Funding the war: This week's bills on the Senate floor

[TayTay]

Senate to Take Up Iraq, Katrina Spending

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060425/ap_on_go_co/congress_iraq_katrina
By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writer
27 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - A must-pass spending bill to pay for the rising costs of the war in Iraq and for additional hurricane aid for the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast will debut on the Senate floor well above the amount requested by President Bush.

The massive $106.5 billion bill, almost $15 billion over Bush's February request, has distressed some conservatives. And that figure could still grow as senators of both parties press amendments to add money for border security and medical care for veterans.

The White House, itself — despite its own concerns about the measure's spiraling cost — plans to ask as early as Tuesday for about $2 billion more to repair and strengthen levees in and around New Orleans.

The measure is expected to eventually pass with ease, but not before the Senate takes ample time to discuss Iraq policy, gasoline prices and lawmakers' appetites for homestate projects.

Ahm, the Rethugs are not dumb. They have constructed a bill that ties re-funding the war effort into appropriations for Katrina relief efforts.

Pay close attention to this one. Funding the war, for many lefties, is equivalent to supporting the war. I wonder how the Dems will vote on this one.

[ray of light]

1. shouldn't war funding be part of the anual budget?

It's not. Instead this is how this majority party sneaks through their political ploys and their pork.

[TayTay]

2. Correct. This is a Rethug trick, in many ways.

The Rethugs probably conceived of this as a way to make Dems vote on odious provisions to necessary bill. This is a signature move of theirs that served them well in the '02 and '04 elections. They love to put crap into bills that must pass.