March 23rd, 2007 marked the end of the once great Democratic Party. The House of Representative vote to withhold necessary military supplies, ammunition, equipment, next generation armored Humvee's, and safer Armored vehicles along with all the necessary tools that our greatest,and bravest of young Americans need in their struggle to keep us safe from the terrorists- is beyond shameful, beyond disgust; it is absolutely an act of treason. Oh wait, they will claim that they voted for the funding, but their political shell game barely fooled their own vapid lefties in the House, it certainly won't fool the troops, and it won't get by the American people either. Their insistence on placing untenable conditions on Bush and Iraqi leaders, such as a timetable for withdrawal without regard to circumstances, (what if the surge success results in conditions allowing withdrawal with victory only 6 months from now) and even demanding the imposition of Democratic Party Leadership approved provisions being incorporated through amendment into Iraq's electorally approved Constitution. This is a blatant attempt to acquire the constitutionally separated powers granting authority to the President in matters of waging war and transferring them to the Democrats in their Legislative role; literally to create over 400 CIC's. This is so shameful it's beyond belief. We have proof positive now that they had completely sold their souls to the leftist fringe to gain the majority last November.
The House Democrats and their leadership manufactured this farcical bill knowing that early reports indicate the surge strategy is showing real and tangible signs of working. The Iraqi Prime Minister Malaki is following through on his commitments to us; and more importantly to the Iraqi people; Sunni's, Shiites, and Kurds alike. His troops are where they should be, when they should be, and they are staying in the neighborhoods that are repopulating with vacated residents. Deaths as a result of sectarian violence in Iraq for the most recent month were down more than 500% (244 sectarian violence deaths compared to over 1600) from the month prior to the buildup and implementation of this strategy. The militia's are disarmed, disbanding, and the terrorist/militia roadblocks are disappearing. This with only two Battalions of the five Battalions scheduled for deployment now in place.
So, why would the Democrats pull this kind of chicanery? The answer lies in the form of another question that they must now be asking themselves in light of the positive and encouraging signs of success by General David Petraeus and his "Surge Strategy". What will we Democrats do when we win in Iraq? Not only are they without a plan to win in Iraq; they are without a plan to win the White House if there is a win for America in Iraq.
Bush wanted a bill that funded priorities and resources for our troops on the field of battle in Afghanistan and Iraq for $98 Billion. First the Democrats stripped elements of funding like the training for the battalions that are to be deployed to Iraq and the latest generation of new armored vehicles and Humvee's: the ones that have newly designed, and armored undercarriages to significantly reduce the lethality and injuries from IED explosions. These vehicles are scheduled to go with the new forces going into the Surge area of operations, so the Dem's figured they would "stick it to Bush" by deleting these items from his bill thereby jeopardizing the safety of our men and women on the field of battle. That is unconscionable, inexcusable, treasonable, and petty political theater.
In it's place the Democrats put their priorities into the bill. The Democrats had to stuff the bill with bribes and pork-barrel projects for their home districts and payoffs to their special interests to be able to shove it down their leftist wacko colleagues throats to buy the votes; to the tune of $28 Billion in payola to their pet special interests. I wonder if Abrahmoff has access to TV news and media from prison? If so, I am sure he is probably awe-struck and very impressed with the Dem's skills in filling their special interests shopping lists so fully! Their strategy is to hold the President and troops hostage by ensuring that Dem's get all their non-military pork, ludicrous arbitrary timetables/conditions, and by attempting to get abdications of the President's Commander-in-Chief authority. This is tantamount to an unprecedented attempt to change the constitutional roles, and separation of powers by forcing him to sign the bill de facto with the inclusion of all their benefactors shopping list of items knowing he has a duty in his effort to keep the troops from throwing rocks at Al Qaeda terrorists in the field. Now mind you, if the President did actually sign the bill, (which would occur shortly after Mars, Jupiter, and Pluto collide and a Monkey flew out of the butt of Rep. John Murtha while he stood blubbering at the House floor podium) their true disdain for our President, military, and troops is proven already with their deletion of funding for the new IED-proof armored vehicles from their bill. This is a strategy that was exposed and is documented with comments made by Murtha about not funding the equipment/training the Surge committed units needed for deployment, including the new and improved armored equipment a couple weeks ago. Democrats were outraged that he exposed their dubious strategy publicly where it was recorded in a moment of braggadocio speaking to the party faithful. They need not have panicked the mainstream media took no note of it and they were bold enough to do now just as they said they would; remove the funding for items to ensure the security and safety of our troops in an effort to spite Bush.
Here is what the President, and Republican Lawmakers requested in the Iraq/Afghan War funding bill:
$98 billion for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Including the following important items....
Military Health Care $1.7 Billion
Post Traumatic Stress $450 Million
Battlefield Brain Injury funding $450 Million
New Armored Vehicles (IED proof) $1.4 Billion
Amputee Care $62 Million
Walter Reed Army Hospital $20 Million
Afghan Operations $1 Billion
Here is what the Lib's and Democrats additional $28 Billion provides beyond Bush's request for our troops on the front lines fighting our enemies..... (remember the $28 Billion is after they deleted the IED-proof new armored vehicles for our troops) Heres what additional funding they get......
Milk Cost Subsidies $283 Million
Shrimp Fishing Subsidies $180 Million
Peanut Storage Programs $74 Million
Citrus Subsidies $100 Million
Spinach Subsidies to California Spinach Industry $25 Million
and more for California Frost damage (California has a lot of ultra Lib Cong. Reps whose votes needed buying so they get a lot of payola) and on , and on too much to count, but adding up to the tune of $28 Billion.
Obviously these programs have no merit, or they would have stood on their own, based upon their legitimate necessity as separate and individual appropriation bills. I frankly doubt it, these bills are so transparent and narrow to their special interest definition that nobody would be able to pass them in that fashion, I am sure the lawmakers didn't even have to lift a pen, the lobbyists probably provided a crafted text of their request in bill form so generously prepared right to their lawmaker. And thus the dubious attempt is born to bribe legislators into supporting the War funding bill with their pork funded. Boy aren't you glad the ethically bankrupt, and corrupt Republicans made way for this pious and divinely pure leadership for the "New" congress?
This is why I contend the Democratic party is no more. This isn't the Party of FDR, John F. Kennedy, or Truman. These certainly aren't lawmakers in the tradition of Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson, or Sam Nunn. This is now the party that takes their marching orders from the likes of MoveOn.Org, or Code Pink. These leftist Democratic leaders marched just last weekend with their patrons in anti-war rallies where the Che Guevara emblazoned banners and t-shirts outnumbered American flags, oh wait, let me clarify that remark for accuracy....at least American flags that weren't on fire, or displayed upside down.
The Democratic party finds itself in a real quandary now. They have so heavily invested themselves into defeating Bush through a policy of forcing his defeat and failure on Iraq that they will have to now push even harder for defeat and pull out, especially in light of the latest evidence that the new General and his plan are working. Their bill if passed, would replace our Commander in Chief and professional soldiers and Generals with over 400 Commander in Chiefs, who don't have a clue. Imagine that. In my lifetime I could never comprehend, nor fathom that a political party, even the Democrats, could attempt what they are now doing before my very eyes. They are actively, pursuing, promoting, and undermining our Commander-in-Chief, our troops engaged on the field of battle, and the public support for victory- in a time of war! They are committing treason against America purely for the purpose of political advantage to regain the White House in 2008. They are so committed to defeating Bush and taking the White House that implicitly linked in that strategy is failure in Iraq. However, mere rhetoric and the constant strategy to impugn Bush is no longer enough; they are now active participants in ensuring America's defeat on the front lines of our war on terror. At any and all expense.
America can't afford to have Democrats lead us in a time of war with known enemies like Al Qaeda, bin Laden, or the Taliban. They most certainly won't be fit for command with developing threats, challenges, and enemies such as a nuclear capable Iran looming on the horizon.
Michael R. Bednarz
