Blockade

Meanwhile in Washington the standoff between Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and the Biden administration continues.  The Alabama senator is single-handedly blockading more than 300 general and flag officer nominations for all branches of the armed services over the Pentagon's policy of paying for the travel expenses for service members to receive abortion and other reproductive services.

Last time I looked it seemed that those in the service don't get to pick where their command says they will be posted.  Moreover, one-fifth of our armed services members are women.  And with abortion and reproductive healthcare now determined by the respective states the pentagon policy is an accommodation for troops unable to receive such services in a state that prohibits them.  If I had to hazard a guess, the pentagon would also pay for travel for other specialized medical care unavailable where a service member is posted.

Oh well, now the troops have to fight a culture war to satisfy a lone senator's appetite for performative politics.  

I wonder if the blockade is also impacting school enrollment for the dependent children of military families?  Or job applications for civilian spouses?  Housing applications and moving plans?  Planned and pending retirements?  Promotions and career advancement too?  Readiness?

Anyway, the senate beat it out of town last month without resolving any of this and isn't supposed to return to work until after Labor Day.  The blockade continues.

Just another reason for the former football coach to tear things down and burn them up.

Of course, that is his prerogative; nevertheless, this is evidence of flaws and vulnerabilities in our institutions where one individual can put a stop to hundreds of critical national security positions.  Tuberville is entitled to his views on abortion yet I struggle to see a connection to filling key defense and security positions.