Tis the DeMint-Cornyn money bullet that might eventually kill the hippie beast.

The mayor of Berkeley, Calif., has issued an apology to servicemen and women serving in Iraq following a flap over a City Council vote that told the U.S Marine recruiting station there it should leave, and if it doesn’t, is staying only as “uninvited and unwelcome intruders.”

The apology follows the introduction this week of the Semper Fi Act of 2008, pushed by Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., that would rescind more than $2 million in federal earmarks destined for Berkeley. DeMint was joined by five other Republican lawmakers in introducing the bill Wednesday after they were angered over the Berkeley City Council’s actions.

A companion bill entered in the House has the support of 45 Republicans. No Democrats are supporting either bill.

No Democrats in either house object to insulting the Marines as “unwelcome invaders” and a seditious attempt to keep them from recruiting in a US city? Good to know.

Following a public uproar, Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates argued Wednesday that the council’s actions last week shouldn’t be linked to federal money dedicated to schools and other services, according to tan San Jose Mercury News. Bates is a retired U.S. Army captain.

“There’s really no correlation between federal funds for schools, water ferries and police communications systems and the council’s actions, for God’s sake,” Bates said.

But, he said: “We apologize for any offense to any families of anyone who may serve in Iraq. We want them to come home and be safe at home.”

I hate “we apologize for any offense” and “we apologize if you were offended” apologies. They’re evidence of a lack of contrition and put the blame on the victim for being offended. No sale on this one.

As for this part:

“There’s really no correlation between federal funds for schools, water ferries and police communications systems and the council’s actions, for God’s sake,”

Yes there is. From a constitutional point of view, providing for the common defense is actually in the document. Ferries and schools aren’t. Rejecting the one should trigger loss of the latter.