The Iraq Funding Bill

“Pork: More than just a staple at breakfast”

This week, there will be a vote on funding for the Iraq War.

In the Democratic Party, we have two schools of thought on bringing the troops home. Those who want out NOW! and those who want out NOW! but understand that some must stay-short term. The US needs to facilitate a treaty between the Sunni and Shiite. Involve surrounding countries like Baker-Hamilton suggested. All wars are ended with compromise. And, the best part about a good compromise…..it leaves everybody angry.

Those who want our troops out NOW! believe the best route is to cut off funding. Completely. Totally. Michael Moore wants this. So does Cindy Sheehan. I respect both of them and admire them for what they have the courage to do, but I have to totally disagree with cutting off funding. I think that would be a complete and utter disaster.

Needless to say, they HATE the Iraq Funding Bill.

So do the Republicans.

They are saying it is full of pork.

And it is!

$4 billion in drought relief for farmers in the Great Plains.
$3.1 billion for military base construction and closings.
$1.3 billion for New Orleans levee improvements.
$1.2 billion in relief, unemployment, food and housing aid arising out of a freeze that destroyed citrus, avocado and other crops in California's Central Valley.
$745 million to deal with a shortfall in the State Children's Health Insurance Program in 14 states.
$400 million for a one-year extension of payments to rural counties in the Pacific Northwest to make up for timbering cutbacks in national forests. (Detroit News)

WOW! That IS a lot of pork.

I guess when you are spending close to 10 million dollars a month in Iraq, why spend any money helping rice farmers in Louisiana? Why spend any money on the Iraq war veterans? Why spend any money helping spinach farmers recover from the E. coli outbreak? Why spend any money on the catastrophic forest fires we have been having? Global warming is after all, perhaps the biggest lie ever imposed on the American People. Why spend any money on children’s health care? I guess we need to do the Christian thing and just support Dick Cheney and Halliburton. His stock options only rose by more than 3,000% from 2004 to 2005. Poor guy. Hardly enough to even benefit from his own tax cuts. Such a shame.

The Democrats are playing good politics. They have taken a page from the Republicans. Republicans hate it because the Democrats are actually giving the money to people that need it, instead of defense contractors. Even though a Republican would sooner spit on a picture of Regan than vote for anything offered up by the Democrats, you can’t very well go back to Louisiana and say, “I could have gotten you 150 million dollars in relief, but it was more important to vote with my party. That’s how we dooz it up in the D to the C!”

Personally, even though I have sworn off the tasty, tasty pork treats since New Years and have been doing quite well, in this case, I will make an exception and embrace the pork.

Plus, no carbs! Score!