The Liberal Media At Work

MSNBC, a member of the so-called liberal media, was headlining an article about how the democratic contenders would vote on the Iraq spending bill.

Two front-runners, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois, declined to say how they intended to vote on the measure.

Both have voted against binding timetables for troop withdrawals in the past, before public sentiment against the war hardened or they became presidential contenders. Last week, the two voted to advance legislation that would have cut off money for U.S. combat operations by March 31, 2008, cutoff.

This quote just shows that like all of the so-called "main stream media" they do nothing but parrot the republican talking points. The old, they were for it before they were against it, bullshit. It is good to see that some candidates have the ability to reason and understand the facts when the situation changes. This would be in stark contrast to the republicans who wish us to believe that black is white and up is down, the surge is working, give it more time. The only people that believe right-wing lies seems to be the media.

The media wants everyone to think this vote is all about the democrats when it is about the republican's continued support of the policies of George Bush. These are the policies the media not only accepted at face value but actually acted as the government's cheerleaders, cheering them on to the American public. Instead of being the voice for the people, they became propagandists for the government.

Also included in the MSNBC article was a listing of what was in the bill that Bush did not request and what was taken out in some attempt by the democrats to be reasonable to the unreasoning.

What they left in that Bush did not request is even more illuminating as these are the things Bush cares nothing about. Spending on Katrina recovery and spending to improve the lives of our military families who are the only people sacrificing anything in this war. Money for any kind of healthcare and education are two more things that Bush and republicans have severely underfunded while giving rich people untold billions in tax breaks.

Congress cut $4 billion in money not requested by President Bush from an earlier version of the Iraq war spending bill. About $17 billion worth remain.What's out:
• $400 million for low-income heating assistance.
• $663 million for pandemic flu preparedness
• $1.2 billion in further homeland security funding
What’s in:
• $3 billion above Bush's request for Gulf Coast hurricane recovery.
• $3 billion for disaster farm aid.
• $1.2 above Bush's request for mine-resistant vehicles
• $1.1 billion for homeland security, including airport, border and cargo container screening.
• $1.1 billion for military housing allowances
• $1.6 billion for military readiness.
• $1.8 billion for veterans health care.
• $949 million for Afghanistan.
• $650 million for low-income children's health care.
• $465 million for fighting wildfires.
• $425 million for rural schools.

This is an awful bill, but I'm still not sure it isn't the best that can be done when there is no will to lay it all on the line. We have politicians and what we need are leaders.

Jim Martin

Thanks to The Moderate Voice for the link.