The real reason Republicans don't want the new START treaty
[Editor's note: This was written on December 21, before the Senate vote approving the new START treaty.]
Has the President鈥檚 olive branch on extending the Bush tax breaks for the rich opened a new era in bi-partisanship? Doubtful.
Anyone who isn鈥檛 worried about loose nukes 鈥� nuclear warheads that can travel long distances, and could find their way into terrorist hands 鈥� should have his head examined. Russia and the U.S. still have thousands from the Cold War days. The old Start treaty began the job of reducing that number, with mutual inspections to verify both sides were following through. But it lapsed last year. So right now there鈥檚 nothing 鈥� not only no treaty to continue the process of de-nuking, but no inspection system to make sure Russia isn鈥檛 (and to assure Russia that the U.S. isn鈥檛) re-nuking.
Fortunately, Russia and the U.S. have negotiated a New Start treaty that would cut the number of warheads down to about a third, and resume inspections.
But Senate Republicans are balking.
Let鈥檚 be clear: The choice isn鈥檛 between adopting a New Start treaty or just keeping the old one. The old one ran out a year ago. The choice is a New Start treaty or back to the old days when both sides could build more nukes under a cloud of secrecy.
It鈥檚 a no-brainer. But many Republicans, led by Mitch McConnell and Jon Kyl, now say they won鈥檛 support New Start.
Why? Six months ago their excuse was the U.S. wasn鈥檛 doing enough to make sure our remaining stock of nuclear warheads would be up to par. Now that $84 billion has been allotted to upgrading our nuclear weapons, they can鈥檛 make that argument. A month ago they said they didn鈥檛 have enough time to consider the treaty. When it was pointed out to them there had been dozens of hearings and briefings, they said they needed more time to think about the inspections built into the treaty. Now they say they don鈥檛 like the language in the treaty鈥檚 preamble.
Here are the real reasons:
1. Deny Obama a victory. Mitch McConnell has said his number one priority is making sure Barack Obama is a one-term President. He鈥檒l sacrifice the security of Americans in order to rob the President of anything that could be interpreted as a victory, including New Start.
Forget bi-partisanship. To Senate Republicans, it never existed and never will. They went along with the tax deal because it gave them and their supporters everything they wanted and more. They didn鈥檛 consider it a victory for Obama; they鈥檙e claiming it as a victory for themselves.
2. Stoke up defense spending. I don鈥檛 even think Senate Republican leaders mind loose nukes. Failure of New Start would give them an excuse to increase defense spending 鈥� the one area of the budget they want enlarged.
Remember: We鈥檙e back to Reaganomics. Cut the taxes on the rich, cut government programs for the middle class and poor, and spend lots more on defense.
3. Generate more fear of what鈥檚 鈥渙ut there.鈥� Republicans trade in fear. They鈥檝e mastered the art of turning fear of what鈥檚 鈥渙ut there鈥� into Republican political gains 鈥� whether it鈥檚 fear of terrorists, immigrants, Russia, China, or communists who may still be lurking somewhere in the shadows. They鈥檙e looking to 2012 and stoking up the fear.
Today is the showdown on New Start. Senate Dems will move to cut off debate (they鈥檒l need 60 votes). Final ratification will require two-thirds of the senators present.
We鈥檒l soon discover whether President Obama bought anything with his cave-in to Republicans on tax cuts for the rich.
The real reason for fear isn鈥檛 what鈥檚 lurking 鈥渙ut there.鈥� It鈥檚 what鈥檚 lurking on Capitol Hill.
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Latest nose-count looks promising.
As of noon EST, GOP Senators Bob Bennett of Utah, Johnny Isakson of Georgia, and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee backed ratification. Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee is expected to announce his support for ratification later today. Sens. Richard Lugar, Susan Collins, Scott Brown, Olympia Snowe, and George Voinovich have also stated they鈥檒l vote to approve the treaty.
Democrats must pick up at least nine GOP votes to ratify the treaty, assuming every Democrat votes for it.
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