Can somebody PLEASE explain the vote on H.R. 2206/Iraq Appropriations? Please?

[shireen]

I don't understand why so many Democrats voted Yea.

My two Democratic Senators, Mikulski and Cardin, voted "yea". I was stunned. I did not expect this from them. I just sent them a message asking them to explain their vote.

I understand that it was about more than just Iraq. There was money there for Veterans and Katrina survivors. (WTF are those issues doing in that bill in the first place?) Shouldn't the Iraq funding be important enough to be its own bill? Shouldn't Iraq have been the over-riding deciding factor in this vote? How many more soldiers and civilans do we have to lose before it becomes a factor in influencing their vote?

Did I miss a subtle issue that led so many Democrats to vote Yea?

Bernie Sanders, as far as I'm concerned, is the moral conscience of the Senate. Russ Feingold too. They voted against it. I wish the yea-voters could have applied the same reasoning, wisdom, and compassion that we see in Sanders and Feingold. (I'm more cynical about Obama and Clinton -- they voted "nay" because they're running for president and didn't want to defend a "yea" vote to Edwards!)

Somebody, please explain it to me, even if you disagree with the "yea" vote. What was the reasoning behind it?


Roll call at this site: See http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00181

[Rydz777]

1. I'd like to know too. I'll eagerly await any explanation. n/t

[sandnsea]

2. Murtha says

they were really and truly going to run out of money next week. He voted yes. I'm guessing that's what the rest would say too.

The country is just not getting riled up enough, seems to me.

[uppityperson]

3. I want to hear the explanations too. Please post them if you get any

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=964039&mesg_id=964039

[Skink]

4. Dazed and confused?

they can only handle a certain amount of ethics in a given month. I pray for them.

[Triana]

5. Katrina, Vet funding, Min wage...

....and no doubt a bunch of other stuff we'll hear little about was tacked onto that bill. WHY? To make it more convoluted and politically charged so that when it's voted on, it's not only Iraq they're voting on but a whole slew of other UNRELATED stuff - it's a political shell game.

AND IT OUGHT TO BE ILLEGAL to lump UNRELATED funding into any bill as major as one like the one for Iraq funding - for just that reason.

KATRINA VICTIMS, MIN WAGE, VETERANS' FUNDING - NONE OF IT is tiddleywinks to be toyed with but THAT is what our politicians did and do on a daily basis. It's all part of the "lump this funding into that unrelated and very unsavory bill so they HAVE to vote for it" game.

And you can see - it works

[Rainscents]

7. I thought PORK was going to stop?

Isn't that what Lady P said? When Dem's take control of the congress?

[Patsy Stone]

6. delete

[Wiley50]

8. Explain It? I'm So Pissed i can't EVEN TALK about it. Maybe Tommorrow. n/t

[shireen]

9. how many more deaths will it take to get a "nay" vote?

If your member of Congress voted yea, ask them WHY?!
I emailed Mikulski and Cardin, politely demanded an explanation. Their vote shocked me. I never thought they'd do something like that.