The Patriot Post® · Schumer Caves on Three Military Promotions

Democrat Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is a brilliant strategist and tactician who embarrassed the old football coach from Alabama, Republican Tommy Tuberville. Or at least that’s what the Leftmedia are telling us after recent events in the Senate.

Here’s a quick history refresher:

After the Supreme Court rightly overturned Roe v. Wade last year, Democrats “led” by Joe Biden went into overdrive to politicize abortion. The commander-in-chief followed recent Democrat presidents by increasingly treating the military as a petri dish for leftist social experimentation, in this case illegally violating the Hyde Amendment (that he, the “good Catholic,” had long supported) by using taxpayer dollars to ensure abortion access for military personnel.

“The Pentagon’s policy provides three weeks of taxpayer-funded paid leave and reimbursement of travel expenses for military personnel and dependents who are seeking abortions,” reports The Daily Signal. “An estimate from the Rand Corp. predicts the number of abortions in the military eligible for taxpayer-covered expenses would skyrocket from 20 to more than 4,000 each year.”

Early this year, Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville took a stand — no military promotions by unanimous Senate consent until Biden restores the Rule of Law on abortion.

Tuberville held the line despite all kinds of pressure, though he made clear that each and every military promotion could still be voted on individually by the Senate. He was only putting a hold on unanimous consent. Nevertheless, Democrats suddenly became Very Concerned™ with national security, decrying Tuberville’s “blockade” for hampering military readiness.

Say the same people who supported Biden’s move to oust thousands of top-notch, healthy warriors who declined to take the COVID jab. Say the same people who want taxpayers to pay for “gender transitions” for service personnel. Say the same people who are totally preoccupied with “white supremacists” supposedly overrunning the ranks.

Anyway.

The months-long standoff partially ended yesterday, when Schumer folded and scheduled three votes on promotions, including for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It was a tacit admission that Tuberville was right all along and it was really intractable Democrats who’d rather pay for abortions than promote military officers.

Naturally, Schumer tried to put lipstick on his pig and claim victory over Tuberville. “I have just filed cloture on the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the commandant of the Marine Corps, and the army chief of staff,” Schumer said. “These men should have already been confirmed. They should already be serving in their new positions. The Senate should not have to go through procedural hoops just to please one brazen and misguided senator. But this is where we are.”

Outgoing Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley is departing September 30, and Air Force General Charles “CQ” Brown was confirmed 83-11 yesterday to take his place. The other votes will Marine Corps General Eric M. Smith and Army General Randy George are likewise set for votes to lead their respective branches, and Schumer will likely do so for the Navy and Air Force too. Some 300 other promotions remain on hold, with many more possibly affected by year’s end.

“My hold is still in place,” Tuberville said. “The hold will remain in place as long as the Pentagon’s illegal abortion policy remains in place. If the Pentagon lifts the policy, then I will lift my hold. It’s as easy as that.”

Indeed it is. Follow the law, and promotions can continue. Lawless Democrats would rather exploit abortion for political gain.