The War-Funding Bill to End All War-Funding Bills!

Nick Gillespie | June 19, 2009

Yesterday the Senate passed a war-funding bill totaling $106 billion (goddamn, that just seems like chump change these days, doesn't it?), with some of the funds even going to the prosecution of rudderless action in Iraq and Afghanistan. This bill will fund the wars through the end of this fiscal year. And needless to say, it's full of other junk completely unrelated to Iraq and Afghanistan:

At Obama's behest, the bill includes $7.7 billion to prepare for pandemic flu and funding to offer an increased line of credit to the International Monetary Fund. Congress added $1 billion to start the "cash for clunkers" program that will give Americans vouchers of as much as $4,500 to turn in their old cars and purchase more fuel-efficient ones.

Congress has agreed to increase anti-narcotics funding for Mexico, providing an additional $420 million this year to buy helicopters, surveillance aircraft and computers for police and soldiers fighting traffickers. The White House had asked Congress to add $66 million in the bill for Mexico's drug war—about enough to buy three helicopters. But lawmakers had become alarmed about the soaring death toll across the border, and they raised the total.

From $66 million to $420 million? To septuple down on a failed policy of prohibition that creates the violence in the first place? More dough for the IMF? Cash for clunkers? Who can keep track of this sort of stuff, especially when the U.S. is in the worst economic crisis since the disappointing B.O. of the latest Terminator flick and we're all balancing our budgets while wearing pickle barrels and selling apples to unemployed hedge fund operators?

The one good thing coming out of this damnable funding bill, which is precisely the sort of phony emergency supplemental spending bill that President George W. Bush used to fund his wars (now our grandchildren's)? Barack Obama has pronounced that it will be the last such exercise in legislative abuse.

The Obama administration said that this "emergency" spending bill would be the last of its kind, and that subsequent war spending would go through the regular budget process. Congress has authorized $882 billion in 17 such funding bills for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001, according to the Office of Management and Budget.

And given Lord Obama's track record on cutting earmarks out of spending bills, well, don't hold your breath on anything ever changing, except your taxes. Which are going up.

In May 2008, Veronique de Rugy explained how the supplemental funding process was being systematically abused to fund "The Trillion-Dollar War."

Comments

Xeones|6.19.09 @ 10:28AM|#

$420 million this year to buy helicopters, surveillance aircraft and computers for police and soldiers fighting traffickers.

Now, that particular amount has GOT to be a raised middle finger.

spambot|6.19.09 @ 10:33AM|#

During the campaign one was told that things regarding the war would be different under Obama.

And the beat goes on.

Art-P.O.G.|6.19.09 @ 10:35AM|#

This must be why joe left. Too hard to defend.

|6.19.09 @ 10:39AM|#

I suspect he's lying.

Spoonman|6.19.09 @ 10:41AM|#

Damnit, Xeones beat me.

|6.19.09 @ 10:41AM|#

""Yesterday the Senate passed a war-funding bill totaling $106 billion (goddamn, that just seems like chump change these days, doesn't it?),"""

Sadly, yes.

Hey, it's only 1/10 of a trillion. That's pocket change, right?

I'm really surprise that Obama ratings haven't started tanking. I'm still holding on to my prediction that his ratings will be in the 30s by Christmas.

66 million for three helos? What are they equiped with $1000 toliet seats and $5000 wrenches?

|6.19.09 @ 10:43AM|#

"""This must be why joe left. Too hard to defend."""

Can ya blame him? Hell, he should be pissed off at Obama. Maybe it's not the difficulty of defense as much as avoiding the told you so.

Xeones|6.19.09 @ 10:44AM|#

Too hard to defend.

Not just hard -- impossible. But joe was so egotistical and so invested in Hopey McChange he could never back down from his own ridiculous praise of the man. You might say his hard-on for Obama was too big to fail, even when every prObama talking point joe shat into this forum turned out to be a damned lie.

Frankly, i consider the departure of joe from this board to be one of the major victories of modern libertarianism, which i guess doesn't say much for modern libertarianism.

|6.19.09 @ 10:45AM|#

I wish he'd come back. Once he admitted that his hero was just another lying SOB, we'd gather him in our arms in loving welcome.

Come on, joe. We'll forgive you your misguided past.

|6.19.09 @ 10:46AM|#

Or maybe his so depressed with Obama he can't get out of bed to blog.

|6.19.09 @ 10:47AM|#

his = he's

Art-P.O.G.|6.19.09 @ 10:51AM|#

Maybe it's not the difficulty of defense as much as avoiding the told you so.

I hope not. I don't think anyone most people would rub it in too hard.

Xeones|6.19.09 @ 11:07AM|#

Once he admitted that his hero was just another lying SOB, we'd gather him in our arms in loving welcome.

I don't think his pride would let him do that, so he took his ball and went home instead. Which, really, amounts to the same thing. I do miss his RED/BLUE shouting matches with John.

Xeones|6.19.09 @ 11:10AM|#

I don't think anyone most people would rub it in too hard.

Um, how long have you been reading Hit'n'Run? They'd have to change the name to Hitjoe'n'Runover'im. It would be brutal. The dude knew it, and he couldn't admit to being wrong, and he couldn't hang.

Xeones|6.19.09 @ 11:12AM|#

Assuming he does still lurk around these parts, i'm sure right now he's thinking, "Pwned! I still loom large in the minds of those libertarians!" Furiously masturbating.

Team America|6.19.09 @ 11:13AM|#

You're worse than Matt Welch.

420/66=6.36

So, assuming the numbers are correct then even with rounding it's only a sextuple. Or 536% more. Not 636% more.

Isn't that bad enough?

Unwarranted exaggeration discredits your ability to use reason and not only taints this presentation but all others as well.

|6.19.09 @ 11:18AM|#

Joe is waiting patiently in the wings. He will be back to rub your faces in it when Obama's policies are so wildly successful that he is assured a second term.

spambot|6.19.09 @ 11:27AM|#

Damn brotherben, that was so awesome it has to be somebody spoofing you. Even your faith in our President can't be that solid.

|6.19.09 @ 11:31AM|#

Team America -

Is that a drink?

|6.19.09 @ 11:32AM|#

Unwarranted exaggeration discredits your ability to use reason and not only taints this presentation but all others as well.

There's gotta be a DRINK! in there, somewhere.

Probably two.

jtuf|6.19.09 @ 11:32AM|#

Congress added $1 billion to start the "cash for clunkers" program that will give Americans vouchers of as much as $4,500 to turn in their old cars and purchase more fuel-efficient ones.

I knew it! Big Green is secretly behind the Iraq War. They orchestrated the whole thing. Follow the money people, follow the money.

jtuf|6.19.09 @ 11:34AM|#

Art-P.O.G. | June 19, 2009, 10:35am | #

This must be why joe left. Too hard to defend.

I'm giving Joe the benefit of the doubt and assuming he's in a hospital somewhere without internet access.

|6.19.09 @ 11:41AM|#

It could be much simpler. Joe made his arguments during the campaign. His man is in office doing everything to Joe's liking. Joe, knowing his positions fell on deaf ears, has the good form not to come around simply to gloat.

z|6.19.09 @ 11:43AM|#

Cash for clunkers = broken windows. Don't these people have even a basic notion of economics? You can't improve the economy by destroying stuff. What about all the low income people whose usual source of sub $3000 cars will now be headed for the scrap dump? I don't think I can take it anymore.

|6.19.09 @ 11:48AM|#

Cash for Clunkers

That could be the theme of the next RNC fundraiser.

|6.19.09 @ 11:49AM|#

P Brooks. Now that is a friday funny.

|6.19.09 @ 12:11PM|#

What about all the low income people whose usual source of sub $3000 cars will now be headed for the scrap dump?...

Oh, they get a $4500 "voucher" toward the purchase of a much more expensive vehicle that they can't really afford, the total price of which will be increased by $4500 or so by the connected dealerships that will be selling them. Plus they get to make monthly car payments instead of owning a vehicle outright - much better for the finance institiutions.

There's a program like that in Texas. The car dealers love it - well some of them do anyway.

Team America|6.19.09 @ 12:12PM|#

@Bronwyn & P Brooks

You're Luddites. I use an AI-controlled 10% ethanol IV infusion (

Team America|6.19.09 @ 12:14PM|#

...and a urinary catheter.

|6.19.09 @ 12:18PM|#

A very wise poster hereabouts suggested I do some light reading on basic econ.

re: the clunker voucher. Could this spur folks to trade in their pos for a payment they can't afford in the long run? The car market bubble is the new housing market bubble?

|6.19.09 @ 12:19PM|#

Team America, just be careful. Don't get the bags mixed up.

LoonBoy|6.19.09 @ 12:19PM|#

"That could be the theme of the next RNC fundraiser."

The RNC has been out performing the DNC's fund raising by about 3-1.

|6.19.09 @ 1:06PM|#

The Obama administration said that this "emergency" spending bill would be the last of its kind

This is my last cigarette. I'm quitting tomorrow. No really! I'm quitting tomorrow, so this cigarette doesn't count. Watch, this is the last. Just as soon as I finish this pack I'm quitting. Only three more cigarettes in the pack, and then I'm quitting tomorrow morning. Trust me, this is the last. I still have two more packs in the carton, but I'm quitting tomorrow so it's okay. This is my last cigarette.

Paul|6.19.09 @ 1:18PM|#

Congress added $1 billion to start the "cash for clunkers" program that will give Americans vouchers of as much as $4,500 to turn in their old cars and purchase more fuel-efficient ones.

They're actually going to do this? This thing is real?

|6.19.09 @ 1:30PM|#

I have a little piece o shyte 91 mazda I would love to get 4500 clams for. tons o miles, wrecked on one fender, seats dead from a carload of fatties. Trouble is, the oil looks new still at 3000 miles and it gets 36 mpg all around.

Oh yeah, I don't have money for an extra payment so the mazda is still a sweet sweet ride.

|6.19.09 @ 1:59PM|#

I need to find somebody who wants a new car; I'll let him cash in my 454 Suburban, if he goes halfsies with me on the 4500 bucks.

Paul|6.19.09 @ 2:43PM|#

I need to find somebody who wants a new car; I'll let him cash in my 454 Suburban, if he goes halfsies with me on the 4500 bucks.

Won't work. You *must* purchase a new vehicle, and the $4,500 is wired directly to the participating dealer, who mysteriously marked the vehicle up $4,500 right before you purchase.

Think I'm kidding?

|6.19.09 @ 5:10PM|#

Appropriately enough, a googling of Lonewacko's real name comes up with a #1 result containing

I Knew Pussy Galore. Pussy Galore Was a Friend of Mine. And You, Nancy Pelosi, Are No Pussy Galore

|6.22.09 @ 10:36AM|#

Hugh, the only complaing i've seen about war funding has been here on Reason. But that's about it.

|6.22.09 @ 10:36AM|#

haha, mispost.