Americans questioning Bush's $87 billion request

[UpInArms]

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/6861145.htm

WASHINGTON - President Bush's emergency request for $87 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan is emerging as the link that connects public anxiety over the economy with reservations about U.S. policy in Iraq.

With polls showing that as many as 3 out of 5 Americans oppose spending so much, Democrats see an opportunity to tar Bush and Republicans as poor stewards of taxpayers' money and poor managers of post-war Iraq.

<snip>

Either way, Democrats believe they have the makings of a galvanizing issue that not only raises questions about progress in Iraq but also exposes a Republican Achilles' heel - the exploding federal budget deficit.

"The $87 billion connects the domestic policy to the foreign policy," said Celinda Lake, a Democratic pollster who worked with her Republican counterpart Ed Goeas on a bipartisan "Battleground 2004" survey, released Thursday.

...more...

[RobertSeattle]

1. They'll really question it if we spell out 87 Billion

$87,000,000,000.00

Ka-Ching

Or approxomimately $290 per person. Get your checkbook out.

[kutastha]

2. But...

Didn't everyone get a huge tax cut from Chimpy himself? I'm sure they'll just love to part with it for his war for oil.

[RobertSeattle]

6. I think the 70% who thought 9/11 = Saddam

Also thought invading Iraq would cause gas go to 50 cents a gallon.

[PartyPooper]

8. And, just whom did they think was going to pay for this 'junket', anyway?

Santa Claus? Geez! They shoulda' listened to us last year!

:silly:

[FlemingsGhost]

16. Yep... Remember that $300 per person "refund" back in 2001?

BushCo. wants it back.

Suckers!

[fishnfla]

4. Yes but at the same time

theres the catch-22. It doesnt look like there is going to be a UN resolution, which means no UN troops and no UN money. Indeed they are talking about more US reservists. The catch is this: are we going to quibble over money over the dead bodies of our troops? It is unpleasant anyway you look at it. This war sucks.

[Kenneth ken]

10. I would think

that just shows more levels of this misadministration's incompetence. They pushed this invasion against the advice of the UN; had no realistic post-invasion strategy, and now they're hemorrhaging lives and money in Iraq, exacerbating their failure to do anything useful for the US economy.

[fishnfla]

13. I agree, but its too late already

We dont need any more dead troopers to prove * is incompentent. We dont want any.With or without more support we will have it. Classic catch-22.

Jesus Christ, I didnt believe it until now, its Vietnam all over again. Good God.

[MsChiff]

11. He's depleting every resource we have.

With no money left and not enough troops to finish what he started.

I want my country back.

[calimary]

12. Me too! Welcome to DU, MsChiff!

[Cappurr]

5. Yeah....and look whats happening in Afghanistan

With all the warloards and government officials living it up in fancy pads in Kabul, driving nice cars, catering to expensive resturants and stores, while the people still live in the same poverty they did before. WE gave that money to those people. And Bush wants more for Afghanistan.

[cliss]

3. Here's what's really strange

Sen. Kennedy threw a pineapple grenade in the Repub's faces last week. He said that only about half of the $3.9 billion that we're spending each month in Iraq is accounted for.

The other half is.....

being used for bribes? To bribe other countries to come & join the fun in Iraq? So why aren't they there?

We've been at this for, what, 6 months now? 6 X 2 = $12 billion that's been used for bribes.

And we're still in there practically alone.

[Cappurr]

7. Read my post above...

They may explain where some of the money is going....to Iranians who will play the US's game. And of course, to US businesses.

[MoonAndSun]

9. What is so sad is that the Americans who supported this war

thought it was ok to send our men and women to fight and die in Iraq, but they now balk at them having to pay for this war they supported.

I wonder how they square the two issues in their minds?

[InkAddict]

14. God's Will - Fundie justification for everything!

[UpInArms]

17. just more of their "pro-life" philosophy

get babies born - ship them off to war - make sure that the money never has to come from their checkbooks.

[leesa]

15. Americans...no concern whatsoever for the thousands of Iraqis we

murdered for no reason. Just their pocketbooks. They deserve what they get though, their selfishness and greed has destroyed our economy and we won't recover. It will be hard for the RW rednecks to drive their honki' SUVs and giant trucks without gas.