Bipartisan support for forever wars and warrantless surveillance is not a win for peace and democracy.
As I write this on Saturday morning the House is expected to pass a $95 billion package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
They might as well be called the forever war bills
Although Speaker Mike Johnson is catching heat from the far right of his Party and may be putting his job on the line, pressure to fund Israel’s war on Palestine, the collapsing Zielinsky government in Ukraine and continuing China provocations will carry the day.
Another bipartisan bill that includes a measure to ban TikTok is aimed at mollifying the Right.
Apparently the Right is consumed with fear of videos of people dancing to Texas Hold ‘Em.
Each of the funding bills for the three nations is expected to pass overwhelmingly. The Senate is expected to take up the legislation as soon as Tuesday and send it to President Biden’s desk.
The legislation includes $60 billion for Kyiv, $26 billion for Israel, $8 billion for the threatening China.
Some are claiming this as a win for bipartisanship.
Not me.
It’s a win for forever wars.
A second bill that some are also calling a win for bipartisanship is the extension of warrantless surveillance and spying.
The bill would reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) for two years and massively expand the federal government’s warrantless surveillance power by requiring a wide range of businesses and individuals to cooperate with spying efforts.
Passing these bills may be a win for bipartisanship.
However, in no way are they wins for peace and democracy.