Brunswick Beacon, 07.20.23
When Tommy Tuberville left his illustrious career coaching college football and turned his attention to politics, he welcomed Donald Trump’s endorsement, embraced the MAGA faith, and easily won election as a US Senator from Alabama in 2020. This success clearly emboldened him, as he consumes much of our news cycle with his one-man blockade of military nominations and promotions on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Before his Reign of Error, Senator Tuberville had established the Tommy Tuberville Foundation to support various causes, including “assisting our military and veterans.” After disbursing a fraction of the funds raised and shutting down the foundation, Mr. Tuberville’s professed support of our military was evidently scrapped in favor of his MAGA mission.
Determined to prove his radical Republican street cred, Senator Tuberville has put a “hold” on over 200 military promotions in protest of the Pentagon’s reproductive health policies that allow women in the military to travel at government expense to states where abortion is legal.
Senator Tuberville’s petulance leaves the Marine Corps without a Commandant for the first time in 164 years. Tuberville refuses to confirm General Eric Smith not because of his qualifications, but for pure political spite. With four of the eight members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff retiring soon, Senator Tuberville’s continuing siege could have disastrous consequences.
Whether America has the “greatest” military in the world makes no difference if we can’t break a blockade on the Senate floor. If one Senator can wreak this much havoc unopposed by his radical Republican colleagues, that sends a clear signal to our enemies and our allies about our military readiness. Confidence in our military from outside – and morale within – are suffering.
Senator Tuberville’s love of country is clear; the only question is whether that country is Russia or China. It’s certainly not America.
Michael Rush
Leland