House Democrats work on huge Iraq money bill

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 4/28/8 | Zachary Coile

[SmithL]

House Democratic leaders are putting together the largest Iraq war spending bill yet, a measure that is expected to fund the war through the end of the Bush presidency and for nearly six months into the next president's term.

The bill, which could be unveiled as early as this week, signals that Democrats are resigned to the fact they can't change course in Iraq in the final months of President Bush's term. Instead, the party is pinning its hopes of ending the war on winning the White House in November.

Bay Area lawmakers, who represent perhaps the most anti-war part of the country, acknowledge the bill will anger many voters back home.

"It's going to be a tough sell to convince people in my district that funding the war for six months into the new president's term is the way to end the war," said Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Petaluma, a leader of the Out of Iraq Caucus who plans to oppose the funding. "It sounds like we are paying for something we don't want."

The bill is expected to provide $108 billion that the White House has requested for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Lawmakers who are drafting it say it also will include a so-called bridge fund of $70 billion to give the new president several months of breathing room before having to ask Congress for more money.

The debate is shaping up as a key test for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The San Francisco Democrat, who opposed the war from the start, faces fierce criticism from the anti-war left for refusing to cut off funding for the war. She's trying to hold together a caucus split between anti-war..., and conservative Democrats, who believe cutting off the war funding would make the party look weak on national security

[SmithL]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is trying to hold her coalition together.

[SmithL]

Nancy Pelosi is deeply disturbed.

[Eurale]

“Ending the war” = Surrender to terrorism.

[jazusamo]

Nancy Pelosi is deeply disturbed.

So are the Code Pink whack jobs that will be protesting in front of her home again. LOL!

[Son House]

That’s Tim Walz D-Mn, beside her, Retired Army Reserve Officer who ran on an anti-war message, then wised up and decided to vote for funding.

[Western Phil]

“Instead, the party is pinning its hopes of ending the war on winning the White House in November.”

Do it right you dummies or you will be doing it over at a much higher cost.

[willgolfforfood]

I'd love to see House Republicans with enough stones try to ammend this bill on the floor of the House, and attempt to make the Bush tax cuts permanent.

The sound of exploding heads could be heard in a different time zone!

[MNJohnnie]

Both the wack job Left, and their stooges in the Democrat Party leadership, will totally forget all about Iraq the second Bush leaves the WH. It has NEVER been about Iraq. It has always been about their feverish bigoted ignorant hate for GW Bush. Same way none of them were ever bothered by the US involvement in Kosovo. Because a DEMOCRAT President sent the troops there. This has nothing to do with policy, it just ignorant bigoted childish hyper partisan politics.

[MNJohnnie]

That not actually what Walz and the rest of the Demo frauds promised in 2006. He promised to “Change the course” in Iraq he NEVER promised to end the war. That is one of the big lies about 2006 perpetuated by the Leftist Media. That 2006 was all about Iraq. No it wasn't. In fact Iraq doesn't even appear in the Democrats “6 for 06” plan