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In Washington, it is extremely dangerous for Republican politicians to take any substantive action to resist the American left. They will face pressure from big donors, harsh criticism from the media, and betrayal from their Republican colleagues.
This harsh reality has left the Republican Party unable to address the systemic problems facing our country. Voters have the right to know which of their representatives in parliament are willing to take a stand, and also the names of those who are not.
The latest victim candidate is Sen. Tommy Tuberville, Republican of Alabama, who has joined forces with liberal Democrats for daring to oppose the Biden Pentagon’s radical new policy of using tax dollars to pay for “abortion leave” for military women. Targeted by war-happy Republican allies. She is stationed in a state that has restrictions on abortion.
Tuberville ends blockade of most military promotions after months of abortion fight
Since it’s his first time in Washington, Tuberville had planned to stand up to the administration on behalf of both his unborn child and the voters who sent him to Washington, D.C., but he realized that the Pentagon had its way in the city. I didn’t know you were used to that.
But the Pentagon and its allies were unaware that the newcomer did not respond well to bullying, and were shocked when, months later, he did not bend the knee. Now, Republican Pentagon hawks like Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R.C.) are reminding everyone that they are in charge of the conservative coalition. We want to be thinking.
In an era of family breakdown, rampant drug addiction, the collapse of the southern border, massive deindustrialization, and community alienation, military abortion is perhaps not the most important issue, but for a significant number of Republican voters, it is worth addressing. It was a battle. More than that, it was a fight the regime chose. Mr. Tuberville was not asking the Pentagon to create new politicized policies; he simply asked them not to create new politicized policies. He promised the administration in December 2022 that he would force a vote on all military proposals that would require Senate confirmation (and hope for unanimous consent) if policy changes were to be enforced. He stuck to it and fought heroically for 11 months.
Republicans had a chance to endorse their colleagues last week. The House had passed the National Defense Authorization Act, as amended to stop the Pentagon from using tax dollars illegally, and the Senate only had to adopt it. Mr. Tuberville reportedly had the votes to do so, but was denied the opportunity by both chambers and Congressional leaders of both parties. They abandoned winnable battles over the bases issue to hand the Pentagon an easy victory.
A similar attitude is expressed In the fight over Ukraine spending, a handful of Republican lawmakers are demanding real and workable border security measures in exchange for tens of billions of dollars more to secure Ukraine’s borders. Senate Republicans balked when Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson told colleagues this week that without serious border security measures, further Ukraine funding would be crippled on arrival.
”[The border security provision] Republican Sen. James Lankford responded, “We didn’t get a single Democratic vote in the House. We have to get 20 Democratic votes here.” If the House is going to say that it must be our bill that Democrats got zero votes, but I need you to go get 20 votes over, that’s not reasonable. . That’s not how things work. ”
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina was more direct, rejecting Johnson’s position: “He’s going to take what we send him.”
Mr. Lankford and Mr. Tillis are said to be the chief negotiators for the Republican position, but rather than negotiating with Democrats, they are negotiating with themselves and reducing foreign spending until at least one major and critical domestic issue is resolved. is fighting against Republicans who say they won’t support it. I worked on it.
Please remember. Congress holds the key to spending. If conservative Republicans don’t think their concerns are being taken seriously, they don’t have to ignore the swamp’s concerns and can keep it all together.
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The reality is that most Republicans don’t want such hard-line measures. They will happily vote for hollow border concessions to make it look like they’re standing strong, but in reality they’re pasting more money on a fig leaf for wars with foreign countries. Only. Spending is easy. The battle is difficult.
On Tuesday, the Senate finally bulldozed Tuberville’s lonely observation post. Democrats, with support from Republican Pentagon hardliners, have promised to temporarily change Congressional rules to allow military promotions to pass with just 51 votes instead of the usual 60, and Tuberville’s constant My brave colleagues had warned that the rule changes would create legislative penalties. A dangerous precedent.
It took nine Republican votes to change the rules and betray Tuberville, conservative voters and their own campaign promises. They argued that even though Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell knew he had those nine votes, it would still be better for “the team” if Tuberville surrendered. That way, the Republicans who intended to stab him in the back wouldn’t have to put their names on the record.
After heroically fighting the Pentagon, the media, the Democratic Party, and his own colleagues, Tuberville finally relented. He was being threatened by his own team.
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Among Republicans in the nation’s capital today, counterattacks are both fig leaves and half-measures, and those who don’t get the memo persona non grata. In reality, the Republican Party constitutes a “controlled opposition,” pantomiming bold alternatives to the Democratic Party while actually offering a pale imitation. They have already announced a victory for the Pentagon and a defeat for social conservatives this Christmas. They might even bulldoze the new speaker of the House of Representatives.
If voters are going to have a party that will fight for them in the future, they had better learn now who will fight for them. And remember the Republicans who betrayed the freshman senator from Alabama?
Click here to read more from Christopher Bedford