How Congress may block a troop 'surge'

[rodeodance]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20070111/ts_csm/aconstraint

How Congress may block a troop 'surge'

By Gail Russell Chaddock, Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
Thu Jan 11, 3:00 AM ET



WASHINGTON - If Congress decides to block the president's plan for a troop buildup in Iraq, it has all the clout it needs - at least on parchment - to trim war funding through its power of the purse. Call it the Murtha plan.



Congress can also opt to push back with hearings, investigations, and resolutions that condemn an escalation of the war or require President Bush to return to Congress for approval before committing troops. Call that the Kennedy plan.

Choosing which strategy to pursue is causing heated debate within the new Democratic majority, which believes it owes its power to an election-season promise to begin withdrawing US troops. They are joined by a growing number of Republicans who - at least in the run-up to Mr. Bush unveiling his Iraq plan Wednesday - were reluctant to send more Americans into a war they believed could not be won.

But even at the lowest public-approval ratings of his career, Bush as commander in chief brings powerful assets to any conflict with Congress over the conduct of war. He can rally the public (as he hopes to do with Wednesday night's speech). He can order troop movements before Congress can thwart them. He can delay requests for supplemental war funding to blunt Congress's power of the purse.

.................

[JuniperLea]

1. Bush garnered all these war powers, Patriot Act and all, based on lies

It's called fraud. Investigate that, take away the power, set the little man in the corner, spike his hot cocoa and take away his Nintendo...

[AndyA]

2. Bush missed.

But even at the lowest public-approval ratings of his career, Bush as commander in chief brings powerful assets to any conflict with Congress over the conduct of war. He can rally the public (as he hopes to do with Wednesday night's speech).

There will be no rally. Expect approval ratings to continue their decline.

Yet the insane Bush goes boldly forward, where no sane man dares to go. (Que Star Trek theme music here.)

[JuniperLea]

7. Oh, he will rally the people alright!

They will be protesting all over the place tonight... protesting Bush and his evil, evil plans.


:)

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

3. I don't agree with one of Murtha's lines...

--snip--

Representative Murtha worries that if Democrats settle for a quick, symbolic gesture, they could curb momentum for stronger action on the spending side. Should the president veto the Kennedy resolution, or another like it, it would require a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate to override the veto. "It's not clear we have it," he says.

--snip--

Quite the opposite, I think Bush trying to veto the diplomatic option would be proof positive to the American public that drastic action needs to be taken.

[Mojorabbit]

4. The surge has already begun

Too late to stop it now.

[fuzzyball]

5. That's right, troops are already ordered to report....

and it will take only 1 senator to filibuster any bill
to stop funding the surge. Sen McConnell is on the news
today saying he will filibuster any attemt to defund the
troops.

[LiberalFighter]

8. Then make it rough for Bush

by cutting funding elsewhere.

The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services, a compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that period any other emolument from the United States, or any of them. (I don't see anything for VP compensation in Constitution.)

Depending on how compensation is defined Congress could cut/reduce funding for parties, mailings, transportation, video games, cable/satellite services, unnecessary supplies and other incidental expenses. Also, staffing, housing, clothing and other expenses that is in the First Lady budget.

What departments would be good to reduce? Commerce? Faith Funding? Office of Management and Budget? Office of National Drug Control Policy?

[bigdarryl]

6. BULL the troops are already on there way congress isn't going to do shit