Republican Congress Tightens Purse Strings

[TacticalPeek]

Republican Congress Tightens Purse Strings
Some Experts See Legislature Being More Assertive

By Dan Morgan
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, June 12, 2004; Page A05

Emboldened by the decline in President Bush's approval ratings, the Iraq prisoner abuse scandal and setbacks in the Iraq war, the Republican Congress is showing signs of taking a more assertive approach to its dealings with the administration.

One Senate committee is holding hearings into abuse of prisoners in Iraq and a second is about to issue a report on intelligence failures before the Iraq war. Early this month, a House Appropriations subcommittee, meeting behind closed doors, quickly rejected Bush's request for a free hand in spending a $25 billion contingency fund for the war in Iraq, stipulating instead how all but $1 billion would be used.

The same day, the Senate voted 95 to 0 to approve the war money with slightly less stringent conditions.

Republican legislators openly -- but seldom for the record -- vent their frustration to reporters about the Bush administration's secrecy, reluctance to consult and seeming contempt for the institution's processes. There have been some instances of rebellion.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35424-2004Jun11.html

[grytpype]

1. The icefloe gets smaller every day...

... when will Bush sink below the waves?

[cliss]

2. When the money runs out.

Since these snakes slithered up the steps to the White House, it's big one non-stop party. Billions have been thrown to the wind.

They've had fun. Rumsfeld had a great time being the Ruler of the World for a while. It cost him a lot of money though, but I'm sure he feels it was worth it.

While I'm still trying to get the slippery figures of the federal deficit + the war in Iraq which amazingly doesn't show up on any tally sheets (kinda like holding a fish - it moves around on you).

I predict we've got about 2 more years left of this insane spending, and then we're finished. We'll have to go crawling to China and borrow a few billion just to make it through the year.

Maybe France and Germany will lend us some dough, too.

[Dover]

3. Kinda like closing the barn door after the horse's ass has gotten out.

We've been robbed and the GOP drove Bushco's get away car.

[LittleApple81]

4. right. n/t

[loudsue]

7. "We've been robbed and the GOP drove Bushco's get away car."

LOL! :hi: That would make a GREAT bumper sticker!

That would help voters re-think their votes for ALL available offices this next election. We need to sweep the GOP out of government, once and for all.

:kick::kick::kick:

[unblock]

5. oops, might have a democratic prez! time for deficits to matter again!

[lovedems]

6. And they will somehow find a way to blame Clinton for deficit spending

of the chimp!

It will be Clinton's fault that he left them with all that money to spend or something equally as stupid!

[struggle4progress]

8. More principled voting always starts six months before an election, !