Accountability

WASHINGTON - President Bush denounced "irresponsible" Democrats on Tuesday for going on spring break without approving money for the Iraq war with no strings. He condemned House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Syria, too, accusing her of encouraging a terrorism sponsor.

I spent yesterday sitting in the sun at a place called Cuppers, drinking coffee with my son. During my several double shots of espresso with a shot of hazelnut, we had an interesting, and long conversation about accountability.

If we pick apart that one statement my by the clueless wonder, we can see that he has absolutely no idea what the word means.

He states that those irresponsible democrats went on spring break.

In truth, the new congress has done more in the first 100 days than the old congress has done in years.

He wants approved money for his Iraq war with no strings.

We'd like a president without them too... but...

He needs to be accountable for the disaster Iraq is in, not be spoon fed more ammo to continue. He needs to be accountable for the deaths and maiming of thousands of American soldiers. It was HE who put them into harms way without just cause. It was HE who sent them into a war with no plan and no exit strategy. It was HE who, even after all of these errors, sent them there without body armor or proper armor for their vehicles. Now, he is, again, demanding "his way or else." Accountability.

He is accountable for the destruction of a nation. Ours. He has destroyed our good name and our good standing within the world. He has spent our great grandchildren into bankruptcy. He has lowered the middle class to borderline poverty. He has allowed gas costs to skyrocket and Exxons profits to be in the billions.

He has chastised Pelosi for talking to Syria. Something he refused to do. He called them all terrorists and axis of evil people. How can you claim this, without ever sitting down with them? Stupidity does not eliminate accountability. Neither does arrogance.

He has lost a great city, then never bothered to care about it or it's people. Almost three years later there is little progress in the city of New Orleans. Yet the money fraud is still continuing to rise.

He has lost two twin towers, three airliners, over three thousand American citizens. Using that as his excuse, he waged a war of aggression, an illegal war, never once caring about the families of the 9/11 victims, never caring about the where or how's of Osama.

While I believe the Congress needs their break, I don't see how responsible it could have been to flop a file on your desk and head out AGAIN on vacation. Especially when that file proclaims, "Osama BinLadan said to strike within the U.S." Accountability.

He has lost the backing of this country. He has lost the faith of damn near 80% of all Americans. Yet, there he stands, believing he's on some mission from God, and proclaiming for all the world to here, "It's my way, or else!"
With Congress out of town, Bush tried to take the upper hand over Democrats who are making increasing forays into foreign policy as his term dwindles and his approval ratings remain low.

Speaking a day before he heads out of town for six days for events in the West and an Easter break at his ranch, the president said Democrats are failing their responsibility to the troops and the nation's security by leaving for their own recess after passing bills to fund the war that contain time lines for American withdrawal.

Given his promised veto of anything containing a deadline — and the likelihood that his veto would be sustained on Capitol Hill — Bush said Democrats are merely engaging in games that "undercut the troops."

"Democrat leaders in Congress seem more interested in fighting political battles in Washington than in providing our troops what they need to fight the battles in Iraq," Bush said. "In a time of war, it's irresponsible for the Democrat leadership — Democratic leadership in Congress to delay for months on end while our troops in combat are waiting for the funds."

Wait! Did that just say he was heading... where...? Vacation AGAIN!!?? Let us all hope and pray this time, he didn't leave behind any discarded files.

Accountability.

"Democrat leaders in Congress seem more interested in fighting political battles in Washington than in providing our troops what they need to fight the battles in Iraq," Bush said. "In a time of war, it's irresponsible for the Democrat leadership — Democratic leadership in Congress to delay for months on end while our troops in combat are waiting for the funds."

Nearly two months ago, Bush asked for more than $100 billion to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan this year. Congress has approved the money, but the Senate added a provision also calling for most U.S. combat troops to be out of Iraq by March 31, 2008. The House version demands a September 2008 withdrawal.

These bills still must be reconciled before legislation can be sent to the president.

"They need to come off their vacation, get a bill to my desk, and if it's got strings and mandates and withdrawals and pork I'll veto it," the president said. "And then we can get down to the business of getting this thing done."

Not so fast, Democrats responded.

"Americans want compromise, not a cowboy-style showdown," said House Majority Whip James Clyburn D-S.C.

It is time we hold him and his buddies accountable. They did this. They reap the profits of death, we pay the price. We must make them accountable.