They're Watching. Deceive, Inveigle, Obfuscate.

The item below is from the following article in The Washington Post:
Ideas for August Recess Events. The House Republican Conference suggested a number of ways its members can spend their August recess.

All of these are so slimily self-serving, but the worst is #1:

1. Visit a Reserve Center. Tout accomplishments on increase in Reservist benefits. Every state by law has to have at least one Reserve Center and they typically drill every other weekend.

Increase in Reservist benenfits???? The Republicans just defeated a measure to offer affordable health insurance (Tricare) to reservists. Most of the Dems voted for the measure and most of the Republicans voted against it. It failed to pass: 211 For and 218 Against.
Amendment would have opened benefits to part-time soldiers


The Republicans also defeated a measure recently to increase funding for research for veterans, including increases for research on prosthetic limbs. This despite the fact that the UPI (United Press International) reported that army hospitals treated 254 amputees from the Iraq war between March 2003 and May 2005. This is the highest rate of amputeeism since the Vietnam War.

Finally, they might want to stay away from Ohio.


And while I'm discussing the hypocrisy of the right, someone sent me this via email today:

Back when Bill Clinton was committing troops to Bosnia.....

• "You can support the troops but not the president" ---Rep. Tom Delay (R-TX)



• "[The] President . . . is once again releasing American military might on a foreign country with an ill-defined objective and no exit strategy. He has yet to tell the Congress how much this operation will cost. And he has not informed our nation's armed forces about how long they will be away from home. These strikes do not make for a sound foreign policy." ---Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)



• "American foreign policy is now one huge big mystery. Simply put, the administration is trying to lead the world with a feel-good foreign policy." ---Rep. Tom Delay (R-TX)



• "If we are going to commit American troops, we must be certain they have a clear mission, an achievable goal and an exit strategy." ---Karen Hughes, speaking on behalf of George W. Bush



• "I had doubts about the bombing campaign from the beginning . . . I didn't think we had done enough in the diplomatic area." ---Senator Trent Lott (R-MS)



• "Well, I just think it's a bad idea. What's going to happen is they're going to be over there for 10, 15, maybe 20 years." ---Joe Scarborough (R-FL)



• "I cannot support a failed foreign policy. History teaches us that it is often easier to make war than peace. This administration is just learning that lesson right now. The President began this mission with very vague objectives and lots of
  unanswered questions. A month later, these questions are still unanswered. There are no clarified rules of engagement. There is no timetable. There is no legitimate definition of victory. There is no contingency plan for mission creep. There is no clear funding program. There is no agenda to bolster our over-extended military. There is no explanation defining what vital national interests are at stake. There was no strategic plan for war when the President started this thing, and there still is no plan today" -Rep. Tom Delay (R-TX)



• "Explain to the mothers and fathers of American servicemen that may come home in body bags why their son or daughter have to give up their life?" ---Sean Hannity, Fox News, 4/6/99



• "Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is." -Governor George W. Bush (R-TX)