The Great Budgetary Opportunity Posted by Gordon Adams

The emergency funding for the Global War on Terror – that $100 b. bill the administration sent Congress in February is growing and mutating before our eyes.  In the House, it is now a $124 b. bill.

As Congress begins to move the fiscal year 2007 emergency supplemental bill for the global war on terror, it is worth observing the game being played between the Hill and the White House.  There is much to be learned.

The budgetary principal seemed clear: emergency bills should be for emergency needs – things that were not anticipated in advance and are urgently needed.

The administration has violated this principle ever since they began asking for emergency money.  Much of the emergency funding has, understandably, supported the war efforts in Afghanistan and, especially Iraq.   But the opportunity could not be resisted. 

Emergency funds have already been used to begin the long-term restructuring of the Army into modular brigades.  After two years of this, these restructuring funds were put in the regular base budget.  That was until this new FY 2007 emergency opportunity arose, when the Army threw back in another $3.6 b. for “modularity,” though they had said they would not.

Then there was the opportunity to expand the size of the Army and the Marine Corps, an expansion that could only be useful around 2011-12, certainly not to relieve force stress in Iraq.  But in went $4.9 b. to cover the pay for an increased force (and $1.7 b. to add on their equipment).

Emergency funds have also been used in prior years to buy more aircraft, refit more Abrams tanks, buy more Bradley armored personnel carriers.  While it is certainly true that equipment is being used heavily in Iraq and some of it being lost, the lead times on new equipment go well past the utility of deployment in the Gulf, making this a more normal replacement cycle than an emergency. 

Yet, the administration’s new emergency request for this year sought more than $25 b. in equipment, including one V-22 aircraft ($146 m.), two F-35 joint strike fighters ($389 m.), five C-130J cargo planes ($388 m.), and five E/A-18G electronic warfare aircraft ($450 m.).  Not to speak of the $1.6 b. for the Army’s Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles, $573 m. for the Family of Heavy Tactical vehicles, and $530 m. to support the production base for the Bradley fighting vehicle. 

All this when, according to the Government Accountability Office, the Army has trouble tracking equipment cost for this replacement (and expansion) program it calls “reset.”

Some of these requirements turned out not to be so urgent, after all.  When it came time this month to ask for extra funding to support the Iraqi surge, rather than run up to Congress with a request for an additional $3.1 b., the Defense Department agreed to fall on its sword, and proposed taking out some of the offending items, notably the V-22s, F-35s, and C-130Js, and F/A-18Gs and use the fiscal space this created to add in funds to send another brigade to Afghanistan, and another 4,000 soldiers to Iraq, beyond the 21,500 supported in the original bill.  But a lot of the non-emergency funding remains in the bill, notably the Army’s vehicles and Bradley funding, as well as the modularity and force expansion funds. 

At the same time, Congress is using the emergency request to gather a majority for proposals that would lead to the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq.  This bill is the horse that will carry that Democratic proposal.  Getting enough votes for withdrawal was not only a question of language, but one of money, as well.   Some of the proposed additions fit with the emergency context, like $1.1 b. more for Army operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, $2.5 b. to support readiness programs for troops still in the United States, and more than $1.7 b. to expand treatment for war veterans returning home.  In addition, other domestic programs will be funded in significant amounts in the eventual bill to encourage political support for the bill.

At the same time, the appropriators have not resisted the opportunity to include defense items that bear a questionable relationship to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The House appropriators have recommended $2.3 b. for the questionable effort to expand the overall size of the Army and Marines by 45,000.  They have left untouched funding for Abrams tank upgrades, tactical trucks and Bradley fighting vehicles, as well as the funding for the V-22 and C-130Js.  And they left in one of the EA-18G surveillance planes and added $192 m. for three additional EA-18E/F planes.

It seems that neither the administration, nor the Congress, can fully resist the opportunity and “emergency” provides to pay for things that might better be considered in the base budget request for the Department of Defense.  The resulting bill could have the effect of curbing the Iraq policy at the cost of expanding fiscal blood-letting at home.

Comments

[Gordon Adams]

To add a footnote to the post. The Democrats have added more than $20 b. to the administration's emergency bill, largely to gather a broader range of votes. The add-ons include $4.3 b. for agricultural disaster relief, $2.9 b. for Gulf Coast hurricane recovery, $2.5 b. for homeland security, $1 b. for pandemic flu preparedness, and $735 m. for the State Children's Health Insurance Program. All good things; do they belong on an emergency supplemental or in a good budget donneybrook with the administration?

[Zathras]

I too have been impressed by the absence of any administration official, Senator or Congressman willing to serve as a gatekeeper, not so much with respect to substance but rather with respect to process.

Some of the substance, like the V-22, is really bad; we were well into our second war with Iraq before armed Iraqis managed to kill as many Marines as that damned airplance has, and it's still not deployable there. The point that I fear most of the public does not understand is that it is much harder for anyone in Washington to challenge bad substance if the legislative process is accelerated. The way you accelerate process in Congress is by cutting people out, and doing these yearly supplementals shuts out everyone who isn't on the House and Senate Appropriations Committee.

This is piled on top of the normal yearly appropriations process, which has tended to marginalize authorizing committees already. At least under the yearly appropriations the administration has to submit a budget, and justifications for the major items it wants to spend money on. This doesn't guarantee Congressional opposition to bad spending, but it does provide the opportunity for it. With the supplementals even that opportunity is gone.

[Mike Hersh]

Please Call Congress Now: No More Money for War!
The House Appropriations Committee is taking up the "Supplemental" spending bill for the war at 9 a.m. on Thursday. Whatever comes out of that committee will go to the full House for a vote. Call 202-224-3121 today and ask for your congress member's office. Or find their number: http://www.democrats.com/congress

Ask your Congress member to demand a floor vote on Barbara Lee's amendment to the "Supplemental" for a "fully funded withdrawal" - and to vote YES on that Amendment. Lee's amendment would require all Iraq war funding be spent on a safe withdrawal by the end of this year. Ask your representative to announce they will vote NO on the Supplemental unless Lee's amendment passes.

We did not elect a Democratic majority to spend another $93 billion for the Iraq War and Occupation. Items added to the bill (help for veterans, Katrina victims, farmers, etc.) all can and should be passed separately and cannot justify a vote to fund the war. Tell your member to support and vote for the Lee Amendment to fully fund a safe, orderly withdrawal from Iraq. (Thanks to Afterdowningstreet.org)
Don't let this become the Democrats' War

That's the headline of PDA's hard-hitting news release issued today. But before reading it, take action: If you haven't contacted your Congress members to support the Lee Amendment for fully-funded withdrawal from Iraq by the end of 2007, please do that now. Call (and get others to call) Congress at 1-202-224-3121 or toll-free 1-888-851-1879. Despite the voters' mandate last November to change course, Democratic leaders in Congress seem bent on facilitating and funding President Bush's deepening war in Iraq. Democrats should vote no on the loophole-ridden supplemental bill that would prolong the disastrous and counter-productive occupation of Iraq. [read more] (Thanks to Progressive Democrats of America)
Is your congress member on this list? Members who need to hear from you now!
Please contact these House members and ask them to vote for Rep. Barbara Lee's Amendment to the Appropriations Bill: Loebsack, McDermott, Holt, Frank, Payne, Cummings, Watt, Davis (IL), Carson, Capuano, Hare, Welch, Kilpatrick, Gutierrez, Jackson, Tubbs-Jones, Farr, and Schakowsky.

Is your congress member on the House Appropriations Committee? - write and call them to demand they support Rep. Barbara Lee's Amendment:

Democrats David R. Obey, Wisconsin, Chair | John P. Murtha, Pennsylvania | Norman D. Dicks, Washington | Alan B. Mollohan, West Virginia | Marcy Kaptur, Ohio | Peter J. Visclosky, Indiana | Nita M. Lowey, New York | José E. Serrano, New York | Rosa L. DeLauro, Connecticut | James P. Moran, Virginia | John W. Olver, Massachusetts | Ed Pastor, Arizona | David E. Price, North Carolina | Chet Edwards, Texas | Robert E. "Bud" Cramer, Jr., Alabama | Patrick J. Kennedy, Rhode Island | Maurice D. Hinchey, New York | Lucille Roybal-Allard, California | Sam Farr, California | Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., Illinois | Carolyn C. Kilpatrick, Michigan | Allen Boyd, Florida | Chaka Fattah, Pennsylvania | Steven R. Rothman, New Jersey | Sanford Bishop, Georgia | Marion Berry, Arkansas | Barbara Lee, California | Tom Udall, New Mexico | Adam Schiff, California | Michael Honda, California | Betty McCollum, Minnesota | Steve Israel, New York | Tim Ryan, Ohio | C.A "Dutch" Ruppersberger, Maryland | Ben Chandler, Kentucky | Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Florida | Ciro Rodriguez, Texas

Republicans: Jerry Lewis, California, Ranking Member | C.W. Bill Young, Florida | Ralph Regula, Ohio | Harold Rogers, Kentucky | Frank R. Wolf, Virginia | James T. Walsh, New York | David L. Hobson, Ohio | Joe Knollenberg, Michigan | Jack Kingston, Georgia | Rodney P. Frelinghuysen, New Jersey | Roger F. Wicker, Mississippi | Todd Tiahrt, Kansas | Zach Wamp, Tennessee | Tom Latham, Iowa | Robert B.Aderholt, Alabama | Jo Ann Emerson, Missouri | Kay Granger, Texas | John E. Peterson, Pennsylvania | Virgil H. Goode, Jr., Virginia | John T. Doolittle, California | Ray LaHood, Illinois | Dave Weldon, Florida | Michael K. Simpson, Idaho | John Abney Culberson, Texas | Mark Steven Kirk, Illinois | Ander Crenshaw, Florida | Dennis R. Rehberg, Montana | John Carter, Texas | Rodney Alexander, Louisiana

[cheap Final Fantasy XI Gold]

FF11 is very famous now. My friends like to play it and buy FFXI Gil. If you have money to buy FFXI gold, you will find it is very useful. Earning Final Fantasy XI gold is not so hard. Try your best and then you can get it. I buy FFXI Gil, just because I like it.

[Tag Heuer replica watches]

we don't think it is reasonable to spend hundreds thousands dollars to buy a decorating watch. you can use those money to invest in other industry which will return you good profit.
here you just need to spend 100-200 dollars to buy a replica rolex watches.
Tag Heuer replica watches are made by the rating 1:1 according to the original watches, and you can't distinguish the original and the fake watches when you look at the surface of the watches.

[Arua ROSE zuly]

my brother says rose zulie is his favorite games gold he likes,

[Rom Gold]

Once I played Rom Gold, I did not know how to get strong, someone told me that you must have Rom Gold. He gave me some Runes of Magic Gold.

[priston tale Gold]

Do you like playing the game where you need to use priston tale Gold, when you do not have priston tale Money,

[Replica Bottega Veneta bags]

Do you like playing the game where you need to use priston tale Gold,

[Bvlgari replica Bracelets]

Do you like playing the game where you need to use priston tale Gold,

[luxury watches]

I am so with you,rolex watch
luxury watch

[injection molding]

Booklets printed by China printing is very good quality and good prices.
Plastic products made by plastic injection molding services with low costs and supeior quality
Shoring scaffolding for construction is a very useful tool.

[cheap coach handbags]

Thank you for your sharing! I like i very much!

[rado watches]

If you have PANERAI Watches , I still have my idea to achieve.

[gucci sneakers]

Produced pioneering spirit is very difficult.

[watches]

If you like your Raymond Weil Replica big,bold,and durable,then the new GA100 line of G-Shocks will make your day.Available in white,yellow,and black,you get the "basic" G-Shock feature set in a new,larger case for a list price of only $99:Water resistant to 200m (660ft).Resin case,mineral crystal.Anti-magnetic case structure.Servo controlled hour and minute hands with 4-LCD digital displays.1/1000th of a second stop Panerai Replica Watches with unique "Speed" dial (tachometer).48 city world time,stop Cartier Replica Watches,countdown timer,five alarms.Casio module 5081 (PDF) with a 2 year battery life.LED dial illumination,automatic or manual with adjustable time duration.51mm across by 17mm thick,65g,22mm strap.(A bit larger than most G-Shocks,but quite light in weight.)Please read on for the rest of the review and pictures.Casio has been introducing bolder colors of late,and the X-Large series (as the GA100s are known) continues the trend.Look at the closeup here and notice that the hands and markers are actually purple! IWC Replica Watches not something that jumps out on the wrist,but you can see it up close.The white of the case and dial is bright and polished,yielding stormtrooper jokes from my friends.This is not a Omgea Replica Watches that goes unnoticed! The white does,however,look great on a tanned arm and is a very inexpensive way to make a statement.At $99,the GA-100 line is less expensive than many G-Shocks,and I'd be hard pressed to find any others for that price that included the more complex analog-digital functionality.Obviously missing are solar power and atomic timekeeping (radio setting),though for the price,I'm still impressed.Case construction is that of most G-Shocks: resin case,screwed stainless steel caseback,inset crosshatched buttons,integral raised bezel.The strap is an integrated,dual-tang thorn buckle,and is quite comfortable.One new feature on the GA-100s is the "speed" dial at 12 o'clock.You set a distance,then use the stop Breitling Replica Watches to measure times.Once you've done so,the dial indicates speed.Basically a tachometer,though digital and on a subdial instead of the bezel as normally seen.Might be useful for racing fans,coaches and the like.Also of note is the fact that the stop Breguet Replica Watches is unusual,measuring the ludicrously precise 1/1000th of a second up to 100 hours.Given human reflexes,I'm dubious as to how much of that precision is useful,but Jaeger LeCoultre Replica certainly quite cool and not commonly seen.On the wrist,the GA-100 is very comfortable.The light weight is spread across a larger area,reducing the already-light weight.The hands are easy to read at a glance,though the LCD panels are a bit more reflective than I'd like and take a bit more effort to read.Two overall comments: First,it's a G-Shock,meaning that functionally,it's impeccable.Bulletproof,inexpensive,functional,and reliable.Secondly,the size and bold colors will either appeal to your,or they won't,so make your decision based on whether you like it or not.At $99,it's an easy Gucci Replica Watchesh to recommend.Our thanks to Casio PR for the review unit.By Paul Hubbard; For updates on content,follow Concord Replica Watches Report on Twitter.

[watches]

I suppose it is thethickness of Replica Jacques Lemans that insulates the movement.The luminosity of tReplica Jaeger LeCoultre is great; large hands and markers ensure plenty of room for luminous paint,and I seldom found myself wishing the Holotype glowed more brightly.The 12 clock arrow on the bezel is also painted and glows like a torch,a nice Replica Levis for timing events in less than ideal light.Esthetically,the yellow dial is so much better then I had guesed it would be.I usually stick to black dials on most of my Replica Longines,but I thought I would give the yellow dial a try and I am very glad I did.It is bright and seems to be a semi gloss that reflects just enough light that it stands out from the PVD case;The bracelet Replica Mont Blanc the case in every way.It is thick,solid,quiet,smooth,and didn't pull a single hair from my wrist.All of the links are screwed together so sizing the bracelet is Replica Movado.A quick word of warning: the screws do not seem especially tight from the factory so I recommend sizing he bracelet then tightening each link completely (my failure to do so cost me a tiny screw).You might even consider a little Loctite 242 (Replica Omega).The fold over clasp has a push button release,and has a very secure fliplock.The end links are solid and secured by 24mm screws.The packaging on the Holotype is far more then one would expect.My unit shipped in at tan colored faux leather travel case that houses the watch,warranty card,manual,tools,rubber strap,and polishing cloth.

[China Tent]

I was actually looking for this resource a few weeks back. Thanks for sharing with us your wisdom.This will absolutely going to help me in my projects .

[Liushuanglin198606]

On my Egypt Air flight yesterday to Cairo, I witnessed one of the more intriguing in-flight exchanges that I can remember. A bearded, well-dressed man sitting a few seats behind me began shouting at the flight attendant. He was complaining that the in-flight movie was inappropriate. What are these “offensive images?ugg boots clearance” he asked. These included a 15-minute stretch of the movie where at least one woman at any given time was wearing a bikini. In a couple of scenes at a club, members of opposite sexes were dancing in close proximity while, it appeared, consuming alcoholic beverages. “Are we really all Westernized now?” the man behind me asked, as if posing a question to those of us in the back of the plane.

The man’s arguments were rather interesting. He pointed out that if you took a poll of the passengers,ugg boots outlet most would agree the film was morally offensive. He asked the attendant, “if we ask the passengers what they think and they agree with me, then what will you do?” The attendant responded, “we don’t take public opinion (ra’i al ‘am) on the airplane.” The man was right: most passengers, and most Egyptians – the vast majority of whom don’t drink, go to clubs, or wear bikinis – would object to the film’s content. But at what point do they have the right to restrict minority expressions of unfaithfulness?

It was an odd, amusing exchange that justified the otherwise unpleasant experience of flying on EgyptAir.ugg boots clearance But it was a reminder of the fundamental lack of consensus in the Arab world over the boundaries and limits of the state. There are two groups – Islamists and secular elites – with worldviews which couldn’t be more different. They live parallel lives in parallel worlds, with parallel institutions. They rarely intersect.ugg boots clearance One group believes it has both history and the Egyptian people on its side. The other side, considerably smaller in number, likely has neither. It does, however, have the power.

This stalemate has paralyzed the Arab world for decades now.ugg boots outlet

Sunday’s elections will be just another version of this.ugg boots clearance The main players are the Muslim Brotherhood – populist, religious, and righteous – and the regime coalition which, with its president soon to pass, finds itself in an uncertain place. Both sides are strong in different ways – and weak in others. Neither seems to have anything resembling a coherent strategy for dealing with the impending transition that is soon to come.

ugg boots clearance

[Egitim]

thanks for sharing Sohbet many people are pay more attention to one's wearing than before, especially a watch. Chat .
Perhaps when you went to some place far away Chat you must borrow it from friends Sohbet you can get everything you want in this game
Chat money to invest in other industry which will return you good profit. Sohbet when you look at the surface of the watches
Egitim from the city you live in and thought you knew nobody there exsohbet

[Rashidali]

yupppp

Software Houses

[http://www.orjinkrem.net/]

The major problem I see is the things it altın çilek DOESN'T say: the role of the molivaUN, for instance, tütüne sonand how this is all going formula 21to be paid for.

Some are things orjin kremthat are already being doneorjin for instance, has been Supratall covered extensively by PNAC. altın çilek form setiBut that's to be expected in manxl such a broad recommendation.

[China Inflatable]

Good article, Each and every point is good enough.Thanks for sharing with us your wisdom.

[gclub]

Gclub คาสิโนออนไลน์ ฟุตบอลออนไลน์ หวยออนไลน์ บริการตลอด 24 ชั่วโมง Call Center Tel Ais : 089-398-9294 ถึง 97 Dtac : 090-005-4245 ถึง 46