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By a bipartisan 71-26 vote, the Senate just ratified the New START nuclear arms-reduction treaty with Russia, providing the Obama administration with yet another victory during this lame-duck session of Congress.
Said Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry, who spearheaded the treaty through the Senate:
This historic Senate vote makes our country safer and moves the world further away from the danger of nuclear disaster. The winners are not defined by party or ideology. The winners are the American people, who are safer with fewer Russian missiles aimed at them, and who benefit knowing that our cooperation with Russia in curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions and supplying our troops in Afghanistan can be strengthened.
Some color: During the vote, many senators were shaking hands and some even exchanging hugs. This was the last time many will be on the floor together -- as the defeated and retiring said their goodbyes.
*** UPDATE *** Per NBC's Ken Strickland, 13 Republicans voted for ratification: Lamar Alexander (TN), Judd Gregg (NH), Bob Corker (TN), Thad Cochran (MS), Johnny Isakson (GA), Dick Lugar (IN), Susan Collins (ME), Scott Brown (MA), Mike Johanns (NE), George Voinovich (OH), Olympia Snowe (ME), Lisa Murkowski (AK), and Bob Bennett (UT).
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I am very proud of the Republicans that actually represented the people and not just the Party line. Kudos to the Republicans.
Geez ya think its becaused they bribed the republicans who were worried about nothing else then their "daddies" tax rates?
I agree with 4rlakids. I am proud of the Repubs!
The end of DADT will have no more long-term effect than Black people had after Truman integrated the military. Women are also better integrated in the military. Sure, there will be speed dumps. Blacks and Women still have some issues. Since most of the men and women who are in the field are youmger, they are more accepting. Military Leadership is always resistant to change. Presidents and the Senate had to step up over the decades otherwise we would still have a military dominated by white males only.
It is the older people, men, women, white, black, jew, and gentile who have the most difficulty with change. This is another reason why the the Repubs repudiated the Dems in the last elections. That is one reason McCain is against ending DADT, but his wife, Cindy supported it. She is 20 years younger than he is. Change is inevitable, but not without growing pains.
joshmartin, you say that now that DADT has been repealed, straight soldiers may be "pressured" by gay soldiers into....what? Are you kidding me? You need to get ahold of your feverish imagination. Before repeal of DADT, all the talk was about flouncing, unmanly men ruining team cohesion and wanting to hold Gay Pride parades on army bases. Now suddenly they're being portrayed as predatory and aggressive, able to "pressure" their fellow soldiers into some sort of unwanted relationship. Ridiculous!! And regarding your nasty little comment about "friendly fire", do you actually think that gay and lesbian soldiers will now go around announcing their sexual orientation to everyone? Why would they? It is a private matter. Many of the soldiers discharged under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy were outed by a third party. What this repeal means is that there will be no more "witch hunts"; no more valuable time and money spent trying to figure out who is gay, who is not, and booting them out of the service.
And why do I never hear much about the quality of some of the soldiers that the military has recruited to replace those discharged? Ex-cons, high school dropouts and those with histories of drug abuse have all been allowed to enter the service. This is okay with you?
As for those of you on this post who don't think you should be forced to serve with gay and lesbian soldiers, get over yourselves!! When you're in the midst of a firestorm, this will be the last thing you'll be thinking of.
This discussion is mute the Gay agenda rect al inter course period, OH sorry that is hateful and hereditary for sure.
It looks like John 100000000000000000000006 aand Trevor are the only ones sticking their heads out of the Republican Fox-hole today. I expected to see the usual suspects repeating their talking points, but I think they are so devastated by this victory for us all that they are rendered momentarily speechless.
And John 1000000000000000006, the realpolitik is that the country will swing back to the middle in 2012, leaving you virutally alone to sputter your invectives against fellow citizens of this wonderful country.
tax-cuts, tax-cuts, tax-cuts.....nuttin beda!
I'm so glad no one has to pay more taxes for the governments entitlement spending problem. The best congress is one in recess.
John Kerry was a traitor and still a traitor
Care to back that up, oh arbiter of all that is right and true?
Seems to be that these blogs have turned into a place to come and hurl insults...If you don't like yourself enough that you need to make others feel as bad as you do...go fix yourself.