Republicans vote to defund the military

[ProSense]

all because some of the troops currently serving their country with pride are gay.

THE ROAD AHEAD ON DADT REPEAL, DEFENSE SPENDING....

This afternoon, a Republican filibuster blocked the annual defense authorization bill from coming to the floor. The spending bill funds the military, but since it included a provision on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the GOP felt the need to crush it.

But here's a pesky detail: the bill still isn't quite dead, and the Senate still has every intention of coming back to it. Republican opposition to a military spending bill won the day, and the far-right can feel very pleased with itself this afternoon, but the money the Pentagon needed yesterday is still the same money the Pentagon will need tomorrow.

We have an "all-volunteer" fighting force, but the GOP shouldn't take that too literally -- the troops still need to get paid. Republicans just fought the bill that finances the salaries of servicemen and women, and would have even given them a raise.

So, what happens now? The defense authorization bill will be taken up again during the lame-duck session after the midterm elections.

Gay rights advocates vowed to keep pressure on the Senate Tuesday, with some believing they will have enough votes to end the ban if senators vote on the compromise in December. Several moderate Republicans have said they would vote to end "don't ask, don't tell" only after they review a Pentagon study of how repealing the ban might impact troop readiness and morale. The study is due to President Obama and senior military leaders on Dec. 1.

"This issue doesn't go away," said Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a group providing legal assistance to troops impacted by the gay ban.

"The Senate absolutely must schedule a vote in December when cooler heads and common sense are more likely to prevail once midterm elections are behind us," he said.

But as today helped prove, there's very little reason for optimism. After the Pentagon study, anti-gay Republicans will find some new rationale. It's not as if they were sincere about this -- the working of the provision already says it would merely empower the Pentagon and the White House to act. The excuse they were relying on for the basis of opposition was thin to begin with.

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[Raine1967]

1. I'm a bit sick to my stomach.

As important as DADT is -- and for me it is INCREDIBLY important, I think a majority of Americans are not aware that they blocked funding our troops.

[benlurkin]

3. Don't forget the "Dream Act" was also defeated by this vote

[Raine1967]

5. I haven't, believe me.

This is a defense authorization bill -- NOT a supplemental war bill. It's something that is done every year.

It's been passed every year for the past 48 years. It;s a federal Law that it is supposed to be passed, I believe. That the GOP is blocking it is unconscionable. The Gays and immigrants are worth defunding our military according to the GOP.

[Botany]

2. Republicans should be crushed in the upcoming vote

piss off Latinos, Gays, Women, Cops, teachers, fireman, union workers, liberals,
students, people who get social security, ..... and so on and the #s don't work
out to well for the republicans.

[COLGATE4]

4. Yeah, but we should be SHOUTING FROM THE ROOFTOPS

that the Rethugs blocked funding for the military!!! If the Dems had done it, Shammity and the whole RW echo chamber would be screaming that we hate our country and the military 24/7. We should give them a small taste of their own medicine.

[vaberella]

6. All Republicans and Lincoln---which shouldn't surprise us. n/t

[unblock]

7. slight tweak: republicans cut off funding for our troops in a time of war

[Arugula Latte]

8. I'd love to defund the military down to the bone, but not because of this!

These people are batshit crazy.

[ClarkUSA]

9. lol! They triggered the mouse trap. They'll get pummeled for this travesty. Then they'll fold. nt

[jillan]

10. Every Democrat running for office needs to be saying this over and over and over and over and over.

Campaign commercials need to be made.

If the situation was reversed - oh my - you can only imagine the hell the Dems would have to pay!

[golfguru]

11. The rubes were against the "dream act"

which gives amnesty to specific categories of illegals.
The dream act was part of the defense bill.

[Hekate]

12. Rachel should be interesting tonight. I caught her comments just after the vote...

... and she was oddly optimistic about prospects over the long haul.

Bottom line: The crowds at Lady GaGa's speech were all around 20 years old, and research proves the younger you are the less you care about someone else's sexuality or ethnicity; McCain's constituency is old white guys like himself. She says the Repubs are going to trade short-term gains for long-term viability with the new generation of voters.

My take-away: Get Out The Youth Vote.

Hekate

[Proud Liberal Dem]

13. True

McCain and his *intellectual* peers won't be around forever......:shrug:

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

14. Their Priorities....

Put every member of our military at risk rather than give up their extremist agenda.

[TBF]

15. Well someone ought to cut military spending -

but trust it to the dems to suggest cutting veteran's benefits (via the catfood commission), and trust the repubs not to pay the current soldiers.

Classy on both sides - notice they decide not to pay labor (past & present), but no one is cutting defense contracts. Typical.

[golfguru]

16. Why is this bad? US Military is bigger than the next 10

countries combined in terms of spending every year.
Why do we need such a big military? Who is invading us to require
such a powerful military?

I say, cut the military in half, for starters.

[seattleblue]

17. If they are not going to be paid let's get them out of Iraq and Afghanistan now!

And wherever else around the world they are not needed or wanted (Europe/Japan/Korea).

[Mimosa]

18. And use the money saved to fund jobs initiatives HERE. n/t