The courageous Harry Reid led a Senate revolt against the $190B "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008." Thanks to Harry and the rest of these bold Democrats Bush got a piddling $150B. But don't worry, at least $7B will come from children's health funding after the veto of the SCHIP bill. Sadly, little if any of the request is going to the US Military. Not for more armor, not for interpreters, not for military intelligence. The Armed Forces have already said that the money allocated through '07 is adequate for continuing current operations. The only ones who can't continue through the last quarter are Blackwater and the rest of the mercenaries; they don't work on credit. Without that spending bill controlling Blackwater would be simple: we don't pay, they don't play. They leave.
Let's go to the videotape...
How many Democrats went to the well of the Senate to tell America what this was really about? Zero. How many Democrats stood up to Bush and said no more funding without an exit strategy? Two (Byrd and Feingold, and an amazingly courageous Tom Coburn R-OK). Our "battling Democrats" running for President: Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Obama? "Not Voting." It seems running for president is more important than standing up to the President. How many Democrats voted to "punish" Bush by "only" appropriating $150B of unfunded spending for an out of control, unaccountable, and profiteering mercenary force in Iraq? 43 of the spineless wimps. Amazingly, as the vote comes up, Bush releases a study showing a dramatic drop in Iraq casualties. Despite past false reporting by the White House, the Congress votes before any audit.
Instead of stopping Bush's private war, Harry Reid decides the Senate's time is better spent condemning a fat-head commentator. This enables the reactionary wing nuts to spin the conversation away from Bush sacrificing American soldiers for his personal vendetta, getting the Media to report Reid wasting the Senate's time to attack "conservatives." Smart guy, that Harry. That's real leadership.
How can we stop funding the mercenaries' Cluster Bombs when the Democratic Leadership is a giant Cluster F**k?