Uppity Wisconsin

This is no reason for anything more than temporary euphoria -- somehow deals always seem to get made in the end -- but we'll take it.

The House has surprisingly defeated the Iraq appropriations bill, thanks to a large bloc of Republicans, upset with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who voted "present" to show their displeasure.

The result was that the $162.5-billion appropriation failed 141-149.

The WashPost reports:

As approved, the House bill would require the United States to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq within 30 days, with a goal of removing all combat forces by December 2009. The Iraqi government would have to match U.S. reconstruction funding, dollar for dollar, and would be required to offer the U.S. military the same fuel subsidies it provides its own citizens.

Troops would get more rest between combat deployments, and every branch of government -- including the Central Intelligence Agency -- would have to abide by the Army Field Manual's guidelines on interrogation, which ban actions that amount to torture. Those policy prescriptions passed the House 227 to 196, with a surprising eight Republican votes. [Wisconsin's vote was party line]

On the domestic side, unemployment compensation would be extended for 13 weeks. Regulations the Bush administration hoped to impose to restrict access to the Medicaid program would be blocked. Funds would be provided for international food aid, levees around New Orleans, federal prisons and the 2010 Census. And the G.I. Bill passed after World War II for an earlier generation of veterans would be updated.

Wisconsin members, with a 5-3 Democratic majority, split on every issue.

Republicans Jim Sensenbrenner and Tom Petri and Democrat Ron Kind (!)voted for the appropriation, while Republican Paul Ryan joined Dems Gwen Moore, Tammy Baldwin, Steve Kagen and David Obey in voting no. It failed 141-149, with 132 GOPpers voting "present."

The domestic package, with the GI Bill, UC, Katrina aid and more, passed 256-166 with only Ryan and Sensenbrenner voting no.

The Senate, of course, will put the money back in the bill and send it back to the House, with some deal likely to be made before all is said and done.

Before that happens, Ron Kind, the Democrat from LaCrosse who was the only Wisconsin Dem to vote for the appropriation, needs to hear from his constituents. Friday is Iraq Moratorium day. Maybe folks in his district could observe it by visiting or calling his office to ask him to join his colleagues and stop paying for this senseless bloodshed.

His office phone numbers: LaCrosse (608) 782-2558 Eau Claire(715) 831-9214