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Breaking Tuberville's Stranglehold [1]

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Date: 2023-11-14

Coach Tommy, Alabama’s latest attempt to enact revenge on the US Army over the Late Unpleasantness Between the States, may finally be heading toward Appomattox. The Senate Rules Committee has just voted to allow military promotions to be voted on en mass instead of one by one. This will put an end to Tuberville’s extortion of the Pentagon by holding up all promotions in order to get it to reverse its policy of paying travel costs of military personnel who need to get abortion in another state.

US News and World Report: Senate Democrats Vote to Advance Resolution to Bypass Tuberville’s Hold on Military Promotions

Democrats on the Senate Rules Committee advanced a resolution on Tuesday that would allow the chamber to bypass Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s nine-month hold on military promotions as frustrations with the stunt have come to a boiling point in recent weeks.

No Republican on the committee — including McConnell — voted for the bill, even though McConnell has expressed frustration with Tommy’s ongoing tantrum.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, speaking at the committee meeting on Tuesday, said Tuberville’s actions have created a “nearly unprecedented” situation for the Senate to handle, though he joins him in his opposition to the Pentagon’s policy. Even so, he ultimately voted against the resolution – as did every other Republican on the committee – after telling reporters earlier in the day that Republicans are still trying to find a solution with Tuberville.

Majority Leader Schumer sounds like he’s willing to let McConnell have another crack at the craxy coach, perhaps using this latest vote as more ammunition, but his patience is wearing thin:

Schumer said that with the committee approval, he’s prepared to bring the resolution to a floor vote if Republicans aren’t able to convince Tuberville to lift his hold in the near future. But even with the frustration from fellow Republicans, whether the resolution can get the support of enough Republicans – who may see political peril in voting with Democrats to overcome Tuberville’s Pentagon protest – remains to be seen.

There are many here who think Schumer’s patience should have worn out, not just thin, a long time ago. But consider that there’s no way the Senate can confirm those promotions without either a rules change — which requires 60 Senators, and thus nine Republicans — or by bringing up each nominee one by one, which would take more time than there are hours left in the year.* (Or the Pentagon drops its policy, but that’s not gonna happen.)

So, like any good politician, Schumer is giving McConnell an escape route that will accomplish the goal without forcing the other side to lose face. This is how politics ought to be played — and used to be, back before the GOP got highjacked by the nutsos.

*(Off the top of my head hyperbole, so don’t argue with me if my math is off)

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