Posted By Abe Greenwald
The popular myth about the GOP and ObamaCare had it that Republicans on Capitol Hill functioned as just-say-no “nihilists,” looking to stop any health-care reform and refusing to offer productive solutions. In truth, Republicans such as Paul Ryan came up with thoughtful and innovative proposals, which were unceremoniously dismissed by Democratic ideologues. It’s happening again, this time on New START. The Washington Times’s Eli Lake reports [1] that key Republican senators have withdrawn their support for the U.S.-Russia arms-control treaty after their proposed amendments to it were shot down:
The Republicans made their statements after the defeat Saturday of a treaty amendment offered by Mr. Graham’s close ally Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican. The McCain amendment — which would have stricken language from the treaty’s preamble linking defensive and offensive missile systems — failed by a vote of 59-37.
Republicans also failed Sunday to attach an amendment that sought to link strategic and tactical nuclear weapons in the treaty’s preamble. Strategic weapons are those that can hit the United States from Russia; tactical nuclear weapons are considered battlefield weapons.
Democrats argue that any change to the preamble, no matter how small, will reopen negotiations with Russia and effectively kill the treaty.
The new bipartisan spirit means that Democrats are willing to work with the Kremlin, just not with Republicans. Not that this will stop the media from assailing GOP obstructionism once again.
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