Given recent news, how about a rerun?
Originally posted March 1
Let us compare two votes, shall we?
One authorizes war; another authorizes benefits* for veterans of war. How well do these votes match up?
Senator Jeff Sessions, R-AL, voted in favor of the Iraq War; Senator Jeff Sessions voted against benefits for veterans of war.
Senator Richard Shelby, R-Al, voted in favor of war; Senator Shelby voted against benefits
Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-AK, voted in favor of war; Senator Murkowski did not vote on benefits.
Representative Jeff Flake, R-AZ, voted in favor of war; Senator Flake voted against benefits.
Senator John McCain, R-AZ, voted in favor of war; Senator McCain voted against benefits.
Representative John Boozman, R-AR voted in favor of war; Senator Boozman voted against benefits.
Senator Bill Nelson, D-FL, voted in favor of war; Senator Nelson did not vote on benefits.
Representative Saxby Chambliss, R-GA, voted in favor of war; Senator Chambliss voted against benefits.
Representative John Isakson, R-GA, voted in favor of war; Senator Isakson voted against benefits.
Senator Michael Crapo, R-ID, voted in favor of war; Senator Crapo voted against benefits.
Representative Mark Kirk, R-IL, voted in favor of war; Senator Kirk voted against benefits.
Senator Charles Grassley, R-IA, voted in favor of war; Senator Grassley voted against benefits.
Senator Pat Roberts, R-KS, voted in favor of war; Senator Roberts voted against benefits.
Senator Mitch McConnell, R-KY, voted in favor of war; Senator McConnell voted against benefits.
Representative David Vitter, R-LA, voted in favor of war; Senator Vitter voted against benefits.
Senator Susan Collins, R-ME, voted in favor of war; Senator Collins voted against benefits.
Senator Thad Cochran, R-MS, voted in favor of war; Senator Cochran voted against benefits.
Representative Roger Wicker, R-MS, voted in favor of war; Senator Wicker did not vote on benefits.
Representative Roy Blunt, R-MO, voted in favor of war; Senator Blunt voted against benefits.
Representative Richard Burr, R-NC, voted in favor of war; Senator Burr voted against benefits.
Representative Rob Portman, R-OH, voted in favor of war; Senator Portman voted against benefits.
Senator Jim Inhofe, R-OK, voted in favor of war; Senator Inhofe voted against benefits.
Representative Pat Toomey, R-PA, voted in favor of war; Senator Toomey voted against benefits.
Representative Lindsay Graham, R-SC, voted in favor of war; Senator Graham voted against benefits.
Representative John Thune, R-SD, voted in favor of war; Senator Thune voted against benefits.
Senator Orrin Hatch, R-UT, voted in favor of war; Senator Hatch voted against benefits.
Senator Michael Enzi, R-WY, voted in favor of war; Senator Enzi voted against benefits.
Those who voted for the war and for benefits:
- Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-CA
- Senator Thomas Carper, D-DE
- Representative/Senator Jerry Moran, R-KS
- Senator Mary Landrieu, D-LA
- Representative/Senator Ed Markey, D-MA
- Senator Harry Reid, D-NV
- Senator Chuck Schumer, D-NY
- Senator Tim Johnson, D-SD
- Senator Maria Cantwell, D-WA
- Senator Jay Rockefeller, D-WV
Those who voted against the war and for benefits:
- Senator Barbara Boxer, D-CA
- Representative/Senator Mark Udall, D-CO
- Senator Benjamin Cardin, D-MD
- Senator Barbara Mikulski, D-MD
- Senator Carl Levin, D-MI
- Senator Debbie Stabenow, D-MI
- Representative/Senator Bob Menéndez, D-NJ
- Representative/Senator Tom Udall, D-NM
- Representative/Senator Sherrod Brown, D-OH
- Senator Ron Wyden, D-OR
- Senator John Reed, D-RI
- Senator Patrick Leahy, D-VT
- Representative/Senator Bernie Sanders, I-VT (sponsor of benefits bill S.1982)
- Senator Patty Murray, D-WA
- Representative/Senator Tammy Baldwin, D-WI
If you don’t want to pay for the consequences of war, then DON’T VOTE FOR WAR.
And, goddammit, if we do go to war, then you pay to take care of those who fought the war.
Even soldiers in a stupid, shitty, pointless war deserve care.
*Technically, this was a cloture vote (requiring 60 votes to succeed), which is to say, a vote to stop a filibuster; voting yes on cloture would end debate and allow a majority vote on the legislation to proceed. The vote failed, 56-41.
~~~
According to Alan Fram of the Associated Press,
Republicans criticized how most of Sanders’ bill was paid for — with unspent money from the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and the winding down of American military involvement in Afghanistan. The GOP says those are not real savings because no one expected those dollars to be spent as those wars ended.
I’d go back and see how many of these. . . statesmen voted in favor of war-time tax cuts, but I really don’t have the heart.
