This thread moved me to write the following LTTE:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x679160===========
Polls show that Republicans are more trusted on Defense than Democrats. I simply don’t understand that because it is demonstrably untrue. Take, for instance, what happened in the House of Representatives Thursday.
The Republicans in the House defeated an amendment to a supplemental spending bill proposed by Rep. Martin Sabo (D-MN) that would have provided $1.25 billion in funding for port security and disaster preparedness. The Sabo amendment included:
– $300 million to enable U.S. customs agents to inspect high-risk containers at all 140 overseas ports that ship directly to the United States. Current funding only allows U.S. customs agents to operate at 43 of these ports.
– $400 million to place radiation monitors at all U.S. ports of entry. Currently, less than half of U.S. ports have radiation monitors.
– $300 million to provide backup emergency communications equipment for the Gulf Coast.
The Coast Guard estimates that it will take $7 billion to bring US ports into compliance with the Maritime Security Law passed after 9/11. In the 5 years since the attacks the Republican Congress has provided a whopping $910 million.
Meanwhile the Bush budget, which most Republicans will likely support, contains $10.4 billion for missile defense and it can’t shoot down a target even though the target’s trajectory is known in advance and it’s broadcasting a homing signal.
I’ll say it again, spending like a drunken sailor doesn’t make you a Navy Veteran and being Republican doesn’t make you strong on defense.
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