Bush vs Marine: Peanuts and war

C'mon Dubya. If Ted Stevens can get his bridge to nowhere why can't peanut farmers get some help?

All BS aside, I'd like to see "clean" bills come out of Congress. A bill on military spending ought to be just exactly that.

Lose the earmarks.

Why how disingenuous of the president. Thats not the issue and he knows it. It's the timeline he doesn't like. Unfortunately pork has been a favorite of both parties for as long as I can remember. Call a spade a spade Mr. president and stop avoiding the real issue.

If you want to talk about a waste of money lets look at this disaster of a war. It has done absolutely nothing for us and it has only made Iran stronger. There was absolutely no forsight to the possible ramifications of this action. It was a blunder of epic proportion and you and you alone hold that responsibility.

Every budget that Bush and Republicans passed was larded with so much pork that it put our children, grand childrent and great grandchildren into a hole that they may never get out of.

He has not right to talk about fiscal discipline. He's the worst spender in the history of the Oval Office.

At no point does Bush acknowledge his personal failure in his role as Commander In Chief. His weak leadership has resulted in four years of this terrible defeat and thousands of dead and wounded. Three or four years ago a "surge" might have made a difference. Bush however, remained unchanged in following failed tactics and did nothing to ensure success. These four years have been accepted by Bush. These four years and all those deaths have been accepted by our senior officers. They both want more of the same. Congress must save the Country from them.

I just had a peanut butter sandwich and it goes great with milk. It's much better than war.

I vote "peanuts."

But more to my point of the day, why does every report these days have to include the phrase "speaking on the condition of anonymity." Why not just write "a top government official" and leave it at that? We know the source wants to be anonymous, just like us Swampies. It's easier to throw "dirt" when no one knows who's actually throwing it.

Another $100,000,000,000 into the furnace.

Wow, the trifecta continues to pay off!

Agree, DZ, we do need clean bills.

DZ, CM, Agreed. Lose the pork.

It is fortunate that we don't have any bombing within our country like the daily events that is happening in the Middle East and Israel. I am very thankful of that.

Just you wait till one day the same bombing thing happens in this country. All of the negative things that is said of President Bush and the Republican party will be gone. The Democrats will of course change their talk, but then, it will be too late.

I hope that day will never come, but until then, the trash talk continues against Bush.

Wow. Peanuts or War? I says Peanuts ya'll Peanuts won't kill ya. Peanuts don't cost as much and Peanuts won't lie about it's mission or intentions. Pork for Peace ; Peanuts for Peace!!

Do you think Bush would have vetoed that bill if it had included making his tax cuts permanent?

Same old drivel on both sides.

Iraqi's have fought with eachother for 2000 years. This isn't Bush's fault, or the democrats.

Stand, back, drop big bombs and let a few of them rain over the border into Iran remarkably close to where they might be doing nuclear research.

Then say "get along". If they don't, try some more bombs.

The only negotiation this group of people have *ever* understood has been force. It's why they use it on each other.

Does he even know that the Senate consists of Republicans as well as Democrats..He needs to be Impeached!

Talking about 'clean bills' with regard to this legislation is in the realm of complaining that the ink they're printed with isn't eco-friendly.

typical democrats. they want to first fund stupid things that don't need to be at this point in time. They are once again stripping from the troops as they did in Vietnam. Then they talk about reducing the debt but taxing the people after the people are finally getting back on track after 9/11 and other times. the sending of stuff overseas. thanks democrats you will get my votes in the future I THINK NOT

It is so comical to hear the repubs whining about "pork". Were the past 6 years not the porkiest in U.S. history? How many bills did Bush sign in to law that had egregious amounts of pork in them? The bridge to nowhere is one good example. Though I am disappointed somewhat with the dems performance thus far, I have to laugh at all the whining that is going on from the other side of the isle. Now they know what its like to have the shoe on the perverbial other foot. Quit whining and do the peoples work.

The President is living in some sort of dream land. Just a couple of days ago he quoted a supposed blog from Iraq that said in every way things are getting better.

That same day 50 people were killed in a market when they were offered free flour. That same night 60 iraqui men were killed in retaliation.

Because of incompetence by this administration we have already lost the war in Iraq--every life lost, every body maimed, every dollar spent will not stay the inevitable collapse of our efforts there.

The president is a bad one, he knows it, we know it. AND he had teh nerve at one point to say "God speaks thur me"

okay people, when will we lose this loser? impeach!

The President is living in some sort of dream land. Just a couple of days ago he quoted a supposed blog from Iraq that said in every way things are getting better.

That same day 50 people were killed in a market when they were offered free flour. That same night 60 iraqui men were killed in retaliation.

Because of incompetence by this administration we have already lost the war in Iraq--every life lost, every body maimed, every dollar spent will not stay the inevitable collapse of our efforts there.

If the bleeding hear liberal democrats really think that this war needs to end right now....THEY should just go ahead an d CUT OF FUNDING TOMORROW. This is obviously just a political move based on who and how they chose to rebut the President's address today. Trying to make a veto look like it's the President cutting off the funding for the troops. What a joke. They want the war to end, but don't want to have it on their shoulders when after we pull out of there too soon....the entire region explodes in chaos and millions of people over there are slaughtered...just like when we pulled out of Vietnam.

The president is a bad one, he knows it, we know it. AND he had the nerve at one point to say "God speaks thru me"
saddam is dead, he sees him self as a success because of that - GW is the new definition of blundering idiot - there are some footage where he cant even talk!! (alcohol and drugs?)

this guy is the worst napolean, nero, hitler, loser all wrapped up in one

okay people, when will we lose this loser? impeach!

How insulting!!! It is real interesting to me that the Bush anymore takes us for granted with his stupidity. He compares war and lost lives with peanuts??? is this the best argument he has for the war????? This is comical if it wasn't dangerous. WAKE UP BUSH, please wake up. enough is enough.

The Trib really is in the bag for bush. too bad.

My math is not great, so I was just wondering how many times that $75 million for the peanut farmers goes into the $21 billion the administration has simply lost track of in Iraq?

When did George W. Bush start caring about the security of our troops?

He didn't care when he sent them over to Iraq with no body armor, he didn't care when he sent them out in Humvees with no armor, he didn't care when he misplanned the amount of money needed, he didn't care when he misplanned how many troops to send over in the first place, he didn't care when he didn't plan correctly on how the Iraqi's were going to react to foreign troops on their soil. AND NOW HE CARES?

In his recent radio address, the President is quoted as having said that:

"Under my Administration, we have kept your taxes low and restrained government spending in Washington."

It's time for someone to call Mr. Bush to the mat. "Restrained government spending"? As dishonest an administration as this has been, this is one of the most bold-faced lies he has yet told.

Under the 8 years of the Clinton presidency, the National Deficit was reduced to $0 and the opportunity began to start paying down the National Debt. Since the Bush administration took office in 2001, the National Debt has risen at an unprecedented rate, growing by over $3 Trillion in just over 6 years.

If we allow these lies to be presented to the general public as truth, we put the very foundation of our democracy at risk.

Didn't you hippie babyboomers learn anything from Vietnam?

I find it interesting that Bush did not mention what type of tax increase the top 1 percent wealthiest would suffer. After all, he reduced their taxes more than any of the other examples he gave. Why not say "and if you are a single mom earning 24,000 a year, your taxes will go up 500 dollars. If you make 100 million from capital gains, you now will have to pay 5 million more. Americans just cant take such a burden."

It's just another scare tactic anyway. I'm surprised he didn't say that dems would sell our children to the terrorists, right after they raise your taxes.

AND.....what is worse, cut taxes while increasing spending? or keep taxes where they were so we dont go into debt?

Karl Rove is behind this peanut defense. Typical of his approach to problems, if he doesn't like the message, change the subject. It's absurd to think that Bush is suddenly refusing to sign a critical funding bill because it contains a little pork. Does he really think the American public is too dumb to see through this smokescreen? It's really all about the battle over who's in control. He lost with Rumsfeld, he's going to lose over Gonzo and he's been losing in Iraq for 4 years. It's time for a change and Bush needs to wake up and realize that he's no longer "the decider".

Instead of giving blank checks to his pals and dumping untold billions of dollars into Iraq, Bush is finally being asked for a concrete reason to stay in this war. He can't do it. How can he when his whole invasion was originally built on lies?

It's always been about the oil, his insatiable twisted ego, his failures and his blinded followers.

The Bush team knows what the current problem is about. If not, the Bush team should take a look in the mirror. Its not about crops. Its about the quality of the Bush team's war effort. The war effort that the Bush team's math said should be over in a jiffy.

With the military generals in the background and the civilian "would be" generals in the foreground, America and the world was about to witness the latest "brand new" war strategy. The war would be over in a jiffy.

The "planners" did not need many troops. This effort was going to stray from the traditional. And later the world would see why.

But the new war strategy failed and the war's managers are still in denial.

OK, so forget the initial plans. All the Bush team needs do now is RE-PLAN and continue the expenditures in lives and money. Unless the law of averages is working against them, sooner or later the Bush team will get lucky and when that happens, the war will be over and everyone will live happily ever after.

But in the meantime - the war's managers must "keep on keeping on" or "stay the course" or whatever you want to call it. And do keep those American lives and dollars coming into the management domain of the Bush team. After four years of training, their management skills may start to improve.

By my reckoning, $75 million equals the money we spend every 6 or 7 hours fighting in Iraq--peanuts, indeed. Bush's complaint about politicians getting involved in the war is rather disingenuous, since he ignored generals advising him not to invade Iraq in the first place, and when the generals in the field recommended a gradual pullout last year, he fired them...AND to complain about swollen budgets after the Republican Congress and Administration created the largest deficit in US history...that is real chutzpah!

George, George, I know that the stress of having your back against the wall and everyone telling you that you have been, are now and plan on being wrong with your 'policies' (sic) in Iraq but, nonetheless, how could you misconstrue the concept that YOU are the Commander-in-Chief and, simulatneously, one of the 'Politicians in Washington' (who you say are hampering and interferring with the generals on the ground)and, therefore, fully responsible for what 'stategy' there is condemning them (the generals), and the troops (see latest on Pat Tillman) to cobble together tactics from a limited pool of options...YOU are the 'Obstructioner'!

I too have to vote for "Peanuts"...But let's try to get rid of the earmarks...PLEASE!

If Bush doesn't get his war money then all those big greasy corporations won't be able to build all the weapons to fight this sleazy war that was a lie to begin with.

I say impeach Bush. Indite Bush, Cheney, Rove and Rumsfeld for treason.

This whole mess is the fault of us Americans for being to lazy to search for the truth.

And never, ever, let it happen again. Shameful

If comments like the above reflect the true mood of our country we've probably already gone over the edge. Time for you Democrats to stock up on Korans and buying burkas. Cut and run sums it up well. Gee last time I thought about it we still have troops in Germany. Oh, and like maybe Japan too. Oh, how about that peaceful DMZ in Korea, forgot about those troops. Keep believing the Bush brought down the World Trade Center and don't give up your meth quite yet.
I'll feel a lot safer when Hillary's running the show.

This is BS. The liberals and Dems were calling this 'a mess' before our troops were even deployed. Using Marxist propoganda tactics doesn't make it the truth. Now here we are years later and they're STILL reciting the mantra even now when we're on the verge of stability in Iraq. I know it just scares some people to death the thought of our succeess.

This reminds me of the time I heard one in the liberal media saying "The economy has already started to falter since Bush became President", to which another anchor had to reach over and whisper "He's not been inaugurated yet".

You people should be ashamed of yourselves.

We hear how many billions we have spent in Iraq and AFG.

How much did the 9/11 attacks cost this country in taxes and hurt the economy in late 2001 and 2002. The airline industry is still suffering.

What will another 9/11 cost this country in lives and dollars if we ignore the terrorist threat.

Pulling all troops out of the mideast and ignoring the terrorism there will not impede attacks on this country.

the outlines of the battle have been drawn, Bush vs. the Democratic congress. we will see who has the better gamesmanship, Peloisi and Reed vs. Bush. i hope that the Dems continue to take the offensive and attack Bush on not supporting the troops with his veto. if the dems do not mount up an agressive attack, the White House will win and the 08 elections will be in peril.

I appreciate the information pertaining to the additional added spending in the bill passed by Congress. Clean bills are needed.
Truth be known President Bush and his adminstration has not accepted responsibilty for the failure in Iraq and probably never will.
All Americans want the killing of our troops to end. I believe in "No Child Left Behind" How about "No more Soldiers Killed In Iraq or Left Behind"

Mr. President do the right thing.
Pass the bill

The bridge to nowhere and the peanut subsidies are both wrong. If the peanut subsidies are so correct, put them on their own bill and face an up or down vote on their own standings.

The dems ran on a platform of no more earmarks, and they should stand by it. The earmarks are one of the things that got the GOP booted last year.

If the dems want to defund the war, vot on it - they have the majority. Time for them to put up or shut up.

BENCHMARKS OF FAILURE: DECEIVED MILITARY PERSONAL

Lt. Col. Andre Horne, thank you for serving our country. I strongly disagree with your perception of the war. You seem to be oblivious of the strategic value of Iraq, and of our country's Middle East oil dependency. Violent jihad on the other hand, has always demonstrated their clear objective on strangling the U.S. economy, using oil as their primary weapon.

Al-Qaida's attack on the World Center, was actually part of a grander targeting of the U.S. economy. President Bush acting as Commander-in-Chief could not afford to gamble in allowing a defiant Saddam Hussein to remain in power. Saddam would not cooperate with U.N. weapons inspectors, which helped fuel the doubts and secrecy surrounding Iraq's WMD capabilities.

Although there was considerable amount of time given to resolve the situation in Iraq diplomatically, the timetable for taking action against Saddam Hussein could not wait, on the slow manufacturing of armor for Humvees. To complicate matters, manufacturers of bullet-proof vests were being sued by law enforcement, because the product was failing. The Pentagon had to proceed with caution, to ensure that the vests being issued to our military would not be made of the same defective material. This explains the shortages, which still plaque our military.

Lt. Col. Andre Horne, you make no mention of the effects of psychological warfare, spread by communist sympathizer (pinkos) organizations like CODEPINK, ANSWER, and United For Peace and Justice. Organizations with Marxists goals of bringing down "the U.S. empire" as stated by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. This division-in-the-house was exactly what Osama bin Laden had expected, since after all, the intelligent terrorist is adequately educated on the history of Vietnam. Al-Qaida surrogates wasted no time in starting sectarian violence with the intent on feeding the flames of U.S. propaganda, being advanced by the pinkos.

The benchmarks of failure can be clearly seen, by viewing The Brookings Institutions, Iraq Index page 29. The correlation of attacks against Iraqi civilians, their military, and our own Coalition Forces is in-step with the emergence and activism of pinko organizations. The same organizations that seek the demise of Israel, along with the so called U.S. empire, with the help of military personal like yourself, who are sleeping during guard duty.

Arturo Jabra'il Sancho

Both the Republicans and Democrats have, with the complicit cooperation of the American people, failed to govern well. We get the leaders we deserve. Most Americans believe the lie that we can get something for ourselves at someone else's expense. And you know what is most frustrating? Neither party has enough guts to state this obvious fact. Both parties would rather govern a sinking ship than issue a stern call for us to get the he** off of the U.S.S. Largesse and row on our own boats. Whether is war or welfare, (the two principle of government), neither party performs up to even a D-.

Thank you Lt. Col. Home for logic when so much rhetoric seems to be the order.
Also a Marine vet., I joined protesters at the '68 Democratic Convention here in Chicago only weeks after my discharge. Then again 4yrs ago at one of the first big anti-war protests. Thousands of cops, sheriffs and swat-wannabes lined the route sneering at me. (If they only knew I had been a Marine fighter pilot). Like yourself, I too am a proud Marine, but, a sign has hung in our front window now for over 4yrs.: "War Is Not The Answer".
Martin Luther King's quote is timeless and a necessary directive for this administration.. Try dialogue!
Sure do miss Molly Ivans take on Dubya, and when the "C student" vetos this bill, I'm all for impeachment. It's time we recognize this President for what he is, a failure! I think Molly would also agree.
Cal Harris

I'm a Republican, and I do not support the President. And I know for a fact that most of the military ARE Republicans, and they don't support continuance of the War and the President's position. He's a politician under fire, and the best way he knows how to get out of situations it seems is to lie about everything and tell his "old boys" to lie about everything.

I'm sick and tired of your lies and BS. STOP YOUR BS Mr. President -- or your name will further go down in History as the worst president we've ever had. This is not about YOU, it's about the PEOPLE and our public interest -- when a majority (almost 2 to 1) wants the War to stop by a certain date, it's a public mandate that even the President shall not totalitarianly push aside.

V -- Congress, vote by representation. Otherwise we'll vote you OUT come the next few Congressional elections.

Congress ponied up the money for the troops, so if bush veto's the bill, HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FAILING THE TROOPS! Chew on that for a while....

If this spitting match delves into a stalemate, it could possibly be the best thing that ever happened to the troops in Iraq. I never want to see paychecks bouncing for lack of money, but maybe a complete shutdown of the financing could be a good thing if neither side is willing to blink in this showdown. What would happen if the Pentagon simply ran out of money to fight a war that no one (except George Bush) wants?

Nice try G.W. but the peanut spin won't fly. In fact there are serious doubts that $100 B more in special funding for the Iraq debacle is really necessary. Certainly a Defense department budget that has grown 60% in in 5 years contain more than enough to support our troops on the ground. Why increase the budget when no one can answer the question "Where has all that money gone?" Why send more when so many millions are stolen and siphoned off by corrupt American contractors and their K Street lobbyists as well as Iraqi politicians.

btw, how many of you plan to go vote come 2008 and maybe convince more sane people like yourself to go as well.

Hey, I've got an ingrown toenail and my grass is drying up. Obviously, it's George Bush causing this... he's blamed for everything else!

Its called the house appropriations bill. It is not just for war it is for everything, and the senate has the capability to vote it out. THey didn't as just as they didn't vote out the timetable.

The senate wants to spend 145 billion more than the President has in his plan. Does the president include in his plan the 150 billion or so he will be requesting in a supplemental bill to fight the war that is costing us a lot more than dollars. So far the war without an end has been fully funded with supplementary borrowed dollars. When does the president plan on paying for this war and with what.

The Democrats should have anticipated Bush's peanut objection and kept ALL PORK off this bill, but let's face it, they REALLY DON't want him to sign off on it because they want partisanship and they thrive on controversy at the expense of our men and women serving in our great military. SHAME ON ALL YOU POLITICIAN DUMB MASSES!!!

Let's see how this plays this coming fall...in about the middle of the third quarter, the board of directors of the Chicago Bears will call down from the booth and say, "it's over, we win, time to pack up and leave." It won't matter what the score is or if anything's been won or lost. Perhaps more importantly, all the work the players put in the first half will be for nothing.

Well, you see, its like this:

If we didn't have a war in Iraq to act as a huge diversion, we might get something done like immigration reform, because if everybody would focus on it, everyone would be sick and tired of the cost in both dollars and crime that illegal immigration has cost us as a nation.

But if we can focus the attention of Americans on another 150 Iraqis killed, and another servicman or woman killed by an IED device, then who cares about illegal immigrants?

The war is nothing more than something to get our focus off what really matters. I was deceived and voted for Bush both times. I regret I did.

I guess the best we can hope for now is some accountability.

But it will forever be too little, too late.

Dear Lt. Col. Horne, I am very very dissapointed to hear you say that President Bush should pass this bill attaching pork spending the the military needs. This shows you have been brain washed by the enemy, the democrates. Right now they are this countries "worse enemy" and it is going to come to a showdown sooner or later. They spend 90% of their time in hearings pointing fingers at the administration and doing nothing for this country but causing trouble internally. I am sick of those whiny faces on television pointing fingers and not doing a damn thing to help our soldiers by trying to take money away from every tax payer to give to meaningless causes and worthless others. You are a disgrace to the uniform and can't see what the problem really is. Ray Bryant vet. and patriot.

Why is it so hard to understand that if you set a deadline to pull out in war that all the terrorists have to do is lay low until that day, then they can very easily take over the country.
Sorry, but I prefer to hand over Iraq to Iraq and not alqueda or Iran which is EXACTLY what this Democratic bill will do.
Not to mention the fact, That according to the US
CONSTITUTION, there is only one person in charge of military strategy and that person is the Commander-in-Chief. Once congress approves going to war, the ONLY thing left they can do is fund it or not fund it. If they dont want this war then they should of just refused to fund it, instead of trying to set a military strategy with this bill. I would have had more respect for Democrats if they had.

It's so disgusting to me that Bush would use the peanut funding as an excuse to veto a bill that FINALLY sets a timetable for pulling out our occupation of a country embroiled in civil-war-in-slow-motion. The Bush Administration has squandered Trillions on un-needed tax cuts for the Obscenely Rich, generous handouts for the un-regulated Greedy Corporations, and no-bid, unaccountable contracts for the War Profiteers. My memory retains all record of the almost decade-long span of the Bush Administration's criminal malfeasance, and there's no way he can slip those peanuts by me.

The Republicans were no great shakes when they had control, but the Democrats are absolutely acting out every criticism of them since Gulf War I. (Panty-waists, perverts, subversives, Stalinists and crypto-traitors) I'd veto every damn thing that clutch of fools in Congress sends up until they get it even approximately right. By the way, a great number of Marines of like combat experience with Lt. Colonel Horne would argue that he must have been prosecuting a war in a different place. I am a former Marine who is beginning to doubt "former Marines" (e.g., Murtha, Webb) professing a clearer appreciation of the problem and the failings of leadership.

Bill Maher is sooooooo right or do I mean left. Someone please tell me what is worse A: a president getting a little afternoon delight in the Oval office and trying to keep his wife from finding out. Or B: a president that has no concept of War, never personally saw war,tried like hell to personally stay out of the war and now wants to wage war on terrosists. His policys have faild miserably, his country is falling apart his party is distancing themselves as far as possible. Tell me is there a village in Texas that has lost their IDIOT?

Good for Bush. It's obvious the democrats don't give a damn about the troops and would rather surrender to terrorists. Enough said!

GWB hid from supervision while he wore a uniform so how could he appreciate supervision of his own personal vendetta activity. I'm sure he thinks, "This is my war and no one is going to tell me when we get to leave or how to operate". He is certainly a great example to our children and grandchildren of what can happen when a spoiled rich boy, raised without discipline, gets control. Vote smart!

MR Bush- The definition of insanity it to do the same action over and over again and expect a different result. You have shamed America, Christians, Muslims, Jews, and anyone else who loves America(I can not think of a race whom you had not shamed, Dont forget MA and Pa Bush too). You preach hatred and display your power in small minded and ignorant ways. You demean, I mean lead the most amazing country in the world with a VP who made 9 million dollars in 2005, while in office; one might question where your/his loyalty, your/his true loyalty realy lies (war/travisty is a money maker)? Who is driving this car Mr Bush. Sir we the people are tired of being manipulated by an a Radical Fanatical Cristian who uses his faith to undermine and destroy our beautiful America. I would hope that the next president will have maintained more than a "C" average. So Curious George the complaint about peanuts confuses me, It seems that the peanuts are all you have ever been able to focus on.
Hey beavis, Does "W" stand for "DUH"?

Bush should be ashamed. He has spent nine trillion dollars on defense, including Iraq and Afghanistan. He has cut veterans' benefits, school lunches, levee maintenance funds-- everything but money for war, and tax breaks and subsidies and tax refunds for corporations like Enron and the wealthiest people in America. The poor pay more than their fair share, but the rich don't pay at all. All social and environmental funds were cut, excepting the sixty billion he gave to Halliburton to repair the damage done by cutting six million from levee maintenance.
We now have more mercury in our air. Bush evidently doesn't think he breathes the same air as the rest of us.
We now have more toxic compounds and pig feces in our waters.
He took our nation from peace and prosperity to war and debt.
And this is, don't forget, an illegal war that violates our own doctrine of "just war." We violated the Geneva Convention, the Nuremburg Principles, and made torture the law in America. We were never attacked- Bush even turned down Saddam's offer to bring in the US Army to search the entire country for WMD's. Bush preferred war.
Bush censored the Swiss Ambassador for bringing an offer from Iran to stop uranium enrichment and negotiate our differences.
Bush prefers war, because his cronies are set up to profit from destruction-- from conflict, crisis, and catastrophe. They're addicted to oil at triple the price it was when Bush was appointed by the Supreme Court, which ruled: "...counting votes would be unfair to Bush..."
They stifle innovation and reduce the free press to a puppet show.
Inevitably, the light of truth will dawn to subdue this vampire administration.

C. Perry,

Just give up...please!!!! Your whining shows how pathetic an individual you really are.

I say if we want this all to go away, tell the politicians to shut up, quit bickering amongst each other(same country means same side)and actually do what they promise, and look out for the people they are supposed to be serving and quit looking for a way to fatten their pockets at our expense, and the expense of our troops lives. Are we in the dark ages? or are we on our way back to the dark ages?

History will confirm that indeed Dubya has been the worst President in the history of this great nation. Not only is he the worst president but he leads the worst administration with the likes of "rapid-fire" Cheney, Karl Rove, Donald Rumsfield, John Ashroft, Condi Rice, Josh Bolton, Alberto Gonzales and the list goes on and on. How much time do you have? And there is never any real accountabilty on this President nor his administration. They can lie, deceit, cheat and send the nations sons and daughters to an unjustified war which has nothing to do with Sept 11 attacks; they can take the eyes of the perpetrators of the attack - Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan to a nation which has large surplus of Oil.

Now when the more realistic Dems have decided enough is enough and its time - after almost half a trillion dollars on war spending, over 3200 dead American soldiers, over 20,000 injured troops and still no shelter from terrorism - to pull the troops out by a certain date. His plan is to send more troops in and call it a surge.....well they say "Stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results".

Not only will this president go down in history as the worst president but also as the "stupidest" one.

hey, at least he didn't call them "peanuts of mass destruction"

As a Canadian, I have seen this tragic endeavor into Iraq from outside-the box. I have seen the fervor and hysteria of post 9/11, and the quick-fix mentality of your beliefs. I looked in absolute disbelief as your commander-in-chief linked Iraq with al Queda. He stated the world had to make a choice, you're either with us or against us. He has shown that the United Stes government is a dysfunctional entity. How could Congress and the Senate blindly follow his escapade? He has been entwined with the military-industrial complex since his inauguration. President Eisenhower stated in his farewell address that Americans had to be vigilant for the power of the "military-industrial complex" threatened the welfare and the liberty of America. Yet with each generation comes the ability to be ignorant of the past. Well, the past has become the present once again, and I fear the future for years ahead. There is no getting out of this mess now -- it will only escalate and expand. The seeds have been sown, all in the name of freedom, or should I say power and profit. When historians look upon this era of American politics, they shall see a nation of brute force and of the sheep that followed. In all fairness, it is only when the PEOPLE run the government that there shall be democracy. Yet as long as the division of people and politics remains, there shall be the tyrants and the oppressed.

Bush certainly has no claim to fiscal responsibility. He inherited a government that had produced huge surplusses year after year and turned it into one with the biggest annual deficits in history. He ignored unprecedented pork added bills sponsored by the Republican majorities in Congress, vetoing nothing in his first 6 years as deficits grew to record levels.
All Americans would like to see clean bills and the line item veto, but the so called "conservative" Republicans, who had 6 years to pass such legislation, did no such thing. Instead they gorged on pork, making their Democratic predecessors look like piker. His claims of Republican fiscal discipline are empty words, belied by the actions of his cronies and his failure to stop them.

For the president to attack these bills in this way is sadly ironic and typical. How can Bush dare to use the American people's aversion to higher taxes in an attempt to draw support for his stance against what is actually being proposed by congress? In his argument he fails to acknowledge that his stance of continuing U.S. involvement will cost astronomically more money to the American people in the long run then the proposal of drawing back. I guess he reasons that as long as he isn’t in office when it comes time to pay then he has somehow escaped obligation.

I think that they gotta stop this war. Wow, the fact still pops in my head that i don't see Mr.Bush going out on the field of battle (though some people want him to get out there and never be seen again). But all kidding aside, cut it out Bush, your cute little games aren't funny anymore. Just give it up, with about 80% or more of America hating your guts just quit before it becomes 100%. Soon even Condolezza won't be there by your side anymore.

I'm totally disgusted by the lies that Bush continues to try to get away with. And I'm insulted that he appears to continue to think that I'm so dumb that I'm going to believe them.

There's no question that Nancy and the Dems loaded up the bill with pork. But it's also without question that the Republicans did that and worse when they were in power. You didn't see Bush moaning and sputtering about it when it happened over and over in the previous six years. Who shipped a completely loaded cargo plane of hundred dollar bills to Iraq and then lost the whole wad?! It's a statement about how much cleaning up we still have to do in Congress that the Dems had to load the bill with pork to pass it.

Better this bill and some accountability than more of the totally incompetent and unbelieveably out of control Bush agenda!

This government has always cost us more than it is worth. Politics is nothing more than reciprocity. A politician will always vote for something that will turn around and vote for him. Let's get on with putting an end to this war.

Caution Mr. President .... Eat your peanuts one by one. A handful is as dangerous to your health as one large pretzel! Mr. President you are one big goober. Your failed, incompetent, lying administration is soooooo responsible for the total mess that is now Iraq, and the billions of wasted taxpayer dollars that are required to keep this fiasco alive. Tell me again how nine billion dollars spent in Iraq can not be accounted for!

Wow-- all this talk from W on how Dems will be raising taxes... no mention of the $100s of billions burned in the desert for no reason that could have gone towards supporting the tax cuts he so desperately wants to maintain. W is no fool, he knows that 80% of Americans are not bright when it comes to politics and that when they hear the government is going to take more of their money, they run the other way. It's a shameful byproduct of capitalism and a terrible education system.

Before a big game, would you tell a football coach exactly which plays he has to run in the third quarter of the game and announce it to everyone, including the opposing team? Of course not. Yet this is the way Democrats are trying to run a war and more than a simple game is at stake. It's bad war strategy no matter what political party is behind it. Everyone knows that the bill would not have passed if the Democrats hadn't put in so much pork to bribe members of their own party to vote for the bill. That's the issue. The Democrats claim that this is what the people of America want but in reality, they can't convince even Democratic politicians to support it without these special interest payoffs. They will never propose a clean spending bill with a timeline to get us out of Iraq because they know the bill wouldn't pass. When will politicians realize that they are speaking to more than one audience? All they are thinking about is people who might vote for them and they are totally ignoring the fact how Al-Qaida, Iran, and even our allies are listening to their words and see us as unreliable loosers. This strengthens terrorists and weakes our friendships and credibily abroad.

So if 20000 Amercians die due to terorists contaminating peanuts, can we finally send him the bill?
The recent food contamination scares should be telling us something. Food security is in fact more important that damn near anything else. I won't go into the details in case there are (stupid) terrorists reading this, but its very plausible that we can lose a lot more people than we have in 9/11 and Iraq combined.

If the Dems were serious about winning the war, they would have presented a spending bill that substituted that $74mil of peanut storage with ammo, body armor and reinforce hummers. What in the world does Shrimp, Dairy products, Spinach and new offices for congress have to do with our Military? Unless they have come out with some gun that shoots out peanuts or better body armor made from shrimp shells, you better rethink your spending of American's hard earned money. Isn't the best way to bring wars to an end to show unrelenting, unstoppable and fierce firepower to the enemy? That's the way we use to win wars before the Dems dismantled our Military strength and turned into the party of appeasement. Yes, of course we want our troops to come home as soon as possible, but it's been several years that Dems have had a chance to develop a plan for winning. All I have seen is a plan for our defeat. You can't really complain about our President when the only thing you have done is seek out ways to destroy the Administration instead of coming up with feasible ways to win, secure our borders, develop energy independence and keep this economy humming. Is this what we will get from our newly elected Democrat majority Congress? If you spent half as much time trying to make this country great as you are tearing it down, we would have been done with Iraq, provided our people with security and helped to make this great Country even more prosperous than it is now. I respect your opinions and definitely encourage debate, but who's side are you on?
Give us a military bill that, I don't know, maybe goes towards THE TROOPS!

President Bush is a complete and total idiot, not to mention arrogant compassionless, evil, bigot.
My 3 year old nephew speaks better and has a better understanding of the world than he.
The simple fact that America hasn't prosecuted this criminal
and all his cronies yet, proves just how rotten and corrupt our government has really become.
There isn't a place in hell hot enough for the pain agony and suffering Bush has caused the world, esp. the middle east.
BTW, Why did WTC 7 collapse like a controlled demolition?
Why did PNAC insist "Need another pearl harbor"?
What about those Cheney iraqis energy meetings?
Where are those WMD's?
Where's the wreckage or any sign of wreckage of any of the crashes on 9-11?
What is the government hiding? Or do they even bother anymore? They are blatent as hell with their crimes.

For the president to attack these bills in this way is sadly ironic and typical. How can Bush dare to use the American people's aversion to higher taxes in an attempt to draw support for his stance against what is actually being proposed by congress? In his argument he fails to acknowledge that his stance of continuing U.S. involvement will cost astronomically more money to the American people in the long run then the proposal of drawing back. I guess he reasons that as long as he isn’t in office when it comes time to pay then he will have somehow escaped obligation.

Bush complaining about pork? This entire war has been one big pork project for Bush's oil buddies and his cronies at Halliburton. Billions of dollars lost in graft and waste, while our troops died without proper body armor,or steel-plated vehicles. Things are much worse over there than our government lets on. Our troops have gone hungry, while Bush's cronies lined their pockets and stuffed their bank accounts. Our boys with devastating injuries come home and are nickle-and-dimed by the VA. They are treated like shifty dicks who are out to cheat somebody. Reservists who lost arms and legs don't get the artificial limbs they deserve. Their neighbors and churches have to throw bake sales to help them. Pitiful. The way Bush has prosecuted this war has been pitiful. And lack of money was not the problem. The problems were greed and incompetence.

Well let him veto the bill.... I think we decrease the Iraq dollars by $10 Billion until it goes to zero.... One way or the other the American People will get their wish.

Remember the US dollar, the next North American Peso. Thank You King George (Bubba) I of Texas!

Bush says the Dem's budget is loaded w/ billions in pork - then he lists examples that total $84 million.

$84 million is not billions. Billions are what is wasted every week in Iraq.

Bush wants to continue dumping over 4 billion a week in Iraq, all unaccounted for and most going to his war-profiteering buddies, despite evidence of rampant corruption.

How many more of our troops have to die because we don't have the cahones to do what needs to be done?

Can we PLEASE start impeaching these criminals?

I also agree we need clean bills. We also need line item vetoes which is long over due!! The pork built in both bills is despicable. Did you notice there is also 6.4 million for the house salaries!!!! Isn't it great when you can issue your own increase in pay. Not many can.

We also need Term Limits. Some of the members of both houses have been there way too long and need to retire. They will still collect a ridiculous amount for a pension but better that than working part time in congress.

I don't know why people aren't getting ticked off about the salary and expense funds raise for the House of Representatives. Here they are making this bold move to help bring our troops home, and they decide to go ahead and give themselves a raise in the process.

Amazing how the Democrats have suddenly changed their tune. Even Hillary sounds like Kerry They were saying the same thing Bush said before we indvaded Iraq. When the WMD's were spirited to Syria, it is suddenly Bush's war.

Fake arguments, cut and run. Dear Democrats, please learn to lead. You screwed up the Viet Nam war, Now don't cut and run in Iraq.

Countries like Iraq which kidnap soldiers, bomb barracks containing US servicemen need to feel the warm kiss of plutonium.

View of a Former 3rd Infantry Division Soldier

Regardless of what the President says today. He can not escape the fact that he failed our troops. When he stood on that flat top and announced “Mission accomplished”. He accomplished exactly what he’d hoped for.
Saddom’s competitive priced oil would be off the marked. Allowing for the administrations ties with other mid eastern oil to control and profit. We see that at the pump as well as Exxon’s’ yearly earnings. Did you know they have a tanker named Condaliza? The vice’s connections with companies like TBR, Blackwater, Halliburton are the ones that most tend to benefit from the proposed budget.
I feel lethargic when I hear our President standing behind the strong proud chests of our troops
“ My Son” stating that cutting war funding will only hurt the troops. Bull! My Navy combat soldier of two tours still wears the flak jacket I bought him off E-Bay and had $30.00 garnished from his pay to reimburse supply contractors for the magazine (clip) he lost in the Iraq sand. Listen to those who go.

Bush is a swaggering war machine, a moronic religious fanaticist. He is his own mega image of a Godly war president and Cheney is archangel Liar in Chief. Maybe Bush hates peanuts because Carter raised peanuts, was way smarter, and won a Nobel Prize for his humanitarian efforts.

There is no reason for the war in Irag; Bush's oil pals want control of the oil and Cheney's Halliburton (and maybe Secretary Baker, too) continue the charade.

Cheney has never done anything beneficial for America. His center and ambition "If you don't support the war you don't support the troops!" a stupid statement lacking in his usual cunning. The people want out! Now!

Peanuts or War. When I enlisted the issue than was hostages in Iran. America had the son of a Peanut Farmer in the Ovbal Office than. As I recall, no one liked his solutions either. I agree, clean bills from Congress. Address the issue and lets come up with something we are not going to have to re address 20 years from now.
Ask the Russians about Afganistan.

It's almost incredulous that Bush ignores the heart of the bill and attacks the Democrat