Congress Votes To Flush More Billions Down The Pakistani Rathole And Moves Towards A $108 Billion Bailout For European Banksters

Howard Berman's resolution, H.R. 1886 to throw good taxpayer dollars ($1.5 billion a year for the next 4 years, i.e., $6 billion + another $1.1 billion here and there) after the $12 billion we've already wasted (just since 2002), passed 234-185. Although the resolution had 2 Republican co-sponsors, Ed Royce and Mark Kirk, only 8 Republicans voted for it, 167, doing the old obstructionist boogaloo that's second nature to them now.

The bill sounds so nice and positive: PEACE Act of 2009, short for the Pakistan Enduring Assistance and Cooperation Enhancement Act of 2009. And there's all kinds of bullshit in the wording of the bill that's as patently deceptive as the title. Read it and you'll think we're strengthening democracy in fabulous Pakistan instead of bribing a cabal of wealthy aristocrats to keep an iron grip on one of the world's worst hellholes. The billions we waste bribing Pakistan goes into a destabilizing arms race-- much of it nuclear-- with India, a brutal regime that oppresses over 90% of the seething people, and into the pockets of the world's most corrupt political elite. The bill is so larded with lies and deceit that I'm shocked any self-respecting member of Congress could vote for it at all. Example:

Prohibits military assistance from being provided to Pakistan if: (1) the President fails to determine that Pakistan is taking actions to dismantle nuclear weapons-material supply networks and to combat terrorist groups; or (2) a joint resolution disapproving any such determination is enacted into law.

This is so patently dishonest, that I had to delve into Rahm Emanuel's fetid swamp called "The Supplemental." I'm having trouble keeping up. Emanuel's ego trip is costing taxpayers God only knows how much as he pays for every vote he gets to commit to his 2010 Democratic Party suicide pact. Yesterday the House voted on some kind of cockamamie non-binding set of instructions for the conference committee-- which could, for example, do what Republicans and right-wing Democrats want (the Lieberman-Graham amendment) to hide away war crimes evidence. As Jane pointed out, Emanuel has now maneuvered to put the popular Cash For Clunkers bill into this Frankenstein ego-trip of his. The House of Lords thirty conferees (is that a joke?)-- Lord Dan Inouye, Lord Robert Byrd, Patrick Leahy, Tom Harkin, Lady Barbara Mikulski, Lord Herb Kohl, Lady Patty Murray, Lord Byron Dorgan, Lady Dianne Feinstein, Dick Durbin, Lady Miss McConnell, Lord Richard Shelby, Lord Judd Gregg, Lord Robert Bennett, Lady Kay Bailey Hutchison, Lord Sam Brownback, Lord Lamar Alexander, Lady Susan Collins, Lord George Voinovich, and Lady Lisa Murkowski-- are being joined by 8 schlepadicka members of the House of Representatives: Dave Obey, Jack Murtha, Rosa DeLauro, Nita Lowey, Chet Edwards, Bill Young, Jerry Lewis and Kay Granger.

I hope these Democratic leaders have thought what they're going to tell vulnerable Blue Dogs to say when the Republican attacks on bailouts for European banksters get really big. We hear there are now big time funders stepping up to the plate on this one. Shocking that all three new Arizona members of Congress-- Harry Mitchell, Gabby Giffords and Ann Kirkpatrick-- are willing to sacrifice their careers for the sake of $108 billion for a European bank bailout-- although I was told by one congressional office (which favors the IMF bailout that 8 billion will go to poor children with extended bellies in Third World countries). Ed Morrissey is ringing the bell and the Blue Dogs better think quick. Jane Hamsher isn't keep track of Blue Dogs-- who are being beaten up big time by Emanuel and his thugs-- but she is keeping count of normal Democrats.


UPDATE: Not All Freshmen Are Buckling To Emanuel's Threats

Turn Maine Blue has been working with Rep. Chellie Pingree, a true blue progressive, and they report that she voted "no" before and she plans to vote "no" again.