After all they got in the Tax Capitulation Act, you’d think the Republican Party would rest on their laurels for a day or two. Fat chance! They liked the way holding 98% of Americans and 100% of America’s unemployed, the victims of Republic an malfeasance, worked for them, so they are at it again. Their most recent attempt is to threaten to kill START, if DADT passes. It didn’t work, but they are trying to follow through with the threat anyway.
Vexed and cornered, Republican opponents of the advancing effort to allow gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military pulled out a final card Friday, suggesting that the future of an arms treaty with Russia was endangered by Democratic efforts to repeal “don’t ask don’t tell” at the end of the lame-duck session.
“It poisons the well,” said Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee, on the floor of the Senate during debate on the New Start treaty. Mr. Coker said he did not think “the future of the Start treaty over the next several days is going to be successful” if Senator Harry Reid, the majority leader, continued with his plans to pursue the repeal, as well as an immigration bill.
Other Republican senators echoed the view… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <NY Times>
The first attempt to kill START was the McCain-Barasso Amendment, a poison pill that would have requires renegotiation with Russia on missile defense. That failed.
Negotiations on this treaty began under the Bush Regime. It has been conducted by professional experts and neither President interfered with the process. As negotiations continued, Russia continued to dismantle nukes in good faith so that they are already below the required limits. As I watched the debate, I saw Sen. Hutchinson (R-TX) argue that the treaty is unfair, because Russia is below the limit, and therefore, it should be renegotiated to make Russia give up more. Is this how America should reward good faith?
As for the fate of START, we’ll have to wait and see.
6 Responses to “More Republican Threats to START”
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I didn’t know that about Hutchinson, TC but it’s appalling. To use nuclear disarmament as a political ploy is also appalling. Try reasoning with a teabagger on this, though. Should be simple, should be common sense, but it isn’t. They still have their same ignorant Cold War false information to base their stupidity on. Sucks.
Oso, I haven’t seen that covered anywhere but here, and it was here only because I saw it live on CSPAN2. Getting a Teabagger to reason is like getting a Nazi to love Jews.
The Nashville Scene also quoted Corker the Dorker as saying, “”These issues that have been brought forth are absolutely partisan political issues, brought forth to basically accomodate activist groups around this country.” Hoofing mouth disease.
Corker fulla CaCa! 😉
Hi, Oso – glad to see you back. Assholes – they already gave up more than we asked them to and now the Repubs want them to give up more. Here’s their answer – go pound sand. Approve the fucking treaty and move on with your life. Really, what’s it to you? 😡
Republicans are happy to fight to the death, ours.