All we here at DemNationUSA can ask is, "IF these Democrat legislators are so damn "fiscally conservative," WHERE the hell HAVE THEY BEEN as Mr. Bush turns FEMA, the US military and other agencies into DUMPING GROUNDS for INCOMPETENT RethuglicanCRONIES, and indeed Mr. Bush turns the ENTIRE US GOVERNMENT TREASURY into a SLUSH FUND for corrupt Republican cronies, donors, and complicit corporations?"
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'Fiscally conservative' Democratic faction refuses call to end war;
Michael Roston
Published: Monday January 22, 2007
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2007/Blue_Dogs_announce_Iraq_plan_no_0122.html
'Fiscally conservative' Democratic faction refuses call to end war; Plans legislation focusing on accountability for funds Bush wants to spend on Iraq
A group of forty-four "fiscally conservative" Democrats will not call for an end to America's military involvement in Iraq, RAW STORY has learned. Instead, the Blue Dog Coalition of House Democrats will introduce legislation this week focusing on accountability for money the White House wants to spend on the nearly four year long Iraq War.
In a press conference last Friday, Rep. Jane Harman, the California Democrat who was formerly the ranking minority member of the House Intelligence Committee, announced a bill she would sponsor this week on behalf of the Blue Dog Democrats: "Providing for Operation Iraqi Freedom Cost Accountability." The provisions of the bill focus on Congressional oversight of the funds used to pay for operations in Iraq.
The Blue Dogs will not speak out as a group on whether or not to call for an end to the Iraq war. "They will not draft a resolution or course regarding the troops other than one of support for our soldiers in harm’s way," said Jon Niven, Communications Director for Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR), who co-chairs the caucus.
Niven's language is comparable to a bill introduced by House Republicans leaders which resolves "to pledge the faithful support of Congress to members of the United States Armed Forces serving in harm's way," and states that "Congress will not cut off or restrict funding" for US troops in Iraq. However, several Blue Dog staffers told RAW STORY that the caucus hasn't held any formal meetings with House Republican leadership.
Last Friday, before the Blue Dogs went public with their bill, RAW STORY reported that the Blue Dogs' proposal might signal a split within the House Democratic conference on whether or not the party should seek redeployment or withdrawal of US troops in Iraq, which more than 100 Democratic Members of Congress have already called for in two different bills sponsored by Reps. Jack Murtha and Lynn Woolsey. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has shared Murtha's call for "redeployment" of US troops from Iraq.
Bush & the Blue Dogs
President Bush invited Blue Dog representatives to the White House just before he formally addressed the nation about his "surge" plan, and portions of the Blue Dogs' bill echo the policy put forth in President George W. Bush's January 10th national address.
The last section of the bill, which was sent to RAW STORY by Blue Dog staffers, states, "In furtherance of the partnership that is critical to success in Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Administration should firmly condition further American financial, military, and political resources upon steady improvement in Iraqi assumption of principal responsibility for internally policing Iraq."
President Bush in his address pledged that he had "made it clear to the Prime Minister and Iraq's other leaders that America's commitment is not open-ended. If the Iraqi government does not follow through on its promises, it will lose the support of the American people..."
Rep. Jim Marshall (D-GA), a Blue Dog member, released a statement after the group's press conference on Friday stating that "Iraqis must steadily progress toward full responsibility for internally policing their country. Without such progress, it is wasteful to continue our investment of lives, limbs and taxpayer dollars in Iraq."
Much of the bill focuses on the fiscal implications of the Blue Dogs' legislation. The bill calls for reports every 90 days from the the Department of Defense Inspector General and the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction on how military and reconstruction funds are being spent, including money now awarded to contractors. The bill also calls for Operation Iraqi Freedom funding to be appropriated via the normal appropriations process in the next fiscal year, and not with "emergency supplemental" budgets.
"This proposal will restore full, aggressive congressional oversight to ensure that taxpayer money going to the war effort is being spent efficiently and wisely," said Rep. Dennis Moore, another Blue Dog Co-Chair, in a statement to RAW STORY.
The White House did not respond when asked for comment about the Blue Dog's proposal.
