Redstate

More than 440 Days and counting, Pelosi and Reid set to exceed Iran's adventure in holding Americans hostage...

By haystack Posted in Congress | Congress Fails America | Ineptitude | Supplemental Bill | The Costs of Partisanship | War — Comments (8) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

Surely everyone remembers the 444 days of helplessness we all felt when Iranian goons took over our embassy, holding America (and that terrorist-hugging President that failed us so miserably when we needed him most) hostage? Well, according to Minority Whip Roy Blunt, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are about to BEAT that 444 number....and our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines still await help from home:

It has now been more than 440 days since the original supplemental was sent to Congress – while pieces were passed, the entire bill has languished. There has been more than enough time for Democrats to act. This bill must be passed before the Memorial Day recess and the shameful tactics of the Democratic leadership have only ensured its defeat.

Back in February, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell made very clear what was at stake regarding this supplemental bill:

“We need that money as soon as possible so there is no disruption to our warfighting efforts and not a disruption to our soldiers’ lives, both in the field and their families at home,” Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters during a news conference.

SecDef Gates also stated back in February that a delay in the supplemental “degrades our ability to operate and sustain our force at home and in theater and makes it difficult to manage this department in a way that is fiscally sound.” Defense Department Comptroller Tina W. Jonas (also back in February) suggested that "the Army will run out of money to pay troops in June and will be unable to fund operations in July if the department doesn’t receive the emergency supplemental funds soon."

The Army stated back in November that it "would have to furlough civilian employees and close bases if emergency supplemental funding earmarked for installation operations and maintenance wasn’t approved by Congress." [Ft. Bragg, anyone? Walter Reed's Building 18 perhaps?] As Morrell put it , “we are soon going to be confronted with the same situation we found ourselves in at the end of last year, having to look down the barrel of the frightening prospect of running out of operations and maintenance money, from which we pay our forces and do lots of other things in the global war on terror.”

Guess how important this is to Harry Reid (subscription required):

“I think we’ll do our best to finish this before the Memorial Day break, but if we don’t, it’s no big deal. There’s money there. I don’t know why there is a rush to judgment, this is moving along quite rapidly. We’re not behind schedule. Everything’s fine."

No big deal, huh? Ask the mom with 2 kids at home while Dad's at war if it's a big deal Harry, when she doesn't get that paycheck. In fact, hunker down in a firefight with no ammunition left and see if this is "no big deal" Harry...

More on the "shameful tactics of the Democratic leadership" below the fold...

In a White Paper, Minority Whip Blunt points out that back in November 2006, Pelosi promised to "create the most honest, most open, and most ethical Congress in history.” From what I understand, she promised this in part because of her disdain for the games the GOP had played when the Democrats were in the minority. Back then, a majority of members of the majority were Hastert's only concern. Apparently, Pelosi had a problem with how Hastert was running the "People's House" back then...until (of course) she got the Speakership. Now she seems unconcerned even with the majority Democrats outside her "inner-circle":

House Democrats next week plan on bringing to the floor the 37th supplemental spending bill that Congress has considered in nearly 20 years. The glaring difference between this supplemental and the other 36, though, is that this will be the only controversial one brought to the floor without going through the House Appropriations Committee and without bi-partisan sign-off.

The last supplemental considered under a Republican majority in 2006 saw floor votes on 27 Democratic amendments and 23 amendments by the Republicans. None of those supplementals shut out alternatives and opposition at every step of the way – in committee, on the floor, and in conference committee.

That Speaker Pelosi has chosen to close Republicans out of the process may fit well with her penchant for power and fear of holding up her priorities to scrutiny. But what’s surprising is that those 27amendments offered by Democrats is 27 more than their own leadership is allowing them now. Is Speaker Pelosi attempting to pass this bill without a peep of opposition because it contains items so unambiguously offensive that they couldn’t even stand the scrutiny from her fellow Democrats?

Given that this is Obey's little power-play, I'd have to answer in the affirmative Mr. Blunt.

Not to be outdone, Harry Reid has the same game in mind, DESPITE his own guy Byrd's objections to the contrary. Apparently, ranking member Thad Cochran sent Mr. Byrd a letter suggesting that a "closed door approach - which purposefully limits opportunities to offer amendments - scuttles the ability of the Senate fully and fairly to debate national security matters" was an "ill-conceived plan [that] will also serve to further undermine the American people's confidence in the appropriations process." Not only is Mr. Cochran right...Byrd agreed:

“I agree with the points contained in that letter, as do many of the members of the committee on my side of the aisle, and I will schedule a full Senate Appropriations Committee markup during the week of May 5,” Byrd wrote. “It is my intention to move forward with a supplemental appropriations bill that also addresses some of our critically needed priorities on American soil.”

Whatever "other" spending Byrd might have in mind, "we the People" deserve to have our voices heard in the shamed Halls of Congress. Power-plays notwithstanding...from either side of the aisle, the partisanship has reached the absurd. Democrats may be no different than Republicans in the games played to acquire and hold on to power, but the People's business is NOT getting done. As we yawn through Congressional meaninglessness, Soldiers and their families need American support and Political resolve. In the meantime, we are ALL being held hostage as Reid and Pelosi and Obey and Hoyer...and the rest of the court jesters up there on the Hill...play their fiddles.

I could have offered some modicum of understanding for the hurdles our Political Heroes must overcome to draft and sign off on legislation, but the pathetic ineptitude of the Democrat Leadership and the Democrat-controlled Congress on this issue isn't because they are working hard to do the right thing for our Soldiers...it is solely because of their willful and determined strategy to strengthen and widen their hold on power...especially if it can be at the expense of a standing Military (and their families back home) in an active campaign against terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Knowing full well that whatever trash they come up with will get vetoed, the Democrats seem comfortable in presuming to blame the President for whatever happens to the troops and their families. They obviously don't give a flip either way-there is a summer recess to plan for after all.

Minority Whip Roy Blunt gets the last word:

Clearly, Chairman Obey has gone back on his word and Speaker Pelosi has forgotten her promise to the American people by presiding over anything that remotely resembles an open or ethical Congress. What is even more shameful than that, though, is they chose to waste time using these unprecedented tactics on a bill that must pass immediately.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer agreed that the military will start sending out furlough notices and exhaust their funds by June. This bill will prevent our soldiers from being stranded in a war zone or their families from running out of money. Instead of passing a supplemental, Speaker Pelosi’s strong-arm tactics have ensured its defeat.

Not long after Speaker-Elect Pelosi promised her open, honest and ethical Congress, she also promised “civility and respect.” She’s shown that to her special interest groups – it’s time she starts to show it to our troops.