Remember how Bush said in 2000, and still says now, that he doesn't make decisions based on polls, and only on what is the right thing to do?

Well, here's Exhibit 1,001 on why that's absolute crap. The military has announced that it will RUN OUT OF MONEY BY OCTOBER 1, and will no longer be able to pay for our war against terror. The reason is that the White House will not ask for funding until December 2004 or January 2005, conveniently after the Presidential Election.

Why, one might ask, would a president who clearly plans to run on the war on terror (that may be all he runs on, in fact) let this happen? After all, didn't President Bush announce in September 2003 that he was requesting $87 billion of funding for the war(s) for 2004? (These funds expire with the end of the fiscal year, which is September 30, 2004).

Aha, but do you recall what happened to Bush's poll numbers after he announced this funding request? Kerplunk! He dropped ten points in the month after the announcement. So, apparently not wanting to take another dive in the polls, since a similar dive would push Bush into the 40s and below during his reelection campaign, the White House has decided to put off the announcement until December, at the expense of the men and women of our military and of homeland security. (Oh, and of course, whatever Bush were to request would add to the $500 billion deficit...)

Thank goodness that this administration doesn't look at polls.
- posted by Joshua @ 1:44 PM