McConnell doing his obstructionist thing.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Crazystate) has decided that he thinks it's more important to do whatever it is that Rand Paul does than to let the Veterans Job Corps bill move forward in the Senate. So in the remaining few hours the Senate has to work before leaving to resume their campaigns, the Senate has been
brought to a halt while Paul insists that something the U.S. government has essentially no control over happens.
The bill, which has bi-partisan support, would create a veterans jobs training program, costing $1 billion over five years.
“A vet job bill – does that deserve a fight?” Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) asked after a Senate roll call.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) argued that his filibuster took “15 minutes” and was for a good cause – to call for the release of Shakil Afridi, the Pakistani doctor who helped the CIA find bin Laden.
Paul has promised to stall Senate action until the doctor is released from jail—something the Pakistani government has said it will not do. Paul has also
called on the Obama administration to cut foreign aid to Pakistan until Afridi is released from jail.
Paul is probably just playing the stooge for Mitch McConnell, who certainly doesn't want to give the president, who initiated this effort, a win. Even if it means refusing to help veterans. Support the troops, but forget about them once they get home.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says that votes could continue into the weekend if Republicans continue to filibuster. Yay, Senate.
Fri Sep 14, 2012 at 7:15 AM PT: In an update from Sen. Reid's office, he reached agreement with McConnell that postpones votes until Wednesday, giving them s super-duper weekend!
