Whenever I hear Ted Stevens name I am reminded of those days watching C-Span and hearing his voice called for rollcall: "Mr. Stevens. . . " I always loved C-Span, yet I almost never watch it anymore. Perhaps I need to praise Brian Lamb, a fellow man from Purdue, sometime soon.
Anyway, Ted Stevens is officially off the reservation! Woohoo! Yes, Republicans left and right are either finding their consciences, which have been buried in a vault somewhere next to the Picture of Dorian Gray. This is beginning to be delicious! Here's what Ted had to say about Bush's request for an emergency reserve fund for Iraq and Afghanistan.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A powerful senator from President Bush's own party rejected his administration's request for broad leeway on a $25 billion reserve fund it wants for Iraq and said on Wednesday he intends to limit how the money can be used.This is minor in some ways, the substitution of the word "shall" for "may," but could it be one more Republican jumping off the war wagon? Perhaps we should start tracking all the Republicans such as Hagel, Lugar, Perle, even, beginning to criticize, even slightly, the Bush legacy in Iraq.
"We expect this to be used only for Afghanistan (news - web sites) and Iraq," declared Republican Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which approves government spending and oversees the federal budget.
Stevens told administration officials at a hearing: "Some of my colleagues have said that you're asking us to give you a blank check because of the word 'may' in this provision. I would intend to change that to say it 'shall' only be used for these accounts."
This is beginning to look very good. I've not had faith in the polls. I'd rather count Republicans refusing the opportunity to gladhand with Bush by their sides.
