Re: The Power of the Purse.

[Q3JR4]

So I have a couple of thoughts on this whole, "power of the purse" thing.

The Dems. should take the budget they’re writing and put strings on the funds that are supposed to go towards the war effort. A couple of examples: “None of this money can be used by the administration to fund an escalation,” and “This $100 million is earmarked for body armor for the men and women serving in combat zones.”

In the budget itself, you write a time table for withdrawal. Then you pass the damn thing in the house and send it to the senate. Because it changes the law, it might be up for filibuster tactics in the senate (I’m not sure about this), but so what? Let those republic bastards filibuster away. Bottom line is the government must be funded. If they vote to continue debate on the bill, then every Democrat in the senate and in the house must be on the same page. “We have a budget that has passed both houses of congress by obvious majorities . The Republics are holding up the package for their own selfish reasons while the men and women in uniform languish in the hell our president created with inadequate body armor.” “The American people voted for us to end this misguided war." Maybe you could put in a bit about how "we may be willing to continue to fund the effort to give you time to bring the UN into the mix, but that’s all.” You could even throw in some, “They need to support the troops!”

Don’t give any headway. You may have to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government and possibly give money to the president for troop withdrawal, but you don’t give him what he wants. Let him and his party yell and scream, but you stick to your script. America supports you, that’s why your party won control of congress in the last election.

If you are able to keep on message, eventually they will have no choice but to pass the budget as written. The president then has three choices. He can veto the budget package, allow it to become law, or attach a signing statement.

Whatever happens, everyone from the republics in the senate to the president is going to have to go on record about their beliefs. America hates this quagmire, so the vote itself and the reaction to it will give the Dems. another axe to weild. It will also show that 1 they have the backbone to govern and should be given more seats, and 2 that they will fight to do what we put them in office to do.

:rant:

[bullimiami]

1. exactly. its the democrats budget to write as they please.

the repugs can fillibuster it and have no budget.
or bush can veto it and have no budget.

[Q3JR4]

2. If the budget is vetoed,

you just write another one that's exactly the same. As far as I see it, the government has to be funded. The last time a political party held up a budget because they didn't like it and brought the government to a standstill, it wasn't very good politically for them.

[bullimiami]

3. right on. let bush or the republicans torpedo a very sane and

sensible budget and shut the government down if thats what they want.

[Q3JR4]

4. While at the same

time we make the vote as loud and as public as we can.

If we do it right, we'll give them enough rope to hang themselves.

Edited to add:

At the same time it will give the public at large a reason to continue to increase the number of Dems. in the senate and the house.

It would definitely be win-win, I think.