UN haters unite; it excites the base

And you thought the Bush White House didn't think much of the United Nations? That's why he's trying to send John Bolton there, isn't it?

The Republicans in the House of Representatives outdid Bush the other day, passing a UN "reform" bill that goes so far the President has disavowed it. Chances of Senate passage are slim, so Bush probably won't be put in a sign-or-veto position.

The bill calls for 46 changes in the way the UN operates, and would cut the US funding for the UN in half unless it complies by 2008.

So what's going on? The LA Times reports: Unlike Bush, said a senior GOP congressional aide who requested anonymity when discussing political matters, the lawmakers face reelection next year, and criticism of the U.N. "plays well with the [Republican] base."

And Mark Green has a primary for governor. He voted yes. No surprise there.

In fact, all four Wisconsin Repubs -- Green, Paul Ryan, Tom Petri and F. Jim Sensenbrenner -- were among the UN-bashers who voted for the bill. The state's four Dems -- Tammy Baldwin, Gwen Moore, Dave Obey and Ron Kind -- opposed it. (Do you ever feel like Wisconsin's 4-4 split means we don't have much to say about the outcome of bills?)

LA Times story