Tag Archives: Tuberville

Sweet Home Alabama

FINALLY, a senator with something between his legs that many of his so-called GOP  counterparts lack and have always lacked, including McCarthy. That fellow ceases to amaze me how he can classify himself as a Republican. This is exactly how congress can get everyone’s attention.  Tommy doesn’t care about votes like all the rest of them do, he’s doing what’s right. Never heard of him before, but I know of him now!

From the Wall Street Journal                                                                      Alabama Senator’s Military Roadblock Draws Criticism

BY NANCY A. Y OUSSEF AND LINDSAY WISE WASHINGTON—Many of Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s colleagues say he is making bad calls.

The Alabama Republican lawmaker has thrown a roadblock in front of promotions for all senior military officers, drawing criticism from the White House as well as Republican and Democratic lawmakers. He also came under fire over his comments about white supremacists in the military, a controversy he tried to tamp down this week.

Tuberville, a former college football coach who guided Auburn University to a South-eastern Conference title, won election to the Senate representing his deep-red state in 2020. He was backed by then-President Donald Trump in the Republican primary over Trump’s onetime attorney general Jeff Sessions. In the general election, Tuberville defeated Democratic incumbent Sen. Doug Jones and he has had a conservative voting record since taking office.

The 68-year-old thrust himself into the spotlight earlier this year when he announced he would block the promotions for top military generals and admirals until the Pentagon agrees to end its policy allowing troops leave and travel funds for reproductive healthcare, including abortion. He has said he won’t lift his hold on the promotions until the military changes its policy or Congress passes a measure codifying the policy.

Tuberville said he doesn’t believe the holds are affecting military readiness. He said this week that there had been no progress toward lifting them. “Zero conversations. Same as usual.”

While senators sometimes put holds on Pentagon political appointees who have policy- making responsibilities, the Tuberville move breaks with Senate tradition as it applies to career military officers. The standoff has created hundreds of vacancies at the top of the military, including the commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps.

“It’s totally inappropriate. It’s outrageous,” President Biden said last month. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) has also criticized the effort. “I don’t support putting a hold on military nominations,” he said in May.

Tuberville has also struggled to quell another controversy related to the Pentagon’s effort to root out extremism in its ranks.

In a radio interview in May, when asked if he believed that white nationalists should be allowed to serve in the military, Tuberville responded: “Well, they call them that. I call them Americans.”

He criticized Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for “saying we’re going to run out white nationalists, people that don’t believe how we believe.”

In 2021, Austin ordered a daylong stand-down for forces to discuss combating extremism within the ranks following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. A working group then recommended changes to Pentagon policy on how the department defined extremist activities and how the force should address an individual suspected of participating in such activities. A review found roughly 100 cases of troops engaged in extremist activities.

Tuberville, who has said conservatives are often unfairly called racists, defended his comments on white nationalism, including to CNN on Monday. He condemned racism but declined to say white nationalism was by definition racist. “That’s your opinion,” he told the CNN host.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) urged Tuberville to apologize.

McConnell, asked about Tuberville’s comments, said, “White supremacy is simply unacceptable in the military and in our whole country.”

Some colleagues said Tuberville had been unfairly maligned.

“I don’t sense from Tommy that he’s a bigot in any way, a racist,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer (R., N.D.). “I mean, my gosh, the guy’s a college football coach…he’s certainly been around a multicultural world view.”

After a closed-door Senate GOP lunch Tuesday afternoon, Tuberville altered his stance. “White nationalists are racists,” he told reporters.

The same day, Tuberville’s hold on military nominees came under scrutiny on Capitol Hill as Biden’s nominee for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown, sat for his confirmation hearing.

Brown told the Senate Armed Services Committee the hold could affect both retention and recruiting, adding that it was forcing some generals to put off retirement and leading junior officers to reconsider their military careers. —Dustin Volz and Simon J. Levien contributed to this article.

Tuberville also came under fire over comments about white supremacists.

 

It sickens me how the so-called GOP senators can possibly condemn and criticize him for doing what needs to be done. You want to get the military’s attention this is exactly how to do it. Keep it up Tommy my man, go get em’! Wish my Florida senators had your set.

Originally posted 2023-07-13 15:27:48.

VFW Windbag

I apologize for my absence, been too darn busy, but don’t ask doing what; I haven’t the slightest. I have no idea where my daytime hours go but they certainly speed by. One thing that has garnered my attention is trying to sell this damn RV. Can you imagine a guy with two motorhomes? Well, that be me. Should not have bought the second until I sold the first, but it’s not the first time I have done something stupid like that. Bought houses without selling the one we just moved from several times. DUMB!, and for someone with a degree in  Economics you’d think he’d know better. Still trying to sell the Navion 24D, what an absolute steal for some young couple with children.

Anyway, I digress.I am a life member of the VFW thanks to my parents who moved to PA when Dad retired and to a dry county. Mom asked if I was a member and wasn’t so she asked if I’d join so they could go as associate members . This was immediate post RVN war when we were not welcome in those places. So, I joined and finally did the life membership things vice renewing every year. Great story in the “The Book” about my first visit to their VFW in 1974.

Anyway I get their trashy magazine that’s filled with nothing but advertises which I never read. And I even sometimes get emails from them when the higher ups think they have something important to say which is always a joke. Anyway, I got one today that really pissed me off so I am posting here.  Please read what the Commander of the entire VFW worldwide has to say. And even look at the date he chose to write this POS.

VFW National Commander Reacts to Resolution on Military Promotions

‘Let’s remember, veterans vote’

WASHINGTON — “The VFW is relieved the nearly year-long obstruction of hundreds of general and flag officer promotions has ended thanks in large part to Senators and fellow VFW members Dan Sullivan and Joni Ernst. The hold on military promotions was endangering our national security and that of our allies, further jeopardizing the sustainability of our all-volunteer force, and negatively impacting the lives of countless service members and families. Going forward, we urge Congress to work together to resolve political disputes within the halls of Congress and permanently abandon the dangerous practice of casting partisan politics on to those wearing the cloth of our nation. Let’s remember, veterans vote.”  — VFW National Commander Duane Sarmiento

Yes sir Mr Heavy, let us please remember Veterans Vote! I certainly hope like hell they vote! This fellow hasn’t a clue. I can’t believe that even the VFW has gone woke.  Congressman Tuberville’s “hold on the the flag promotions is jeopardizing the sustainability of our all-volunteer force.” WHAT? And “negatively impacting the lives of countless service members and families.” Give me break. He hasn’t a clue what the hold on the promotions was all about, but then maybe some of you are in agreement with this windbag. I shall not embarrass my readers by outlining why the astute congressman did what he did and continues with the four stars. Do you know how much a three star makes? A 3-star over 24 (that’s his max) makes $212,101.20 a year, and that’s only his base pay. So this poor fellow won’t get his 4th star until the congressman says so. And guys, he is punishing the right people, although I wish he would not have eased off lower Gen/Adm promotions. They are the problem! They are carrying out the orders of that idiot in the WH instead of standing up for what’s right.

Did you know that an officers oath of office is not the same as the oath of enlistment? The officer’s oath does require him to follow the orders of the president of the US and those officers appointed over me. The officer’s oath acts as a safeguard against power corruption by not swearing obedience to the president or other officials, but rather to the Constitution.  Many people do know there is a difference. If you want to read more about why there is a difference copy and paste the link below for a very good explanation from the Marine Corps. You just may learn something. So, these generals and admirals should be sounding an alarm vice rubber stamping everything DOD says.

I simply find it so sad that this VFW fellow is one of “them” The libitards have invaded the VFW.

https://www.quantico.marines.mil/News/News-Article-Display/Tag/53864/oath-of-office/