Too right wing for the American Legion? I didn’t know it was possible …
by digby
The head of the American Legion, one of the largest veterans advocacy groups in the United States, said on Wednesday that an amendment to place more sanctions on Iran has “no place” being added to a veterans bill currently being considered in the Senate.
Republicans this week have grounded Senate action on important military issues to a halt by adding Iran sanctions measures to bills meant to combat military sexual assault and help America’s veterans. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) included an Iran sanctions provision in his alternative to Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) vets bill, which would, according to the Hill, “boost veterans’ healthcare programs and give veterans in-state tuition rates at all schools across the country.”
Democrats criticized the Republicans for “inject[ing] partisan politics into the mix, insisting on amendments that have nothing to do with helping veterans,” as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said on the Senate floor on Wednesday.
The American Legion piled on, saying in a statement that “sanctions against Iran have no place in a U.S. Senate debate over legislation that aims to expand health care, education opportunities, employment and other benefits for veterans.”
There was a time when the American Legion would have attacked any group as being unpatriotic for saying something like this. And they still would if veterans benefits weren’t at stake. But still, I think this is progress of a sort. They’ve been forced to publicly come out against warmongering in order to protect their own people and that’s not a position in which the hawks of yesteryear would have ever placed them.
This is yet another positive consequence of the tea party’s insanity. They’ve knocked over the three legged Republican stool of “family values, small government and national security” and the establishment doesn’t know how to right it.
.