The $87 Billion Dollar ANSWER

[nostamj]

as I've sampled the post-debate threads, I know I'm not the only one that's disappointed about one thing... Kerry didn't slam dunk the $87B sound byte and dump it back in chimpy's lap where it belongs.

so, indulging myself in a 'if I were Kerry's speechwriter' moment:

My opponent has gotten a lot of laughs out of my voting record on the TWO $87B appropriation bills.

Yes my friends, TWO bills. And TWO votes for TWO very difference reasons.

As Paul Harvey would say, it's time to hear, the REST of the story.

My opponent says: He voted FOR the $87B!

And he's correct! I did vote for the bill that placed the financial burden of the $87B on THIS generation. That $87B was PAID FOR by a small drawback on the tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans.

My opponent threatened to VETO that $87B dollars of aid to our troops... threatened to VETO it because his tax cuts to his friends were more important than the aid to our troops.

The bill was defeated.

My opponent says: He voted AGAINST the $87B!

And he's correct! I did vote against the bill that placed the finacial burden--along with the physical and emotional sacrifice--on YOUR children and YOUR grandchildren.

In the republican-controlled Senate and with more than enough votes from Democrats, there was no question that the $87B would be allocated... so I, with others Democrats, registered protests votes against the unfunded version of the bill.

My opponent does not have decades of service in the Congress on his resume, I can't expect him to know all the nuances of that culture. But his staff knows. And he knows his characterization of my votes are shallow, distorted, and simply false.

My opponent stamped his feet and refused to provide the aid (which, of course, should have been in place BEFORE the invasion) unless the cost was deferred from his, have and have-more, BASE.

It is wrong when war is sacrifice for the majority and opportunity for the few.

While my opponent daily makes cheap and disengenous jokes about this crucial funding for our troops, communities are holding bake sales and families are going into debt to purchase the body armor and reinforced HVs for their friends and children.

The money was approved, under his conditions, but it still has not been spent.

I do not consider any aspect of the Iraq conflict to be an occasion for laughter or derision. Certainly not the thought that went into my TWO votes for those TWO bills.

When it comes to the allocation of the $87B dollars for our troops, I made the right vote for the American people. A bill paid for by this generation... a bill that acknowledges that ALL Americans are expected to sacrifice in a time of war.

Had there been any question about final passage of my opponents, 'pay for it later' version of that bill, I would have voted for it. The troops' safety should always trump politics.

My opponent is concerned about 'mixed messages' demoralizing our troops... what is the message to our troops when their struggle is a laugh line and families like his are not willing to sacrifice anything in their support?

There is NOTHING funny about where we have been misled in Iraq. Nothing.

I wish my opponent, and his supporters, felt the same way.

on edit: a typo and a new line.