Senate GOP say their switch "should be seen as a slap to the White House"

[Rose Siding]

The Bush administration yesterday admitted that it badly miscalculated health care spending for veterans this year and agreed to send Congress an emergency spending request to make up a shortfall of at least $1 billion.

It was a reversal from just a day before, when Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson said money could be transferred among accounts to make up the difference, and House Republicans, on a procedural vote, rejected Democrats' attempt to add more money.

But with the Senate voting unanimously yesterday to add $1.5 billion to veterans health spending and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi promising to "make the issue so hot that today Republicans will reverse their position," House Republican leaders said their members were getting "uncomfortable" with the department's solution.
...
Democrats called it a major "I told you so" moment, since they had been pushing for more funding for months.

Those efforts included an attempt in April by Sen. Patty Murray, Washington Democrat, to add the money to the emergency war-spending bill. But Republicans, bolstered by a letter from the administration saying there was already enough money, defeated her amendment.

Yesterday, Senate Republicans said their switch should be seen as a slap to the White House.

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20050630-124909-3981r.htm

In the WaTimes :wow:

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Are they implying they are doing thins IN SPITE of *'s wishes?

"Yesterday, Senate Republicans said their switch should be seen as a slap to the White House. "

[auburngrad82]

24. The GOP is trying to distance themselves from Bush

They have every repug representative and probably about half of the senators up for re-election. They're seeing polls that reflect badly not only on Bush but on the GOP as a whole.

Bush is becoming the sacrificial lamb of the right-wing. The only way they can retain control of the House and Senate is if they convince people that all of our problems stem from Bush. We need to make people aware that Bush is only one member of the GOP and that they have been screwing the country steadily since the took control of all four branches in November 2000. Every GOP Senator and Representative stood with Bush on tax cuts for the wealthy and have stood as a group on their budgets which have increased our deficit to record numbers.

We need to bring up Tom DeLay and Rick Santorum every chance we get. We need to make sure that every extremist statement by ANY member of the GOP gets publicized. We need to make sure that the GOP's corruption in Ohio is publicized.

We need to use negative campaigning. Not lies like the Swift Vote Liars or any other GOP group. We need to publicize EVERY negative thing a member of the GOP does, especially if it is related to a moral failure. That will take the "moral high ground" away from them.

If we don't go negative we will lose.

At the same time we need to come up with very specific messages related to health care, jobs, the Iraq occupation, Halliburton etc that will show people that the Democratic values and platform is much more in line with America's values and desires than that of the GOP.

We can't waste these opportunities.

[BrklynLiberal]

30. Sounds like a very effective strategy. It sure worked for them.

[Arkana]

33. Negative campaigning isn't even necessary.

All we need to do is tell the truth--and it will be absolutely blistering to the Pukes in office. Just tell the plain, unvarnished truth.

That will hurt them more than any smear campaign could.

[goclark]

2. Their faces look good "slapped" as the GOP said

[BOSSHOG]

3. The white house did not miscalculate

The white house got caught fucking veterans in their insane quest to balance the budget on the broken backs of soldiers and sailors while giving tax breaks to the rich and famous. If they had not gotten caught, there would have been no announcement of a "miscalculation." bush and his type are miscalculating quite a bit lately and it has everything to do with their political future.

[mpendragon]

6. they never really get caught

The administration will sign this bill with a big smile and a huge American flag in the back ground. They will pretend there never was a problem with their budget and they'll try to come off as great humanitarians for passing this bill. We'll even get a short inspirational speach about supporting the troops and sacrafice in times of war.

God Bless America

[mom cat]

9. The Democrats will just have to learn to remind people who made it happen.

Maybe it's time to take a few pages from Karl Rove's playbook and go after the senators and representatives who had to be shamed into paying attention to this issue. Their original statements might look good in campaign ads in 2006.

[JRob]

14. Way past time! I don't subscribe to the notion that we can't do things

the way the GOP does... especially when it's been so affective and is handing more and more power to these corporate proxies, religious freaks and sociopaths.

They will attempt to spin this their way, I'd bet money on it...

[AmBlue]

26. Love your sig pic, btw

Where was that taken?

[JRob]

38. Kind of looks like NYC

[mpendragon]

29. we give the people an argument when we talk

We want to explain why and how the opposition is wrong. That doesn't work. People can't remember something like, "I wanted to roll back a small portion of the tax cuts to the top 1% to fund the war in Iraq. I voted against more debt for our children to give contractors more money without oversite." People can remember, "I voted for it before I voted against it" and they can remember, "flip flopper".

If you want to hang this around the GOP's neck you have to be vicious and direct and brief. You have to have the balls to say something like, "We finally embarassed {opponet's name} into giving wounded soldiers money for medical treatment. I guess they only support the troops in front of the cameras." When they say that we can't have weak back peddlers wussing out.

[JRob]

39. Yup, it's all about the "dig", the "quip", who got who...

the thing that's alway killed me about the "I voted for it before I voted against it" quote is that very few even understood (or attempted to understand what he was saying, that he voted for the bill he co-wrote (or co-sponsored) that was voted down in the Senate before he voted against the second bill (that passed) that provided for no accountability on how the funds were spent.

A lot of Dem's want to explain things (as you say) or say that we can not lower ourselves to their level... well here's a wake up call people, 50% vs. 48% (Zogby poll) say that they would NOT want to see Bush even impeached (let alone prison) if it was PROVED that he lied about Iraq.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3988716

Now what does that tell you? They don't care if we're right as long as they can maintain power.

If that what it means to be a 21st century American, I'm out

[SemperEadem]

18. Truly!

just in time for the 4th photo ops, the thugs open up a can of 'act-right', pimping patriotic sentiment.

[ltfranklin]

40. The spin is already starting.

Here's a headline from USA Today.

"Senate GOP plans to increase veterans spending"

WASHINGTON (AP) — Eager to prevent political damage, Senate Republicans intend to raise spending on veterans programs by $1.5 billion to make up for a shortage caused partly by the return of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, congressional aides said Tuesday.

The decision marked a swift response to last week's disclosure that the Department of Veterans Affairs needs $1 billion more for veterans health care this year. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, noting that no formal announcement had been made.

The House simultaneously fought back a Democratic effort to immediately spend an extra $1 billion on veterans health care. The 217-189 vote along party lines killed Democratic attempts to open a foreign aid bill and add the money.

"Veterans need to know that no veteran will be without his health care in 2005, nor will they be without their health care in 2006," said Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas. "There are solutions to this problem and those solutions are being addressed."



Now, it's not until the 5th paragraph that we find out that the Democrats have been trying to get the Repubs to allocate more money for quite a while now. Of course, the Repubs main effort right now is trying to delay action until they can spin it...uh, I mean until they can understand all the ramifications and make sure they allocate all the money that's needed.

[JRob]

13. what's worse is that they'll try to spin this in a way as to not give

credit to Dem's for pushing on this until it got some traction... The usual suspects will parrot it and a couple of weeks from now some freep will be waving this bill in our faces and saying that we don't support our troops...

[BrainRants]

4. Now, let's turn today's slap into a bludgeon for '06. n/t

[flpoljunkie]

5. Pelosi "promises to make the issue so hot that R's will reverse position."

I suggest she and her counterpart in the Senate, Senator Harry Reid try this tactic more often--too bad, they did not raise a stink about the bankruptcy bill, but instead caved into the banks and credit card companies who support their campaigns, too.

How about a stand for affordable health care for all Americans? Instead of calling it Medicare for All, how about Americare--sounds kinda patriotic, don't you think?

[Rose Siding]

32. Americare is a great name for a health plan

:thumbsup:

[Tom Rinaldo]

7. "We were in error. Senator Murray was right," said Sen. Rick Santorum

"We were in error. Senator Murray was right," said Sen. Rick Santorum, Pennsylvania Republican, who said the fact that top Republican senators sponsored one of the amendments to boost funding "sends a very loud and clear message to the administration that we'd like straight dealing" on veterans issues.

Yup. I would call that "a slap" LOL.

Santorum is worried about his seat, isn't he?

[davidinalameda]

10. oh my goodness

the pod people have taken the Senator Manondog and have replaced him with a real human

where's Tom Cruise to kick those aliens' butts

[Orion The Hunter]

11. RE: Santorum

Great quote Tom Rinaldo!

Yeah I think if any House members are worried about their seats, they will be likewise falling in line on this measure. Nice that the White House doesn't have the backs of several members of Congress who are up for re-election in 2006. For some GOP members, their races just got a bit harder....

[BOSSHOG]

22. How can you be in error when the numbers were exactly

how you wanted them to be? Santorum, start trolling the want ads.

[jmcon007]

8. it's just a not-so-elaborate accounting trick the WH uses over and over...

They left the money needed for the war OUT of the original budget to make the numbers look better at the time, knowing they could fund it under "emergency" funds when they had to. Same thing with the VA money.
If the Democrats let them get away with it, the pukes will still try and point to the original budget passed as the number to use when the '06 election campaigns begin heating up, making it appear that they were somewhat responsible. It's the Republican's usual smoke and mirrors.
Another demonstration of the Republicans' number one fear: Being honest with the American public.

[Orion The Hunter]

12. RE: Another Santorum goodie

And I quote from the Washington Times:

"but said he <Sen. Reid> was not going to be 'lectured about civility' by Mr. Santorum. He then entered Mr. Santorum's previous voting record against veterans health care funding into the Congressional Record.

'Now with an election cycle upon us, he supports, under pressure, voting for veterans. Talk about crass politics,' Mr. Reid said."

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

15. Thank you, Senator Reid.

For entering the hypocritical voting record of man-on-dog into the Congressional Record.

Give em hell, Harry!!!:bounce:

[jmcon007]

31. I was proud of Reid when he roasted the neonuts on this....

....and I will say now that I will personally be finished with the first person who apologizes for Reid telling the truth.

[Straight Shooter]

16. The bush agenda is not in the best interest of Americans or either party.

If Republicans have to "slap the White House" over veterans funding, especially in the instance of Santorum, it's like a prostitute slapping a john for propositioning her just because a cop happens to stroll by at the moment of propositioning. The outrage by the Repubs is false and is designed to make themselves look like they're taking the high road. If no one were around to make them do the right thing, they would continue to whore themselves.

[the old gringo]

19. You nailed it

and by the way, here's a link to Santorum's voting record since 1/6/05. An absolute disgrace; this is what voters should remember.

[Hippo_Tron]

17. That's it, every GOP member of congress is against Veterans

Every Democratic challenger in 2006 needs to run saying that their opponent only supports Veterans if the White House approves. Democrats support Veterans when it counts.

[melissinha]

20. Reid is right

You quote back people's voting records back to them. For the next election we can't just it back and be the nice guys.... it is the responsibility of our elected officials to represent us... and if that means that they need to point out serious miscalculations and misdeeds with the intent on getting their constituents what they need, so be it.. In the business world, its a cutthroat race.... its the same sphere....

How can we the grassroots base use this tactic? We need to spread the word about our political oponents' voting records.... we can do this easily... flyers refer you to a webpage.... what you do is show important issues that matter to Republicans and Democrats alike.... then you include a link that takes you to the legitimate House/Senate roll call records... undisputable.


For example lets pick on .....Hutchison...

Military death gratuity
Statement of Purpose: To increase the military death gratuity to $100,000, effective with respect to any deaths of members of the Armed Forces on active duty after October 7, 2001.
Hutchison's vote: Nay
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00092

Increase in Medical Care to Veterans
Statement of Purpose: To provide $1,975,183,000 for medical care for veterans.
Hutchison vote: Nay
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00090

Increase Minimum Wage
Statement of Purpose: To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide for an increase in the Federal minimum wage.
Hutchison vote: Nay
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00026

Discopurage Predatory Lending Practices
Statement of Purpose: To discourage predatory lending practices.
Hutchison: Nay
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00022

Protect employees from being denied pensions by employers
Statement of Purpose: To protect employees and retirees from corporate practices that deprive them of their earnings and retirement savings when a business files for bankruptcy.
Hutchison: Nay
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00025

I admit that there are a lot of technicalities and there were to similar minimum wage bills that were introduced and teh Republicans voted with one and democrats for the other... but some of them are straight forward....

Incidentally... because it was easier to find the the alphabet, I compared Tom Harkin to Hutchison... and he voted for all of these things that she rejected.

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[johnaries]

23. It's happening. They're realizing Bush is a liability.

Attention all Rats - ABANDON SHIP!

[DollyM]

25. Oh boy . . . let me at this one . . .

My husband is a veteran and we have to use VA health care because his cheap employer doesn't provide it. VA health care is so substandard, it is based on money rather than what the veteran actually needs in health care. We have to beg for any prescription that costs them over $4.00 even though they charge us double that cost for the prescription. Here, if you need a test done, you have to wait one to three weeks to have it scheduled. Then, it is another week before you can get a prescription even if you have an infection or something that a prudent Dr. would want you to have right away.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, I see a notice in the paper for the nearest VA hospital, offering a 5000 dollars sign on bonus for nurses. (And we have to beg for a 5 dollar prescription!) The problem with the VA system is waste, pure and simple. They have all these hospitals and clinics across the country for which they pay rent, utilities, maintenance and so on. Then there are the salaries of staff including great benefits, pensions and so. If they would close every VA hospital and clinic and let Veterans use their own Doctors and hospitals, it would eliminate millions of dollars in overhead as well as give Veterans good health care on a timely basis. (My father, who was a WWII Veteran, was released from the VA Hospital with no plan of care, no apparent discharge planning and no prescriptions--those arrived 10 days later! He DIED three weeks later with the damage already done without antibiotics to treat his pneumonia.) If there is such a shortage of nurses, rather than spend thousands of dollars to recruit them, let them work in hospitals and clinics and contract with those hospitals and clinics. Let someone else pay their salaries and bonuses! We let the elderly, see their own Physicians and medical facilities, close to home, why can't our Veterans do the same? It would save millions in overhead for our government and the savings could be put into providing better health care to our Veterans. I have written my representative and asked that he propose this, please, if you see this as being a feasible solution to the Veteran's Health Care issue, please write or email or call your representative and do the same.

[CottonBear]

27. Interesting ideas. Welcome to DU

:hi:

[mvd]

28. That would be great!

:woohoo:

[halobeam]

34. How about we just publish ads of the voting records...

full page ads. For every rotten failed nightmare that the GOP VOTED for!


Top of the page:

"ALL IN PERFECT PARTY LINE.... AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR CITIZENS AND OUR COUNTRY....

The GOP LET Bush do this...

Here's their voting record:"

---------------------

..and then write what the vote was for, and LIST their names with a big fat red "Y" next to it.

That's it. One new crushing vote for each week. Mon - Sun!!!

'cept .. who'll print it? hmmmmmmmmmmmmm oh yeah. Sorry the 'ol American in me forgot I live somewhere else now.

[Dem2theMax]

36. How about WE print them?

Have the info here online every week and then plaster the country with the flyers. Simple, cheap, and we'll all be doing our part to spread the word. :)

[LightningFlash]

35. What a bullshit strategy.

They don't slap the White House-- They bend over for THEM, and so does the DLC.

[LSK]

37. discussing this now on CSPAN2 live n/t