No. of Republican Senators voting for the Iraq War resolution (without worrying about how we would pay for it at the time): 48
No. of Republican Senators voting against: 1 (Lincoln Chafee, RI)
No. of Republicans who voted against and were later primaried by the right wing and drummed out of the party: 1 (Lincoln Chafee)
This was in 2002. For reference, 29 Democratic senators voted for and 21 voted against.
Fast forward to 2012.
Sept. 19 --- The Veterans Job Corps Act died in the Senate Wednesday on a procedural vote when 40 senators balked at the $1 billion price tag for a measure that would have provided employment for veterans in conservation work, in Veterans Affairs Department cemeteries, and helped in police and fire departments.
No. of Republican Senators Voting for the Veterans Job Corps Act to help veterans of the Iraq War that 98% of them voting for: 5
No. of Republican Senators Voting AGAINST the Veterans Job Corps Act: 40
The $1 billion bill was to have paid for itself with new revenue over 10 years. Republican senators say the bill allows for more spending at the Veterans Administration than what was agreed to in the Budget Control Act, which is why they raised a point of order.
“This point of order puts a price on what we are willing to provide our veterans and it says ‘not a penny more,’ ” Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said before the vote. “It’s a point of order that will not only kill our ability to pass this bill, but that could also affect nearly every effort we make to improve the lives of veterans going forward.”
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) said these types of pay-go bills are part of the problem of the growing national debt.
“The question in my mind is, will we at some point in the future recognize the hole we’re in,” Coburn said on the floor Wednesday.
“At every turn, we have sought compromise. But instead of meeting us halfway, we have been met with resistance,” Murray said. “Instead of saying yes to the nearly one million unemployed veterans, it seems some on the other side have spent the last week and a half seeking out any way to say no.”
THESE FUCKERS SENT THESE AMERICANS TO WAR, WRAPPED THEIR FUCKING BLOATED ASSES IN THE FLAG IN EVERY ELECTION SINCE THEN, CREATED THIS MASSIVE DEBT WE NOW HAVE PARTIALLY BECAUSE WE NEVER PAID FOR EITHER WAR THEY SENT THESE SOLDIER TO, AND ARE NOW USING THAT DEBT TO DENY THESE SOLDIERS A BETTER CHANCE AT WORK NOW THAT THEY ARE HOME FROM FIGHTING THEIR FUCKING WAR.
ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS??!
I don't think I've been this outraged by anything in our politics as much as this all year. Hence, the all caps. Sorry. But really, in every single election these people below who blocked this bill in the Senate should receive zero fucking votes. Zero. No one should ever put any of them back into office.
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