The Daily – A One-Man Blockade Against the U.S. Military

Intro

In this episode of “The Daily,” the focus is on Republican senator Tommy Tuberville, who has single-handedly blocked hundreds of promotions within the U.S. military as a political protest against the Biden administration. Tuberville’s opposition is rooted in his stance against the Pentagon’s policy of offering time off and travel reimbursement to service members seeking out-of-state abortion or reproductive care. Military leaders are concerned that Tuberville’s blockade is becoming a threat to national security.

Main Takeaways

Tuberville’s Blockade and Opposition to Pentagon’s Policy

• Republican senator Tommy Tuberville has blocked hundreds of promotions within the U.S. military as a political protest against the Biden administration.
• Tuberville is against the Pentagon’s policy of offering time off and travel reimbursement to service members who need to go out of state to obtain an abortion or reproductive care not offered in their stationed state.
• Tuberville’s opposition is based on his political stance against abortion and his argument that it is illegal to spend money on facilitating an abortion.

National Security Threat and Growing Backlog

• Military leaders say Tuberville’s blockade is becoming a threat to national security.
• Tuberville’s ultimatum to the Pentagon is preventing the promotion of any generals or admirals.
• The backlog of senior uniform commanders who haven’t been promoted is growing due to the blockade.

Tuberville’s Demand for Congressional Action

• Tuberville is exploiting a logistical reality of unanimous consent to block promotions.
• Military promotions have traditionally been done by unanimous consent.
• Tuberville’s GOP colleagues are uncomfortable with his actions but agree with his protest in substance.
• Tuberville is demanding this issue be settled by an act of Congress.
• Senator Tuberville wants Congress to dictate the policy on abortion access in the military.

The House’s Defense Bill and Culture Wars

• The House demands an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would bar the Pentagon from implementing a policy for service members needing to leave the state for an abortion.
• Republicans in the House attach Tuberville’s plan to the bill, which broadens to include more social issues they disagree with.
• The military becomes a forum for culture wars in the House’s defense bill.
• The bill is now GOP-backed and almost no Democrats are willing to support it.
• The military’s budget is in doubt if the Senate does not pass the defense authorization bill, which is not likely to look anything like the House’s bill on social issues.

The Future of Tuberville’s Blockade and Political Consequences

• Republican Senator Tuberville is blocking the promotions of hundreds of senior military officers in protest of a social issue policy.
• Republican leaders do not have the power to end Tuberville’s blockade unless the Senate rules are changed or more Republicans are found to give a bigger majority in the House.
• The only way to get through Tuberville’s blockade is to go around it, which means putting nominees up for votes on the floor one by one.
• The concern is that this would take weeks or months and prevent the Senate from getting much else done.
• Democrats believe that the abortion issue is a winner on the campaign trail and can’t politically afford to cave on this issue.
• The long-term consequence of giving up on this issue could be severe at the ballot box.
• The result of this issue is going to be a somewhat dysfunctional US military organizationally.

Summary

Tuberville’s Blockade and Opposition to Pentagon’s Policy

Republican senator Tommy Tuberville has taken a stand against the Biden administration by blocking promotions within the U.S. military. His main opposition is to the Pentagon’s policy that provides time off and travel reimbursement to service members seeking out-of-state abortion or reproductive care. Tuberville argues that it is illegal to spend money on facilitating an abortion, aligning with his political stance against abortion.

National Security Threat and Growing Backlog

Military leaders are concerned that Tuberville’s blockade is becoming a threat to national security. His ultimatum to the Pentagon is preventing the promotion of any generals or admirals, leading to a growing backlog of senior uniform commanders who haven’t been promoted. This backlog could potentially impact the readiness and effectiveness of the U.S. military.

Tuberville’s Demand for Congressional Action

Tuberville is exploiting the logistical reality of unanimous consent to block promotions. Traditionally, military promotions have been done by unanimous consent. While Tuberville’s GOP colleagues may be uncomfortable with his actions, they agree with his protest in substance. Tuberville is demanding that Congress settle the issue of abortion access in the military through an act of Congress or proactive lawmaking.

The House’s Defense Bill and Culture Wars

The House has demanded an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would prevent the Pentagon from implementing a policy for service members needing to leave the state for an abortion. Republicans in the House have attached Tuberville’s plan to the bill, expanding it to include more social issues they disagree with. This has turned the military into a forum for culture wars, with the bill now being GOP-backed and facing opposition from Democrats. The military’s budget is uncertain if the Senate does not pass a defense authorization bill that differs significantly from the House’s bill.

The Future of Tuberville’s Blockade and Political Consequences

Tuberville’s blockade of military promotions can only be overcome by going around it, which would require putting nominees up for individual votes on the Senate floor. However, this process could take weeks or months and potentially hinder other Senate business. Democratic leaders are hesitant to cave on the abortion issue due to its political significance, as they believe it is a winning issue on the campaign trail. Giving up on this issue could have severe consequences at the ballot box. Ultimately, the result of this issue could lead to organizational dysfunction within the U.S. military.

Conclusion

Senator Tommy Tuberville’s blockade of military promotions in protest of the Pentagon’s abortion policy has raised concerns about national security and the readiness of the U.S. military. While his actions have garnered support from some GOP colleagues, the future of his blockade and the potential political consequences remain uncertain. The clash between social issues and military policy highlights the challenges of navigating culture wars within the defense bill. The resolution of this issue will have significant implications for the U.S. military and the political landscape.