[PLUG-TALK] Kerry on the $87 billion (was: body armor)

[Russell Senior]

Here is a snippet of the debate on a proposed amendment to the $87
billion Iraq bill last fall, what Bush says makes Kerry a
"flip-flopper".  Kerry's amendment was that the $87 billion be paid
for by increasing the top taxrate to compensate for the spent funds.
This, I think indicates the reason Kerry ultimately voted against the
bill:

   [Page: S12321]

   [...]

   Mr. KERRY. Madam President, thank you very much. I will proceed
   until such time as the unanimous consent request is put into
   effect.

   I listened carefully to the comments of the Senator from Delaware,
   and obviously the Senator from Utah. I think the comments of the
   Senator from Utah do not really change the equation at all because
   the real question here is, Why is America being asked to pay this
   $87 billion? What is the context within which the average citizen
   of America, the average taxpayer is now being told, Whoops, we have
   a whole different situation here. We have to pay $87 billion in
   addition to the $79 billion Americans have already invested in the
   war to date.

   Most Americans think this is sort of the bill for the war. It is
   not. We are well over $160 billion or $170 billion already once you
   add the $87 billion, and most people believe it is going to go
   beyond that.

   The question is, What is the fair distribution of this burden in
   the overall context of our economy to the average taxpayer of
   America? Is it right for President Bush and for the Republicans to
   be asking America to give an enormous tax cut to the wealthiest of
   Americans and spend the $87 billion, which also adds to the deficit
   for this year?

   No one will come to the Senate and say the $500 billion deficit we
   are facing next year is going to be wiped out by growth in the
   economy when we are not even adding jobs in the growth to the
   economy today.

   [...]

So, basically, Kerry's vote was to find a way to fund the $87 billion.
The Republicans voted _not_ to find a way to fund the $87 billion, but
to spend it anyway.  It was nothing to do with body armor.  Clear now?

For further details, see: 

  <http://thomas.loc.gov/>

-- 
Russell Senior         ``I have nine fingers; you have ten.''
seniorr at aracnet.com