Friday, June 20, 2008

BUSINESS AS USUAL, AKA, GIVIN' THEM THE BUSINESS

Hey, whattaya know, it's another cave-in by House Democrats!

Seems that the House has approved another 800 zillion dollars to spend on the war no one supports. Meanwhile, the Dems will spin this as a "victory" because they were able to include some classic election year targeted spending -- college aid for returning troops, extension of unemployment benefits, aid for flood victims, etc.

Problem isProblems are, most of this aid should either (a) be granted anyway, or (b) not be granted at all. I mean, federal aid for the flood victims? Isn't that something the federal government does as a matter of course, without 11th hour compromises on unsupported wars? Or college aid for the returning troops? This is supposed to be a radical measure, a trade for continued war spending? I don't wanna sound too naive, but isn't that part of the promise they make to high school grads when they hoodwink them into joining the army in the first place?

And as for the 13 year extension of unemployment benefits, I'm sorry, but that's election year pork. Nothing more. This will sound cold, but it's a cold, hard fact: for the great majority of Americans getting clobbered in this stank-ass economy, a little fiscal responsibility on the part of the federal government (which is supported by those same citizens' inflation-damaged, heavily-leveraged tax dollars) will go a lot further than a mostly-symbolic extension of unemployment benefits. Take some action, any action to re-value the sinking dollar and those who've become unemployed will find jobs.

Meanwhile, further nonsense and . . . the war goes on. It's not like I'm voting Republican this November, nor would so much as suggest you do so either, but how on earth can I convince myself to vote for the majority of congressional Dems either? I can't.

What a mess.

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6 Comments:

Blogger Toast said...

Not particularly on-topic, but welcome back to the Blogosphere, dude. Good to see you with your Rage on again.

7:37 AM  
Blogger Mike said...

It'll last while it lasts. I'll be out of town on (a well-deserved) vacation soon and before we know it, back to the grind.

But in the meantime it's nice to revisit a part of my life that's been hard to integrate.

7:44 AM  
Blogger Rickey said...

Good stuff Mike. You'd think that the days of the Democratic Party rolling over and playing dead were over... What a bunch of spineless schmucks.

9:10 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You forgot to mention that our stalwart Dems also caved on amnesty for the phone companies complicit in warrantless wiretapping.

What a fabulous choice: the guys who want to wipe their asses with the Constitution or the guys who are willing to let them.

10:09 AM  
Blogger George said...

As for the FISA bill, I got this email so we should all try, although Pelosi's line has been busy all morning (they probably have the phone off the hook):

Speaker Pelosi can still stop this bill.

As Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi can pull the bill from the floor and refuse to call a vote.

Call Speaker Pelosi right now and demand she stand up to President Bush and stop telecom immunity.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
(202) 225-0100

Suggested Script:
"I'm calling to tell Speaker Pelosi I am depending on her to pull any bill from the floor that will ultimately grant immunity to telecommunications companies who illegally spied on Americans. Can I count on Speaker Pelosi to stand up to President Bush?"

12:18 PM  
Blogger Noah said...

It's the curse of the Dems...they're simply afraid of losing, so thy roll over on lots of stuff when they're in power, even stuff they got elected because of! It happens on the state level all the way up to the feds.

10:13 PM  

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