[Peace-discuss] Will 34 Democrats Oppose Endless War and the IMF Bailout?

[Robert Naiman]

A spectacular, nasty Washington drama is unfolding which you aren't
likely to read about in the New York Times or the Washington Post,
until perhaps after the fact. Even if it is reported in these papers,
few readers will understand it, because the reporters won't care to
understand and explain it, and the critical voices of progressive
Democrats in Congress will be ignored in their reporting, even though
the actions of progressive Democrats are at the center of the drama.

Early next week, the Administration and the House leadership want to
bring to the House floor a war supplemental that includes $100 billion
for the International Monetary Fund which will likely be used
primarily to bail out European banks from their exposure in Eastern
Europe. The IMF will also likely use this money as leverage to impose
economic austerity measures, like government budget cuts and
punishingly high interest rates, policies that most Democrats oppose -
at least, most Democrats oppose them when someone suggests that they
be applied in the United States.

Because House Republicans object to including the IMF "global bailout"
money in the war supplemental, they have pledged to vote no on the
supplemental if the IMF money is included.

Therefore, the Administration and the House leadership intend to try
to pass the war supplemental, including the IMF money, with only
Democratic votes.

The leadership's first problem is that in May, 51 Democrats voted no
on the supplemental. Many of those no votes were motivated by
opposition to the Administration's plans to escalate the war in
Afghanistan, and the leadership's refusal to allow consideration of
Rep. Jim McGovern's amendment requiring the Pentagon to submit to
Congress an exit strategy from Afghanistan. As freestanding
legislation, McGovern's amendment now has 84 co-sponsors.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/will-34-democrats-oppose_b_211924.html

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/6/5/739234/-Will-34-Democrats-Oppose-Endless-War-and-the-IMF-Bailout

--
Robert Naiman
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org