Strong distinction

This bill draws a strong distinction between Congressional Democrats and the Bushist Republican Party. I'm not optimistic about its outcome in reality, but it is correct image-making.

Make no mistake about it, though. Congress has the power to withhold funding for any President's war. Duhbya needs a supplemental to keep funding his misadventure. He cannot Constitutionally appropriate funds all by himself, even though he often borders on implying it.

Meanwhile, the Bushists are playing chicken. Duhbya is willing, even eager, to deny the troops everything if there's any provision he doesn't like in the supplemental appropriation.

The skittish Democrats appear to believe that Duhbya would order continuance of the status quo level of funding even without legal authority. That could be the source of his willingness to veto any bill that's not wholesale Congressional surrender.

I'm sure we can count on a memo from the John Yoo justifying dictatorial powers for a war president. Never mind that we've had nearly 220 years since this Constitution was enacted and never before allowed (or needed) such evisceration of democracy. The Bushists don't care a fig for history or law, though; they only crave power (which is why Rudy Giuliani is their natural successor).