Via Matt Yglesias, I see that the GOP has decided that supporting the troops is so last week:
House Republicans are preparing to vote en bloc against the $106 billion war-spending bill, a position once unthinkable for the party that characterized the money as support for the troops.
….Republicans say this year is different. Democrats have included a $5 billion increase for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help aid nations affected by the global financial crisis. Republicans say that is reason enough to vote against the entire $106 billion spending bill and are certain voters will understand.
“Once the American people learn that the Democrats are using a war-funding bill for a global bailout, they’ll know what to do,” House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (Ind.) told The Hill. “We’ll take the message to the floor and to the American people, and I expect we’ll win this fight.”
Hypocrisy is overrated as a vice, but this is still pretty stunning. I mean, they’re doing this over $5 billion in net IMF contributions to help out with the global financial meltdown? Seriously? That’s about .1% of the federal budget, and one of these days it might help prevent a collapse that spreads across the ocean and sends Wall Street into yet another tailspin. That’s what Republicans are going to the mat for these days? Crikey.
