Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday evening sought and received unanimous consent to confirm the promotions of 11 four-star generals that had been held up for months by Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville ® to protest the Pentagon’s abortion policies.
Schumer broke Tuberville’s blockade of more than 300 lower-ranking military promotions earlier this month, but the Alabama senator insisted at the time on holding up 11 of the highest-ranking officers so as not to capitulate completely to Democrats.
Tuberville demanded at the time that the promotions of the 11 four-star generals go through regular order on the Senate floor. He wanted senators to vote on procedural motions to end debate and then vote again to confirm the military promotions individually.
It’s not like they can just pick who gets to be a general; it takes years to get into positions of authority, and Congress approving promotions is mostly a formality (that’s why they did it in batches before ol’ Tommy decided to hold people’s careers hostage.).
If there are MAGA supporters in the military, they’ve been there the whole time.
No doubt, but the Rs have already politicized the highest officers by labeling those making policy with which they disagree woke. They pay close attention and vet the generals, and I believe they’ll use this practice to influence the promotions with their own hierarchy in mind–and plans once it’s in place.
I suspect this was Tuberville’s main goal with all this nonsense. The disruption to the defense department and nonstop cycle of distraction this year have been icing on the cake for him and MAGA at large.
I dunno if it was his goal, because that seems like a bit too tactful, but I definitely agree they’ll use whatever weaknesses they can exploit.