Posted on 03/29/2007 12:06:28 PM PDT by OSTATE
Edited on 03/29/2007 12:17:39 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Friday was a tragic day in many respects.
It was the day Sgt. Emerson Brand's body was returned to Hunt County in a flag-draped coffin, a result of America's war in Iraq. In a touching display of respect for the military and Sgt. Brand's loved ones, more than 1,000 local residents lined the streets, many of them carrying American flags, as a hearse drove Sgt. Brand's body from Majors Field in Greenville to a funeral home in Caddo Mills.
Tears soaked the Blackland Prairie that afternoon, both in mourning for the fallen soldier and out of thanks for people like him who are willing to give their lives protecting freedom around the world.
What happened here Friday couldn't be in more stark contrast to what was happening in Washington.
At the same time Hunt County residents were waving flags, drying their eyes and showing their deep respect for military service, politicians in the U.S. House of Representatives were maneuvering for personal gain and passing a bill that would directly harm the military's ability to win the war in Iraq.
We understand that Democrats object to the war in Iraq. That's their right. They frequently use their opposition to the war to win political points, and that's fine. It will be up to the voters to decide if their message is right or wrong.
But what the House Democrats did Friday was a disgrace. In a party-line vote, they passed a military spending bill that they knew President Bush would veto, thus delaying the funds that are sorely needed by our troops in Iraq. Rather than simply approving the money to help our soldiers win the Iraq war, they tacked on two provisions that rational Americans — and the president — find unacceptable.
One, they added around $25 billion — yes, billion with a "B" — in pork spending for pet projects. It's no secret that politicians are addicted to doling out the public's money to buy support, but Friday's spending was over the top.
It not only represents an enormous amount of waste, but it also should never have been attached to a straightforward military spending bill. Supporting our troops should be reason enough to vote for the bill, and grouping their weapons and armor in the same bill with questionable domestic projects is a slap in the face to people who risk their lives on the battlefield.
But even worse, the bill would set an arbitrary date — March 31, 2008 — for U.S. forces to leave Iraq.
While everyone, Republicans and Democrats alike, want to see American troops leave Iraq in victory, telling our enemies precisely when we'll pull out would harm the military and embolden the insurgents. That's common sense. You don't give your war plan to the enemy.
It's a constitutional right for Democrats to protest the war if they choose. But Friday's actions in the House effectively undermined the U.S. military's efforts to win the war. It delays their funding, lumps the necessary military expenses in with wasteful pork and tells our enemies some good news: "If you just stick it out until March 31, 2008, you win."
America would be a stronger country if our leaders in Washington showed the same respect for military service that Hunt County residents displayed Friday.
http://www.reflectionsmm.com/movies/00-EmersonTribute.wmv
To add to the perfidy of the Dems, it appears Pelosi will not allow a resolution to come to the house floor for a vote that supports Britain and condemns Iran over the kidnapping of the Brits.
Every time I think the Dems can stoop no lower, they find a way to do so. Liberalism is truly a mental illness.
vote the dems out,out,out,out for good
Please remove my comment #4 on this thread, thanks.
May the Sargeant rest in peace.
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