White House Wins On War, IMF Funds

As the clock began to count down the minutes that members of the House had to cast their vote on a war-funding bill topping $100 billion, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) waded into enemy territory.

The anti-war Democrat, who'd been whipping hard against the measure, stood behind a klatch of Republicans, watching the GOP computer and taking notes. It's not often that Kucinich and House Republicans find themselves on the same side. But the GOPers were determined to oppose what they call a bailout for foreign banks, and antiwar Democrats hoped to ally with them to block funding for wars they've long opposed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), meanwhile, hovered by the front desk, beaming. As the 15-minute vote wound down to zero, she was still far from the 218 she needed for passage, but she showed no sign of concern. The vote was held open as enough Democrats stepped forward to vote for the war money.

Fifty-one Democrats opposed the war funds the last time it came before the House. There was little pressure on them one way or the other. But when the Senate added the line of credit for the IMF and Republicans announced opposition, votes that had previously been worthless took on heightened value. The White House and Democratic leadership went into high gear, threatening and offering deals in exchange for a yes vote. This time around, 32 Democrats stayed as no votes.

Democrats who switched tapped Pelosi on the shoulder before walking back to their seats, swapping smiles, as Pelosi studied the lit-up board on the wall that displays the votes.

The tally hit 218, but Democrats seemed not to notice. When Pelosi looked up and saw it reading 220, she left the well of the floor and found Rep. Dave Obey (D-Wisc.), the Appropriations Committee Chairman, in his seat. The two shared a congratulatory handshake.

The vote was gaveled to a close, with five Republicans joining 221 Democrats. Pelosi turned her gaze back to the board, studying her members' votes.

She was no doubt pleased to see that these names sported a green box next to them this time, reversals from their previous no votes...

Clarke
Cohen
Cooper
Costello
Frank
Gutierrez
Inslee
Kagen
Markey (Mass.)
Matsui
McDermott
George Miller
Napolitano
Neal (Mass.)
Oberstar
Schakowsky
Thompson (Calif.)
Towns
Velazquez
Weiner

And those who stuck with their no votes...

Baldwin
Capuano
Conyers
Doggett
Edwards (Md.)
Ellison
Farr
Filner
Grayson
Grijalva
Honda
Kaptur
Kucinich
Lee (Calif.)
Lofgren
Massa
McGovern
Michaud
Payne
Pingree
Polis
Serrano
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Speier
Stark
Tierney
Tsongas
Waters
Watson
Welch
Woolsey

My book, This Is Your Country On Drugs: The Secret History of Getting High in America, is now out

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Comments

[PK3]

spineless wimps
(the ones voting to keep funding this war)

and you wonder why they say there's no money to pay for health care

[Kache]

There is plenty of money to pay for health care - the insurance companies squander 1/3 of our health care trying to deny coverage.

[ErnestineBass]

More $$$ for the MIC, KBR and Halliburton.

[coultersnemesis]

shh..it's a public-private partnership NOT corporate welfare! Don't tell anyone.

[Wodooyino]

Oh ye of little faith! You don't think that Obama would have liked nothing better than to have brought ALL of our troops home by nightfall of January 20th, and be enshrined as the greatest and most effective President in the history of our country? He's certainly no neo-con, he's clearly smarter and tougher than any three of us put together, and he's the one getting daily security briefings, not us -- so if he believes that it's necessary for us to be in Afghanistan (and most likely Pakistan), that's good enough for me -- and should be good enough for all those of you that voted for him. If he's wrong, we can give someone else a change in some 3 years and 5 months, but in the meantime let's give HIM a chance, for pity's sake!

[ppp1604]

For 6 years I listened to Republican excuses. Will I have to listen to Democratic Excuses for the next 4 years?

[ErnestineBass]

'Fraid so.

[CintiBlue]

I'm with you, and President Obama, Wodooyino.

[mgloraine]

Bull. He's selling out to the big money lobbyists, just like every other crook in Washington.

[Kache]

Example?

[polaris12]

No, sorry, it's not good enough for me, even though I was a strong Obama supporter and am still hopeful, but realistic. A few weeks ago there was a headline in the NY Times, “Civilian Deaths Imperil Support for Afghan War,” “Villagers Blame US, as Inquiry by Military Looks at Taliban.” More than 100 civilians were killed in these raids. The Times reports: “one villager reached by telephone, Sayed Ghusuldin Agha, described body parts littered around the landscape. ‘It would scare a man if he saw it in a dream,’ he said.” In 3 years 5 months, how many more innocent people will be killed in the maws of the American war machine?

[take10]

More of them and us! War is not the answer!

[sweetwhine]

Wodooyino, I'm with you on this one. I voted for Obama because I trust him and I'll continue to support him.

[coultersnemesis]

active citizen participation is the American way. blind faith and trust is not, where has our characteristic realism gone?

[FebM]

If Americans cant export, we are done in..... thats why its necessary to have that IMF money, its a sucker punch to developing countries, but we must stay afloat at times by riding on others backs, sad but true

[coultersnemesis]

wait, what?! Americans have a trade deficit! We import far more than we export! Is it not the developing countries that need the American consumer engine to propel their growth?

[Kache]

Yes... And US consumers are not doing that. That is why unemployment has risen twice as fast in developing countries than here. So, if we give them money to buy our products the money just ricochets back into our economy - creating jobs here. Foriegn aid has always worked this way. You don't think we've actually been giving money to poor countries do you? We've always required them to use the aid to buy our products.

[fonz25]

ahh, nothing better than given our hard earned dollars to international monetary crooks, o well, more waste and lies , if you dont love the political games in DC, you are not truelly an american.

[Coinyer101]

have to go now. AC cooper on marijuana....,

[Kache]

That's right, go indulge yourself, that's all you've done here anyhow.

[coultersnemesis]

it's a free country. don't hate.

[Coinyer101]

eet me turnip.

[Coinyer101]

" Politics of the Past"?:

*The White House and Democratic leadership went into high gear, threatening and offering deals in exchange for a yes vote. This time around, 32 Democrats stayed as no votes.*

Rep. Woolsley accused the WH of threatening freshman progressives, who had pledged to their constituencies to oppose all continued war spending.

"Politics of the Past" are alive and well......,

[ErnestineBass]

America was lost on December 12, 2000.

[Coinyer101]

I believe you have it right EB.

[longtimegone]

If Kucinich had been elected we would be demonstrating to the world that we are a new nation with our actions; as it is......speeches from the Executive, excuses from the Congress. I keep trying to remind myself that everything has changed, but it seems that the men who steered the ship to where we are, are steering it still.

[Kache]

"If Kucinich had been elected"

Elected by whom?

[Coinyer101]

He gets my vote next time! you can count on it!

[ErnestineBass]

I take it you wouldn't have voted for him.

Just curious as to why that is.

[coultersnemesis]

oh, you are so witty!

[JohnFromCensornati]

Ending the "war" in Iraq. That is so 2006!
We'll just print up some more money.

[thecanadian]

Love the picture of NO DRAMA OBAMA! More protection for the troops & the U.S.A!

[coultersnemesis]

you are brainwashed. USA is bleeding dry.

[Watchingitall]

Dennis Kucinich is from Ohio, not California, as stated in the story.

[CabaretArtist]

Girlfriend got it done. Old Scaborough's head must have exploded. LOL

[Kache]

That's why Nanc was elected Speaker, she does deliver. I'm proud of her. It was a treat watching her expressions as the clock wound down - the more perilous it looked, the more Nanc beamed with confidence. Old Sam Rayburn or Patrick Moynihan couldn't have done better.

I'm glad we had this dry run. The progressives and GOP are going to have the same unholy alliance over health care.

[gbrooks]

I'm thrilled. More money to kill people, no money to help Americans.

Living in a cave is starting to sound better and better.

[zaz33]

Buy a tent and stock up on canned goods.

It will get worse. (trickle down will not work)

[ErnestineBass]

Au contraire...it's made the rich even richer.

[Kache]

It's a free country - lots of caves. Put up or shut up.

[coultersnemesis]

hmm..seems like a contradiction...it's a FREE country, but we need to 'put up or shut up?' in your blue dog pipe dreams.

[berryessence]

please go

[sweetwhine]

and soon.

[gbrooks]

Lots of hostility towards people who have no desire to fund killing.

What's happened to the alleged anti-war/liberal party, aka the Democrats?

[themodernleader]

As long as we can still borrow, as long as accounting shennigans keep wars off budget, as long as individuals and corporations make money off the function of warfare, President Obama will have no difficulty appropriating money for making war.
When it comes to the end when no more money is available and draconian taxes must be leveled on the middle class, that is when the President will be hard pressed and isolated. Then his enemies will call for his impeachment and removal for bankrupting the Nation. And the demonstrations and threat of mob action will make the present Iran demonstrations look like a polite British tea party of their upper crust. Destroying a country's economic and financial sustenance is a serious offense, for it endangers the survival of the Nation.

[Kache]

Republican bankers destroyed America. Let's start lynching one of them a day.

[thecanadian]

Are you talking about the Bush/Cheney & merry band of hate groupies. who lied about Iraq and
thousands of U.S. and Nato Troop deaths?

[coultersnemesis]

that scenario can still be avoided..it is still a bit far off...the US is a huge economic power, still, we need to make some serious changes and O is not doing his part to 'steer the ship' in the right direction for future generations.

[tjr101]

Well done Nancy, well done. There is no disputing who is boss in the House.

[Kache]

Nanc Rules!!