Brane Space: Impoundment Control Act of 1974

Showing posts with label Impoundment Control Act of 1974. Show all posts

Friday, January 3, 2020

Trump Resorts To Reckless Risk Of War Ploy To Distract From Impeachment Trial

“We are near you, where you can’t even imagine,” Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani once warned the United States.

"I am gonna start a war with Iran before I face a real Senate trial to remove me!"

"I think we've now ended any hope of keeping Iraq out of Iran's arms. I think we're going to see the Iraqi parliament, possibly as early as today, send all American troops home. Yes, it's good that he's gone but it comes at an extraordinarily high price, which is why the Bush and Obama administrations chose not to do something like this." - Former CIA specialist Michael Morrell, this morning on CBS.

"However you want to put it the doomsday clock has now moved another tick toward midnight." - Journalist Cal Perry last night on MSNBC.

"There is absolutely no reason for anyone in the U.S. to credit anything the president or his administration says about matters of life and death, or war and peace, until it is demonstrably verified." - Chris Hayes last night on 'All In'

Before the new year even began - with the glittering ball dropping in NYC- Janice warned that Trump was going to try to distract from attention on the upcoming Senate trial (and the increasing evidence of his crimes) by starting a war with Iran. Well, it looks like that prediction and event is well underway, this after we learned last night Trump ordered an assassination hit on a top Iranian general. And coincidentally, that order coming soon after a tranche of documents - mainly unredacted emails- was released showing clearly how Trump broke the law (the Impoundment Control Act of 1974). That is, holding up money (to Ukraine) appropriated by congress, to try to achieve a political benefit for himself. But this is the nature of the turd he is, a walking two bit traitor turd with no honor and not enough gumption to just resign like Nixon did..

Here's basically what we learned: Trump ordered an air strike that killed powerful Iranian general Qassem Suleimani in Baghdad in the early hours of Friday, in a dramatic escalation of an already bloody struggle between Washington and Tehran for influence across the region.

Suleimani, who ran Iranian military operations in Iraq and Syria, was targeted while being driven from Baghdad airport by local allies from the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU). The deputy head of the PMU, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandes, a close Suleimani associate, was also killed in the attack. (Note: Iran confirmed Suleimani’s death, saying the US would be responsible for the consequences.)

According to a released Pentagon statement:

“General Suleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans. The United States will continue to take all necessary action to protect our people and our interests wherever they are around the world.”

Of course, this is classic subterfuge and in any case, a reckless provocation which risks dramatically escalating conflict. This was pointed out yesterday a.m. on CBS morning show by former CIA specialist Michael Morrell. (This was after the initial U.S. strike targeting Iranian militants). Morrell also warned that such an aggressive move - and any more like it (such as the assassinations last night) risked Iraq demanding the entire U.S. presence leave. That may now be coming sooner rather than later.

Minutes before the statement Trump tweeted a U.S. flag without comment. Later, the White House put out a statement saying the strike was a “decisive defensive action” carried out “at the direction of the president”. Trump himself had the absolute audacity to blab the purpose of the assassination strike was "to stop a war" - right out of the pages of Orwell's '1984'.

So no surprise most of us with sense regard this propaganda blather as just that, or ripe PR horse manure. The actual act was a clear 'wag the dog' tactic to deflect attention from his impeachment travails - especially given GOP Senators are beginning to break ranks with Moscow Mitch and demand a proper Senate trial (with documents, witnesses). In other words it was a decisive defensive action on behalf of Trump. Because this orange asswipe cares no more about protecting this nation, or defending it, than he cared about defending Ukraine from Russian incursions in the Donbass region. Opting to withhold critical military aid unless Zelenskiy rolled over and did his bidding on the Bidens. Par for the course actions for a narcissist weasel grifter and confirmed traitor.

All of which is plain as day to anyone with an IQ over room temperature digits. It is also self-evident to anyone who has followed Trump's behavior and the timelines of his decisions for the past three years.

The rogue preemptive action also was a blatant violation of Principle IV against such aggression under the Nuremberg Laws, e.g.:

"The crimes hereinafter set out are punishable as crimes under international law: (a) Crimes against peace: (i) Planning, preparation, initiation or waging of a war of aggression or a war in violation of international treaties, agreements or assurances; (ii) Participation in a common plan or conspiracy for the accomplishment of any of the acts mentioned under (i). "

Suleimani was commander of the Quds Force, the elite, external wing the Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which the Trump administration designated as a terror organization in April last year. The Pentagon statement claiming responsibility for the strike accused the Quds Force of being responsible for the deaths of hundreds of U.S. service members and wounding thousands more.

Many consider Suleimani to have been the second most powerful person in Iran, behind the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamanei, and arguably more powerful than President Hassan Rouhani. Through a mix of security operations and diplomatic coercion, Suleimani has certainly been more responsible than anyone else for projecting Iran’s influence in the region.

The cowardly assassination strike to deflect from Trump's impeachment turmoil comes at a time when Iraq is already on the brink of an all-out proxy war. Also, hours after a two-day siege of the US embassy in Baghdad by a mob of PMF militants and their supporters. The Pentagon accused Suleimani of having masterminded the mob attack, but again with no proof at all. Why should anyone believe the Pentagon anymore when it's clearly fallen under the control and sway of the most pathologically mendacious liar the planet has ever known? (15, 413 "false or misleading claims in the past 1,033 days", according to The Washington Post's running tally.)

Meanwhile, it's clear to all except the most intellectually-challenged that Trump is even prepared to start a war with Iran to take the heat off his political tribulations. This is how far gone, how massively deranged he is. We know, for example, the U.S. has deployed 750 airborne troops to Kuwait as a rapid reaction force available for use in Iraq, and officials has said up to 3,000 could be sent in the coming days. The defense secretary, Mark Esper (the same guy who once told interviewer Margaret Brennan the Kurds were "on their own" after the U.S. left them in the lurch) said on Thursday that more militia attacks were expected and the U.S. reserved the right to take preemptive action to stop them.

Translation: Esper and fellow Pentagon toadies reserved the right to use whatever flim flam and pretexts - even if they meant war- to protect traitor Trump in his distraction ploys..

Esper - recreating his cowardly stance with the Kurds - said:

“There are some indications out there that they may be planning additional attacks. If we get word of attacks, we will take pre-emptive action as well to protect American forces, protect American lives."

What Esper really means is that he will take preemptive action to protect Trump at any cost, if it means keeping Americans' weary eyes off a future impeachment trial.

Another aspect Esper doesn't grasp - but Senator Chris Murphy surely does- as Murphy said on Twitter:

"One reason we don’t generally assassinate foreign political officials is the belief that such action will get more, not less, Americans killed."

Also, not mentioned, is that we refrain from assassinating foreign officials because we don't wish to have other nations assassinating our officials!

One last thing: As Andrea Mitchell noted last night, "Iran is not Iraq and there is no Saddam Hussein" - or a weak military to subdue. In other words, whatever conflict Trump gets us into - to try and salvage his orange hide - won't be a cakewalk like Iraq was alleged to be for Bush II.

Thursday, April 12, 2018

"Impounding" - The Right's Vile Plan To Claw Back Domestic Spending From Omnibus Bill

Harpy and Right wing provocateur Kim Strassel, proposed the original idea for Trump and Repukes to apply "rescission" to remove domestic spending from the recently passed $1.3 trillion Omnibus bill.

Let us concede at the outset, the Reptiles, aka, Republicans or Repukes, are a thoroughly detestable lot as they refuse to play on an even wicket, always trying to tilt the political tables to their advantage. In the latest illustration we behold an effort to invoke an obscure law: The Impoundment Control Act of 1974, to claw back over a hundred billion dollars of social spending from the $1.3 trillion Omnibus budget bill.

Why? Well, the conservos have been livid ever since the huge budget bill was passed, decrying the "criminal" level of spending, especially on the parts the Dems wanted, and allowing "the deficits to reach obscene heights". NO thought or consciousness whatever of their own misbegotten tax cut legislation which will easily add $800 b to the deficit, and the Congressional Budget Office now estimates another $1 trillion if the cuts are extended to 2028. The CBO also estimates the debt will reach 105 % of GDP if that plan goes forth. But that is the level of cynical rat we're dealing with: deficits don't matter an iota for their side, only for the progressives - denounced as "tax and spend liberals".

Enter now long time WSJ bomb thrower and resident harpy Kimberley Strassel and her column from a week ago: 'In For A Penny, In For Impound', in which she broaches the idea for the GOP to use the aforementioned law to temper the Omnibus spending spree by ....you guessed it, clawing back the DEMOCRATS' spending provisions!   As she put it:

"It's a chance for Republicans to honor their promises of spending restraint and redeem themselves with a base turned off by the Omnibus blowout It's an opening for the GOP to highlight the degree to which Democrats used the bill to hold the military hostage to their own domestic boondoggles."

Ok, first, no one was "holding the military hostage". The Pentagon made out like bandidos with $80 billion awarded for the new fiscal year, catapulting the US of A into the questionable position of spending more on defense than the next eight nations combined. All the Dems wanted was some domestic spending balance, like for CHIP and food stamps, especially if they were going to give way for the Pentagon's largesse. (Especially given the Pentagon still can't account for $1.2 trillion in spending from the 1990s.) So never mind her bitching about the "domestic boondoggle", what really has Kim 's panties in a twist is that the Dems got the Rs to AGREE to their own spending priorities to pass the bill. Kim's refrain , "Why must we deliver so many millions to hungry kids and elderly if we could get them to work for it?" just doesn't hold water in today's economically unjust landscape.

She goes on into specifics for her proposal and names the law (ibid.):

"It's called the 1974 Impoundment Act, which allows the president to order the rescission of specific funds so long as Congress approves those cuts within 45 days. "

Never mind Kim didn't get the full name of the Act down, she became excited by the end of her piece as she blabbed:

"This is the kind of victory the GOP needs to show it can govern, and to motivate voters to turn out in November."

Never let anyone say Kimberley isn't given to wishful thinking, especially in terms of motivating the "base" of the GOP for November - particularly after they learn many of the benefits they depend on would be up for grabs....errrr....rescission.

Barely 4 days after her colmnn a piece appeared on page A3 of the WSJ, headed, White House Aims To Roll Back Spending', in which the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 is cited. Also, Larry Kudlow - the newly -hired TV personality doubling as a WH "economist" is quoted, where we learn he is involved in "planning what he called an advanced rescission package".    This is given "it's really not a bad idea to trim some spending because after all, spending can lead to deficits and spending interferes with the economy"

Of course, all the "bad spending" is tagged on the Dems' domestic side of the ledger, as are the bad deficits. No thought how the GOP originally raised the level of deficits dramatically with its tax cut bill..

Trump in a separate action, reported yesterday (WSJ, p. A3) , went one better by "signing a broad executive order urging a revamp of government aid programs"   This would presumably be part of the rescsission effort and include "requiring participants" (e.g. in Medicaid or the SNAP food stamp program) to "prove they are working or trying to find jobs".

Failing to grasp most participants in SNAP are children or the elderly, and most of those affected in Medicaid are disabled or seriously ill - too much so to be "looking for work".

But this is what it's come to: reneging on budget deals already made in order to appease the "bottom half of the IQ curve" that put Trump into office, in the words of Harvard lecturer Harvey Mansfield (WSJ, Weekend Interview, March 31).

The good news is that some Republican Senators of conscience - like Susan Collins- recognize such a fell move defeats any further appeals to bipartisanship - given the Omnibus bill is based on a bipartisan agreement. Further, with Sen. John McCain recovering from brain cancer treatments in Arizona, the Republicans can't afford to lose a single vote - as all Dems will surely vote against this treachery.

We can therefore conclude the impoundment and rescission idea is just another odious brain fart emanating from the nether regions of Repuke trolldom which will gain no traction. And if it does, by some odd happenstance, the blue wave coming in November will transform to an even bigger tsunami.