Murtha’s Pork Bridge To Okinawa

It’s bad enough when congressmen use the public purse for “pork” to build bridges to nowhere or useless programs for contributors’ profit, but John Murtha – no slouch at being a prince of pork – goes further. Murtha raises -- or lowers -- disgrace to a new level by using pork to defeat the United States, and Iraqis.

According to the inside chronicler of congressional antics, The Hill, John Murtha and comrades are trying to buy Blue Dog Democrat votes, and hopefully a few Republicans, to vote for the Iraq and Afghanistan funding bill that would include restrictions on the President’s ability to operate.

House Democratic leaders will add nearly $4 billion for farmers to a bill funding military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan to attract conservative Democrats concerned that the measure would wrongly constrict President Bush’s power as commander in chief.

Democrats may also add money for children’s health insurance in the hope of winning the votes of Republicans such as Illinois Reps. Mark Kirk (R) and Judy Biggert (R), whose home state faces a $240 million deficit in its State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)....

Murtha has remained steadfast about putting restrictions on the president.
“We will have three restrictive amendments,” he said.

The Associated Press reports:

The House Democratic proposal brought a sharp response from Republicans on Wednesday.

Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Fla., called the plan a ''fig leaf'' to distract the public from what he said was Democrats' ultimate goal of cutting off funds for troops in combat.