GOP playing crass politics with nuclear treaty

Granny,
They ain’t worried about no smoking gun…

• Link
• Report this comment

“None of their professed “reasons” make sense”

there ya go again, Jay … expecting “reason” and “logic” to play a role in their deliberatins …

• Link
• Report this comment

g’morning, Normal … I wasn’t even a spark in someone’s eye …

• Link
• Report this comment

Normal

I was sitting in Sr. Mary Jessica’s class. She lead us in prayer and sent us home.

I remember watching my mother and father cry.

• Link
• Report this comment

I was waiting for my sister’s son and daughter to get home from elementary school when Dad called. What a sad day in our short history.

• Link
• Report this comment

I was in 5th grade class and the nuns herded us to the chapel for the announcement and prayers. His death was such a waste.

• Link
• Report this comment

This country needs a strong military which is against Obama’s socialist agenda.

• Link
• Report this comment

…not enough is being spent on modernizing the nation’s existing nuclear arsenal…

a.k.a. the republican’s Tax-n-Bomb strategy.

• Link
• Report this comment

I guess Sen Kyl has problems reading. He stated that he has problems with it w/o stating such. So they want to wait until the new Congress is seated! Oh so a bunch of rookie legislators have a better feel and understanding than those who have been in office for at least 2 years! Yeah, right. Bring it to the floor when they return from another vacation (where are the conserves that lambast Pres. Obama for his vacations/golf but are silent on the House and Senate). Let’s see how the conserves dance around that!

• Link
• Report this comment

This issue is exactly why so many are checking out of politics, nothing can get done with the party of no and their determination to weaken america by undermining the president at all costs. I hope in the end, it backfires.
I remember my mom crying coming home from kinder and there were no cartoons on the tv for days. Watershed event in history and our culture.

• Link
• Report this comment

I was a Junior in high school, sitting in American History class here in SW Atlanta. Our teacher came in crying and announced it. Kennedy wasn’t well liked down here so some of the kids cheered. I never will forget the look on our teachers face.

• Link
• Report this comment

“Obama’s socialist agenda”

no, no, no … it’s Obama’s EUROPEAN-STYLE socialist agenda (with a Kenyan twist)

• Link
• Report this comment

FinnMcCool

November 22nd, 2010
8:31 am

They’re busy blaming the oppressive government for prohibiting them from becoming Warren Buffets.

• Link
• Report this comment

@USinUK have a pretty good idea who you are. What are you hiding, why not join us all in the sunshine?

• Link
• Report this comment

Article Highlights
Evaluating the negotiating record distracts from the ratification process’s central purpose.
The exposure of negotiating records risks jeopardizing the confidentiality and frankness of treaty negotitations.
Treaty skeptics’ primary justfication for requesting the negotiating record is based on flimsy evidence.

• Link
• Report this comment

Gabe – (I should hope you know!!)

no thanks. I prefer to remain anonnymoose. that way, if I ever run for office …

• Link
• Report this comment

This is interesting…

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/11/navy-out-of-annapolis-112110w/

• Link
• Report this comment

Normal: When they got older (notice I didn’t type “grew up”) they post on these blogs as crass conservatives (not all conservatives are crass and mannerless). Not only did they not learn anything, but they make their mommas soooo proud!

• Link
• Report this comment

Again, its the inspection of those warheads, not their limitation, that is the issue. No one is worried about the US losing track or selling them on the black market. That can not be said of the Russian warheads.

Also, the Russians had both mobile rail and mobile truck launchers historically. Unlike us, they would be able to redeploy and rearm those type of delivery systems pretty readily.

• Link
• Report this comment

Doin’ right ain’t got no ending…

• Link
• Report this comment

I was also in 7th grade, Science class. I guess high school kids haven’t changed much if a news of JFK’s death was received with cheers. Looking back on it, I am glad we didn’t have CNN then. They would have shown that few seconds of film over and over.

• Link
• Report this comment

Gates thinks the treaty is a good idea…

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/11/ap-gates-russia-arms-treaty-112010/

• Link
• Report this comment

Gabriel Sterling

“Also, the Russians had both mobile rail and mobile truck launchers historically. Unlike us, they would be able to redeploy and rearm those type of delivery systems pretty readily.”

Yeah, and we had ground launched cruise missiles deployed to Europe, too. Road mobile, no conventional warheads, nukes only.

We could reconstitute them and redeploy them because they were part of our historical inventory. Any ideas on why the Russians aren’t using that to hold up the treaty?

• Link
• Report this comment

Jay 8:47

Thx -

• Link
• Report this comment

aw, Jay, you’re no fun a tall.

(I know, I know, we’re supposed to be nice to our guests.)

• Link
• Report this comment

More Liberal smear, trying to spread their hatred.

• Link
• Report this comment

Jay, I have more faith in The Heritage Foundation than the Obama administration and Republicans that have thrown their lot in with Obama on START. There will be nothing lost by taking time to fully evaluate and debate START. The White House is in full court press trying to get START passed during the lame duck to give Obama at least one win. The matter is more important than how Barry looks.

If you want to debate Heritage’s methods, we can look into all the Soros backed organizations and their methods.

• Link
• Report this comment

“More Liberal smear”

damn you, Condi! and Henry K! and Gates! and Luger!

you’re all a bunch of sissy-pants, bed-wetting libruls!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

This shows the Republicans are already starting to cater to the Tea Party lug nuts. Sadly, all of the mindless who support this are utterly clueless as to how this will damage our security.

• Link
• Report this comment

Jay

November 22nd, 2010
8:53 am

You are making your own ssumption!

No need for you to add words not there it only states ratification would be more difficult with the addition of the 6 new members.

Are you claiming that democrat senators would not be willing to vote for ratification at that time?

What is the urgency then since by President Obama’s own words he admits that he is not worried “near term”?

So what is the urgency then Jay? Democrats getting political credit for the treaty? Seems thats the urgency for you.

• Link
• Report this comment

First sentence should be is NOT………

• Link
• Report this comment

Not much the Republicans do these days makes much sense other than to defeat Obama at any cost…….

• Link
• Report this comment

My main point is, it is not blind partisanship and trying to hurt Obama that is behind some Senators opposition to a vote right now. There are real policy issues at stake.

And Jay, you attributing partisan only motives, only serves to stoke the flames of partisan divide that you have so often decried. Maybe you can assume that some, not even all, GOP Senators who are slowing this down may actually have the United States’ best interests at heart and not just the Republican Party’s.

• Link
• Report this comment

Doesn’t it take 67 votes to pass?

• Link
• Report this comment

Yeah Reb, they’ll delay it so THEY can get the win. How mature.

• Link
• Report this comment

This is an example of the continuing “respect” for unbridled power, not service, in politics – by saying “No,” in unison, in order to destroy the presidency of President Obama at whatever cost to the American people.

This is the result of the growing, unfortunate “bully” consciousness in our nation, in my thinking. (If you are interested in reading an expansion of this thought, please see my Nov. 19 @7:52 a.m. post on Jay’s blog. . .”Legislators stand on college steps to bar entry.”)

• Link
• Report this comment

“Maybe you can assume that some, not even all, GOP Senators who are slowing this down may actually have the United States’ best interests at heart and not just the Republican Party’s.”

How so Gabriel? Santa may actually be real too correct?

I’m one of the few posters on this blog who is an honest to God true independent. Independently speaking it appears to me that on ALL issues, it’s more important to the pubs that they oppose everything Obama does just because he’s a Democrat. Everything a Dem proposes is NOT inherently wrong.

You little boys and girls on both sides of the aisle need to share the toys in the sand box………….

• Link
• Report this comment

Jay, You said, “And remember, without this treaty we have NO ability to send inspectors to verify Russia’s arsenal. Great. Just great.”

But didn’t GW Bush look into Putin’s eyes and see his soul? He would never want to use those missles…now, would he?

• Link
• Report this comment

Thomas: THE CLAIM:We need to put the brakes on this thing because the Roosins might have 8,000 bombs they can move around, but we won’t know because without the treaty we won’t be able to look and count, and they might let some of them Ayrab terriers git their hands on them bombs, but we won’t be able to stop ‘em because wiithout the treaty we won’t be there.
THE FACTS: Wein the GOP are willing to sacrifice anything, even the saftey of US citizens, if we can stop Obama from gaining any kind of political stature.

• Link
• Report this comment

This just in: Pres Obama likes turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, mashed potatos,dressing…

I wonder what the Repubs will have for Thanksgiving?

• Link
• Report this comment

Gabriel Sterling

“attributing partisan only motives, only serves to stoke the flames of partisan divide that you have so often decried.”

It would seem that when such a large array of Republicans (statesmen such as Kissinger, Colin Powell), past GOP leaders, as well as others who are not partisan, such as the President’s senior military advisor -

and the opposition to it lines up pretty well along current Congressional party lines…

well, that just seem partisan.

• Link
• Report this comment

Gee JohnnyReb, it’s really going to hurt us to give up 60 year old aircraft?

• Link
• Report this comment

Where were you today, 1963? Were you too young?

Too young would not even describe where I was. I was about 10 yrs away from becoming a zygote then.

The whole problem I see with the START Treaty is that, this isn’t something that just came up out of nowhere. If Dems or Repubs wanted a “good treaty”, they should have been working on that long ago. To play politics now is assinine. If Rice, Gates, and others see a need for this to be ratified, I’m inclined to go with their opinions. They obviously have more experience and indepth knowledge than me. I’d also believe them over Senators as well. The GOP needs to quit “playing” politics and act as leaders. I’m beginning to believe more and more that their one agenda is “I Hope He Fails!”.

Can anyone tell me what grocery store I can find “More Liberal smear”? Sounds like it would go good on a cinnamon raisin bagel…

• Link
• Report this comment

JohnnyReB

Doesn’t the treaty actually only require the conversion of aircraft FROM
nuclear ONLY capability?

• Link
• Report this comment

Bosch – the one-way trips to Mars in the news lately – the first two should be Soros and Bill Maher. They can entertain each other belittling the common American.

• Link
• Report this comment

Fred, the B2 is not 60 years old.

• Link
• Report this comment

Jay

November 22nd, 2010
9:07 am

Republicans have been known to be in favor or oppose an issue and then be oppossed or in favor of the same issue at a later time.

but Jay,

Are you seriously this scared of Russia or are you simply borrowing from the GOP playbook and partaking in a lil fear mongering?

Seems as if you are!

• Link
• Report this comment

Gabriel

What part of “the entire uniformed Command” unanimously endorse signing the treaty do you have a problem with. That’s credibility.
These new GOP Senators…do they know more than these aforementioned Generals, admirals, etc who put the treaty together?
They just want to deny Obama any credit at all cost. What could be more obvious. It is disgraceful.
The voters in KY should vote McConnell out based on this one thing only. He is a self serving traitor.

• Link
• Report this comment

So is the Cold War on or off. Wasn’t that long ago, the left was proclaiming it was a figment of the GOP’s imagination. The pronouncement was brought forth by Jimmy Carter, if I’m not mistaken.

Has Obama got any ideas as to North Korea’s nuclear capabilities?

jay, do you know why Obama changed his mind about the Afghanistan withdrawal? First it was 2011….now it’s 2014!!??!!

• Link
• Report this comment

SoCo – don’t go talking to us about liberal smears … we know you’re the one behind the nekkid airport screening pictures currently floating around the interwebs … sicko

-

If I want to see WOMEN nekkid, I go to the strip clubs. I don’t know why the flying public is so worried. I can guess that about 95-98% of the TSA workers don’t wanna be subjected to seeing images of people coming thru the airports, and about that same amount don’t wanna have to touch them either. The main reason that they do that is because of things like mortgages, bills, and such.

Now the next time you come thru… I’ll be ready with the scanner for you.

• Link
• Report this comment

BREAKING NEWS: DEMOCRATS PLAYING CRASS POLITICS OVER LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD MANAGEMENT.

Finding a good new superintendent will not be easy. Meanwhile, kids are suffering. Progress is not being made at APS. And the AJC is playing no small part in further fueling the fire.

• Link
• Report this comment

And the prevert wants me to park my beer truck at the airport so him and his buddies can get blasted after they get their fill of nekkid pictures.

Redneck, you got it wrong. The beer is to scrub those images out of everybody’s minds. Imagine your worst dream about Sister Dusty, and then multiply that by 25. That’s what TSA screeners have to deal with every day they work. It would take a lot of beer to remove that image from your brain.

• Link
• Report this comment

At least the Democratic Party has diversity of thought and beliefs under its big tent, unlike the Republican Party, the Party of Unified No. Their big tent extends only as far as the nay sayers.

• Link
• Report this comment

I’m wondering if Russia would close our supply lines into Afghanistan if Obama doesn’t acquiesce on START.

• Link
• Report this comment

I think the Republicans are actually the Borg.

• Link
• Report this comment

ghost porn?????

• Link
• Report this comment

Normal

More like… who knows, who cares.

• Link
• Report this comment

Palin bad, Purdue bad, Republicans bad….

Blah Blah Blah…

It’s tiresome Jay. If you can’t find anything better to write, do the city a favor and move on.

• Link
• Report this comment

More liberal jibberish, do ya’ll ever get tired of the bs you’re spewing ?

• Link
• Report this comment

damn, Jay. warn us when you’re going to write something like your 9:49 … some of us don’t want to picture RB that way …

• Link
• Report this comment

Didn’t Obama have the chance to extend the previous START and refused? And the new one has actual problems, like allowing Russia to encrypt certain things we were able to read previously?

Interesting how the story changes when you get all the facts. Looks like this is just a way the Dems are finding to make the GOP look bad. But when all the facts are mentioned, it looks a lot more like Dems playing politics and the GOP trying to make the right decision for the US.

• Link
• Report this comment

Jay

November 22nd, 2010
9:30 am

Seems like you are just trying to use fear to gather support.

All these years you have spent being critical of the GOP turns out you were simply spying on them… cause this is straight out of their handbook on fear mongering..

Feel proud!

• Link
• Report this comment

What I find particularly interesting (yes I just watched the Nunn video) is that despite a clear reversal of position for no apparent reason other THAT ensuring that Obama doesn’t get the ‘credit.,” the Rep posting here have provided nothing other than name calling.

Are you people that blind? Are you that stupid? Rather than hold your party leadera feet to the fire to do something FOR America, you want to attack the messenger. That just doesn’t make any sense to me.

The issue is clear to someone not wearing partisan goggles. I don’t understand you fanatics and your stupid blind “loyalty” to a party that cares nothing for you, the citizen, only to themselves and their personal POWER. That last statement includes BOTH sets of mindless fanatics, the lefties and the righties. Your heads really won’t explode if you ever try to think for yourselves………

• Link
• Report this comment

Jay @ 9:49…

heeheehee!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

USinUK,

Nunn and DADT? I think at the time, that was the most reasonable compromise. You have to remember the time and put it in context. I think at that time, that was a huge step towards equal rights for homosexuals in the armed forces.

• Link
• Report this comment

We have two principal enemies to consider. One that resides in this country and one that resides outside of this country. Priorities first. We need to deal with the regime running this country first and then deal with the threat existing in Russia. Democrats should never be allowed to handle foreign security matters, based on their their liberal ideology and inept track record in foreign affairs. Why do you think that the Russians are so interested in getting this deal done before 2012? This treaty will get done after the Obamination of this country expires. Until then, the Republicans know full well that the real deal makers need to be in place and in full authority of Congress. Politics? Probably. This stalemate has occured as a direct result of inept people hijacking this country’s policies.

• Link
• Report this comment

Bad GOP, now go to your room and think about what you’ve done!

• Link
• Report this comment

“Admit it: You just can’t quit me.”

Somebody has to keep the biased agendas the liberal media passes off as “news” in check, Jay. Thats why I come here.

• Link
• Report this comment

After decades of deadly, failed and incompetent foreign policy by the War First, War Last, War Always Republicans, why should things be any different now?

I remember 47 years ago toady pretty vividly. We were let out of school around one o’clock, which for an 8 year old was great news! I really didn’t quite understand what had happened but I felt the enormous agony and sadness of all the adults and knew somehow that the world had been changed forever.

And the one image of those days that is forever seared into my mind is of a very small John John saluting the flag draped coffin in that horse drawn hearse moving up the street.

To have not been deeply touched by that, regardless of one’s age or beliefs or situation, was to have no heart.

The end of America innocence…

• Link
• Report this comment

“Why do you think that the Russians are so interested in getting this deal done before 2012?”

well, the Olympics ARE coming up … they have things to do, steroids to take …

• Link
• Report this comment

USinUK,

“I hate it when they get off-message …”

Off message or off their meds?

• Link
• Report this comment

“More liberal jibberish, do ya’ll ever get tired of the bs you’re spewing ?”

It’d be fun to have a brain scan of what happens when these characters are being dashed off.

I wonder, would the screen remain flat-lined through the whole procedure?

• Link
• Report this comment

Oh, and jay? When it comes to the hawks you quoted. Make no mistake about it, their interests START in Afghanistan.

• Link
• Report this comment

Which is worse quick annilation via nukes (Russia) or slow painful economic death due to high taxes, lack of jobs, etc (China)

• Link
• Report this comment

Congress has greater priorities to take care of during this lame duck session. This isn’t the time to take up the Start Treaty.

I agree. It should have been taken care of before it expired last year.

• Link
• Report this comment

If the Republicans wish to derail the treaty ratification then they need to take personal responsibility for any future breakdown in relations with Russia, as well as any future catastrophes involving loose Russian fissile material.

What strikes me a quite interesting is that the Republicans want to go to war with Iran over their potential nuclear weaponry, yet are quite fine sitting back and doing nothing about 7000+ nuclear weapons in a barely stable Russia.

Doesn’t give much hope for Republicans to show much in terms of personal responsibility does it?

• Link
• Report this comment

AmVet – “They should all be water-boarded. By Dick Cheney…”

BY Dick Cheney???

he should be at the head of the queue

• Link
• Report this comment

Democrats are monumental mismanagers of government. (I don’t care if I just made a word up vis-a-vis “mismanagers”)

So are Republicans. Apparently it doesn’t matter who we vote for. They’re all incompetent.

Vote for Mitch Daniels, Michael Bloomberg, Tim Pawlenty, or maybe Chris Christie for President 2012….

• Link
• Report this comment

LOL jm. It’s funny how the times have changed. I used to say Tax and Spend Democrats drive us into debt. Now I say Cut-tax and spend more Republicans drive us into debt…………..

• Link
• Report this comment

“If Russia is that unstable maybe more time does need to be spent in examining this treaty”

Del, you’re going to make Condi cry … why don’t you trust her assessment of the treaty? don’t you think she’s a bit clued-in to Russia’s stability?

• Link
• Report this comment

The Treaty will be ratified. Russia will join NATO. The
Missile Shield will be built to defend Europe and Russia
from ‘Iran’(China).The WW2 allies will be rejoined, this time
including Germany. The ‘oil’ money will leave the Euro and
return to the dollar and the EU will collapse.
China will now be used as the ‘bad guy’
to scare US taxpayers into giving up dollars to feed the
‘military industrial complex’ for things like tanks to
Afghanistan to use against terrorists armed with pipe
bombs and AK47 assault rifles. All is well with the
Republic.

• Link
• Report this comment

Ex-pat, to be clear, of course the draft dodging Dickhead gets water-boarded.

By that paragon of valor and courage under fire, Sean Hannity.

Who then donates all the proceeds to the Roger Ailes, Triple Chin Relief Fund.

• Link
• Report this comment

USinUK, Condi Rice is certainly a fine person in my view but last I heard she wasn’t involved in negotiating the details of this agreement.

• Link
• Report this comment

Del – but she is endorsing the treaty

• Link
• Report this comment

“last I heard she wasn’t involved in negotiating the details of this agreement.”

Probably shopping at Ferragamo…

• Link
• Report this comment

Don’t know if Condi is such a good example of whom to place our fate in?

She was part of the Bush Adminstration that had the faulty Intel on WMD in Iraq right?

Why are we all positive her information is accurate this time?

Or that it is not another conspriracy to engage us in another war and she is simply lying to the American Public again?

• Link
• Report this comment

On this anniversary of JFK’s death I am reminded of how much times have changed.
We used to respect the President and the Presidency, whomever was in office. You read these blogs and realize that we, as Americans, have become bitterly divided and now even hostile toward a sitting president for no apparent reason.
I sincerely believe that Obama picked his advisors from the best and brightest. I believe he has listened to their advice and set policy with one goal…to do what is best for all Americans.
Now, I read pure hate in these blogs with no justification for it. Even if you disagree with some of his policies, which is your right, show some respect for him as president and stop the name calling.
Regardless of what choose to believe, He is respected around the world, but unfortunately not by some of the very Americans he is trying to help in his own country.

• Link
• Report this comment

No one questions the lack of participation of our
’sock puppet’ in ‘nuclear armament’ negotiations.
Does the world understand what the people of
the US do not? We own the UN and the President
is undeclared Emperor of the World.

• Link
• Report this comment

USinUK, and she could be right in her endorsement. It just seems to me that this treaty doesn’t need to be on the lame duck docket as a priority and if any congress member regardless of party affiliation has reservations about the treaties provisions, those reservations deserve discussion.

• Link
• Report this comment

thomas

November 22nd, 2010
10:44 am

She was part of the Bush Adminstration that had the faulty Intel on WMD in Iraq right?
+++++++++++++++++++++

Who furnished that info? Could it possibly be the Director of the CIA who was named by Bill Clinton? Why yes, I do believe it was. Colin Powell received the same information and acted upon it as well. Is HE a liar? I don’t think so and you’ll have to have a lot of indisputable evidence to convince me otherwise.

Being fed faulty info by the “experts” you trust does not make you a liar. Twisting facts to suit your weak positions does…………. or was that too subtle for you?

• Link
• Report this comment

I respectfully note that our host offers not a single reason to adopt the treaty, only a list of endorsements. Unlike our leftist brethren, we do not accept “endorsements” as a basis for action; we require reason.

A reasonable mind is suspicious of the “bum’s rush” the opponents receive for asking time to examine the treaty.

(1) Is it true that Russia has 10,000 tactical nuclear weapons outside the scope of the new START? What prevents those weapons from winding up in the hands of terrorists?

(2) President Obama, playing crass politics over the START, threatens to withhold funds approved to modernize the US nuclear arsenal until the treaty is approved. US security and military needs ought not be held hostage to Chauncey’s political preferences.

(3) We don’t need a new treaty with Russia. Russia is not a threat to the US, and the US is not a threat to Russia.

• Link
• Report this comment

Donovan

SALT or START?? I thought the blog topic was on START.

• Link
• Report this comment

Del – “those reservations deserve discussion”

please. this has nothing to do with “reservations” – this has to do with “hell no!!!”

see: the Isaakson example cited earlier.

• Link
• Report this comment

Hmmm, seems not all the facts are in order here. The Russian Palimant has already revoked the START 2 treaty, that’s problem one. Secondly, most Republican resistance is due to the hurried nature during the lame duck sessions. There are some legit concerns need to be hammered out. Like for instance, Russia is already providing our friends the Iranians with nuclear material and has assisted and defended their nuclear program. You’re nieve if you think they’ll just stop.
Further, the actual fact is that all indicators is that the senate will ratify the treaty, not the other way around. So the whole premise behind your blog is actually false.
http://www.ikbis.com/channels/rt/268538

• Link
• Report this comment

jm,

“Very accurate and statistics based.”

Did you read the link in Bosch’s post at 10.32? It addresses Cembalest’s numbers.

“We tracked down Cembalest to ask about his methodology. He said any effort to address the topic is heavily subjective, and he expressed regret that his work had been used for political ends, saying that it was not his intention to provide fodder for bloggers and talk show hosts.”

• Link
• Report this comment

Fred

November 22nd, 2010
10:50 am

I agree,

Just thought it odd that many who blame the Bush Adminstration for us getting into Iraq based on faulty intel, now use a member of that administration to bolster their argument because she agrees with them?

I never in my post called her a liar, not once.

I was just curious to see any who have used Condi as an example of why this MUST be right and done, explain how she could have been so wrong on the Iraq thing but now she is the word of GOD?

Either she was getting bad information then, or she was being dishonest with the information given to her. So again why should we take her word now after it is the same people asking us to take her word, that were condemning her only a few short years ago?

• Link
• Report this comment

SoCo – he’s only Barbara Bain on the occasional wild weekend …

• Link
• Report this comment

“justify knee-jerk, illogical political posturing”

Seems fitting for a character of Ayn Rand’s…

• Link
• Report this comment

@USinUK and Retired Early: They are “reservations”. In the final analysis, this may be the best deal we can get in the current environment. The Constitution gives responsibility of the Senate to ratify these treaties.

@AmVet That collapse of the USSR was pretty good, peaceful merger of Germany, the START I agreement, NATO expansion, those are a few off the top of my head. Those aren’t exclusively GOP, but there are GOP Presidents in office when they did.

• Link
• Report this comment

USinUK, do you think that this treaty deserves priority status in a lame duck session? Maybe I’ve missed something but I haven’t seen any posts that describe its urgency. I haven’t seen any comments from the proponents of this treaty that Jay mentioned stating that it’s essential that congress votes on it right now.

• Link
• Report this comment

I am surprised that others are surprised that politics
is the sole business of politicians. Anything else
that is accomplished is happenstance. I credit
Mitch Mcconnell for his honesty.

• Link
• Report this comment

Del

November 22nd, 2010
11:06 am

USinUK, do you think that this treaty deserves priority status in a lame duck session? Maybe I’ve missed something but I haven’t seen any posts that describe its urgency. I haven’t seen any comments from the proponents of this treaty that Jay mentioned stating that it’s essential that congress votes on it right now.
++++++++++++++

I’m not USinUK, but I answered that question in my 10:56. It’s not only time Del, it’s PAST time……….

• Link
• Report this comment

Gator Joe

November 22nd, 2010
11:06 am

By now it should be cristal clear the Right, especialy the Congressional Republicans, will stop at nothing to destroy President Obama and the Democratic agenda, even if means risking our national security, prolonging unemployment, and destroying our environment.
+++++++++++++++

Christ on a crutch, you forgot to accuse them of starving the children and poisoning grandma’s apple pie………………..

Just damn………

• Link
• Report this comment

jm,

“yes, he was counting cabinet posts. His data still stands.”

I guess you missed this:

“Cembalest said he has “written 250,000 words in research over the last decade, and every single thing I’ve ever done — except this one chart — was empirically based on data from the Federal Reserve” or another official source.”

His results were subjective and he says so. Not quite the “Very accurate and statistics based” data as you would suggest.

• Link
• Report this comment

Treaties deserve intense scrutiny by the elected
representatives because they trump all US law,
even the Constitution.

• Link
• Report this comment

wow, break wind got auto snagged.

• Link
• Report this comment

USinUK,

“you have other things more important than natinal security you’d like to spend your time on?”

There are probably some gays getting married somewhere or a store not saying Merry Christmas that can act as a distraction from real issues.

• Link
• Report this comment

musta been a script error.

Can anyone tell me what script this website uses?

• Link
• Report this comment

Does anyone actually believe that either the
US or Russia would hesitate to break any
treaty, if they believed it was in their national
interests?

• Link
• Report this comment

When is the GOP **NOT** playing crass politics with our lives? And yet some people lap it up, year after year. They remind me of abused spouses who never leave. “He loves me! Really he does!” Suckers.

• Link
• Report this comment

Matti

November 22nd, 2010
11:19 am

When is the GOP **NOT** playing crass politics with our lives? And yet some people lap it up, year after year. They remind me of abused spouses who never leave. “He loves me! Really he does!” Suckers.
++++++++++++

And the Democrats are different how?

• Link
• Report this comment

Jay: “Now which is it? There is no logical consistency between those two contradictory arguments, which leads one to conclude that they are mere excuses cooked up to justify knee-jerk, illogical political posturing on an issue of national security.”

Jay, reminds me of Freud’s joke about the borrowed kettle, the logic of which is as follows:

(1) I never borrowed a kettle from you And besides …

(2) I returned it to you unbroken; so what are you complaining about? And anyway, don’t you know that …

(3) the kettle was already broken when I got it from you. .. And so on.

Something of this structure is often at play when someone is engaging in denial or obstruction.

• Link
• Report this comment

Fred,

The Dems are not as good at it. They’re masters of compromise and submission, succeeding only when the Republicans scroo things up SO BADLY that the cost of their greed and arrogance can’t be ignored. Of course, the public has a short memory, which favors the GOP in the long run.

• Link
• Report this comment

USinUK, I think our economy and jobs are urgent national security issues. The Start treaty doesn’t pose an urgent national security issue that can’t be addressed next year. It just doesn’t belong in this lame duck session.

• Link
• Report this comment

With credit to The Heritage Foundation -

Myth – terrorist will get nukes without the new START treaty.

Truth – There is a real threat that terrorists could get nuclear weapons. But the nukes that are most vulnerable to terrorist threats are Russia’s 10,000 tactical nuclear weapons—which are not covered by New START!

Proponents – The new START treaty must be confirmed by the lame duck Congress or we won’t be able to verify Russia’s nuclear arsenal.

Reality – The Obama administration had the opportunity to extend the original START treaty, and therefore the inspections, by 5 years. Instead, they chose to negotiate a new treaty with no regard of the treaty being ratified stating at the time it was more important to “get it right.” In typical Obama arrogance, no concern was given to the Senate’s agreement it would be “right” and now the flaws of their ways are uncovered and the Senate balks.

• Link
• Report this comment

Just damn. I have to reverse my position lol. Yes START died and the Soviets withdrew from START II before it was ever activated. However we still have SORT in place until 2012.

Armed with better information I was previously ignorant of, I have to agree with you JohnnyReb and Del, that this can and should wait until the next session, not be rushed into existence.

Sort is even better IMHO because it deals with doing away with the warheads. START just gets rid of the delivery systems, IE Misslies, planes, artillery, ect…………

• Link
• Report this comment

Off topic but maybe not, A treaty whereby The US
and Russia agree to use hydrogen fuel cells to power
all government/military facilities, thereby relieving
the power grids and creating water. Others could
become signatory or maybe we could do it unilaterally.
Good for military base security too.

• Link
• Report this comment

TaxPayer,

““He cries sometimes when we’re having a debate on bills.””

It’s just the fumes from his bottle tan…

• Link
• Report this comment

USinUK @11:13am

“Other things”?
Let’s see … just to name a few…Obama’s non-American values!
Obama’s country of birth !
Obama’s audacity of attempting to help the poor at the expense of the rich !

• Link
• Report this comment

jm,

Yeah really. He even said his results were subjective…what part of subjective is confusing?

“sky is blue today….”

Not where I’m sitting…it’s gray. But, then, that might be subjective.

• Link
• Report this comment

Gabriel Sterling

If you do not like the controls contained in the treaty do you like the total lack of controls that will exist if the treaty is not ratified?

That is where we are today, no treaty and no controls. Russia could sell 1000 nuclear devices to Iran and we would not know about it until we read about it in the paper.

If this treaty is not ratified and a Russian bomb ends up in al Quaeda hands and explodes in down Dallas, Tx there will be no one to blame but those who vote NO on ratifying the treaty.

And that is the way it is!

• Link
• Report this comment

Del,

“I think Congress should focus on extending the Bush era tax cuts across the board for all at least another two years”

I would be fine with that, then make them all go away after two years.

“The Start treaty can wait.”

Or Congress can actually work together for a change and get some things done.

• Link
• Report this comment

Look folks all these false comparisons to other issues is completely bogus. This is a national security issue. For the first time since 9/11 and before, we will not have the surveillance in place to help decrease the liklihood of nuclear material getting in the hands of al quaida. If there is some russian scientist or military officer that wants to sell some of this stuff to the terrorists, this is his chance. And the republicans are letting it happen.

• Link
• Report this comment

Paulo977

November 22nd, 2010
12:08 pm
++++++++++++

Oh. I need to quit for the day lol. That’s twice in one day I missed the sarcasm. I’m not usually so dense.

Sorry.

• Link
• Report this comment

JohnnyReb: There will be nothing lost by taking time to fully evaluate and debate START.

It’s already been debated, ENDLESSLY. Your point is moot. This one has been tossed around congress for a lot longer than the current news would suggest. Delaying and delaying is the tactic coming from the GOP side right now.

• Link
• Report this comment

Adam, yes, START has been debated, but obviously not to the Senate’s satisfaction

It’s my understanding that it’s not to a single Senator’s satisfaction, and that many attempts have been made to meet this senator’s demands, and he keeps changing the demands. They have debated this with this one senator a total of 57 times so far. Is that REALLY how Congress was designed to work? That’s kind of crap.

• Link
• Report this comment

The U.S. haven’t been able to inspect and verify whether or not the Russia nuclear arsenal is protected from theft. For all we Americans know, some rogue Russian General could have sold nuclear material to Al-Qaeda terriorists or some Christian Je-sus freaks. Those crazed endtimers can’t wait to go to Heaven and they want to take everybody else with them. I suppose that Herr Jon Kyl, Mean Mitch McConnell, John “Bull” Boehner and Pretty Boy Eric Canter are waiting on the smoking gun but what if the smoking gun comes in the form of a mushroom cloud.

• Link
• Report this comment