New Obama Threats To Veto Defense/Hate Bill

By Rev. Ted Pike
8-19-9

On Monday, Pres. Obama struck back at powerful Democrat leaders in Congress who vow they'll add $2 billion in funding to the defense appropriations bill for extra F-35 fighter engines. He said, "If Congress sends me a defense bill loaded with a bunch of pork, I will veto it."

In July, the Senate added the federal hate crimes bill to the defense bill. If Obama vetoes the final defense bill, with hate bill attached, the hate bill will be destroyed, probably for this session of Congress.

Speaking to a convention of VFW veterans in Phoenix, Obama joined with many critics, including Sen. John McCain, in denouncing "indefensible, no-bid contracts that cost taxpayers billions and make contractors rich." He lashed out at "the special interests and their exotic projects that are years behind schedule and billions over budget." These include "the entrenched lobby pushing weapons that even our military says it doesn't want." He rebuked lawmakers in Congress dedicated "to protect jobs back home building things we don't need [with] a cost that we can't afford."

The AP article says, "Despite objections and veto threats from the White House, a $636 billion Pentagon spending bill was approved by a 400-30 vote in the House late last month. It contains money for a much-criticized new presidential helicopter fleet, cargo jets that the Pentagon says aren't needed and an alternative engine for the next-generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter that military leaders say is a waste of money."

Obama has objections not just with specific pork on the defense bill but with its basic ideology. He says the DOD bill is "wasting tax dollars "with doctrine and weapons better suited to fight the Soviets on the plains of Europe than insurgents in the rugged terrain of Afghanistan.""

Instead, "The president laid out a vision of a nimble, well-armed and multilingual fighting force of the future, not one that was built to fight land battles against the Soviets in Europe." On the other hand, "lawmakers protecting jobs at home are certain to put up enormous fights over Obama's efforts to stop production on weapons like the F-22 fighter jet."

Fresh Opportunity to Kill the Hate Bill

Heightening tension between Obama and powerful Democrats in Congress is very encouraging news to lovers of freedom who desire to see the federal hate crimes bill destroyed. Increased bickering over the defense bill gives substance to our hopes that, by protesting the hate bill at town hall meetings and faxing our demand to the President that he not sign the hate bill, we can actually persuade the Democrats to abandon the hate bill as unpopular.

Now is the time to do as much as we can to hasten the hate bill's destruction:

1. Protest the hate bill at town hall meetings over the next three weeks. http://www.frcaction.org/townhalls Family Research Council lists upcoming town halls in your area.

2. Fax the President at 1-202-456-2461: "Mr. President, we will never forgive or forget if you sign the freedom-stealing, pedophile-protecting hate bill."

Shakespeare said there are tides in the affairs of men and nations which, if made the most of, can result in spectacular success. We are now experiencing two such waves: a crescendo of town hall protest against the Democrats, plus rising animosity among Democrats over the arm bill. These, if ridden at their crest and exploited to the fullest, I believe, could result in hate bill defeat.

Are you a person who stands by watching, waiting to see what happens? Or one who recognizes rare opportunity, seizes it, and helps change history?

It is possible NOW for Christian/conservative organizations, by expressing massive disgust with the hate bill, to make it a liability to the President and his party. Popular outrage at this moment might even make Democrats eager to jettison the hate bill. Join with me wholeheartedly in this last push to save free speech.

The opportunity may never come again.

http://www.rense.com/general87/neob.htm