THE FAMOUS $87 BILLION debate?

[serryjw]

So much has happened in the last 10 months I forgot that I had this.....I sent a letter to my Congresswoman Degette...and this is her response...( Sorry I deleted my address and last name!)

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October 22, 2003


serry j.
Denver, Colorado 80203

Dear serry:

Thank you for contacting me about the 2003 Iraq Supplemental legislation. I am pleased to learn your views on this issue and appreciate the opportunity to share mine.

On October 17, 2003 the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3289, the "Supplemental Appropriations for FY04", which provides $86.9 billion for U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and for relief and reconstruction effort in both countries. I voted against this legislation for a number of reasons including the fact that there was no offset to pay for the nearly $87 billion cost and because of the utter lack of accountability.

I attempted to inject some fiscal responsibility into this process by offering an amendment that would eliminate the Bush tax giveaway for taxpayers in the top federal income bracket. My proposal would only impact the top 0.7 percent of all taxpayers with annual incomes of more than $312,000 and would restore approximately $90 billion to the federal budget. Unfortunately my amendment was not allowed.

We have an obligation to protect our troops in Iraq and to help rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan so that they are no longer havens for the tyranny and misery that spawn violence. However, the President's plan needs to include guarantees that the $67 billion in military spending will go to getting critical supplies get to our troops in a timely fashion. President Bush has not explained how the $87 billion in spending helps us meet our goals of protecting our troops and restoring order in Iraq. The President has also failed to specify how many more American tax dollars will be spent on Iraq or the duration of our occupation.

Thank you again for contacting me. Please feel free to visit my webpage at www.house.gov/degette for further information, where you can sign up for my e-newsletter to stay up-to-date on current events on Capitol Hill. I look forward to our continued communication.

Sincerely,

Diana DeGette
Member of Congress

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[ochazuke]

1. How did this issue get turned around?

When the $87 billion request came out, people hated it. I overheard comments in public at like the Post Office and grocery store. People were outraged. Democrats wanted to pay for it by raising taxes on the very top income earners while Republicans wanted to put it on our children's tab (add to deficit/debt). That's what JK is talking about when he said "I voted for it before I voted against it." The Republicans voted against it before they voted for it.

And now Bush-Cheney say there's nothing complicated about protecting our troops. Yet funding for body armor in that bill was put in by Dems!

Outrageous.

[serryjw]

4. JK was right .....

WHY has it been so hard to defend himself and his decision?

[VolcanoJen]

10. I was in the Senate Gallery for the Iraq War Supplemental Debate.

cmorea, I remember! Bush gave a national address to announce the $87 billion supplemental, and Americans were pissed at him for it. It went over like a lead balloon. The war paid for itself, my ass... people that didn't see it coming felt so betrayed.

I was in DC during the vote, and thought I'd spend a day on the Hill listening to the arguments and various other resolutions that would pop up.

I've been in the Gallery countless times, but this was by far the most interesting debate I'd witnessed. Joe Biden took up most of the speech time while I was there; what I remember most vividly is that the Republican side of the aisle was practically empty, with the notable exception of (wait for it!) John McCain. He was in his seat the entire time I was there.

I watched as alternative funding amendments were added... there were so many of them! The issue was so important, and at the time, the American people were watching them like hawks, and almost every US Senator filed in to the chamber, voted, filed out. This went on and on. I remember John Kerry and John Edwards walking in, walking out, walking back in... it was the beginning of interest in the coming primary season (this was October), and every time they entered the chamber, the gallery buzzed. Hillary Clinton came into the chamber and some women behind me hissed. I snapped my neck around and glared at them.

My butt was numb after hours of debate and voting. In the end, we didn't get anything that we wanted. Not one single thing. My heart broke a little for Sen. Byrd, just watching him almost slumped in his chair. It was a depressing day, much like every single day since this stupid goddamned war started.

This was apropos of nothing, but I thought I'd share my memories. :-)

[kittykitty]

2. Good for her! Imagine the response I would get from (R) Bill Shuster?

I don't know her, but you are lucky to have her for a congresswoman. My congressman is Bill Shuster, nepotist son of the infamous Bud Shuster. I don't know if he even knows how to read or write. I shouldn't say that--he was a car salesman before being a congressman.

You have inspired me to write to him,asking the same question about the $87 billion. Thanks.

[serryjw]

6. I live in downtown Denver ....

a very Gay, liberal onclave. She gets re-elected because she votes exactly the way we want her to. I sat next to her at out state convention with no ego....just does her job we send her to do! Now I wish I could say that about my 2 senators whom I write all the time and get no response.....though I just go a SNAIL MAIL letter from mcCain! I wrote him about defending Nightline in their broadcast of our fallen soldiers when Sinclair wouldn't play it....I write EVERYONE!

[calimary]

3. KICK! Added another link for argument reinforcement:

MAN do we need to pound on this. It's just a big shortsheet-the-bed scam on the part of the republi-CONS - ...he voted for it and then he voted against it ha-ha-ha..." Uh, let's look at that a little more closely and see WHY, 'eh?

From AP story - “Bush Glosses Over Complex Facts in Speech = Sept. 3, 2004
“He attacked Kerry for voting against an $87 billion package for Iraq and Afghanistan operations that included money for extra sets of body armor and other supplies, mocking his opponent for saying the issue was complicated. "There's nothing complicated about supporting our troops in combat," Bush said.
But the bill in question was not solely about supporting troops and Kerry's campaign said he ultimately voted against it because, among other reasons, it included no-bid contracts for companies.”

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/32-09032004-359710.html

[librechik]

5. Degette's my Rep too! She's awesome!

that says it quite plainly. Why can't Kerry?

[serryjw]

7. Hey neighbor!

nice to see another Cap hill resident!

[independentpiney]

9. That's driving me crazy too

The 87 billion and IWR votes are not hard to explain, but they're being allowed to fester in the media.

[independentpiney]

8. You're lucky to have a good Congressperson

All I ever get back from mine - James Saxton (R NJ) is a long winded diatribe telling me to go Cheney myself. But I have two good senators in Lautenberg and Corzine anyway, so I can feel all hope is not lost.

[diamond14]

11. bush* LIES to the American public about OUR congressional process

that is the issue....


and why did this $ 87 BILLION supplemental bill even have to be discussed in Congress at all, in OCTOBER 2003?

because OUR soldiers were already in Iraq for SEVEN MONTHS (and five months after bush* photo-op "mission accomplished")...and bush* STILL didn't give OUR soldiers bullet-proof vests, armored protection for their vehicles, and even food/water/tents....

bush* should have gotten all that done BEFORE he sent OUR soldiers to his oil war in Iraq.....in addition, the BLOATED military budget of over $500 BILLION dollars annually, could have provided that equipment, but bush* wanted to EXPAND our military, rather than use our existing huge and wasteful military budget...

how in hell did America let bush* keep his WARS on a separate budget to be ADDED to the existing military budget (which did not defend us during 911 at all) ...isn't defense why we keep such a GIGANTIC defense department, bigger than the TOP FIVE COUNTRIES in the world combined?


http://www.warresisters.org/piechart.htm