Tuberville says he will keep blocking military promotions despite Israel's war

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CNN Politics

Published 1:31 PM EDT, Sun October 29, 2023


CNN — Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who has held up military promotions for nine months, slammed a proposal being floated to change the chamber’s rules to allow a vote on many of the nominations en masse and attacked the White House and Senate Democrats for not negotiating with him.

“It’s typical of this place. This administration would rather burn the Senate down and that’s what would happen. … If you change the rules of the Senate then it lasts forever,” Tuberville told CNN’s Manu Raju. “So they would rather burn down the Senate than negotiate.”

All Senate Democrats would have to join with nine Republicans for this latest plan to work. The bloc of nominees wouldn’t include some higher-level military promotions, which senators would still want to confirm one at a time. The proposal could go to the Senate Rules Committee as soon as this week, a source told CNN Thursday.

Tuberville has been holding up military promotions since February because of a Department of Defense policy that reimburses travel costs for military members requiring reproductive care outside of the state in which they are stationed. The department enacted the policy after the reversal of Roe v. Wade last year overturned the constitutional right to an abortion and left the issue to individual states.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/29/politics/tommy-tuberville-military-nominations-middle-east/index.html

[hibbing]

1. Pathetic n/t

[Sessuch]

38. When is the acting generalof the Army going to pull the rug out from under Tuberville

SHUT DOWN HUNTSVILLE BASES.

[Hekate]

46. I think what you are suggesting is illegal. Very. The Senate must deal with the Senate.

[LastDemocratInSC]

58. The Secretary of the Navy could announce

that all Navy construction and maintenence projects currently planned for shipyards in Alabama will instead be moved to shipyards in other Gulf Coast states. Those contracts haven't been signed yet and moving them would means monetary losses to Alabama businesses and their their employees.

Maybe that would make "Coach" decide it's time to punt the ball.

[Chainfire]

2. All the Republicans can do is muck up the works. They are good for nothing else.

[slightlv]

39. Remember, although Tube's primary reason for doing this

was to deny women their rights, and to deny the Military their right to deal with "employees" as they (the military) deems correct in order to maintain military readiness (which means nothing to Tube 'cause he never served), it has morphed into holding all these slots open so they can be filled by high level MAGATS once Trump is elected UberPrez. Russia totally agrees.

[Turbineguy]

3. Whatever is helpful to Putin.

That's the plan.

[RainCaster]

4. GOP bows to DFT who bows to Putin

That's how it works.

[mahina]

6. It sure looks that way. As Leonard Leo is currently working to organize on every dimension,so is the Senate obstruction

team.

Rand Paul is blocking dozens of ambassadors in the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

[True Blue American]

49. JD Vance is holding up Judicial appointments because the Justice Department

Is prosecuting Trump.

The so called Freedom Caucus has moved over to the Senate with these dead heads.

Mitt Romney has special contempt for JD. Wonder why?

Now we have election denier Johnson as House Speaker.

[bluestarone]

22. News people need to say EXACTLy what you said. (on the air)

They need to say "so you're all for helping Russia destroy our democracy"

[SleeplessinSoCal]

41. Worse than that.

Putin is the new Hitler and the Republicans his enablers. And for some reason they all want to punish women for being women.

[bucolic_frolic]

5. BrainTubs needs medication and an eval. /nt

[GreenWave]

7. So his self appointed fiefdom may soon receive its first blows.

Cry us a river Tommy.

[LenaBaby61]

10. The only good thing coming from Tuberville's treasonous obstruction allegedly .....

is that a friend told me last week that he's running a LOT more active-duty military out of the GQP to the point that more say quietly that they'll be voting Dem. come 2024. I can't say with certainty that what my friend told me that her grandson told her is true, but I can see where it could definitely be true. After all, during the last general election of 2020, tRump and Pres. Biden split the military vote, and Pres. Biden won the active-duty military votes and with traitor tuberville all but stopping our military from having military appointments during a hideous military time when we really need them, while also stopping many active-duty military from moving on with their military lives as in stopping many from getting military housing et al because of his so-called stand against abortion in the military for women ...

[cstanleytech]

8. A change to the Senate rule do "NOT" last forever as enough of them need to only agree for a one time suspension.

[kelly1mm]

80. And yet here we are, months after Sen. Tubberville has had these holds in place, without

the Senate even attempting to enact a one-time suspension. One has to wonder why Senator Shumer has not even tried? (my guess is he does not have 60 votes for closure of debate)

[LiberalFighter]

9. Tie his shoes together and walk him down airline steps.

[sinkingfeeling]

11. Tuberville would rather burn down an American woman's

freedom than allow a democracy.

[sakabatou]

18. Agreed

He'd also want to hamstring the military, too.

[LiberalArkie]

20. I do not believe that abortion has a single thing to do with what he is doing. He could had just as easily

made the renaming of military bases the reason. The only reason is trying to hamstring the military.

He is thinking like it is the Russian military. They are a top down command structure. If a commanding office doesn't give an order then no one under him knows what to do.


Ours, NATO's and Ukraine are not. We have NCO's.

Coach Tuberville has really just slowed down some peoples pay increases, that is about all really in the big scheme of things. The U.S. military is not like Russia or China's.

Coach is too stupid to know it.

[maxsolomon]

72. I believe what he says. He wants to force the DOD to rescind that policy.

Anti-choice fanatics are exactly that: fanatics. Everything else is secondary to their crusade to end Abortion. Whatever it takes.

[CousinIT]

42. He'll destroy the entire US military just to control American women.

Like most Republicans, he considers them just livestock; breeding property like cows.

[sakabatou]

77. Bingo

[IronLionZion]

12. Tuberville supports our troops by screwing them

standard GOP logic to weaken our military to benefit our enemies.

[GiqueCee]

13. This brings back to mind...

... a nagging question that baffles me: In this particular instance, how does being football coach, no matter how successful, prepare one to be a senator? One must demonstrate proficiency, skill, and pass a test to CUT HAIR! But this malevolent clown can swagger into the halls of the world's most deliberative body and start throwing his weight around with absolutely ZERO understanding of, or concern for, the consequences of his actions. And to top it all off, he bases his decisions on his religious beliefs, and to hell with anyone that doesn't share those beliefs.
This is not how decent people behave. Idiots like Tuberville make me say bad words at my poor, defenseless computer.

[mysteryowl]

14. This is what abusive people do. Unfortunately.

They are very dangerous. These people that can't back down their aggression for any reason.

It is deeply disturbing we have political leaders like this.

[slightlv]

40. Not backing down is exactly

the modus operandi of the Dominionists. When you have religious extremists in charge, they work for their "God" and no one else. There is no compromise possible, for to do so would be turning against God, in their mind. They can murder, thieve, lie, and commit any sort of crime or "sin" they want, as long as they do it in the name of their God. That way, they determine, God forgives them anything, and they'll go straight to heaven... after ruling over the rest of us in their god's name.

Bullcrap! I think one of the first things we must do once we get a majority of these theocrat out of office is to set down some markers of our own, in a constitutional and legal fashion. One is to reiterate "freedom of (and from) religion." The other is the complete dummification of "separation of church and state" (dummification to the point a 2nd grader can understand it... plenty of examples must be attached, IOW.) Third is the dummification of what does and does not constitute protected speech under the Constitution. To many of these people... and perhaps others... yell 1st Amendment when it doesn't have anything to do with their speech.

Your speech, your religion, your actions... are legal and constitutional only so far as they do not abusively and unconstitutionally impact mine. These idiots seem to think anything that comes out of their mouths to anyone at anytime in any situation is constitutionally protected. And my opinion of it is... I'm sick to death of it. But I do not abusively hit them in the mouth; they, OTOH, have no qualms in doing just that. Please, let them learn something about this by judges educating *rump on this issue!

[SWBTATTReg]

15. Scumbag single-handedly is blocking the promotions of hundreds of very qualified candidates.

I don't have any idea of why he has the authority to do this, being that the military reports to Pres. Biden, not him.

[kelly1mm]

33. Military promotions/appointments over a certain level have to be confirmed by the

Senate. Just like cabinet officials who also work in the Executive Branch.

The reason he is able to do this is because of the rules of the Senate. If one Senator puts a 'hold' on an action then the Senate would have to act under regular rules instead of under the expedited/limited debate rules (which are actually much more common than the 'regular' rules). Senator Shumer COULD bring these promotions to the floor but my understanding is that using regular rules would mean each promotion/appointment would take approximately 3 days!

[SWBTATTReg]

74. Thanks!

[groundloop]

16. I thought Democrats had a way to work around this BS....

Obviously any one Senator shouldn't be able to damage our military the way this moron has, but was hopeful it was over last week when I read that Democrats had a way to work around this idiocy. What ever happened to that?

[Lonestarblue]

17. What is Tuberville's real reason.

As he could easily find out, the military performs very few abortions, around only about 13 per year and mostly for pregnancy from rape or to save the woman’s life.

“There have been 91 abortions performed in U.S. military hospitals since 2016, at least two-thirds of which were for active-duty service women whose lives were threatened by their pregnancy or who were victims of a crime.. . .

Since 1976, under the Hyde Amendment, the Defense Department can only provide abortions if the life of the mother is at risk should she carry her fetus to term or if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.“. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/06/30/us-military-hospitals-have-performed-fewer-100-abortions-2016.html

So Tubervile is objecting to abortions needed for pregnancy complications or to save a woman’s life. Or is he simply holding these positions open with the idea that Trump can fill them with his sycophants in 2025? Tuberville was part of the insurrection team.

[airplaneman]

19. Good question

My guess has been: Or is he simply holding these positions open with the idea that Trump can fill them with his sycophants in 2025? Tuberville was part of the insurrection team.
-Airplane

[Evolve Dammit]

32. that's my guess. Or Putin is paying him

[24601]

23. His hold isn't about abortions performed in military hospitals. States don't exercise jurisdiction over federal

facilities/operations.

It's federal law, specifically the Hyde Amendment, that prohibits abortions in military hospitals other than for the exceptions you cited. Service members and their families have therefore relied on non-military hospitals for abortions. Post Dobbs, some laws have made that unavailable in some states.

DoD is not paying for non-military abortions, which are still precluded by Hyde. DoD is reimbursing travel to a state that allows abortion. Such reimbursement is not addressed by DoD appropriations or the annual NDAA. So this reimbursement is neither specifically prohibited nor specifically authorized. Tuberville's hold is in protest of funding that travel.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

43. That is just his excuse. He holds these positions for traitortrump to complete the coup.

[lastlib]

21. We are still mis-spelling his name---

"tuber-VILE"

aka Tom Potato.

[BumRushDaShow]

25. I call him

Stuperville.

(alternately it could be Stuporville )

[Historic NY]

24. He doesn't care about ruining careersand familes of the military...

It time to scrap this archaic rule WTF is wrong with MCConnell and Schumer

[Initech]

29. No, he only cares about pleasing his boss, Sean Hannity.

Today's elected republicans are basically glorified content creators and that's about it. They contribute nothing of value to Congress or to society.

[underpants]

26. Since the House is heading toward Gilead....

Why not?

[OAITW r.2.0]

27. Better hope that line communication is not disrupted when the next crisis unfolds.

Because he will be held accountable for his documented actions. If we hold Presidents accountable for their crimes. Tubby will be toast.

[Initech]

28. Hey Tuberville, you're a worthless piece of shit!

And watching Fox News until your eyes bleed in no way, shape or form makes you even remotely qualified to hold office. Get the fuck out of the Senate NOW, asshole!

[Evolve Dammit]

30. Is he being paid straight from the Kremlin?? Or Drumpf so he can install his own "leaders" after the steal?

[kimbutgar]

31. I saw Doug Jones briefly on TV this morning and felt angry the people of Alabama voted for tubby over him

Doug Jones is a person who really cares about the people of Alabama while tubby is a cartoon character only interested in enriching himself.

[True Blue American]

59. Ohio did the same thing

Choosing Trump butt kisser, Vance over Tim Ryan who worked so hard for the American people.

[Blue Owl]

34. I hate this fucker -- he's endangering our country and allowed to get away with it

[Skittles]

35. he is waiting for a repuke presidency

so they can install fascists

[Elessar Zappa]

50. You nailed it.

That’s exactly the reason.

[MontanaMama]

70. Yes he is.

The House is being broken from the inside and Tuberville is working to make sure the military command structure is decapitated. This has nothing to do with abortion.

[Efilroft Sul]

36. Democrats in Congress need to refer to him as "Russian asset Tommy Tuberville, resident of Florida".

Don't play nice, because you don't negotiate with terrorists or Russian assets.

"Only a Russian asset would want to cripple our military readiness by not promoting those who have demonstrated the aptitude and loyalty he is incapable of demonstrating."

Tuberville needs to shit blood.

[Zambero]

66. Incredible that Alabama votes turned out Sen. Jones for this turd

If that election was held today, would the Commie Tommie still win? Probably.

[ZonkerHarris]

37. Whatever Putin wants, Commie Tommy delivers.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

44. There's a name the MAGAts can understand: Commie Tommy Tuberville.

[ZonkerHarris]

47. Thank you. Thought if it myself

[FoggyLake]

45. Can't he be expelled from congress?

[MontanaMama]

69. Tuberville is in the Senate. n/t

[calimary]

48. There's GOT TO be a way around this.

Get creative, Dems! Think outside the box! Why couldn’t Biden make a group of emergency appointments - call them something different, interim whatevers, experimental positioning, temporary custodianship, explain to the bad guys this is just to get us by in case of emergency, keep yer shirts on, they’re just place-holders! But get ‘em busy taking care of business as under-the-radar as possible. Coax a couple of moderate GOPers to take a few of these caretaker gigs, and then see how much can be slid through and gotten away with. Don’t call them by the positions they’re appointed to. Call this positions something else outside the parameters of the conventional gigs that Tuberville is fucking with. AND, go for HIS positioning. How can HE be hobbled in whatever else he wants to do? And call THAT something different.

Time to throw the rule book away.

[COL Mustard]

51. So typical of Republicans today

Tuberville is blaming this on the administration, but he's the one with the hold in place.

Come on, Senate, exercise your Constitutional advise and consent role. Work around this guy, and do it now.

[kelly1mm]

81. The Senate always has had a way to 'get around' Sen. Tuberville by using 'regular order'

(which is much actually MUCH rarer than the expedited process under which most Senate business is done). The problem with this is regular order would necessitate a hearing process on each nominee individually and can take up to 3 days per nominee. Senator Shumer (and frankly most R Senators) don't want to go through that process so we are at an impasse.

The Senate actually just did use regular order to get the JCOS confirmed about 2 weeks ago so its not like they don't know how to do this ......

[COL Mustard]

82. I know they have a way to get around it

My argument is that they should have been doing that, especially during the three weeks the House was nonfunctional.

This has personal ramifications for me. My boss and his boss (and my soon-to-be boss) are all held up from assuming new jobs or retiring because of the hold. It's insane.

[kelly1mm]

83. And yet, even though they could (and did in the case of the CJCOS nomination) they chose

not to. Wonder why?

[truthisfreedom]

52. It's always the same with these guys... look into his past.

A deep search will reveal an abortion he paid for which makes him feel guilty, probably because he pressured the expectant mother to have it. These asshats always show their true colors by being vehemently anti-something and later discovered to be guilty of that same something. “The lady doth protest too much, methinks” almost always applies in cases of holier-than-thou.

[Vinca]

53. Couldn't his sabotaging of our military be considered treasonous? It should be.

[twodogsbarking]

54. The system needs fixed.

I cry bullshit.

[MiHale]

55. And the insurrection continues...not all coups have explosions and flames...

Decapitation from within.

[vanlassie]

56. Pathological Demand Avoidance.

PDA. We’ve been learning about it for a five year old grandkid.

[dlk]

57. Too many Republicans' actions are in support of our country's enemies

Follow the money. Additionally, Tuberville’s position on abortion services in the military falls right in line with Republicans continued efforts toward the subjugation of women, in general.

[Old Crank]

60. 1.4 million voted for

Puttrrvile. 81 million for the president but the jackal wants to impose his Christian beliefs on the country.
Putin cheers him on.

[Smooth155]

61. Complete idiot

This dude is a complete idiot

[niyad]

62. F'n TRAITOR!!!

[niyad]

63. F'n TRAITOR!!!

[prodigitalson]

64. this guy really thinks a lot of himself

[onetexan]

78. SOB's on putin's payroll

[Zambero]

65. Putting a big smile on Putin's face

Division and chaos... "GOOD" !!!

[bucolic_frolic]

67. Is this akin to Mitch suppressing the Garland SCOTUS nomination? So appointments wait until 2025?

Sen. Tubs thinks Trump will win and they can takeover the military with their own appointments?

[keopeli]

68. He's mad we won't 'negotiate' with him? It's because we don't 'negotiate' with terrorists!

[Bayard]

71. Shakespeare said it best

Will no one rid us of this meddlesome asshole?

Tuberville's ego had had enough stroking.

[usaf-vet]

75. Boebert is now stroking Tuberville? Interesting is he coming around?

[SalamanderSleeps]

73. So, let's just pretend that I've been out of the room for a bit.

And when I return I notice that some towel-snapping-man-boy-with-aging-fetid-pee-pee is trying to impress his towel-snapping-man-boy-with-aging-fetid-pee-pee friends that his little wormy dick is a righteous instrument of God.

What should I do?

Hmmm....

I guess I would just have to turn his neck about 110 degrees to the left, or right, it really does not matter.

Sorted.

Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville will go down in history as some towel-snapping-man-boy-with-aging-fetid-pee-pee that got 16 minutes of fame.

[sakabatou]

76. Jackass.

[NCIndie]

79. Not sure how are monetary support of Israel should be tied to US military promotions.

If we start sends troops to Israel ...

Tuberville is a grandstanding dweeb, but this seems unrelated.