But not, I am relieved as hell to say, Hatch and Bennett – and none of that not being there to vote crap either – they both voted and, in my humble opinion, voted well. I don’t get to say that very often, so, when I have the chance, I take it. Well done, Senators Bennett and Hatch. I haven’t looked to see what shenanigans you’ve been up to today yet, but in this, I’m proud of you both.
I wonder how Shurtleff is going to turn this vote into an attack ad…
Now – with that out of the way, let’s take a look at the pride of the Republican’t Party, shall we?
30 Members of the US Senate – ALL REPUBLICANS – voted to protect corporate America over the rights of a woman who was gang raped. From Think Progress:
In 2005, Jamie Leigh Jones was gang-raped by her co-workers while she was working for Halliburton/KBR in Baghdad. She was detained in a shipping container for at least 24 hours without food, water, or a bed, and “warned her that if she left Iraq for medical treatment, she’d be out of a job.” (Jones was not an isolated case.) Jones was prevented from bringing charges in court against KBR because her employment contract stipulated that sexual assault allegations would only be heard in private arbitration.
What champion, what stalwart and righteous Senator came to her defense in the hallowed halls of the Senate today? Senator Al Fraken, that’s who. From MyDD:
In the debate, Senator Sessions maintained that Franken’s amendment overreached into the private sector and suggested that it violated the due process clause of the Constitution.
To which, Senator Franken fired back quoting the Constitution. “Article 1 Section 8 of our Constitution gives Congress the right to spend money for the welfare of our citizens. Because of this, Chief Justice Rehnquist wrote, ‘Congress may attach conditions on the receipt of federal funds and has repeatedly employed that power to further broad policy objectives,'” Franken said. “That is why Congress could pass laws cutting off highway funds to states that didn’t raise their drinking age to 21. That’s why this whole bill [the Defense Appropriations bill] is full of limitations on contractors — what bonuses they can give and what kind of health care they can offer. The spending power is a broad power and my amendment is well within it.”
No wonder Republican’s were so sorry to lose a guy like Norm Coleman – he was a guy who will toe the line and spit a lie with little more than the promise of a wink and a nod from the Republican leader. Senator Franken is showing – again – what a Statesman’s behavior and knowledge should be. Watch and learn –
Here’s a list of the 30 fans of gang rape –
Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Gregg (R-NH)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Kyl (R-AZ)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Wicker (R-MS)
Did you notice Vitter up there? That’s a guy who exists with no – filter – whatsoever.
I’m sorry, Fox News, but this man was BORN to be a Senator.
MyDD has the comprehensive wrap-up on today’s creation of opposition ads against 30 Republican Senators.
Unbeleivable that there are still people, especially in this country, and especially representatives of the The People, that still don’t understand basic human rights. Shame on those of you who have acted in an indifferent manner. Had it been your daughter you would have declared war.
I looked up the text of the amendment, hoping to find out what people objected to. (I sort of expected the summary you provided to be a biased reading.) I discovered that this is a pretty straightforward amendment. It seems to be directly targeted and clear in scope. Here is the text if you’re interested:
Sec. 8104. (a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used for any existing or new Federal contract if the contractor or a subcontractor at any tier requires that an employee or independent contractor, as a condition of employment, sign a contract that mandates that the employee or independent contractor performing work under the contract or subcontract resolve through arbitration any claim under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or any tort related to or arising out of sexual assault or harassment, including assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment, or negligent hiring, supervision, or retention.
(b) The prohibition in subsection (a) does not apply with respect to employment contracts that may not be enforced in a court of the United States.