Pork for Defeat: Now the President must veto it
The House has passed its pro-defeat (and pro-pork) bill, 218 to 212. Now the President needs to veto it.
The Democratic House leaders are a laughingstock of a shameful sort. They have dug two holes, a “pork” hole and a “defeat” hole. The “pork” hole reveals them to be another clatch of K Street bandits, haut couture of corruption replacing their electioneering “culture of corruption.” Their “pro-defeat” statement will attract fleeting accolades, but over time it will earn them deserved shame.
Yet this pro-defeat bill won’t satisfy the hard left fantasists.
Agreed. Bush will veto it.
Yes, there may be weasel words hidden in the text. “Combat operations” (see the AP quote) may in fact be a weasel phrase. Troops might remain in Iraq as “trainers” or as a “rapid reaction force.” I’ve heard military officers speculate that a condition called “strategic overwatch” would emerge by 2008 or 2009– with coalition forces in Iraq serving in training or quick reaction force roles.
Perhaps the resolution hides that kind of political and rhetorical gamesmanship. That kind of Beltway cleverness won’t enhance its historical stature — or lack thereof. The Democrats are once again the party of defeat.
The AP’s lede:
A sharply divided House voted Friday to order President Bush to bring combat troops home from Iraq next year, a victory for Democrats in an epic war-powers struggle and Congress’ boldest challenge yet to the administration’s policy.
Ignoring a White House veto threat, lawmakers voted 218-212, mostly along party lines, for a binding war spending bill requiring that combat operations cease before September 2008, or earlier if the Iraqi government does not meet certain requirements. Democrats said it was time to heed the mandate of their election sweep last November, which gave them control of Congress.
The pro-pork:
…Pelosi, and her leadership team spent days trying to convince members that the bill was Congress’ best chance of forcing Bush to change course—an argument that was aided when they added more than $20 billion in domestic spending in an effort to lure votes.
Another useful excerpt:
“Approval of it means we vote to abandon Iraq at an arbitrary time no matter the situation, said Republican Rep. Ted Poe. It’s also “loaded with squealing pork that has nothing to do with our troops or the war,” added Poe, R-Texas, referring to the billions of dollars added to the bill to fund domestic programs and attract votes.
But members said Pelosi was able to convince liberal members of her caucus that the legislation was their best shot at challenging Bush on the war even if it fails to become law.
