Congress Readies Defense Budget ($626 billion spending bill)

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

(12-14) 14:32 PST WASHINGTON, (AP) --

Congress is knocking nearly $1 billion off President Barack Obama's request for Afghanistan's security forces and instead devoting the money to buying more mine-resistent vehicles for U.S. troops there.

The move comes as top House-Senate lawmakers are putting the finishing touches on a $626 billion Pentagon spending bill that Democratic leaders hope to clear for Obama's signature by Friday. Passage of the politically popular measure has been held up for weeks because Democratic leaders want to attach other controversial items to it.

The measure contains $128 billion to support Obama's February request for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The president has yet to request funds for his recently-announced troop increase in Afghanistan, and there is no money in the bill for that.

The package contains about $465 million to develop an alternative engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the Air Force's multimission fighter of the future. The administration said in June it would veto the legislation if it would "seriously disrupt" the F-35 program, an iffy threat at best. It has since backpedaled from the veto threat after the program won an impressive Senate vote.

The bill contains no funds for new F-22 fighters. Defense Secretary Robert Gates staked his reputation on killing the jobs-rich but well-over-budget program, which has its origins in the Cold War era but is poorly suited for anti-insurgent battles in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Details of the measure emerged from lobbyists and staff aides who demanded anonymity to discuss the measure before it becomes public.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/12/14/national/w143259S63.DTL

[flvegan]

1. But Medicare for all? Sorry, can't afford it.

[laconicsax]

2. And of course this bill won't raise the debt, right?

[inna]

14. deficit spending is only for important things -

such as wars, taxcuts for the rich, and multiple trillions in bailouts for the financial industry. :crazy:

[Thothmes]

3. Change you can believe in. n/t

[Hawkeye-X]

4. Ok. I want Bernie Sanders to introduce an amendment to make this $626B bill to 0 dollar bill

MIC has got to STOP.

NOW.

[dysfunctional press]

5. is it deficit neutral...?

[ozymandius]

6. If you can find the money to kill people, you can find the money to help people.

Perhaps if we sunk that money into healthcare, we could lay a few people off from the Army, then find them jobs as teachers, surgeons, primary care physicians, nurses, etc. And think of what a tax base we would have to eliminate the deficit.

Just a thought.

[mbperrin]

8. Made me think of this exchange:

Colonel: Whose side are you on, son?
Joker: Our side, sir.
Colonel: Don't you love your country?
Joker: Yes, sir.
Colonel: Well how about getting with the program? Why don't you jump on the team and c'mon in for the big win?
Joker: Yes, sir.
Colonel: Son, all I've ever asked of my Marines is for them to obey my orders as they would the word of God. We are here to help the Vietnamese because inside every gook, there is an American trying to get out. It's a hardball world, son. We've got to try to keep our heads until this peace craze blows over.

[Arctic Dave]

7. Fuck the DoD. Fuck em all.

[Jefferson23]

9. 626 billion, mind boggling money.

Lockheed Martin, hooray!

[Amonester]

10. To care for every single American citizen's health and help them?

NOPE. FUTURE TAXPAYERS (if any...) WILL PAY FOR THESE NON-ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY WARS.E

(plus double, triple, or quadruple interests)
(and they still won't have universal health care)

Deal? :crazy:

2006 Dems "mandate" was to what?

[Amonester]

11. In desperation, how about declaring all illnesses as terrorists?

After all, illnesses 'attack' 'murkans everywhere, even in their own homes!!

Illnesses ARE terrifying TERRORISTS.

Why isn't Congress fighting ILLNESSES and PROTECT THE 'murkin PEOPLE from these TERRORIST attacks?!?

:grr:

[FlyByNight]

12. Here's that "cross of iron" Eisenhower was talking about

This isn't "defense". It's force projection. Ultimately, this is unsustainable but our Congress and President seem to go merrily along as if all is "normal".

Health care reform (such as it is) should be deficit neutral but war is to be made at any and all costs. Fucking appalling and shameful.

So much for change.

:puke:

[classysassy]

13. " Its a mad,mad,mad world"

and we lead the planet in mad men and women.