Senate approves $150B in war funding

[defendandprotect]

Source: ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer

Senate approves $150B in war funding By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Thwarted in efforts to bring troops home from Iraq, Senate Democrats on Monday helped pass a defense policy bill authorizing another $150 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The 92-3 vote comes as the House planned to approve separate legislation Tuesday that requires President Bush to give Congress a plan for eventual troop withdrawals.

The developments underscored the difficulty facing Democrats in the Iraq debate: They lack the votes to pass legislation ordering troops home and are divided on whether to cut money for combat, despite a mandate by supporters to end the war.

Hoping the political landscape changes in coming months, Democratic leaders say they will renew their fight when Congress considers the money Bush wants in war funding.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071001/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq

[LittleClarkie]

1. Do we know who the three were yet?

I don't see it.

[kdmorris]

8. One MAY have been Dick Durbin

Not sure, but the quote he gave in the link sounded a lot like "I'm not voting for this"

[LittleClarkie]

10. Here

NAYs ---3
Byrd (D-WV)
Coburn (R-OK)
Feingold (D-WI)

Not Voting - 5
Biden (D-DE)
Clinton (D-NY)
Dodd (D-CT)
McCain (R-AZ)
Obama (D-IL)

The candidates are avoiding these votes like the plague.

[kdmorris]

17. Coburn???

:wtf:

I'm sure there's a story there...

Thanks for the list. Guess I was wrong :D

[Pachamama]

40. Another reason for me to vote for Edwards or Kucinich...

I can't support somebody who now during this campaign time can't either find the time to vote on important issues or is too chicken-shit to stand up for or against something and show their beliefs.

[LittleClarkie]

50. Which is a bit of a cop out in my eyes, since neither of those are Senators

Edwards can say what he likes, because he didn't have to make that decision and we will never know if he would have voted or how.

I will grant you Kucinich, because he has his own votes to make, though not this one. We all know how he'd vote though, which is something.

What about Richardson. I've thought about him.

[goodgd_yall]

70. Well, we don't know

So why try to assume how someone would vote. All we can for sure is Obama, Clinton, Dodd, and Biden did not help the cause.

[subsuelo]

77. we also know for sure where Kucinich stands

as for the others, there's lots of guesswork involved

[ImpeechBush]

65. 92-3 doesn't sound like Republicans obstructing

wtf? How can it be so lopsided? It's like the whole party defected.

[goodgd_yall]

69. Oh, look---all of our senatorial candidates chickened out n/t

[Demeter]

2. Well, That's Just Lovely

Thanks a lot, guys. And Harry Reid, you suck.

[Seabiscuit]

79. Lovely? As the sign said when * was sworn in in 2001: "WE ARE DOOMED!"

and our once great country is CURSED.

[ChenZhen]

3. Clearly Nader is the root of all this evil.

[LittleClarkie]

4. Indeed

He is the evil one.

[ChenZhen]

6. Nader is the father of Lynndie England's baby too

[LittleClarkie]

9. Careful

His spies are everywhere.

With a blink of his eyes, he can turn your car into a Corvair. You'd be dead by morning.

[DrDan]

5. 92 - un-f*****g-believable

[trashcanistanista]

7. I second that

unf****ing believable. I can't f*cking believe this.

[feloneous cat]

73. Doesn't surprise me...

I'm think of telling the folks that I will cough up cash for the Democratic Party when they stop voting like Republicans.

:{

[HowHasItComeToThis]

11. DEMOCRATS FEAR THE MILITARY PROPAGANDA MACHINE

CONGRATULATIONS AMERICA, THE BULLIES HAVE TAKEN OVER.


:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

MAY KARL ROVE ROT

[alllyingwhores]

12. "...renew their fight when Congress considers the money Bush wants in war funding"?

"Hoping the political landscape changes in coming months, Democratic leaders say they will renew their fight when Congress considers the money Bush wants in war funding." What the f__k does that mean? They just gave him the f__king money--what the f__k are they talking about?

[alllyingwhores]

13. And--what's this shit about blue dogs? Are all but three Dem senators blue dogs?

[kdmorris]

18. Well, all but two

One of the 3 dissenting was Coburn (R-OK)

:shrug:

[Warren Stupidity]

14. Can we have a new party now?

Can we call it The Opposition Party? I am tired of this. I feel lost, helpless, and defeated. Why don't they just start rounding us up like the brave monks of Burma and get it over with?

[Exultant Democracy]

20. Next you'll want a unicorn of your very own too.

[Zhade]

42. Yeah, how dare someone want a party that serves its constituents with honesty and bravery!

:eyes:

[Warren Stupidity]

39. I thought it was a pony.

Has it escalated to a unicorn?

I am pretty much done. No pony. No unicorn. I'll settle for none of my kids ending up dead in mesopotamia or some other hell hole.

[Kagemusha]

15. At the end of the article: Bush is going to VETO THIS because it's only 99% surrender

and he won't settle for anything less than the last percentile included.

[Seabiscuit]

80. And you know what? They'll give it all to him just like they did last spring.

[superconnected]

16. Anyone surprised. I not.

[robinlynne]

24. I'm shocked. even though I agree with what you're saying. Even Hitler didn't get

that much cooperation!

[rodeodance]

33. not surprized at all-------support the troops mantra is sacred.

[saigon68]

54. Only a few thousand more deaths for the NeoCons

This is truly Iraq-Nam

It will end when the economy collapses

[calimary]

46. Barbara Boxer went along with this!?!?!?!????

:cry:

[regnaD kciN]

19. Easy Explanation: "Magic September" is over...!

:sarcasm:

Remember "Magic September?" When Democrats, having given the surge enough time to establish that it wasn't working, were going to finally pull the plug on the Iraq occupation? When Republican Congresscritters were going to defy the President and make it a veto-proof majority for a funding cut-off and mandated withdrawal?

Well, it happened! No bills were approved to continue the war during September!!! Of course, it's now October, so of course additional funding will get approved now. What, you expected they meant the opposition to the war would begin in September, and keep on going from there? :eyes:

[unkachuck]

21. we've been....

....shocked and awed by our own Party....surprise, surprise, the Democrats caved....what does this mean?

[robinlynne]

22. NO! god damn it.

[fooj]

23. Lovely.

SHIT!!! I'm sick to death of bankrolling these war criminals. Damn it.

[robinlynne]

25. what do we do? stand outside of the senate with signs saying we hate you?

They CANNOT hear us. We must need to speak louder.

hang on, Barbara Boxer?

[Kelvin Mace]

26. The Vichy Democrats strike again.

and sell us all down the river...

[HughBeaumont]

27. SSDP.

WHAT THE HELL IS EVERYBODY AFRAID OF????



LOOK AT HIM!! You're AFRAID to tell the worst and might I add only non-elected president in America's history to fuck off?

I mean, WHAT THE HELL???

"FUCK OFF. YOU GET NO MONEY FOR YOUR WAR!" HOW HARD IS THIS???

Is this now the Democrat's war?

Are we all driving the getaway car?

Votes, Shmotes. No. More. Tax dollars. For. War. End of fucking sentence!

[HughBeaumont]

47. OE: I meant . . . in the actual electoral PROCESS . . .

. . . aside from swear-ins due to death or resignation.

:blush:

[defendandprotect]

28. Think of the noise that Republicans would make if they were being so betrayed . . ..

They're threatening a new party now over Guiliani ---

Meanwhile, the best that Democrats can threaten is what . . . . . ?

Not to vote at all?

I think we need a plan B --

[quiet.american]

29. Heckuva job. n/t

[KamaAina]

30. $150 billion here, $150 billion there...

...pretty soon it adds up to real money! :sarcasm:

:grr: :banghead:

[Canuckistanian]

31. How much next time?

$170 billion? $200 billion?

Oh, and you three boys who voted against this - you've been marked for sliming.

[rodeodance]

32. "Hoping the political landscape changes in coming months, Democratic leaders

Hoping the political landscape changes in coming months, Democratic leaders say they will renew their fight when Congress considers the money Bush wants in war funding.

[rodeodance]

34. "'m not going to sign up for this any longer." (but he DID today):

Democrats say their options include directing that the money be spent on bringing troops home instead of combat; setting a date when money for the war is cut off, and identifying a goal to end the war to try to pressure Bush to bring troops home.

Similar attempts have been made but fell short of the 60 votes needed to overcome procedural hurdles in the Senate.

"Many of us have reached a breaking point on this," said Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill. "I've done this for too many years. I've waited for the president to start bringing this war to an end. I'm not going to sign up for this any longer."

[rodeodance]

35. Republicans predict the bill is on track to be vetoed by President Bush because

Republicans predict the bill is on track to be vetoed by President Bush because it includes hate-crimes legislation by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. The White House has said Kennedy's proposal, which would let federal law enforcement help states prosecute attacks on gays, is unnecessary.

[goodgd_yall]

71. Yes, it will be interesting to see what Bush does

[rodeodance]

36. Most in poll want war funding cut (Washington Post/ABC News)

Forum Name Editorials & Other Articles
Topic subject Most in poll want war funding cut (Washington Post/ABC News)
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x311478#311478
311478, Most in poll want war funding cut (Washington Post/ABC News)
Posted by antiimperialist on Mon Oct-01-07 09:58 PM

By Jon Cohen and Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, October 2, 2007; Page A01

Most Americans oppose fully funding President Bush's $190 billion request for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a sizable majority support an expansion of a children's health insurance bill he has promised to veto, putting Bush and many congressional Republicans on the wrong side of public opinion on upcoming foreign and domestic policy battles.

The new Washington Post-ABC News poll also shows deep dissatisfaction with the president and with Congress. Bush's approval rating stands at 33 percent, equal to his career low in Post-ABC polls. And just 29 percent approve of the job Congress is doing, its lowest approval rating in this poll since November 1995, when Republicans controlled both the House and Senate. It also represents a 14-point drop since Democrats took control in January.

Despite discontent with Congress this year, the public rates congressional Republicans (29 percent approve) even lower than congressional Democrats (38 percent approve). When the parties are pitted directly against each other, the public broadly favors Democrats on Iraq, health care, the federal budget and the economy. Only on the issue of terrorism are Republicans at parity with Democrats.

Part of the displeasure with Congress stems from the stalemate between Democrats and the White House over Iraq policy. Most Americans do not believe Congress has gone far enough in opposing the war, with liberal Democrats especially critical of their party's failure to force the president into a significant change in policy.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/01/AR2007100101235.html?hpid%3Dtopnews⊂=AR

[neverforget]

37. How about saying "if you want $150 billion, pay for it through taxes"

That would be too hard and actually be standing up to Bush. Can't have any of that though! No way! Democrats might look like they have a spine!

:argh: :argh: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

[NuttyFluffers]

38. we've been robbed, again, literally!

and supposedly democrats are to fall in line in the primaries over the pre-selected front-runners. heh, good thing i don't have a horse in that race or i'd be going ballistic about now. got more than enough on my plate trying to bring sanity to my republican party (like syssiphus and the stone...).

[0007]

41. We was raped!

[Zhade]

43. WHY DID THIS BILL EVEN MAKE IT TO THE FLOOR?

THE DEMS COULD HAVE KEPT IT FROM BEING VOTED ON!

Fucking complicit cowards.

[Javaman]

60. Exactly.

:banghead:

[Zhade]

63. Thank you for acknowledging my point. It seems a radioactive one.

People keep skipping right past it, as if it's not important.

Or they just don't want to admit what we know - that the Dem leadership is betraying us and it's not even up for debate.

[Javaman]

64. I wrote something about this last week and about 75% of the responces were flames. nt

[leftupnorth]

44. It's SO over.

[defendandprotect]

52. OK . . . WHERE are you going . . .. ???? ??? ???? Stop voting???

[chill_wind]

78. You mean like all these Senate P-Candidates who declined to vote?

This is LEADERSHIP???


Not Voting - 5
Biden (D-DE)
Clinton (D-NY)
Dodd (D-CT)
Obama (D-IL)
McCain (R-AZ)


I'll vote (though certainly not for McCain) for sure. Perhaps Other Than The Above, though. This war is barbaric, evil and immoral. How can I SUPPORT this kind of moral cowardice above?

[defendandprotect]

85. No . .I'm asking how you intend -- or think all of us -- should respond to what the Senate did -- ??

???

[gtar100]

45. Remember, this is OUR money

It's our money, our debt, those worms are spending. They have used us and our children yet again.

Brothers and sisters, it may come down to a fight in the streets after all. This is just sick.

[radfringe]

48. maybe we should be sending

mining helmet/lights to the dems, so when they cave in - it won't look so dark?

[TexasBushwhacker]

55. I like it n/t

[dkofos]

57. They will get stuck up their asses along with their heads!!

[pinniped]

49. If it were $500,000,000,000.00 it still would have passsed.

These people make me sick.

[pretty_lies]

51. This Government Isn't A Democracy.

It might LOOK like one, but it damn sure ISN'T one.

"Vote for us in 2006, we'll stop the war!"

(Democrats win and vote repeatedly to fund the war, refuse to impeach)

"Oh, we don't have the votes to stop the war yet"

(Democrats continue to vote to fund the war)

"Vote for us in 2008 to stop the war"

(Democrats win and continue to vote to fund the war)

"We can't stop the war because it'll be bad, just vote for us anyway"

(continue ad infinitum)


Funny thing is, I thought CONSERVATIVES were the stupid ones!!!

What do you call voting for the same people over and over again and expecting different results?

[defendandprotect]

53. Correct -- !!!! And NOW . . .. what do we do about it --- ??? ???? ???

Or is even more proof necessary ---
Wait until 2013, perhaps -- ???

[Zhade]

59. They don't just vote to fund the war, they bring forth te bills to do so.

They could block them.

They don't.

It's clear that they do, in fact, support this illegal atrocity.

[lovuian]

56. Lets face it Senators are going along with WWIII

and Bush... its pretty obvious

but eventually the War machine is going to run out of our money

[Nimrod2005]

58. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

[Honeycombe8]

61. Aw, geez. So much money. It boggles the mind. n/t

[superconnected]

62. I think we can get this in pictures...

Pelosi and Bush, shake hands.




And another one.



Nancy showing how it is!

[TexasBushwhacker]

66. Hmmmmm .....

"While the Senate policy bill authorizes the money to be spent, it does not guarantee it; Bush will have to wait until Congress passes a separate appropriations bill before war funds are transferred to military coffers.

"I think that's where you're going to see the next dogfight," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., of the upcoming war spending bill.

Democrats say their options include directing that the money be spent on bringing troops home instead of combat; setting a date when money for the war is cut off, and identifying a goal to end the war to try to pressure Bush to bring troops home."

I heard a caller on Air America suggest that we quit paying income taxes until they end the war. I'm beginning to think that's what it's going to take. If they won't cut off funding, WE will have to.

[high density]

67. What a bunch of idiots

It's like they WANT us to be bankrupt.

[against all enemies]

68. Bush wins again

[olddad56]

72. Why not just send the Senate home and give up the charade.

[feloneous cat]

74. We Have To Applaud First...

... Then someone can say that the Republic is now dead.

[chill_wind]

75. But you and others ask on the same day "But WHAT WOULD REPUBLICANS DO?"

(War surtax thread critical of Pelosi's door slamming and gatekeeping): http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1959796&mesg_id=1960171

Well, now you know. Now you ALL know. With a Democratic Congress like this, WHO NEEDS Republicans?

[defendandprotect]

83. You missed the point of my comment . . ..

What I'm pointing to here is a lot of "discussion" but little indication that Democrats have any way to STOP this --

WHAT is the response going to be from Democrats --
and what would Republicans do IF they were being so betrayed --????

[chill_wind]

76. Dems will renew their "FIGHT". Next time it might even be 91- 4.

:sarcasm:

Dems campaigned hard on this in 06.

Dems Vow to Take Control of Iraq Spending

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/14/washington/14budget.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&adxnnl=0&ref=politics&adxnnlx=1191351835-kQD7cDp2+gf0bLonyw9J3w

HOW MANY supplementals and how many BILLIONS have they handed him since?

All say it with me one more time now---



WE've been HAD.

[chill_wind]

81. Can't believe this news only got 13 recs. A kick for cold hard reality. n/t

[IndianaGreen]

82. We elected a Democratic Congress to defund the war, not to fund it!

There are consequences to pissing away an electoral mandate!

[defendandprotect]

86. Okay . . . they have betrayed you again -- now what??????

[defendandprotect]

84. The question remains -- WHAT ARE DEMOCRATS HERE GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS ??????

Active verb is "DO" . . . .

Not post, not comment -- but actually do.