How can Bush fund the surge if Congress won't appropriate the funds?

February 7, 2007 3:30 PM

[AppropriationsFilter] If the Democrats vote *against* funding the troop escalation, what recourse does the President have to follow through with his plan?

Pres. Bush has come up with some creative accounting these last 6 years. I think both D's and R's can agree on that point.

He has also said on record that he doesn't care what Congress does. He will continue on with the surge no matter what.

Assume that the President cannot go through with the surge if Congress refuses to fund the escalation.

What ways could he come up with the money necessary to fund the additional combat and support troops?

posted by willie11 to law & government (4 comments total)

He'll just do it. He may has enough money to send them over, but not enough to get them back The democrats will be forced to stand their ground and screw over the troops or cave. See The Great White Fleet.
posted by phrontist at 4:00 PM on February 7, 2007 [1 favorite]

The use of military personnel as hostages in a fight with Congress is not new. Teddy Roosevelt had many fights with Congress over the composition and use of the military. One such dispute occurred over Roosevelt's desire to send his "Great White Fleet" around the world to show the American flag — an enterprise viewed by many as an expensive vanity. When Congress balked in appropriating funds for fuel and support, Roosevelt used what fuel he had to send the fleet halfway around the world. He then informed Congress that if it wanted its new fleet back, it would be wise to send the fuel. - USA Today
posted by phrontist at 4:02 PM on February 7, 2007 [3 favorites]

Aside from the political ploys that phrontist refers to, and assuming for the moment that the President wouldn't simply resort to illegality or forcing a constitutional crisis, it depends on what it means to vote against funding the troop escalation. There are various ways, well-summarized here, that that can be implemented that give the President various degrees of flexibility to use money from other sources.
posted by bac at 6:18 PM on February 7, 2007

thanks bac. That's exactly what I've been searching for.

phrontist, a very interesting piece of history. Although I think it's a bit of a stretch to compare flag waving and the Iraq War.

Anyway, thanks for the help guys.
posted by willie11 at 5:39 PM on February 8, 2007