I guess the Democrats don't think they can get enough of those anti-war people on board for their cut-and-run--er, Iraqi withdrawal plan, so they've taken the opportunity to stuff the bill with pork projects.
Democrats seeking votes for their Iraq-withdrawal plan have stuffed the bill it's in with billions of dollars for farms, flu preparedness, New Orleans levees, home heating and other causes.
Some critics say the Democrats are simply being opportunistic — using a must-pass measure for funding U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan to carry items that can't advance as easily on their own.
At the same time, Democratic leaders are trying to increase support for setting deadlines for ending U.S. military combat in Iraq, which they've made part of the larger legislation.
It's plain that Democrats are unwilling to approve the bill's $100 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan without devoting considerable sums of money to the home front.
"The president wants to make sure we take care of Iraq, but I think we also have to make sure that we don't lose sight of what we have to do here at home," said Rep. Rahm Emanuel (news, bio, voting record), D-Ill.
Already, money in the bill not directly related to the war exceeds $20 billion.
$20 billion?! These are the "fiscally responsible" Democrats we've been hearing about, right? So, what's in the bill?
--$3.5 billion for veterans' and active duty military medical care
--$500 million "emergency" money for the Western fire season (which hasn't started yet)
--$4.3 billion for farmers for disaster aid
--$74 million for peanut storage
--$25 million for spinach farmers
--$283 million for income subsidies for small dairy farms
--$2.5 billion for homeland security projects
--$2.9 billion for levee improvements
--$735 million for State Children's Health Insurance Program
--$400 million to extend payments to rural counties hurt by cutbacks in federal logging
--$1 billion to to prevent or prepare for a possible avian flu epidemic
--$400 million in additional heating subsidies for the poor
In short, the bill contains pork from practically every district in the country so the Democrats can claim "bipartisan support" for their insidious plan. Aren't there normal appropriations bills to stick these pigs in?
I hope President Bush vetoes this disgusting, hypocritical lot.
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