OINK...no other way to say it

I knew it would only take a wee bit of digging before I could find a comprehensive list of all the pork fat the Democrats had to slather onto their unpalatable 'pull-out' bill to make some of their less beholding-to-the-nutroots colleagues sign on willingly.  Gateway Pundit takes the time I wish I had to lay out the needs the Democrats have labeled as "urgent."  It's amazing how they are willing to shell out millions upon millions of our money for everything from spinach growers to peanut farmers and yet, barely even direct their gaze to those whose needs are truly needs and urgent to boot. 

Michelle Malkin points to a Republican member of the House who makes good sense (Be sure to check out Hot Air's coverage as it contains great video embeds too):

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) uncovered this gem in his full statement regarding the timetable bill:

"Here are some examples of what the Democrats consider 'urgent' needs that require  'prompt action: '

--         $25 million for payments to spinach producers
--         $120 million to the shrimp industry
--         $74 million for peanut storage
--         $5 million for shellfish, oyster and clam producers

"Spinach, shrimp, peanuts and shellfish?   That's not a war funding bill, that's the salad bar at Denny's.

Amen, and pass the hat.

Our state's own, John Boehner, laid out his thoughts in a not-so-congenial-but-appropriate editorial.

I can't say I'm surprised by what is going on and I know the Republicans who abused our trust and the power we gave them when we time and again turned out the vote are to blame.  It's frustrating, however, to know that those who pulled the opposite lever this year or who sat on their hands and didn't vote at all allowed this coven of liberal cronies to get a foothold.

I can't imagine why anyone would think this is a positive idea.  I've heard some military girlfriends and spouses commenting, "Oh, maybe this will finally bring our men home."  I don't disparage people with other views and I certainly understand the need and the desire to have our husbands out of harm's way, but I don't see this as the way to go about it. 

By assigning a deadline or timetable, we are telling those in the Iraqi community that we're done and leaving.  This sets up a situation in which those who are currently cooperating or considering cooperation with coalition forces will see cooperation as more than likely be a deadly proposition to continue given that the date and time of the pullout has been established.  You can call them 'benchmarks' or 'progress reports' or whatever you'd like, but the fact remains that this sends a very clear and wrongheaded message to our enemies and those we seek to help.

I also think it's a little naive to think that our savvy and hardworking troops won't see this for the non-confidence vote that it is.  When you can equate domestic issues like livestock, fish farms and spinach to the needs of our soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen currently in harm's way, you have shown quite a few telling things about yourself.

First, you have absolutely no comprehension of the threat we are facing or how best to meet it.  Next, you demonstrate a lack of appreciation and admiration that should accompany any consideration of what our military has taken on as its mission.  Third, you show how immature you are by your willingness to politicize every single thing that comes into your purview.  Some things are more important than that.  Those who chose to lie down with dogs to be elected now have the fleas to prove it...however, our men and women in uniform are being infested by default given that those who are covered in bugs are now trying to make good on their promises to the fleas rather than grabbing the insecticide and going to town.

I have no patience for it.

I don't appreciate it.

I won't abide by it.

And, I think all this ramping up by the new majority in Washington may very well move them to the tipping point faster than they anticipated.  I just pray that it doesn't cost us the lives of our bravest men and women in the process.

Comments

[InTheAirForceAgain]

Amen! Very well put, and I heartily agree!

[AFWife]

I guess those spinach and shrimp farmers should give up their livelihoods and enlist then, huh?

The Iraqis are not babies...I wish people would stop talking about them as though they are people with no sense who need us to spend five plus years holding their hands and rebuilding their nation for them because if we don't there will be a power vacuum, etc....At some point...you have to let your child cross the street by himself. They deserve...yes deserve...to have the opportunity to create the nation that THEY want, not the one that we want. Four years seems like sufficient time to have set them up for that. I'm sure everyone has a different answer for whether it is or isn't enough time, but staying in that country isn't sending the best message to the rest of the middle east, either.

Is war an excuse to give up on our own people...let me clarify, I mean the people at home? Wasn't a big chunk of that funding for rural schools??? I think that you have many valid points...certainly no politician is without some serious fault, but you have yet to sway me that this decision is a bad one...or at least that it's worse than any other option on the table.

[Guard Wife]

It's interesting to me that you would make a case for it being enough time after four years to let the Iraqi people "cross the street" and yet advocate handouts to people in the richest nation in the world...I think if Americans would attempt to cross the street alone once in awhile we'd be much better off. There is absolutely no reason why the tax burden of hard working Americans should continue to grow simply so the government can take money away from those earning it to give it to those who aren't.
It must be your first visit here if you're going to try to make an argument that public schools need any more money. But, nice try.
Oh, and P.S...we're still in Kosovo.

[AFWife]

Well, it's not my first visit here, but you're correct in assuming that I don't know what opinions LAW holds on public school funding. I'm sure I'll get schooled shortly (no pun intended).

If you think that I'd be ashamed to admit that I'd rather spend my tax dollars on my own country than another...sorry. There are plenty of Americans who need to learn to cross the street, but my husband isn't risking his life and missing birthdays, firsts, and anniversaries trying to make it happen. We each have our priorities, and sending my husband to Iraq to engage him in a futile battle of trying to create some democratic utopia that may not exist until LONG after the US pulls out is not one of them. Iraqis have to choose their fate at this point - that's what the house is saying - and I wholeheartedly agree. It is not our job nor our place to decide their fate for them at this point.

[AFWife]

While trying to figure out what the opinions are on this blog regarding the public school system, I came across this from a Nov. 2005 blog entry:

"I have to tell you...if even my closest loved one had been in a hotel on my dime for months on end, I'd be imposing a deadline too. Since these are total strangers on my dime, I'm even less patient."

Why is there so much insistence on making things right for Iraqis, but hurricane victims who lost everything within our own borders need to stop leaning on our governments shoulders in a mere number of months???