Reid Hits "Bully" Bush: "He Damn Sure Is Not Entitled" To A Blank Check For Iraq

Reuters reports this afternoon:

Democrats who lead Congress likened President George W. Bush on Thursday to a bully on Iraq war policy and vowed to spend no more on combat without a deadline for bringing U.S. troops home.

"He damn sure is not entitled to having this money given to him just with a blank check," Sen. Harry Reid, the Democrats' Senate leader, told reporters.

"Americans need someone fighting for them taking on this bully we have in the White House," he said.

Reid and other Democrats, who hold slim majorities in both houses of Congress, accused Bush of wanting a free-flow of hundreds of billions of dollars for the Iraq war, all the while being tight-fisted on the home front.

"Every dollar we spend in Iraq comes at the expense of people in America," Reid said.

Also, Reid is threatening to "keep the Senate in session until Sunday in order to vote on a $50 billion stopgap-spending bill for the Iraq War that also would call for a significant drawdown of U.S. troops in Iraq by the end of next year."

"We'll either do it the easy way or the hard way. It's up to the Republicans," Reid said. "We will have a Sunday vote scheduled. ... If they want to give us consent to have a vote earlier, we'll do that. But if they don't, we're not only going to be here, we're going to be here working."

Reid said he would file a motion to limit debate, or invoke cloture, on the House-passed bill on Friday. If Republicans insist on using all the time available to them to debate the cloture motion, the vote would occur Sunday.

Reid also hinted that he would schedule a series of quorum call votes to make sure Senators stay in town through Sunday for the vote.

"There will be some votes," Reid said. "If people think they can leave town and avoid missing votes, they can't. There will be votes during the day [this weekend]. I have the right to call those votes and I will do that."

Comments

[armadillious2002]

Hang in there Dems - you've landed an upper cut and they're on the ropes. No time to back off now. Go for the KO.

[VALiveOak]

In the U.S. Senate, there are two numbers having particular relevance to this issue:

60 - the number needed to bring legislation to a vote.

67 - the number needed to over-ride a presidential veto.

I propose that anger now vented at Democrats be directed at Republicans instead. For until REPUBLICANS feel your anger and cross over, NOTHING is going to change...

Have you called your Republican Rep. or Senator lately?

Today?

Have you?

Really?

It's OUR Democratic Republic.
Act now or risk losing more of it to warmongers!

[esquire07]

Harry Reid is a fucking Coward. All talk, no action.

Bush will gete his no-strings money - just a matter of time.

DEAD US TROOPS = HALLIBURTON PROFIT = MONEY IN DICK CHENEY'S BLOODY POCKETS.

The "War" cannot be stoped. It will not be stopped. The next step is 9/11 Part II - brought to you by Dick Cheney and his treasonous criminals in the Pentagon and Intelligence services.

Have fun America, shoveling out of a Nuclear Winter !!!

[Nonamnesiac]

This is all theater. Reid is talking about funding the war as per Bush's request with a non-binding requirement to get out some of our troops -- just like the House Bill. Now Woolsey, Lee and Waters have joined the club who are personally committed to killing or maiming my family (one of whom has been in the war zone and two of whom may have to go) in order to fund a war that is against the interests of the United States.

Just because they make noise about this being something anti-war doesn't make it so to those who are going to be killed and maimed, on both sides, as a result of this funding and the right for Bush to just ignore any restrictions on his expending those funds.

The Dems are the equal of the evils, not the lesser of the evils. From my perspective any of them who funds this war is a murderer and a torturer, no matter how they spin this. They can just end the funding, end the war and refuse to do so.

[whatsreallygoingonhere]

"He Damn Sure Is Not Entitled" blah, blah, blah

Lots of talk.

Why does it feel as though they'll cave AGAIN?

Stop beating your chest and just stop funding this fiasco!

Kucinich '08

Peace!

[Mike169]

I wish the Dems would do something other than slobber on themselves. Hope springs eternal.

[Mike169]

It would be refreshing if they did anything but slobber on themselves or support this ridiculous administration.

[dantanna]

i dont trust these democrats anymore - i will be shocked if they stand strong and resolute

[hip dibler]

please don't tell me there are people out there who still believe the democrats are going to do the right thing.

it's just not going to happen until all the corporate ho ho ho's are voted out of office.

[VOTER]

WAR FUNDING BILLS BLOCKED IN THE SENATE.

[Pennsylvanianne]

We've heard plenty of talk but precious little real action from Congressional Dems. Now's your chance, Senator Reid et al. Show those of us who voted more of you into Congress last year what you're really made of AND STAND UP TO THE BULLY! Pass legislation no more money for this war without a deadline!

[altara]

Let's hope that the Dems have the guts to force the Republicans to stage an actual filibuster.

homer www.altara.blogspot.com

[godlessclif]

The Democrats are full of it.
If Reid does not think Bush deserves a blank check why did he write him one?

Hillary sucks.

[rollingdivision]

So now the Democrats swear they will actually partially stop funding for US soldiers in combat. Certainly, this is the worst possible approach if they truly want US troops to retreat from Iraq. An honest complete cut off of funding will force an organized and safe retreat. But what Democrats are doing will leave everyone in the battle without all the equipment, supplies and support needed. What do they want US soldiers killed!! Additionally, their proposed retreat date end of 2008 is years sooner than every real Democratic presidential primary candidates by at least 4 years! It's a shame Democrats want to lose in Iraq and abandon millions of Iraqis.

[Purple Girl]

If Reid Fails to leave Senators as Sentries in the Senate to block 'Recess Appointments' he is no doubt one of them.
What American has Never worked a holiday break, how many still work the holidays, sacrifing for the common good (their families).
BUCK UP OR SHUT UP SENATORS, you either work for US or you are working for them.
Call me a pessimist- but I know he won't when it comes down to it.Just more smoke up our asses ('we at least thought about it - doesn't that mean something?' NO!!!)