fascist king leaves office"....

What an optimist you are!

;-)

[Orsino]

3. According to the Democratic leadership, then...

...it's still an "emergency" that they can't figure out how to budget for.

Fuckers.

[FlyingSquirrel]

4. See, that's the thing...

Supposedly they don't get to decide whether it's considered an emergency or part of the regular budget. Supposedly that's up to the President to decide.

Or is that not the case?