Posted on 07/18/2007 9:38:10 AM PDT by tcrlaf
Ratcheting up the stakes in the wake of the GOP's successful blocking of a vote on Iraq withdrawal just moments ago, Harry Reid just announced on the Senate floor that he won't allow a vote on the entire Defense Authorization bill until the Senate GOP drops its filibustering of votes on Iraq.
The move is significant because it could hold up the funding of the Pentagon's fiscal 2008 priorities until the standoff is resolved.
It comes only moments after the Republican filibuster succeeded in preventing a vote on the Reed-Levin amendment, which would have mandated withdrawal by April 2008.
Reid said:
I have temporarily laid aside the Defense Authorization bill and have entered a motion to reconsider.
But let me be clear to my Republican colleagues – I emphasize the word "temporarily". We will do everything in our power to change course in Iraq. We will do everything in our power to complete consideration of a Defense Authorization bill. We must do both.
And just to remind my Republican colleagues – even if this bill had passed yesterday, its provisions would not take effect until October.
So we will come back to this bill as soon as it is clear we can make real progress. To that end, I have asked the Democratic Whip and Democratic Manager of the bill to sit down with their counterparts to work on a process to address all outstanding issues related to this bill so the Senate can return to it as soon as possible.
What this means is that Reid isn't allowing any votes on any other Iraq amendments -- not the toothless Warner-Lugar amendment, not the Ken Salazar amendment that would force adoption of the Baker-Hamilton plan, nothing.
Fellow TPM reporter Spencer Ackerman also says that Reid's move is very significant in another way:
Because the Pentagon's priorities won't become law until a Defense Authorization bill is passed, the Pentagon's fiscal 08 priorities won't get funded until this standoff is resolved -- and Reid is insisting that won't happen until the GOP allows a vote on the Iraq withdrawal measures.
More soon.
HArry is a slimeball, how do we get rid of him?
The far-left leadership of the Democrats would be delighted to destroy our military.
Maybe it’s time for Joe Lieberman to caucus with the Republicans. He could state that Dingy Harry is placing our troops at risk and vote to make Mitch McConnell the new Senate majority leader after Dick Cheney breaks the 50-50 tie vote and then we can ask for up-or-down votes to see what Dingy, Upchuck, Hitlery, et. al., will do with respect to cloture.
Exactly! And in Spades to boot.
That's right. Let Reid and company try to explain what legislation is more important than authorizing Defense funding while we're "at war".
willing to starve, is how it should read
I hear he is also holding his breath while on the floor kicking his feet in the air.
>Let’s make sure that get themselves labeled as the SURRENDER party....
To me “The slumbering surrender party” has a nice ring to it.
Never heard of the "Continual Resolution". Must research.
“it’s time for Joe Lieberman to caucus with the Republicans”
That would be the ultimate slap in the face to the Radical Left...
After all, it was THEY who freed Leiberman from the harsh yolk of Democrat Party slavery....
I think what was meant for a “Continuing Resolution” - they either continue to allow money to be spent (I think at 80% of last fiscal year’s level), or the whole government gets shut down.
Reid has no idea what damage he’s causing the Democratic Party with this nonsense come 2008.
Just like tiny tommy daschle in 2004.
The country needs the military; it could live without the demoKKKrat party.
I don't know that the Defense Department has the authority, absent Congressional approval, to accept contributions of funds from private individuals or organizations for use in specific purposes such as funding military operations. Probably not.
However, politically it would be a way for people to support the troops and show up the Rats. The funds could be raised on the condition that if there is a legal obstacle to funding the troops, they would instead be contributed to Navy Relief or the Army equivalent, and therefore go to support our service families in another way.
implications?
Little people playing petty games while our brave troops carry their water. Disgusting
Yes, but the worm will turn. Paybacks a bitch.
Well said...
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