Defense Over-Spending 5 Billion?

Congressional Pawns

September 16th, 2008

Laurie Kellman of the Associated Press wrote today that the Senate did a test vote to see is the FY 2009 defense bill had a chance of passing if brought to a real vote… It did. The real vote is scheduled for 17 September in the PM.

Why was everyone concerned if it would pass? In the 2009 Defense bill an additional $5 Billion in pork spending, Senators “Pet projects”, has been added.

And with a politics as usual approach, if any Senator disagrees with the bill’s passage that Senator would be labeled as anti-troops. By voting against the bill the Senator would be voting against the pay raise – that is what some members of Congress want you to think.

Look, I am all for a pay raise, it should be much higher than the proposed 3.9% – Lord knows our military members deserve better compensation – but DANG! Don’t on one side of your mouth suggest that spending is out of control, we have a huge deficit and our children’s children will not have any chance for quality of life because of the resources they will have to expend to clean up this generation’s mess and on the other side start whispering “pet projects” into spending bills. When are we going to hear about a “saving bill”?

The proposed 3.9% military raise for FY-2009 is not in question, I am unaware of any congressional member who opposes it (heck, some want to increase it). I truly believe if the pay and benefit section of this bill came up for vote by itself it would have passed both houses and been signed by the President already – it is a shame the personnel portions of the bill are not separate – Military members and their families should not be used as pawns to hide and push pork barrel pet projects!