No Relief for the Troops Thanks to the GOP

After an agonizingly long doctors appointment this morning I get home to find that the GOP has once again shown that they would rather support their president than the troops...much contrary to their rhetoric recently. Once again the Republican Party has shown its lack of courage by not putting their votes where their cheap talk is, and once again they have blocked a vote to support our troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. By a 41-56 vote, Republicans blocked an up and down vote on the Webb Amendment this morning . With the Republicans supporting the troops is just a slogan and no more. Some of them have been making a lot of noise lately about changing course but when it came down to it they proved once again that they are just whipping boys for the idiot in chief.

Said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid:

I am discouraged that the Republican leadership chose to block this troop readiness amendment. If Republicans oppose troop readiness, they are entitled to vote against it. If Republicans don't believe that our courageous men and women in uniform deserve more rest and mental health, they can vote no on this amendment. If they don't agree that constant redeployments and recruiting shortages are straining our armed forces, they can vote no on this amendment.

But to block this amendment – to not even give it an up or down vote – shows that some of my Republican colleagues are protecting their president rather than protecting our troops. But just because some in the minority party are choosing obstruction does not mean that all Republicans must follow in lockstep. I urge all of my colleagues who believe we need a new course to support this amendment. It is a crucial first step on the path toward a responsible end to the war.

GOP Senators' Warner, Snowe, Collins and Coleman did vote with the Democrats and showed some spine, while both big talking Voinovich and Domenici proved that, regardless of their tough talk, at the end of the day their loyalty is to Mr. Incompetent, not to the American people and definitely not to the troops they have put in harms way. Need I mention that SOB Joe Lieberman voted with the Republicans?

Something has to give. As long as the Republicans continue filibuster and obstruct the Senate by refusing to allow even votes on the amendments to the Defense Appropriations bill, we are going nowhere. I think it is probably time to change game. Instead of invoking cloture on important amendments and falling into the 60 vote trap the Dems should continue the debate for as long as it takes and not let the filibuster threat rule the game. We need to changed the headlines that continue to say "the Democrats failed to pass," and make the headline read "The Republicans refused to vote."

The Democrats have an obligation to see that the will of the American people is not thwarted by these GOP tactics whatever it takes.