LOGO: Truthdig: Drilling Beneath the Headlines. A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman. Winner 2013 Webby Awards for Best Political Website
May 24, 2013

 Choose a size
Text Size

Trending:     chris hedges     economy     elizabeth warren     politics     robert scheer
Most Read

How to Make a Million Dollars an Hour

Three Questions Left Unanswered by Obama’s Counterterrorism Speech

Colbert Slams PBS for Appeasing Koch Brothers

Obama Heckled During Speech, Warren Lands a Book Deal, and More

A Call to Action

Most Comments
Most Emailed

Reports
 * NEW! * New York City’s Summers May Heat Up

Ear to the Ground

A/V Booth

Arts & Culture
A Call to Action
Act of Congress

Digs

Truthdig Bazaar
Beyond the Revolution

Beyond the Revolution

By William H. Goetzmann
$23.10

Havana Before Castro

Havana Before Castro

By Peter Moruzzi
$19.80

more items

 
Ear to the Ground

GOP Fails in Bid to Filibuster Military Spending Bill in Senate

Email this item Email    Print this item Print    Share this item... Share

Posted on Dec 18, 2009
capitol
Flickr / laura padgett

If it wasn’t crystal clear before that Senate Republicans will stop at nothing to make sure their Democratic rivals don’t pass a health care reform bill by Christmas, or anytime, it should be now. On Friday, GOP senators attempted, unsuccessfully, to filibuster a huge military spending bill that needed to be passed expeditiously in order to secure funding for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq without interruption.

The reason? Health care, of course. In their single-minded zeal to thwart the health bill’s passage, Republicans figured they could stretch out the time allotted to consider the military spending bill via filibuster, regardless of the consequences of delaying that vote, thus ensuring that they would take even longer to get back to the health care debate. The Washington Post just couldn’t seem to get over how “unusual” their strategy was, but Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates was definitely over it, and pretty incensed over it at that, as early as Thursday.  —KA

The Washington Post:

Republicans have provided the backbone of support for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and many have praised Obama’s troop increase in Afghanistan. When the House considered the same legislation Wednesday, 164 of the 175 Republicans present voted for it, so the Senate GOP plan to oppose defense spending Friday morning put them in an unusual position.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) cited the roughly 1,800 earmarks in the bill worth $4.2 billion in explaining his opposition, but most others were blunt in their rational for opposing the military legislation.

“I don’t want health care,” Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) said Thursday evening.

Taking the floor as the new day’s session began just past midnight, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) laid out what appeared to be a case to filibuster the defense bill. “The bill that is before us is not what is driving, actually, the timing of this vote at 12:15 in the morning on Friday. I think that what is driving it is health care,” Hutchison said.

[...] Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates sent Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) a blistering letter Thursday warning of a “serious disruption” in the military’s ability to pay troops. “It is inconceivable to me that such a situation would be permitted to occur with U.S. forces actively deployed in combat,” Gates wrote.

Read more

More Below the Ad

Advertisement


New and Improved Comments

If you have trouble leaving a comment, review this help page. Still having problems? Let us know. If you find yourself moderated, take a moment to review our comment policy.

By samosamo, December 19, 2009 at 9:26 am Link to this comment

According to the 88 to 10 vote for this ‘cronyism’ pay out
shows me that at least 10 members or maybe 12 counting the
2 votes that are missing are the only ones aware that passing
this is not for the security of the u.s. but the financial security
of the homegrown terrorists that perpetually use war as the
real economic indicator for their private gains.

The other 88, or maybe 90 if those 2 missing votes would
have voted for this piece of grand larceny, show with their
votes, this ostensible facade of strengthening the security is
done with money, the taxpayer’s money,  and along with that
the high hopes and probability of being re-elected.

And the dupes in this are the constituents who do slide along
that ‘ideology’ that if we don’t allow the pentagon to
measurably get more money every year, those ghosts in the
ghost war on terror will be over here in their high tech air
craft, ships and submarines loaded with hundreds of
thousands or millions of soldiers and the worse weaponry in
the world.

I guess it is easier to ignore and even ridicule Dwight
Eisenhower for trying to warn us citizens in his farewell
speech about the military industrial congressional complex
and the horrible problems that would come from not gaining
control of what are now the top terrorists in the world.

Report this

By Inherit The Wind, December 19, 2009 at 8:42 am Link to this comment

Just when everyone at TD keeps saying there’s no difference between the Democrats and the Republicans, the Re-thuglicans step up to the plate and PROVE they are STILL much, Much, MUCH worse than Dimocrats!

As hard as that is to believe…..

Report this

By melpol, December 19, 2009 at 8:39 am Link to this comment

This holiday season is a joyous one. Mother Nature has provided us with a
president that will make sure the nation survives. His record breaking defense
budget and expansion of our military presence in Afghanistan proves he is no
Liberal. He might talk about sharing the wealth but that is only rhetoric. The only
thing he shares is some of the left overs with his dog Bo. If you peer through his
veil you will not only see a black face but the most Conservative thinking
president in American history.

Report this

By ardee, December 19, 2009 at 4:21 am Link to this comment

This is not about health care, it is about a Republican Party desperately seeking to regain the seat of power. So desperate in fact that they fail in their sworn duty to the nation.

As the GOP woos the furthest right among us, and that includes the long exiled John Birch Society, perhaps the kookiest of the extreme right, the Democratic Party spins in little circles unable to join together to get anything done.

I wonder if the polls showing that Americans are becoming disenchanted with health care reform are reacting to the sheer incompetence of our elected leaders rather than any real desire to retain our current expensive and inefficient system?

It seems pretty damn obvious that “we get the type of government we deserve”. It also seems increasingly obvious that President Obama is just incapable of real leadership, and, while sincere and probably even well intentioned, hasnt the experience or the balls to get this job done.

He has just returned from Copenhagen where he was shunned by key leaders and ignored by most everyone else. He returns to the Capital, enmired in a mess over health care reform that he must accept responsibility for in refusing to lead on the issue.

Sadly, perhaps, I see this man as a one term ineffective leader.

Report this

By Dr. Frankie, December 18, 2009 at 11:56 pm Link to this comment

The Republicans aiding and comforting the terrorists?

Hoocoodanode?

Report this

By AC, December 18, 2009 at 10:38 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

“On Friday, GOP senators attempted, unsuccessfully, to filibuster a huge military spending bill that needed to be passed expeditiously in order to secure funding for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq without interruption.”

Oh, stop your whining!  What a flashback to the Bush era, only the Democrats never had the guts to protest these deadly, unwinnable, and expensive wars.  I voted for Obama because he promised “change.”  I was such a fool to believe him.

Report this

By glider, December 18, 2009 at 9:59 pm Link to this comment

I guess if these guys are incapable of passing decent legislation has they have demonstrated over Healthcare and Bankster promotions, at least they can entertain us with their Circus Government.  At this stage I favor both these actions by the Republicans.  Maybe it will help drive the Dems to use the reconciliation process and attempt to pass responsible legislation, but I am not holding my breath.

Report this

By lichen, December 18, 2009 at 9:36 pm Link to this comment

Yeah, I oppose both the military spending (read: MURDER) bill and the corporatist for-profit health care “reform.” Robert m gates can fume all he wants to—from the hague.

Report this
Virginia777's avatar

By Virginia777, December 18, 2009 at 9:23 pm Link to this comment

well, thank goodness for small favors. These freaks couldn’t get their military bill through.

ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

Report this
Newsletter

sign up to get updates


 
 
 
 
Join the Liberal Blog Advertising Network
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.
© 2013 Truthdig, LLC. All rights reserved.