Spending Battle Heats Up On Hill
With another veto Tuesday, President Bush and congressional Democrats headed deeper into their showdown over the trillions of dollars in annual spending it takes to keep the federal government running.
And both the left and the right are taking steps to frame the debate to their political advantage in the run-up to a likely veto over-ride attempt later this week on the bill that funds the departments of Labor and Health and Human Services. Americans United for Change, a liberal, labor-backed group supportive of the Democratic leadership's agenda, is launching a round of radio advertisements against 10 House Republicans. The ads hit the lawmakers on their unwillingness to support that funding measure as well as the proposed $35 billion expansion of the state Children's Health Insurance Program.
These are basically cookie-cutter ads airing the same script in each of the congressional districts, including GOP incumbents facing potentially difficult re-elections next fall: Steve Chabot (Ohio) and Michelle Bachman (Minn.).
"Chabot and Bush would rather spend half a trillion in Iraq than a fraction of that here to help our kids, veterans and seniors get the health care they need," the announcer says over the sounds of a hospital emergency room and crying babies.
Bush, at an event in Indiana, signaled how tough he expects to be in this end-of-year showdown over spending, accusing the Democratic Congress of "acting like a teenager with a new credit card."
Hitting a similar theme, the National Republican Congressional Committee issued a release today skewering Rep. Tim Mahoney (Fla.), one of the most vulnerable incumbent Democrats, for "empty rhetoric on spending," noting that Mahoney supported the Democratic budget blueprint earlier this year. "The budget that Mahoney voted for far exceeds the president's budget request by $21 billion dollars. Mahoney has also voted for every one of the Democrat-sponsored spending bills," the NRCC release said.
These two competing themes will play out in the weeks ahead, as Democrats and their liberal allies paint a picture of Bush and Republicans as heartless lawmakers willing to spend money on war but not health insurance for kids. And Republicans will counter with the tax-and-spend Democrats, acting like drunken sailors with federal tax dollars.
Bush did sign a $460 billion spending bill for the Defense Department, the first of a dozen must-pass appropriations measures to keep the government functioning.
Democratic chances of winning veto overrides are fairly slim. The House fell three votes shy of the two-thirds majority needed to beat a veto in passing the Labor-HHS appropriations bill last week, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is more than a half-dozen votes shy of the 67 he needs to beat a veto.
So part of the Americans United campaign is to put political pressure on Republicans. The group ran more than $1 million worth of ads in the weeks leading up to the passage and failed veto override of the SCHIP expansion, yielding no additional GOP votes.
Interestingly, among the targets in this round of advertising is Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), chairman of the NRCC. Cole won with 65 percent of the vote in 2006 and is not at all viewed as vulnerable next year.
Here are the other Republicans facing radio ads in their district this week: Robert Aderholt (Ala.), Rodney Alexander (La.), John Boozman (Ark.), Virgil Goode (Va.), Chip Pickering (Miss.), Bill Sali (Idaho), Ginny Brown-Waite (Fla.).
By Paul Kane |
November 13, 2007; 4:14 PM ET
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Posted by: Lynn Parker | November 13, 2007 6:44 PM
For the first time in the history of America. The life expectancy of today's children is less than that of their parents. This is catastrophic. And our infant mortality is equal to that of a third world country. Current U.S. adult life expectancy is down from #1 to #42. And dropping fast. These facts are what is known as EXTINCTION! indicators. These are the early signs of the final phase of the EXTINCTION of the American people.
You have to take the profit motive out of health care delivery. The profit motive does not work with health care. Or any other essential public service like police, and fire. The sooner everyone faces this truth. The sooner you will be able to adopt a real solution to the problem. The days of paying for health care out of pocket are at an end. Just like the mob days of paying for protection out of pocket came to an end.
HR 676 is the way to go. Single payer Universal National Health Care For All. Medicare for all. Accept no substitutes. The sooner you face this. The sooner you begin to heal the Cancer of private for profit medicine that is destroying this entire society. Other developed countries realized this years ago. It's a no-brainer now. See sickocure.org
Money, greed, and the profit motive has just decimated health care in America. And killed, and injured millions needlessly. Just for profit. But that is what large amounts of money, greed, and a lust for power always does. No one is immune from this corrupting power. The smart ones know this. And avoid letting them-self be put in compromising positions. But that is easier said. Than done. And very few succeed.
Most in the US go into medicine primarily to become wealthy. That is who the medical schools mostly choose. Most of the medical schools faculty are in bed with the drug companies, and others. And like the story of Dr. Faustus. They end up selling their souls. One compromise at a time. Until Lucifer owns them.
In medicine. Compromised care means. Injury, disability, and death. It's sad really. But HR 676 can fix this disgrace. Like it has in other developed countries. The only question is. How many more millions will be hurt, injured, and killed. And how many more of your children will die before their time. Before we fix this disgrace of private for profit health care in America.
I realize there will be a few people that have what they believe is good health care coverage. Who will want to opt out of a single payer system like HR 676. But let me remind you we rank # 37 in quality of health care for all. Down from #1. Never the less. A few opting out is not a problem. As long as all other Americans are automatically covered at birth through life. Unless they choose to opt out of HR 676. The government takes out 1.4% from your paycheck now for Medicare. All they have to do is substitute for HR 676 what they now take out of your paychecks for private health insurance. Remember, we already spend more on health care than any other country in the world. Right Now. We are being ripped off. And raped.
The SCHIP program is a desperately needed program for Americas children. But with the impending EXTINCTION of Americas children. And their current catastrophic health care condition. SCHIP needs to be extended to cover all of Americas children, immediately. Parents should have no hesitations, or financial worries about seeking medical care for their children. Whenever they have any concerns about their children's health. Especially in the richest country in the world. I would submit that any President, or politician that fails to do this for the children. Betrays their most solemn oath to protect the American people. Especially when you consider that all other developed countries have done this. And that we are the richest country in the world.
So get on it America. Get it done. You have been doing great over the past several months. Keep it up. And step it up. You have to force it, and take it. It's the right fight, and the right thing to do. Now is the time... Take no prisoners.
Posted by: jacksmith | November 14, 2007 4:56 AM
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Posted by: votenic | November 14, 2007 7:28 PM
The liberals want to spend and tax this country into extinction. What we need is a balanced approach to spending for America and the defense of our country. The liberals support terrorists in their war against America by undermining our efforts against the people who want to destroy our way of life. I think money is coming from leftist organizations for the politicians who want to lead us into defeat. I am praying the people of Utah see how dangerous Harry Reid is to the American people and vote him out of office.
Posted by: James Walsh, Omaha | November 15, 2007 9:24 AM
With the Congress' votes and Bush's vetoes, EVERY member of Congress, including Tom Cole, becomes vulnerable. They are defending the undefendable.
I know of many lifelong Republicans who are astonished by the actions of so many in Congress--still blindly following the Shrub in appropriating money for war, but not for the American people. The lemmings are following Bush off the cliff.
Posted by: pacman | November 15, 2007 4:09 PM
Reid isn't from Utah. There's only one of Utah's "congressional delegation" that's Demo. GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT.
Posted by: over the hill | November 15, 2007 4:23 PM
Former White House press secretary Scott McClellan blames President Bush and Vice President *** Cheney for efforts to mislead the public about the role of White House aides in leaking the identity of a CIA operative.
In an excerpt from his forthcoming book, McClellan recounts the 2003 news conference in which he told reporters that aides Karl Rove and I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby were "not involved" in the leak involving operative Valerie Plame.
"There was one problem. It was not true," McClellan writes, according to a brief excerpt released Tuesday. "I had unknowingly passed along false information. And five of the highest-ranking officials in the administration were involved in my doing so: Rove, Libby, the vice president, the president''s chief of staff and the president himself."
Mr. Bush''s chief of staff at the time was Andrew Card.
ITS SO FUNNY, EVERYDAY WE HAVE MORE AND MORE OF THEM COMMING FORWORD TO SAY THE TRUTH..
AND OUR TRUSTED CONGRESS STILL DOES NOTHING TO GET THESE SCUM BAGS OUT..
WHAT WILL IT TAKE AMERICA, PLEASE SOMEONE TELL US AMERICANS..
HOW MANY MORE DO WE NEED....
Posted by: DAVID BELANGER | November 23, 2007 5:12 PM
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Why would anyone even entertain the idea that our WICKED, DEPRAVED AND CORRUPT pRESIDENT WOULD NOT VETO MONEY TO BE BE USED FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. His main concern and gratification is to fight and kill . Thats where the money goes, and the ironic part of this entire tragedy is that this SOB gets what he wants. thanks t he mind of OUR MONSTER,DEAD EYE CHENEY