For years now the Republicans have falsely portrayed themselves as the party of the military.However, the truth of the matter is that President Bush and the Republican Congress have did nothing but abuse and misuse our brave men and women in the military both on the home front and on the battle field.
Wednesday was no different in Washington D.C. as the Republicans voted to cut troop funding by nearly $2 billion.
The excerpts below tell the rest of the story:
"The Senate voted Wednesday to cut the Pentagon's wartime budget by $1.9 billion to pay for improvements in border security.
An amendment to the $106.5 billion wartime and disaster assistance supplemental appropriations bill caps military spending for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan at $68.9 billion. That is about 3 percent less than the Pentagon requested.
The amendment passed on a 59-39 vote. The Senate rejected a Democrat alternative that would have increased the border security budget without touching defense spending."
"Democrats opposed the latest cuts. Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, the Senate Democratic leader, said it makes little sense to cut defense spending in the middle of the war to pay for border security when both are national priorities. The amendment, he said, cuts money for pay and benefits of active and reserve troops, cuts the fund for body armor and maintenance and cuts a program to develop a way of countering improvised explosive devices.
It also cuts military health care. "I am 100 percent for securing our borders but we can find a better way to do it than cutting necessary resources," Reid said."
When I first saw this story on television yesterday evening, I was steaming mad.
I just could not fathom how the Republicans could cut funding for our troops in the middle of a war. As they do on most things, they say one thing and do another.
Seriously, do they not think our troops are already suffering enough from the incompetence that has been displayed by failed Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld?
Do they not think our troops have suffered enough already by not having the proper body armor in Iraq?
It simply blows my mind as to why the Republicans would take $2 billion out of our troops' funds.
If this is the Republican's way of showing the American people that they are fiscally responsible, shame on them. Shame on them.
The Republicans have ran up the largest deficits in U.S. history, but have managed to hand out tax cuts to millionaires every single year George W. Bush has been in office. But, they have to cut money from our troops to pay for border security? Give me a break!
It makes no sense whatsoever.
I am all for better border security, as are most Americans. However, taking much needed funding away from our brave men and women who are in harms way is not the way to do it.
The Republicans have once again shown the American people that they have the wrong priorities at heart.
Further, I am just about certain that if Ed Bryant, Van Hilleary, or Bob Corker were in the Senate right now, they would have voted for this deeply irresponsible bill as well. That is what is at stake in the this election
I am proud that my candidate, Congressman Harold Ford Jr. is a strong supporter of our troops on the frontlines as well as our veterans at home. This President and Republican Congress should take notes from him on how to treat our military.
Whether it be looking out for our troops by calling on Donald Rumsfeld to resign, fighting to stop the military base closures, voting in favor for troop funding time after time, or voting to increase much needed funding for veterans' programs, Congressman Ford has done it all.
He will be a welcome change to what is now an anti-troop, Republican United States Senate.
More: Read Harold Ford Jr's brilliant record of support our troops here!
Read about Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary's poor record on supporting our veterans here!
113 Days
Days of Congressional Inaction on Ethics
Above is the number of days that have passed since Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to bribing Congressman.
It is also the number of days in which Congress has failed to pass an ethics reform bill that would limit private travel, ski and golf junkets, and would call for a full disclosure of expenses by lobbyists on members of Congress.
It is time for Congress to step up and pass an ethics reform bill that would do all of the above. In addition, it is time to end the pork barrel spending system as we know it and establish an independent ethics commission that would review ethics complaints against members of Congress.
I am proud Congressman Harold Ford Jr. is fighting for that reform!
Read Congressman Ford's call for reform of the House rules here!
