Leon Panetta is stepping down as Secretary of Defense, and Barack Obama has named former GOP Senator Chuck Hagel as his nominee to replace him. A Republican nominee for a Democratic President's Secretary of Defense? How could conservatives possibly oppose such a move?
Well, like anything else that happens in Washington, you can't simply expect people to get along with one another, especially when one side has been on a wild hitting streak and the other side can't find a curve ball with a butterfly net.
Chuck Hagel's credentials are worthy of a stress-free nominating process. He's a veteran of Vietnam with two Purple Heart commendations. He served two terms as Senator from Nebraska, earning praise from his fellow legislators for his foreign policy expertise. He even maintained a B-level rating from the American Conservative Union while in Congress.
So why are folks on the right so upset about the possibility of Hagel being in charge of the Pentagon?
Because he's not hawkish enough to suit them, displayed a troubling tendency to speak the truth about neocon folly in the past, opposed the American gulag in Guantanamo, bitched about the Iraq occupation, voted against the "surge" in that conflict, and called for our troops to be pulled out of Afghanistan.
In other words, he's pragmatic, realistic, and unwilling to play along with the agenda of America's right wing zealots.
So they've pulled up old quotes in which Hagel said blunt things about the undo influence of the Israeli lobby in Congress. They've pointed out that Hagel suggested diplomacy (the very thought!) with Iran, instead of sanctions. The right has even pulled in some support from gay liberals by reminding everyone that Hagal said critical things about an openly gay Clinton appointee.
And here's the other thing: Republicans are smarting from a series of defeats that make Custer look like a great military tactician. They lost the 2012 election badly. Their leadership mishandled the fiscal cliff negotiations, resulting in huge setbacks for their cause. They see themselves losing their grip on power in Washington. And nothing frightens neocons more than losing power and influence in DC.
So they'll raise hell about Hagel's nomination, ask a lot of pointed questions during his confirmation hearings, wring their hands on Faux News nightly, and in the end? They vote to confirm Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense.
Instead of cutting to the chase and getting on with the business of the nation, they'll pander to their base with meaningless delays in the confirmation process, with each GOP House and Senate member making his or her own grandiose statement about Hagel's obvious flaws and risks to American national security.
Then they'll vote to confirm the guy, and by doing so will look even less relevant than they do today.
How anyone on the right can see this process as a "win" for their cause is obviously beyond my capacity to understand. They want to punish this guy for being frankly critical of their agenda, and they want desperately to embarrass and oppose Barack Obama at every turn.
But Chuck Hagel will be the next Secretary of Defense when the loony dust settles.
Well, like anything else that happens in Washington, you can't simply expect people to get along with one another, especially when one side has been on a wild hitting streak and the other side can't find a curve ball with a butterfly net.
Chuck Hagel's credentials are worthy of a stress-free nominating process. He's a veteran of Vietnam with two Purple Heart commendations. He served two terms as Senator from Nebraska, earning praise from his fellow legislators for his foreign policy expertise. He even maintained a B-level rating from the American Conservative Union while in Congress.
So why are folks on the right so upset about the possibility of Hagel being in charge of the Pentagon?
Because he's not hawkish enough to suit them, displayed a troubling tendency to speak the truth about neocon folly in the past, opposed the American gulag in Guantanamo, bitched about the Iraq occupation, voted against the "surge" in that conflict, and called for our troops to be pulled out of Afghanistan.
In other words, he's pragmatic, realistic, and unwilling to play along with the agenda of America's right wing zealots.
So they've pulled up old quotes in which Hagel said blunt things about the undo influence of the Israeli lobby in Congress. They've pointed out that Hagel suggested diplomacy (the very thought!) with Iran, instead of sanctions. The right has even pulled in some support from gay liberals by reminding everyone that Hagal said critical things about an openly gay Clinton appointee.
And here's the other thing: Republicans are smarting from a series of defeats that make Custer look like a great military tactician. They lost the 2012 election badly. Their leadership mishandled the fiscal cliff negotiations, resulting in huge setbacks for their cause. They see themselves losing their grip on power in Washington. And nothing frightens neocons more than losing power and influence in DC.
So they'll raise hell about Hagel's nomination, ask a lot of pointed questions during his confirmation hearings, wring their hands on Faux News nightly, and in the end? They vote to confirm Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense.
Instead of cutting to the chase and getting on with the business of the nation, they'll pander to their base with meaningless delays in the confirmation process, with each GOP House and Senate member making his or her own grandiose statement about Hagel's obvious flaws and risks to American national security.
Then they'll vote to confirm the guy, and by doing so will look even less relevant than they do today.
How anyone on the right can see this process as a "win" for their cause is obviously beyond my capacity to understand. They want to punish this guy for being frankly critical of their agenda, and they want desperately to embarrass and oppose Barack Obama at every turn.
But Chuck Hagel will be the next Secretary of Defense when the loony dust settles.
5 comments:
Squat. My thoughts on this are different, and simple. Those assholes simply want to attack and deny each and every thing Obama proposes.
The only way they can feel important is in knowing that they can get face time.
Fuck John McCain, especially, this time and:
FUCK WALMART TOO!
Mooner, I got an email verification of a brilliant comment by our friend Katy Anders, but for some reason it hasn't appeared on this comment thread.
Is Blobber censoring my comments???
Katy, I apologize and will do whatever I can to bring your comment to life!
The three biggest expenditures in the federal budget are the Defense Department, the VA, and Medicare.
With the federal budget under the microscope, the defense budget is going to have to be cut.
Period.
I'm sure the the GOP would rather point at a Democrat in the Defense Department as the instigator of defense cuts than at a military veteran of their own.
Imagine that ... a Secretary of Defense who has serious reservations about sending American troops into ill advised and unnecessary, never ending wars. I heard on NPR yesterday that the Republicans say he has no "Managerial" experience so he isn't qualified to be SOD. Upon reflection Robert McNamara and Donald Rumsfeld were touted as excellent "Managers" .... but also regarded as the #1 and #2 WERST ... fucking ... SOD. Imagine that ....
In some ways, I can understand the need for us to have a Secretary of Defense (and President for that matter) who seem a bit "trigger happy" to rogue nations and terrorists. It might keep them from testing our resolve.
But simply nay-saying any nominee of this president simply because he's been kicking ass for the past few months is childishness.
Hagel will eventually be confirmed, and if Congress makes a stink that amounts to nothing, the public outcry is going to put them in even worse standing.
I don't understand the obstinate attitude when there's so much that needs to be done, especially in foreign policy matters.
Hold the hearings, confirm the dude, move the fuck on.
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