Posted on 05/26/2010 12:03:16 PM PDT by jazusamo
Senate Democrats are trying to turn the tables on Republicans when it comes to war funding, accusing the GOP of playing partisan games with funding for troops in a war zone.
The attacks represent a full evolution in political gamesmanship over the nine years of emergency war funding, as Republicans used to attack Democrats for deploying procedural tactics or adding legislative riders to war funding bills.
“It’s unfortunate we’re beginning to see more partisan attacks on funding for troops in the field and disaster aid,” Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), said Wednesday. “Members who voted to send our troops into harm’s way and never raised a fuss about paying for the war under President Bush are now trying to score political points.”
Republicans insist that they have no problem with the war funding itself, but they are unhappy with wide range of other add-ons for domestic programs and disaster aid.
Reed was joined by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who urged Congress – and particularly Senate Republicans – to get behind a $60 billion war funding bill, which includes money for disaster areas like flood-ravaged Tennessee and Rhode Island and earthquake-stricken Haiti.
The legislation, now being debated by the Senate, “fulfills our end of the bargain. It will give our commanders and troops the equipment and resources they need to succeed in far away Afghanistan,” Reid said. “Both Democrats and Republicans overwhelmingly support President Obama’s surge in Afghanistan. There is no reason one party should be for the funding and the other not for the funding.”
Some fiscal conservatives, however, believe that war funding should be included in Congress’ annual appropriations process rather than as a separate, emergency measure. Lawmakers are attempting to tack on amendments to the bill that would provide billions of dollars for things like education and border security.
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) calls the war spending bill “a farce.”. He’s proposed two amendments that would fund the troops by cutting a combined $120 billion from Congress and the federal government.
“We are on our way to becoming Greece,” Coburn spokesman John Hart said. “We are undermining our country’s future by borrowing and spending beyond our means.”
Every time a Democrat speaks you can guarantee he’s lying.
Exactly! But it really riles me when they try to use the military to gain political favor with their lies.
Honestly...who can take this clown seriously???
Harry Reid plays politics with troops.
It’s no wonder why he’s been tagged with “Dingy.”
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