Panel votes to restore Cheney funding

[Whoa_Nelly]

Source: AP

Panel votes to restore Cheney funding


By ANDREW TAYLOR Associated Press Writer
Article Launched: 07/12/2007 02:31:30 PM PDT

WASHINGTON—The White House scored a win Thursday on Capitol Hill after a moderate Senate Democrat broke with his party to restore funding for Vice President Dick Cheney's office.

The 15-14 vote in the Senate Appropriations Committee came after the House last month narrowly rejected a companion bid to punish Cheney in a continuing battle over whether he is complying with national security disclosure rules.

Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., switched his position from a subcommittee vote Tuesday.


snip

Nelson, who cited Fielding's letter when he changed his position, often votes with the White House. It didn't hurt the vice president's cause that Cheney bypassed opportunities to attack Nelson in his re-election campaign last year.

"The president has the power and authority to issue executive orders to do exactly what he wants," said Nelson, a former governor.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/politics/ci_6359610

---

Cheney spokeswoman Megan McGinn calls the refusalto fund Cheney a political stunt.

I call it following the Constitution, and Congress doing it's job.

ITMFsA! :grr::mad:

[BlackHawk706867]

1. Is this POS up for re-election in 2008? eom. ww

[kansasblue]

2. No.. Hagel (R-NE) is up in 2008.

Nelson is as close to an R as you can get and not be a Lieberman.

[kansasblue]

3. I guess if we can't scare him with funding then Impeachment is a loooooooong shot.

[TwilightGardener]

4. You're right--impeachment isn't going to happen with him.

He likes to curry favor with ChimpCo--makes him feel important. He's a jerkwad, but like I posted in another thread, he's in NO danger in this state. Generally I tolerate him pretty well, but votes like this just set me off.

[Warren Stupidity]

5. "Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., switched "

I so love our opposition party. No matter how they get shafted and reamed by the party in power, there is never even one moment of solidarity. Always we are up for folding caving giving in. Ben Nelson I salute you for yet another act of depraved submission to intolerance.

[Jane Austin]

8. Take it up with the voters of Nebraska -

Not with "The Dems".

"The Dems" are elected by the people of the fifty states, and I have a real problem with the people of LA, AR, FL, NE, etc, and with the people of my state, TX which won't send any Dems to the Senate.

[Warren Stupidity]

11. If it isn't Nelson it is some other clown.

Its always something. Somehow on the other side of the aisle they manage to keep their soldiers in line. Why is that?

[mdelaguna2000]

19. True dat. Always someone to fold.

[ProudDad]

28. Money Talks, and Bullshit Walks (n/t)

[davidwparker]

35. right. they take turns folding so it's not always the same one. next time

Nelson will do something and we'll be singing his praises. in the end, the (D)'s and the (R)'s will do the bidding of their paymasters -- the corporations.

[silverojo]

42. As a former Nebraskan

I can tell you that the "Democratic candidates" there are basically conservatives who switched parties because the Republican roster was full. I've hated this SOB since he was elected. :mad:

[lovuian]

10. Have the Dems noticed the FRAUDS and TRAITORS

Liberman and now Nelson
take names people
Cheney & Bush are in power because of these Democrats

[davidwparker]

37. weak leadership brought to by Reid and then Pelosi. but then again, this

is all theatrics. until we hold the (D)'s accountable, we can never hold the (R)'s accountable.

[NV Whino]

6. Where do they get this...

" moderate Senate Democrat"? The SOB is more republican than Hagel.

[BELZABUBBA]

7. does he have competition in the primary?

if he does, i hope his constituents are paying attention.

[garybeck]

9. Another DINO I guess

put the target on him next election

[KoKo]

12. Ben Nelson votes with Repugs probably 99% of the time...he's a traitor like Lieberman...

a DINO...or Repug in Drag...might be better term...

[brentspeak]

13. He votes with the GOP maybe 25% of the time

Nevertheless, he deserves to have his own office funding cut for this lame-brained action.

[Truth2Tell]

14. Nelson, Nelson, Nelson.

The Dude says...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqtgfjkB6Pg

YOU NELSON.

[NoodleyAppendage]

15. Nelson = SPINELESS. Thanks for screwing your fellow Americans.

Key sentence in the article:

"It didn't hurt the vice president's cause that Cheney bypassed opportunities to attack Nelson in his re-election campaign last year."

[ShortnFiery]

16. Maybe it's not JUST Nelson? IMO, the gutless Congress is working in collusion to SCREW us ...

"little people." Nothing surprises me anymore. :( :grr: :thumbsdown:

[davidwparker]

38. another person takes the red pill. welcome. n/t

[Javaman]

17. Anyone have contact info for this scumbag? nt

[Whoa_Nelly]

21. Here's his homepage

http://bennelson.senate.gov/

Contact numbers:
http://www.senate.gov/~bennelson/contact/

Email:
http://bennelson.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

[Javaman]

22. I think I will be dropping dime on mr. spineless. nt

[davidwparker]

39. unless he dropped a dime to the DC madame, he's safe and he knows it. n/t

[Maribelle]

18. Can Democrats have him removed from the Committee??

I am not surprised that Nelson of Nebraska did this. Some of his comments and some of his votes in the past have amazed me. Two of his votes come quickly to mind: he voted against increase to minimum wage, and against increase to Pell Grants.

[davidwparker]

40. So, you're thinking Reid is actually going to do something?

[OneBlueSky]

20. yet another "we ARE doing something" turned into a complete cop-out . . .

disgusting . . . Cheney and Bush keep getting away with murder (literally) because no one is willing to step up and say "NO MORE!" . . . I thought for a moment that Congress had at last begun to grow some balls . . . silly me . . .

[lanlady]

23. Cheney's Office Logs Victory in Spending Bill Fight

Source: Government Executive

It was a good day Thursday for the National Rifle Association and Vice President Cheney, as Democratic-controlled spending panels defeated efforts to loosen restrictions on gun sales information and to block funding for Cheney's office.

Despite the setbacks, House and Senate Appropriations panels advanced measures that spend billions more than President Bush requested for local law enforcement, transportation infrastructure and low-income housing.

Democrats are headed for a veto fight with Bush in the fall over spending, and bills that have reached the floor in the House have been unable to win veto-proof majorities.

They are also girding for more politically charged fights that threaten to drag out the stalemate. The bill funding the Justice Department promises to be a battleground over Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' conduct with regard to the U.S. attorney firings and other issues.

Read more: http://govexec.com/dailyfed/0707/071307cdam1.htm

---

Dems cave in, yet again.

[rodeodance]

24. Sen Nelson Dem of Nebraks voted with the Repugs on cheney vote!!

[rodeodance]

26. The vote was 15-14 after Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., switched his position

In the Senate Appropriations Committee, the panel approved an amendment by Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., to strike language in the Financial Services Appropriations bill that would have barred funding for Cheney's office until he complies with an executive order Democrats argue compels him to provide information on classified data.

The vote was 15-14 after Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., switched his position from earlier in the week and backed Brownback after a letter from White House Counsel Fred Fielding Thursday clarified the administration's position.

Brownback said that cutting off the vice president's funding might set a precedent for cutting off Supreme Court funds when they made a decision lawmakers oppose.

[ananda]

25. Ben Nelson sucks methane.

nt

[enough already]

29. You're not surprised, are you?

We cave on everything.

[The Stranger]

30. Ralph Nader was right. So now is Cindy Sheehan.

They refuse to defund the Iraqi occupation. They take impeachment "off the table." They refuse to issue legislation prohibiting additional Middle East misadventures. They refuse to withdraw the authority to conduct the lying, corrupt, torture, murderous war. They cower and cave at every single opportunity. They fail their constituents over and over and over again.

[davidwparker]

41. Stranger, of course they are right. Example after

example that shows you that the two groups, (R) and (D), are two sides of the same coin now.

[ProudDad]

27. Nelson - Lie-berman

Cowards...

Tools....

:mad: :puke:

[Hissyspit]

31. Cheney's Office Logs Victory In Spending Bill Fight (Cheney Funding Cut Stripped from Senate Bill)

Source: Congress Daily

Cheney's office logs victory in spending bill fight

By Peter Cohn Congress Daily It was a good day Thursday for the National Rifle Association and Vice President Cheney, as Democratic-controlled spending panels defeated efforts to loosen restrictions on gun sales information and to block funding for Cheney's office.

Despite the setbacks, House and Senate Appropriations panels advanced measures that spend billions more than President Bush requested for local law enforcement, transportation infrastructure and low-income housing.

Democrats are headed for a veto fight with Bush in the fall over spending, and bills that have reached the floor in the House have been unable to win veto-proof majorities.

- snip -

In a 15-14 vote yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed an amendment introduced by Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) “to strike language in the Financial Services Appropriations bill that would have barred funding for Cheney’s office until he complies with an executive order Democrats argue compels him to provide information on classified data.”


Read more: http://govexec.com/dailyfed/0707/071307cdam1.htm

[C_U_L8R]

32. they will never go away

if we keep throwing money at them

geesh

[rodeodance]

33. Nelson -nebraska crossed over and voted with the Repugs

[davidwparker]

34. collusion. the (R)'s will get their way be they in the majority or the minority

because they are the party of the corporations and the (D) are fighting as hard as they can to be able to please the same paymasters as the (R).

Stop funding these enablers until they impeach Cheney. Use the money that you'd give to the (D)'s for a good dinner while you watch Rome burn.

Enough is enough.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

36. You know, in the old days...

A group of people would have occupied Nelson's office. Just sayin'.

[Zorra]

43. The DLC snatches defeat from the jaws of victory once again.

Same old story. A DLC member turns against the Democratic Party and votes with republicans in a close vote, insuring that the republicans win.

The DLC sucks.