House Democrats Look To Fund War Through 2009

[Echo In Light]

House Democrats Look To Fund War Through 2009
by Zachary Coile

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 lawmakers, who’d prefer a showdown with the White House, and conservative Democrats, who believe cutting off the war funding would make the party look weak on national security and put its majority at risk.

Continued:
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/04/28/8568/

[LWolf]

1. Not every House Democrat will support that bill.

Lynn Woolsey will not be alone in opposition.

She's right; it looks really bad for Democrats to say they want to end war and then continue to fund it.

[madrchsod]

2. this bill will make a depression in 2009

draining another 175 billion from the upper middle class to poor will ensure a depression. we have`t anything left to sell to the world...hard times...hard times

[Benhurst]

3. Why such a timid approach? Might as well go ahead and fund

the criminal occupation for another 100 years. And universal national health? It looks as though that will be off the table now no matter who wins. Hey, you can't fund needless programs such as decent health care if your going to be The World's Only Superpower, can you?

[Echo In Light]

4. "Superpower" isn't conducive with altruism and humanitarianism

[Clear Blue Sky]

5. Big surprise... n/t

[blindpig]

6. So, what was the election of '06 about?

This is democracy?

The denial of those who would insist that we continue to support these treacherous dogs(all due apologies to canines)is deeper than the sea.

[Echo In Light]

7. In my estimation, 06 = necessary purge valve for an increasingly angry electorate

[Echo In Light]

8. Bump