Leading Democrat Warned Kerry on Intelligence Cuts

Bush-Cheney '04 ^ | March 10, 2004 | Bush-Cheney '04

[PhiKapMom]

Leading Democrat Warned Kerry on Intelligence Cuts

Writing on his blog, Citizen Smash brings to light the transcript of a 1994 Senate floor speech by Hawaii Democrat Daniel Inouye, a forty-year member of the Senate and World War II veteran. Senator Inouye offers pointed criticism of an amendment to slash funding for defense and intelligence programs -- an amendment authored by John Kerry:

Madam President, if I may, I would like to say a few words about amendment No. 1452, an amendment submitted by the distinguished Senator from Massachusetts [Mr. Kerry].

The amendment offered by Senator Kerry would reduce the 1994 appropriations for national defense by about $4 billion. I believe the Members of this body should recall that Congress has already reduced DOD's budget in 1994 by more than $18 billion. Moreover, in each and every year of the past 10 years, Congress has cut the funds provided for defense. We have already cut defense spending drastically. ...

Kerry's amendment not only tried to cut defense, but to slash intelligence funding -- and the implications of this were clear at the time:

Now if I may comment on another section that reduces funding for intelligence programs, and this amendment would reduce such funding by about $1 billion. Madam President, the intelligence budget has already been cut by almost 18 percent over the past 2 years. An additional reduction of $1 billion would severely hamper the intelligence community's ability to provide decisionmakers and policymakers with information on matters of vital concern to this country.

These issues include nuclear proliferation by North Korea--this has been on the front pages for the past 3 or 4 months--peacekeeping efforts in Bosnia and Somalia, as well as terrorist threats against American citizens and property. ...

At a time like this, is it prudent to reduce funds for the very intelligence programs which we need to identify these targets? This amendment would do that. It would blind our pilots. Is this the time to cut the satellite programs that give our forces warning of attacks? I hope that we will keep this in mind... If we do and this amendment passes, then we are putting blindfolds over our pilots' eyes. ...

I urge all Members to vote against this amendment

[PhiKapMom]

Never considered Senator Inouye to be like the John Kerry's of the world when it came to Defense and Intelligence -- guess this proves he is not like them. But then, he is one of the old school of Democrats that were there before the Clintons and their minions corrupted the current DemocRATs.

[PhiKapMom]

Don't understand how anyone could want Kerry for President with his record of being against Defense and Intelligence after 9/11.

[theDentist]

If we do and this amendment passes, then we are putting blindfolds over our pilots' eyes. ...

Talk about prophetic words....

[bray]

An additional reduction of $1 billion would severely hamper the intelligence community's ability to provide decisionmakers and policymakers with information on matters of vital concern to this country.

Boy could that make a nice commercial to go against the phony missing WMDs claims??

Pray for W and The Truth

[Recovering_Democrat]

Ohh, come now, PhiKapMom...why use the Bush-Cheney web site as a resource for this? Why not use those crack research teams at the networks? I'm sure they would have pointed this information out, in an effort to be sure John Kerry is the defender of America he claims to be! <\sarcasm>

[PhiKapMom]

Read that about pilots and got a chill up my back!

[PhiKapMom]

ROFLOL!!!!!!!! Well put! The election will come and go before the Democrat's media wing ever ackowledges this.

Never in my life have seen the media so one-sided as they are trying to manufacture support for Kerry! Don't understand it because they live here as well, but they sure ignore his wanting to destroy the Intelligence community and our Defense Department.

[caisson71]

I hope the Republicans are storing a bunch of these gems to use when appropriate to squash "The Prick".

[Condor51]

C'mon people, don't you understand? When Senator Kerry (D-Vietnam) is against something, it really means he's FOR it. It's called nuance you dolts.

By proposing the aforementioned drastic cut - after the defense budget was already smashed to pieces, IT really means he was trying to INCREASE our intelligence capabilities ten-fold! No wonder none of you are politicians, you just don't understand 'nuance'.

Absolutely NO offense is meant to anyone and in case you don't see it, I'm MOCKING the moron from Beacon Hill - aka 'Flipper' Kerry, who by the way, apparently has the european vote locked up.

[deport]

But then, he is one of the old school of Democrats that were there before the Clintons and their minions corrupted the current DemocRATs.

---

Now PKM, I hope you aren't saying that our illustrious LBJ was as pure as the wind driven snow...... lol

There will be tons of info in the Congressional Record about Kerry and his stances/positions/advocacies that will offer lots of material for use in the upcoming months. The real question is will the swing voters listen and use it in making a decision come lever pulling time. I hope so.

[OldFriend]

Kerry now promising a middle class tax cut. Remember when slick willie made that same promise. Remember the largest tax INCREASE in history.

We must start mocking Kerry......he cannot stand us to be laughing at him.

[VOA]

Never considered Senator Inouye to be like the John Kerry's of the world when it came
to Defense and Intelligence -- guess this proves he is not like them.

I felt a good bit of "white guilt" (even as a conservative) years ago when
I read Senator Inoyue's account of one aspect of his return to the USA
(minus one of his arms) after his distinguished service in WWII.

A barbershop owner refused him service and ejected him from the shop with
a blast (something like) "We don't serve no d-mned Japs".

As a Democratic Senator, I probably disagree with a lot of Senator Inoyue's philosophy.
As an American warrior and citizen, I'd say just this one speech strongly bolsters
the honorable, manly legacy he secured in the US Military.

Gen. Weasely Clark should take note...

[MeekOneGOP]

Come November 2nd, we ALL need to give him the big HEAVE-HO and tell him ...

[PhiKapMom]

LBJ was a crook!

I was thinking of Sam Nunn and David Boren.

LBJ would have loved these people!

[Stultis]

Never in my life have seen the media so one-sided as they are trying to manufacture support for Kerry!

They know Bush is strong. Beyond the liberal bias of the media, a close race makes huge differences in ratings and therefore $$$$$$$ for the news channels and newspapers.

[PhilDragoo]

I urge all Members to vote against this amendment.

--1994 Senate floor speech by Hawaii Democrat Daniel Inouye, a forty-year member of the
Senate and World War II veteran, blasting Jean-Fraud Kerry's amendment 1452 to cut
defense by 4 billion, intel by 1 billion.

Yeah, but Jean-Fraud was in Vietnam. Daniel Inouye ran off to WWII to avoid going to Vietnam.

And a whole bunch of foreign leaders (Chirac, Castro, Kim Jong Il) think Jean-Fraud's the best thing since brie and whine, wine, whatever.

[SAMWolf]

IF one didn't know better you'd think Kerry was the only person in Vietnam fighting the war.

[nopardons]

btt

[Unicorn]

BTTT

[Jorge]

Don't understand how anyone could want Kerry for President with his record of being against Defense and Intelligence after 9/11.

Bush has done such a good job in the war on terrorism, unfortunately Americans feel safe and are forgetting 9-11 and that there are terrorists out there who would kill us all if they had the chance.

People don't realize how important it is to have a President who is strong on National Security. It's scarey.