Senate deals Bush a defeat on Iraq war spending
By
realitybasedbob
on May 22, 2008 at 03:32 pm
6 Comments
WASHINGTON (AP)—In a stunning vote that illustrated President Bush’s diminished standing, the Senate on Thursday ignored his veto threat and added tens of billions of dollars for veterans and the unemployed to his Iraq war spending bill.
A majority of Republicans broke ranks with Bush on a veto-proof 75-22 vote while adding more than $10 billion for various other domestic programs, including heating subsidies for the poor, wildfire fighting, roads and bridge repair, and health research.
Democrats crowed about their victory. But the developments meant more confusion about when the must-pass measure might actually become law and what the final version will contain.
Senators voted 70-26 to approve $165 billion to fulfill Bush’s request for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan into next spring, when Bush’s successor will set war policy. Overall, the measure contains $212 billion over the coming two years - $28 billion more than the administration sought - plus about $50 billion more through 2017 for veterans’ education benefits.
...But the spectacle of 25 Senate Republicans abandoning the White House and voting to extend jobless benefits by 13 weeks and boost the GI Bill to provide veterans enough money to pay for a four-year education at a public institution made it plain that Bush’s influence is waning.
How did Flipper John Vote...He didn’t?
Well that’s not surprising:
McCain has topped both candidates, missing a staggering 58 percent of his votes during the 110th Congress, according to the Washington Post’s congressional votes database.
As soldiers in combat say: “There it is.”
His votes speak to these issues. Not words, not “change”. Votes. His> and His alone. Maybe this is why he is absent for so many votes. No responsibility.
Chief RZ on April 25, 2008 at 10:46 am
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