Congress Advances $106 Billion War-Fund

Congress Advances $106 Billion War-Fund

www.military.com

June 17, 2009
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Congress is on its way to giving President Barack Obama what could be its final emergency war-spending bill, an annual budgetary sleight-of-hand that since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, has cost the nation nearly $1 trillion.

The Senate is to move to the $106 billion measure Wednesday, a day after the House narrowly passed the bill over the objections of nearly all Republicans and several dozen anti-war Democrats.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Well here is more of that ‘change’ America was looking for. An 80 billion supplemental request to keep fighting the War on Terror in Afghanistan and Iraq that grows into a 100 plus billion dollar request by the time all the pork gets added on top of it. Evidently the 500 billion annual budget at the Pentagon is just never enough even though it’s no secret to the Pentagon or Lawmakers we are fighting 2 separate wars when they put that budget through every year.

At what point does Washington stop acting like some sufferer of compulsive behavior disorder and stop spending the United States into bankruptcy and oblivion?

The 2 trillion dollars that the taxpayer has had to pay for these wars so far could have bought a lot of goodwill if simply invested in public works projects and charities in the Muslim world that would have gone a lot further to ending the so called scourge of terrorism that smart bombs, cruise missiles, and body armor has.

When is America going to stop this foolishness?


www.military.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

The bill provides about $80 billion to maintain defense and intelligence activities in Iraq and Afghanistan through the rest of this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. It includes some $10 billion in economic and security aid for those two countries as well as Pakistan and $7.7 billion to combat the flu pandemic.

7.7 billion dollars to combat the flu pandemic? What exactly are they going to combat it with? Germ proof body suits made out of 24kt Gold decorated with precious and semi-precious stones?

This is just nonsense, the government knows how heavily indebt this nation is and thinks nothing of passing on this needless spending to our kids and their kids?

Where does all this madness end?

It's hard to figure out any rhyme or reason these days because things are so much more complicated than they once were. There was a time that we need only ask "How is the government benefiting from this action?" to get to the truth. However, today we have a monster bigger, even, than the "Military Industrial Complex".

We now have the "Political/Military/Industrial/Financial/Healthcare Megabeast". It seems that there is no longer one or two small factions of evil minded people working together to coerce an otherwise fair and free governmental system. Now, at least to me, it seems that everything is just another appendage of the giant beast which drains our country's money, industry, freedom and spirit.

The government has grown into a giant parasite and I fear it has reached the size at which it outgrows it's food supply.

reply to post by Shadowflux

The government has grown into a giant parasite and I fear it has reached the size at which it outgrows it's food supply.

An extremely well written and articulate description of many people's concerns these days friend. Big star on that one.

The government does seem to behave more and more in a primal beasital fashion where it seems incapable of the intelligent thought to do the one thing it is supposed to do and that is 'govern wisely'.

It acts now more like an Embezler who has found out the Comptroller is out on a year long around the world cruise and no one is left to check the accounts or demand an accounting.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


Worse yet, I almost get the impression that this beast has grown too large for anyone to handle. I see no clear distinction of leadership and no clear hierarchy of command. Obama is supposed to be the leader of this government yet every time I see him on television he seems to be telling us how he can't stop this thing and it's getting hungrier.

We have massive corporate and financial systems running criminal operations but when one of these schemes comes to light it's apparently no one's fault, no one was running the company and there was no one in the offices of the oversight organization like the SEC. Then, on top of it all, no one gets in trouble!! If they do it's some scapegoat who no one really liked anyway.

It seems akin to someone who started using drugs once in a while for recreation and has since grown a huge addiction. It's out of their control, more than they can handle, and they will tell you any story you will believe to get more money to feed their habit. They will also resort to violence when all else fails.

Is that what we've reached? Complete anarchy in every strata of government?

Ron Paul, before the US House of Representatives, June 15, 2009

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this conference report on the War Supplemental Appropriations. I wonder what happened to all of my colleagues who said they were opposed to the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I wonder what happened to my colleagues who voted with me as I opposed every war supplemental request under the previous administration.

This conference report, being a Washington-style compromise, reflects one thing Congress agrees on: spending money we do not have. So this “compromise” bill spends 15 percent more than the president requested, which is $9 billion more than in the original House bill and $14.6 billion more than the original Senate version. Included in this final version — in addition to the $106 billion to continue the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq — is a $108 billion loan guarantee to the International Monetary Fund, allowing that destructive organization to continue spending taxpayer money to prop up corrupt elites and promote harmful economic policies overseas.

As Americans struggle through the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, this emergency supplemental appropriations bill sends billions of dollars overseas as foreign aid. Included in this appropriation is $660 million for Gaza, $555 million for Israel, $310 million for Egypt, $300 million for Jordan, and $420 million for Mexico. Some $889 million will be sent to the United Nations for “peacekeeping” missions.
Almost one billion dollars will be sent overseas to address the global financial crisis outside our borders and nearly $8 billion will be spent to address a “potential pandemic flu.”

www.campaignforliberty.com...

I think these people are insane
What happened to the 800Million that was sent to Gaza a few months ago?
Or was it 80million?

In any case did was there any change?

Seems like all that money went to Hamas and he didn't give it to the people.

And if he didn't give it to the people and now the U.S. is giving even more money to him then that only means one thing.

Hamas is a U.S. Puppet. He was put there to launch rockets and give israel excuses to exterminate gazans.

What do you guys think?

Great speech from Mr. Paul as always. It almost makes one wonder, how the hell did Ron Paul get in there?? He's like the lone mouse in a pit of snakes.

As for Hamas, they have been protecting former president Jimmy Carter while he visits Palestine. Apparently they was an attempt on his life that was foiled by Hamas, so it could lend credence to the idea that Hamas is a puppet, except that Carter has been speaking publicly about how horrible the conditions are in Palestine and seems to be there with the intention of making friends. Confusing situation but I get the feeling that Carter is fairly genuine.

I firmly believe that almost everyone in the government knows exactly what is going on and I would even go as far as to say that it is their desire to operate in a completely criminal and corrupt government that exists without any citizen oversight or review, with total disinterest in the well being and continuance of the nation and with complete disregard for the freedoms of those they govern.

Sounds like what we have now, I always knew the 21st Century would be interesting.

So what excuse are the Obamatrons going to give on this one? Congress is Dem controlled, White House is Dem controlled, "illegal" War on Terror continues. Let's hear it. I had to read for years how Neo-cons and repubs were putting the US in debt fighting an illegal war. Now who is to blame?

Originally posted by ModernAcademia
Ron Paul, before the US House of Representatives, June 15, 2009

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this conference report on the War Supplemental Appropriations. I wonder what happened to all of my colleagues who said they were opposed to the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I wonder what happened to my colleagues who voted with me as I opposed every war supplemental request under the previous administration.

This conference report, being a Washington-style compromise, reflects one thing Congress agrees on: spending money we do not have. So this “compromise” bill spends 15 percent more than the president requested, which is $9 billion more than in the original House bill and $14.6 billion more than the original Senate version. Included in this final version — in addition to the $106 billion to continue the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq — is a $108 billion loan guarantee to the International Monetary Fund, allowing that destructive organization to continue spending taxpayer money to prop up corrupt elites and promote harmful economic policies overseas.

As Americans struggle through the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, this emergency supplemental appropriations bill sends billions of dollars overseas as foreign aid. Included in this appropriation is $660 million for Gaza, $555 million for Israel, $310 million for Egypt, $300 million for Jordan, and $420 million for Mexico. Some $889 million will be sent to the United Nations for “peacekeeping” missions.
Almost one billion dollars will be sent overseas to address the global financial crisis outside our borders and nearly $8 billion will be spent to address a “potential pandemic flu.”

www.campaignforliberty.com...

I think these people are insane
What happened to the 800Million that was sent to Gaza a few months ago?
Or was it 80million?

In any case did was there any change?

Seems like all that money went to Hamas and he didn't give it to the people.

And if he didn't give it to the people and now the U.S. is giving even more money to him then that only means one thing.

Hamas is a U.S. Puppet. He was put there to launch rockets and give israel excuses to exterminate gazans.

What do you guys think?

Hamas is a U.S. Puppet. He was put there to launch rockets and give israel excuses to exterminate gazans.

The MOUSSAD founded Hamas as a counter to the PLO. Everything we see happening in the Middle East from 9-11 and Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran, Israel and Palestine is staged theatre by the U.S. to keep the war on terror rolling, the profits for the military industrial complex coming in, and Americans too poor and too confused in the whole process to stop it or rebel against it.

It's all one big fat charade that functions for the most part by exploiting the average citizen's religious beliefs, passions and prejudices.

It is truly insane what is going on.

Originally posted by jjkenobi
So what excuse are the Obamatrons going to give on this one? Congress is Dem controlled, White House is Dem controlled, "illegal" War on Terror continues. Let's hear it. I had to read for years how Neo-cons and repubs were putting the US in debt fighting an illegal war. Now who is to blame?

About the only 'change' from the last President to this President is the last one admitted clearly he was making 'hard' and 'difficult' albeit horrible choices.

This one just blames all his choices on someone else and pretends to be a victim of circumstances while he victimizes us with the circumstances.

It's a crime against the people of the nation no matter how you slice it or dice it and the most kind of irresponsible short sighted leadership imaginable.

Originally posted by Shadowflux
reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler

 

Worse yet, I almost get the impression that this beast has grown too large for anyone to handle. I see no clear distinction of leadership and no clear hierarchy of command. Obama is supposed to be the leader of this government yet every time I see him on television he seems to be telling us how he can't stop this thing and it's getting hungrier.

We have massive corporate and financial systems running criminal operations but when one of these schemes comes to light it's apparently no one's fault, no one was running the company and there was no one in the offices of the oversight organization like the SEC. Then, on top of it all, no one gets in trouble!! If they do it's some scapegoat who no one really liked anyway.

It seems akin to someone who started using drugs once in a while for recreation and has since grown a huge addiction. It's out of their control, more than they can handle, and they will tell you any story you will believe to get more money to feed their habit. They will also resort to violence when all else fails.

Is that what we've reached? Complete anarchy in every strata of government?

We have massive corporate and financial systems running criminal operations but when one of these schemes comes to light it's apparently no one's fault, no one was running the company and there was no one in the offices of the oversight organization like the SEC. Then, on top of it all, no one gets in trouble!! If they do it's some scapegoat who no one really liked anyway.

Maybe it's time we realized that the people being tasked at the helm of these government agencies to 'stay on top of it all' are staying on top of it all by making sure the politically connected 'get away' 'scott free' with these thefts?

Yes it's time again for that patented shameless ProtoplasmicTravler thread bump back onto the board in that never ending struggle to get today's news heard before it's been rewritten in history books 23 and a 1/2 times!

The president, who campaigned on a platform of bringing the Iraq war to an end, also sought to placate the anti-war wing of his party by directing that his administration end the practice of emergency spending bills.

Every year since 2001, Congress has approved what are called emergency supplementals, an ad-hoc, unpaid-for approach outside the normal Pentagon budget, to finance military and anti-terror activities. The Congressional Research Service estimates that, with enactment of the current bill, the outlay will approach $1 trillion, with $684 billion for Iraq, $223 billion for Afghanistan and $28 billion for various security programs.

It really makes you wonder, if the Pentagon and the Military exists for fighting wars...then how can the cost of fighting wars not be included in it's normal budget

The Obama White House has requested - through the Pentagon budget - about $130 billion for war operations in the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, down from about $149 billion this year.

The House vote on the 2009 supplemental took place as it opened debate on 2010 spending bills. On Tuesday it began deliberation on a $64.4 billion bill to finance law enforcement, science, census and Commerce Department programs in 2010. It includes $18.2 billion for NASA, including money for the next generation of human space flight, and $7.4 billion to prepare for the 2010 census.

Speaking of budgets and a supplemental war spending bill how does 7.4 Billion get in there to conduct the Census which is the Department of Commerce's budgetary concern?

How does 18.2 Billion for NASA get into an emergency supplemental war spending bill? It has it's own budget too?

The government has gone completely insane!

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler
Speaking of budgets and a supplemental war spending bill how does 7.4 Billion get in there to conduct the Census which is the Department of Commerce's budgetary concern?

How does 18.2 Billion for NASA get into an emergency supplemental war spending bill? It has it's own budget too?

The government has gone completely insane!

That's what always tightens my colon. You have a supplemental war spending bill that has pork and trash in it that has nothing to do with what it's mainly for.

And didn't Obama say he was against pork? I guess as long as it's his buddies doing the porking, it's OK.