Fruit Loops

Many of us railed against the pork that the House included in its supplemental spending bill for the Iraq war, along with its mandatory time tables for defeat and retreat. Proving that the House is a collection of pikers in a porkfest, the Senate added its own pork onto their version of the bill — leading to the strange speech of Barbara Boxer using “Strawberry Fields Forever” in support of a war funding bill:

“There’s a song called ‘Strawberry Fields Forever,’ ” the California Democrat declared on the Senate floor, as an aide displayed a poster of an icy berry patch. “This is a strawberry field,” Boxer continued, seeking funds for frostbitten fruit farmers. “It looks like an ice rink. The strawberries are somewhere in there; they are destroyed. I also want to show you oranges. . . . Here you can see the icicles near the avocados.”
The relationship between crops and troops was lost on Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who backed an amendment that would remove spending for sugar beets and other agricultural pursuits. “I don’t see how the asparagus-spinach problem helps us win in Iraq,” he argued at a news conference. “This is a bill designed to help people that are getting shot at.”
Oh? Immediately after this righteous plea in the Senate television studio, Graham went downstairs to the Senate floor and voted in support of an amendment to the Iraq bill directing an additional $5 billion to rural schools and counties — right here in the U.S. of A.
It’s common for lawmakers to complain that a spending bill is “loaded up like a Christmas tree” with pet projects. But the Iraq Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act going through the Senate this week is unusual in that it is loaded up with Christmas trees.
Specifically, it includes $40 million for a Tree Assistance Program that provides help for Christmas trees and ornamental shrubs. Also in the Senate’s version of the Iraq bill: $24 million for sugar beets, $3 million for Hawaiian sugar cane, $13 million for the Ewe Lamb Replacement and Retention Program, $100 million in compensation for dairy losses, $165.9 million for fisheries disaster relief, and money for numerous other “emergencies.”

I can understand that the stench of defeat would be so strong that politicians want to cover it with the aroma of Christmas trees. Leaving Iraq to the terrorists like lambs to slaughter could inspire some to fund replacement lambs. Rural schools will need to learn why we left Iraq to become a terrorist haven with access to billions in oil revenue.
This proves that this Congress is an even bigger joke than usual. Democrats who ran on a platform of opposing lobbyists and corruption have gone on a pork binge so obscene that it has become difficult to count the money that they are handing to lobbyists and supporters. They use funding for the troops to shovel federal dollars back to their home districts and states while promising the men and women fighting terrorists and insurgents more effectively than ever that they have no confidence in their ability to do the job.
Obscene and shameful. And this is just Month Three of the Democrat-controlled Congress. Just think what they will do by Month Twenty-Three, after they get warmed up.
John McCain suggested yesterday that George Bush should read the list of pork in a national speech when he vetoes the supplemental. I don’t think the networks will give him three hours for his speech, though, so he’ll have to play Pork’s Greatest Hits instead. However, McCain has gone one step further and offered a petition for people to sign on-line to protest both the pork and the surrender offered by Congress:

* The supplemental appropriations bill that passed the Senate on March 27, calling for a date certain withdrawal from Iraq, is nothing more than a guaranteed date of surrender.
* It is a refusal to acknowledge the dire consequences of failure, in terms of the stability in the Middle East and the resulting impact on the security of all Americans, whether home or abroad.
* Democrats have chosen the politically expedient position of failure rather than putting aside the small politics of the day in the interest of our nation and the values upon which this nation rests.
* We the undersigned remain steadfast in our support for the war against terrorism and mindful of the consequences of failure in Iraq, even if Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid refuse to acknowledge those consequences.
* We support our troops and the new strategy and believe it should be given the opportunity to succeed. American national security interests are directly at stake. Success or failure in Iraq is the transcendent issue for our foreign policy and our national security. People say they want to defeat the terrorists, but if we withdraw from Iraq prematurely, it will be the terrorists’ greatest triumph.
* If we leave Iraq based on an artificial timetable, al Qaeda will be free to plan, train for and conduct operations from Iraq just as they did in Afghanistan before 9/11.

We may have issues with McCain, but except for his attempts to get unlawful combatants undue access to American civil courts, he’s been spot-on about the war. Be sure to sign the petition.

20 thoughts on “Fruit Loops”

  1. I know we only spend 3.9% GNP on our military but if anyone knows the GNP % spent on entitlement programs I would most appreciate that information.

  2. And don’t forget that by larding up the spending bill, they give ammunition to the war protesters pushing the cost of the war as an issue…

  3. Does anyone remember that huge farm bill a few years ago? The one the pols justified by saying it would end the need for future farm disaster relief appropriations?!
    It never fails. Congress told us health care costs would go down if tobacco were sued/taxed into oblivion. They allocated billions to build levees that were “necessary to save New Orleans”. They told us a bloated farm bill would help keep future disaster relief under control.
    Funny how their record is so consistent: If they predict it, it’s almost certain NOT to happen. Well, it would be funny if we didn’t have to pay for it.

  4. It’s a sorry, sorry day when John McCain is the sole voice of sanity in the US Senate.
    Oh, and can somebody ask Babsie Boxer why there are icicles on the oranges if global warming is killing all of us? Or is this the normal “chills” one expects from a planet that has a fever? (rolls eyes)
    One more thing: WHERE THE F*** IN THE CONSTITUTION DOES IT GIVE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THE RIGHT / RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR DAMAGED ORANGE AND STRAWBERRY CROPS?????

  5. THE SENATE has now joined the House of Representatives in setting a deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops in Iraq. Its date is a year from now — March 31, 2008. The House’s deadline is Aug. 31, 2008.
    What is so important about Aug 31, 2008 ?
    I know it’s just before the election, but why not Nov. 31, 2008 ? Think about for a second .. if there is a withdrawal of troops by Aug, just what kind of mess will there be in Iraq on election day, some 2 months later ?
    A big mess.
    I got this feeling that somebody was so intent on the impact a withdrawal would have on the election, they forgot to factor in the “blowback” that would also affect the election.
    A smarter move would be to make sure the withdrawal is ongoing and nearly complete by the election, thus the image of troops returning could be exploited politically. Instead, under the Aug scenario, the scenes we will see just days before the election will be general strife and most likely a full civil war in Baghdad and parts south. A virtual repeat of the Viet Nam experience when Congressional Democrats cut off funding and were blamed for the bad ending.

  6. I can understand that the stench of defeat would be so strong that politicians want to cover it with the aroma of Christmas trees. Leaving Iraq to the terrorists like lambs to slaughter could inspire some to fund replacement lambs. Rural schools will need to learn why we left Iraq to become a terrorist haven with access to billions in oil revenue.

    Rural schools will have to also learn that defeating a President, (who has had the formidable chore of protecting a nation that survived a brutal attack and brought economic prosperity back from the brink of collapse), is far more important than fighting terrorism and providing two other nations the opportunity to have sovereign governments that could democratically govern, (and eventually) protect themselves.
    A social experiment of nation building? Probably. But when these children learn that the patience and the deceptions of a democratic party (that promise a “change in direction”) really meant nothing more that a full scale retreat from terrorism, and has turned their collective backs on these two nations.
    Would so many in the democratic party been elected had they came right out and told their electors that surrendering to our enemies, (who breed their children to strap on explosive vest), was their original intention?
    Does having power and control of the legislative purse make them drunk with the right to turn their backs on millions who may perish and allow these factions (hell bent on our utter destruction) to return to our shores?
    Yes, we will need many rural schools to teach our children about the mistakes of our past, and how political power takes precedence over the safety and security of this nation. But will they be taught the truth?
    Some “change in direction”.

  7. 2007.03.29 Iraq/Surrendercrat Roundup

    Senate Ignores Veto Threat, Passes Iraq War Spending Bill WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday passed the Iraq war spending bill 51-47 after President Bush said he would likely veto the legislation over the inclusion of a timetable for withdrawal

  8. i signed it.
    John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ woulda been a more appropriate reference since it explains the Barabara’s brand of Liberalism so well.

    Imagine all the people

    Living for today

    Imagine there’s no countries

    It isn’t hard to do

    Nothing to kill or die for

    And no religion too

  9. John McCain suggested yesterday that George Bush should read the list of pork in a national speech when he vetoes the supplemental…

    Holy Cow! All engines STOP! I agree with McCain!

    …I don’t think the networks will give him three hours for his speech, though, so he’ll have to play Pork’s Greatest Hits instead.

    And I’ll quibble with you here, Ed.
    Imagine the imagery Bush can leave if he puts the networks in the unenviable position of recording three hours of pork declarations. Bush makes a few introductory points and then goes into “The List.” How powerful would it be to a comatose public when the President exposes the bribes required to turn the Defeat and Retreat Bill into the dishonest debacle that it is? And imagine the shame he can place on those who would endlessly pork up that bill, any bill, as standard operating procedure?
    So, should the MSM not cut away because the speech is not riveting, the public will realize just how bad of a bill that it is. If they do cut away at around the one hour mark, the public will still be left with the echoes of government waste ringing in their ears.
    Read it, Mr. Bush. Read it loud. Read it ALL! Primetime or bust!

  10. I believe the networks would give the president 5-10 seconds and then cut to a 10-15 second Pelosi soundbite.
    I just had a thought. The White House needs to be a little more savvy in the way it relates to the media. Maybe they could hire one of them fast talking voice actors to run through the list of pork. The networks wouldn’t air the whole thing but it has an entertainment factor that would be irrestible to the lazy msm. Maybe Bush could get his side an extra 20 seconds of airtime.

  11. And an electric LED sign behind the guy showing the dollar count climbing.

  12. This is the perfect moment to dust off the PIE CHARTS that Perot used to use back in 1992. The public “got it” then, to the tune tha the could have won that election had it not been for him turning whacko (which I think he did on purpose, he never really intended to win, I think he wanted to shake things up)

  13. Lets see, Bush made the worst foreign policy blunder in our nations history, democrats want to get our troops out of that death trap, the Iraqis do not want us there, the Saudis are probably financing the Sunni Insurgency, Iran is financing the Shia Militias, the Turks will invade Kurdistan if it tries for independence, the ruling Shia dominated government is in bed with the Shia death squads,foreign jihadists are pouring into the country because we never had enough troops to seal them, the infrastructure from Saddams neglect and our bombs is in ruins and will have to be totally rebuilt by the american taxpayer, so it can be blown up by insurgents some more, but we should stay and die some more for a country that will either be a Islamic Theocracy or a Military Dictatorship. Why would the dems want to retreat from such a rosy scenario? I am on the side of the 60% that want to get out. Its over and has been over for a long time, only the kool-aid drinkers think we can turn it around. Its gone and its never coming back. We have destroyed a people and a nation. Its shameful and wrong.

  14. “We have destroyed a people and a nation. Its shameful and wrong.”
    The only thing shameful and wrong is your absolutely worthless traitor Democrats, who stabbed our country in the back for cheap political gain.
    And there is no “we”. You might occupy space in this country, but don’t even think for a moment that I think of people who think like you as a fellow American.
    What a nation they had. Uday, Qusay and whatever rape room demon spawn who would have succeeded them.
    Hey, but when America gets attacked – Democrats attempt to destroy the President.

  15. “John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ woulda been a more appropriate reference since it explains the Barabara’s brand of Liberalism so well.”
    I think Strawberry Fields Forever is a very appropriate reference.
    Living is easy with eyes closed
    Misunderstanding all you see

  16. When speaking of John McCain’s &%$%$#$#&%$# behavior, you CANNOT FORGET his John McCain ANTI-TORTURE bill!
    There are so many issues with John McCain.
    They are the ~gift~ that keeps on giving, like infestations of termites or something.
    His donkey ears just keep on growing and growing and growing….

  17. When speaking of John McCain’s &%$%$#$#&%$# behavior, you CANNOT FORGET his John McCain ANTI-TORTURE bill!
    There are so many issues with John McCain.
    They are the ~gift~ that keeps on giving, like infestations of termites or something.
    His donkey ears just keep on growing and growing and growing….

  18. Heaven’s! Sorry for the triple! I p romise I did NOT triple “POST” it. It didn’t seem to go through and I went “BACK” to see what happened, and “REFRESHED”.
    Sorry guys!

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