IDIOCY WATCH, CONT’D…. Following up on the last post, it’s worth highlighting comments Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) made to Greg Sargent this afternoon.
“I felt like momentum was growing for START,” Corker said, adding that since Reid announced he was holding votes on DADT and DREAM, it has had a “chilling effect.”
“I’m watching support for the treaty erode, because of highly partisan political issues being brought up solely because activist groups in the Democratic Party want this done,” he continued.
This is among the dumbest policy positions I’ve ever heard a senator take out loud and in public.
New START is necessary for American national security and foreign policy, a truth heartily endorsed by eight former secretaries of state from both parties, five former secretaries of defense from both parties, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and several of his predecessors, seven former Strategic Command chiefs, national security advisers from both parties, and nearly all former commanders of U.S. nuclear forces. Corker knows this — he voted for it in committee.
The only organized groups on the planet hoping to see the Senate fail to ratify this treaty are Iranian officials, North Korean officials, hardliners in Russia, and most Republicans in D.C.
And they’ll get their wish, according to Corker, because Democrats have hurt Republicans’ feelings by bringing up a bipartisan piece of legislation, requested by the Pentagon, and endorsed by 77% of the American people.
We’d love to monitor Russia’s long-range nuclear capabilities, Corker is effectively arguing, but not if the Senate votes on a bill we don’t like regarding gay people.
Taking a step back, what we see here is yet another hostage situation.
Give us tax cuts breaks for millionaires, Republicans said, or we’ll shoot the hostage (raising taxes on the middle class).
Scrap the bipartisan omnibus spending bill, Republicans said, or we’ll shoot the hostage (shutting down the government).
Ignore the Pentagon and kill DADT repeal, Republicans are saying, or we’ll shoot the hostage (undermining American foreign policy and helping America’s enemies).
It’s as offensive as anything Republicans have done in years, and given the antics of these guys, that’s really saying something.
