GOP declares "War on the Disabled", Santorum to lead the charge

[Brittain33]

Gail Collins takes Sen. Santorum to the woodshed for his victory over the disabled.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/06/opinion/collins-santorum-strikes-again.html?ref=gailcollins

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[Franzl]

Well Bob Dole is probably a Communist anyway using modern Tea Party definitions.....so I doubt his opinion is all that relevant.

[Brittain33]

Well Bob Dole is probably a Communist anyway using modern Tea Party definitions.....so I doubt his opinion is all that relevant.

It's kind of nuts, because people like Santorum and some of these other Republicans who switched their vote from yes to no served with Dole in the Senate. I hope they haven't forgotten how he happened to lose the use of his hand in the service to his country while they were going to battle against him.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I know few care about McCain anymore but I thought he might bring a couple extra votes with him.

[Keystone Phil]

Gail Collins takes Sen. Santorum to the woodshed for his victory over the disabled.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/06/opinion/collins-santorum-strikes-again.html?ref=gailcollins

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Or Gail Collins, like Dana Milbank in the opening post, used an opportunity to take cheap shots at someone they dislike for a whole host of other reasons. Yay journalistic integrity!

Well Bob Dole is probably a Communist anyway using modern Tea Party definitions.....so I doubt his opinion is all that relevant.

It's kind of nuts, because people like Santorum and some of these other Republicans who switched their vote from yes to no served with Dole in the Senate. I hope they haven't forgotten how he happened to lose the use of his hand in the service to his country while they were going to battle against him.

That-a-way to debate! "You served with Bob. How dare you deny him on this? Do you remember how he lost his ability to use that hand? Do you not care about him? Did you support the Germans in that war or something?"

Then lecture people about supporting bully tactics. Priceless.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Well Bob Dole is probably a Communist anyway using modern Tea Party definitions.....so I doubt his opinion is all that relevant.

Barry Goldwater told him during his 1996 campaign "We're the new liberals of the Republican party. Can you imagine that?".
I wonder what he'd say today for nuts like Santorum and Lee.

[Keystone Phil]

And I'm supposed to believe the Goldwater that is adored these days would have agreed with Dole on this treaty? Ok.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

And I'm supposed to believe the Goldwater that is adored these days would have agreed with Dole on this treaty? Ok.

Well he certainly wouldn't have opposed it for the ridiculous reasons that those who voted against it gave.  He might have opposed it for the reason I do, that the only real thing it does is set up another useless UN bureaucracy we'd be expected to pay for.

[Keystone Phil]

And I'm supposed to believe the Goldwater that is adored these days would have agreed with Dole on this treaty? Ok.

Well he certainly wouldn't have opposed it for the ridiculous reasons that those who voted against it gave.  He might have opposed it for the reason I do, that the only real thing it does is set up another useless UN bureaucracy we'd be expected to pay for.

Which I'm sure is another reason why Santorum, Lee, etc. oppose it as well.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

And I'm supposed to believe the Goldwater that is adored these days would have agreed with Dole on this treaty? Ok.

Well he certainly wouldn't have opposed it for the ridiculous reasons that those who voted against it gave.  He might have opposed it for the reason I do, that the only real thing it does is set up another useless UN bureaucracy we'd be expected to pay for.

Which I'm sure is another reason why Santorum, Lee, etc. oppose it as well.

Then why didn't they make such a sensible reason to oppose the treaty their centerpiece instead of the tinfoil/black helicopter nonsense they spouted?

[Likely Voter]

This shows how screwed up the GOP is now. You have two former GOP presidential nominees, both of whom are respected military veterans and purple heart recipients,  pushing for the bill and the majority of the GOP senators side with Rick Santorum, failed nominee, frothy substance namesake and columnist for World Net Daily

[Mehmentum]

You know what I find saddest about this? 

8 Republicans voted for the treaty.  3 of them (Lugar, Brown, and Snowe) won't be returning next session.

[Lief 🗽]

Yeah but they'll all be replaced with Democrats, so that's a good thing.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

I watched some of the Senate debate on this. Both sides were pretty unconvincing and even bizarre in their arguments.  Much of the opponent's arguments were not wanting to be criticized by other more hypocritical signatories.  The proponents kept coming back to this idea that it would somehow ensure that disabled vets would be treated well when they travel.  A treaty like this isn't going to ensure anything like that because even if it makes a significant difference it's going to be applied unevenly.  The big problem disabled people face around the world is how disabilities can lead to extreme poverty, but whether this treaty might make any difference there wasn't discussed (at least from what I saw).

Will the treaty go ahead among the other countries without the US signing on?

[Franzl]

I watched some of the Senate debate on this. Both sides were pretty unconvincing and even bizarre in their arguments.  Much of the opponent's arguments were not wanting to be criticized by other more hypocritical signatories.  The proponents kept coming back to this idea that it would somehow ensure that disabled vets would be treated well when they travel.  A treaty like this isn't going to ensure anything like that because even if it makes a significant difference it's going to be applied unevenly.  The big problem disabled people face around the world is how disabilities can lead to extreme poverty, but whether this treaty might make any difference there wasn't discussed (at least from what I saw).

Will the treaty go ahead among the other countries without the US signing on?

This doesn't surprise me. American political debates don't usually focus on the larger issues in.

You can sell anything better if you talk about the veterans, or something else that average Americans actually care about.

Think about the (kind of) controversy about E15 fuel. What arguments are being used against it for the most part?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Will the treaty go ahead among the other countries without the US signing on?

Yes, it already has enough ratifications to be in force among those who have ratified it.

Think about the (kind of) controversy about E15 fuel. What arguments are being used against it for the most part?

That some cars that will work with E10 won't with E15 because the added ethanol will mess up the fuel lines.  The EPA has only approved it for 2001 and later vehicles, which means if it does take off, I'll need to be careful, since I have a 2000 car.

[Franzl]

Precisely. Not that they're in any way irrelevant, but there is another perspective that seems rather important that nobody in the US debate seems to even mention.

[CLARENCE 2015!]

This shows how screwed up the GOP is now. You have two former GOP presidential nominees, both of whom are respected military veterans and purple heart recipients,  pushing for the bill and the majority of the GOP senators side with Rick Santorum, failed nominee, frothy substance namesake and columnist for World Net Daily

Though Bush did not receive the Purple Heart, I agree with you completely on the message here-

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

This shows how screwed up the GOP is now. You have two former GOP presidential nominees, both of whom are respected military veterans and purple heart recipients,  pushing for the bill and the majority of the GOP senators side with Rick Santorum, failed nominee, frothy substance namesake and columnist for World Net Daily

Though Bush did not receive the Purple Heart, I agree with you completely on the message here-

He's referring to Dole and McCain. Although, looking it up, it seems McCain indeed did not receive the Purple Heart for some reason. (Was it because it was torture and not combat?)

[Tetro Kornbluth]

hahahaha, the American senate fails to ratify a UN treaty on the rights of the disabled? hahahaha, are you guys even serious? I'm literally lost for words.

I especially love Inks and Ernest in this thread. Keep up the good work, guys!

The US didn't ratify the UN Convention on the rights of the child - a proud rejection it shares worldwide only with Somalia.

Well your attack is clearly non-partisan, just "America sucks", since that Convention was over 23 years ago.....I wonder why all the subsequent sessions of the Senate still haven't ratified it?  Maybe the cutsie feel good name doesn't justify what's inside? Same with this treaty. 

So we're against children's rights and hate the disabled, right, Gully? 

Putting words in my mouth... Putting words in my mouth...

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I know few care about McCain anymore but I thought he might bring a couple extra votes with him.

Not even Graham, which is shocking.

[Keystone Phil]

And I'm supposed to believe the Goldwater that is adored these days would have agreed with Dole on this treaty? Ok.

Well he certainly wouldn't have opposed it for the ridiculous reasons that those who voted against it gave.  He might have opposed it for the reason I do, that the only real thing it does is set up another useless UN bureaucracy we'd be expected to pay for.

Which I'm sure is another reason why Santorum, Lee, etc. oppose it as well.

Then why didn't they make such a sensible reason to oppose the treaty their centerpiece instead of the tinfoil/black helicopter nonsense they spouted?

Because Santorum's reasoning was more than just some conspiracy theory you'd hear on Alex Jones. Again, the wording of the treaty could give cover to a member state that wants to intervene on behalf of a disabled child for their "well being." That doesn't mean Santorum, Lee, etc. think that states will swoop in and snatch all disabled children in the middle of the night.

[Landslide Lyndon]

And I'm supposed to believe the Goldwater that is adored these days would have agreed with Dole on this treaty? Ok.

Well he certainly wouldn't have opposed it for the ridiculous reasons that those who voted against it gave.  He might have opposed it for the reason I do, that the only real thing it does is set up another useless UN bureaucracy we'd be expected to pay for.

Which I'm sure is another reason why Santorum, Lee, etc. oppose it as well.

Then why didn't they make such a sensible reason to oppose the treaty their centerpiece instead of the tinfoil/black helicopter nonsense they spouted?

Because Santorum's reasoning was more than just some conspiracy theory you'd hear on Alex Jones.

Indeed. It was a conspiracy theory that you'd hear on James Dobson and Pat Robertson's shows.