Dems Hiding Behind Defense Appropriations

I stand with the Republican house leadership on this issue, and wish folks would take the time to contact their congressional representatives or at least the ones mentioned in this piece to let them know you support them.

The reason is simple. For as long as I can remember members of congress have always tagged distasteful legislation onto and in the defense appropriations bill, although most of the time it comes in the shape of some pet pork barrel project rather then some sort feel good touchy feely legislation like this case.

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and House GOP Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-Ind.) are voting against the House/Senate fiscal year 2010 defense authorization bill — because it contains hate crimes provisions designed to protect gays and lesbians.

GOP Whip Eric Cantor is also a no, saying that the legislation constitutes classifying a new group of "thought crimes."

The Democrats also probably feel some sort cynical irony in putting hate crimes legislation for gays and lesbians in to the appropriations bill for the military which has a Don't Ask- Don't Tell policy that they have railed against ever since Bill Clinton instituted it.

As a general rule I am against so called hate crimes legislation no matter what shape it takes, since it gets into the realm of what a person was thinking and requires very little other the debating skills of the lawyer in order to convince a jury of such a thing. A crime against a person is enough of a hate crime without trying to find any other motivation.

If the Democrats think this is such a wonderful piece of legislation it should be able to stand on it's own. I am tired of the defense budget being used as some sort of club to blackmail legislators into voting for it even though it contains all sorts of non defense related items. Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats in congress are trying to play a game of chicken, knowing that if the Republicans vote against this they can use it in next years campaign commercials. Republicans need to have the nerve to take a stand and then be ready to defend the vote when the next election cycle starts. The bottom line is the Dems can pass this without the Republicans anyway, but I am looking for those who can put principles ahead of political expediency.

Let Boehner, Pence, and Cantor know that sometimes you have to stand up for what is right even when it isn't easy, and that is the lesson we need to be teaching everyone. The one word of warning I would give them however is don't be hypocrites when it comes to doing this and try to put something in the next defense appropriations bill that you want.