Meet The Senators Who Voted Against The Franken Amendment

[BurtWorm]

From Jason Linkins at Huffpost:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/07/meet-the-senators-who-vot_n_312976.html

I think that all homo sapiens can understand how the mere thought of an organization that receives government money through contract mechanisms being tangentially involved in setting up a fake tax shelter for a fake pimp and his fake prostitution ring of fake prostitutes can justifiably lead to lawmakers going absolutely cross-eyed with white-hot, impotent rage. But what happens when a similarly taxpayer-endowed contractor attempts to cover up employee-on-employee gang rape by locking up the victim in a shipping container without food and water and threatening her with reprisals if she report the incident? Somehow, it doesn't engender the same level of anger!

Credit new Senator Al Franken however, for introducing an amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill that would punish contractors if they "restrict their employees from taking workplace sexual assault, battery and discrimination cases to court." You'd think that this would be a no-brainer, actually, but that didn't stop Jeff Sessions from labeling Franken's effort a "political attack directed at Halliburton." Franken, of course, pointed out that his amendment would apply broadly, to all contractors, because otherwise, 'twould be a bill of attainder, right? Right?

Franken's amendment ended up passing, 68-30. Here's a list of the Senators who showed broad support for Roman Polanski by voting against it:

Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Gregg (R-NH)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Kyl (R-AZ)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Wicker (R-MS)

ADDENDUM: It's been pointed out to me that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce lobbied against the Franken amendment as well:

Republicans point out that the amendment was opposed by a host of business interests, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and applies to a wide range of companies, including IBM and Boeing.

I guess we must cover up crimes like rape in order to save capitalism.


Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/07/meet-the-senators-who-vot_n_312976.html

[sinkingfeeling]

1. One notices immediately that they are all white, male, and Republican.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

2. Would the Franken ammendment apply ex-post facto?

Meaning, would it be used on events that happened before the bill was signed?
Or would the amendment only apply to future cases taken to court?

[BurtWorm]

5. I had the same question and don't know the answer.

[Ozymanithrax]

3. We must cover up rape in order to save Campaign donations...

Capitalism is old enough and big enough to take care of itself.

[Captain Hilts]

4. Well, we know that Kyl wouldn't need such a right...nt

[Overseas]

6. Like grandstanding on ACORN while big defense contractors CONVICTED of fraud

still get government contracts. Even contractors that have paid penalty fees for fraud that exceed the 15-year budget for ACORN.

Hounded, entrapped, accused of fraud = DEFUND ACORN NOW!
Convicted of fraud, millions paid in penalties = Let's give them more business!

I mean golly, if they voted to deprive those military contractors who forbid employees to press charges for assault, they might have to defund other contractors who have been convicted of murder or those who have electrocuted our soldiers in their showers. Can't do that, now, can we? :crazy:

[gratuitous]

7. Won't Thanksgiving be fun?

"Grampa, if I wanted to serve the country and I couldn't get into the military, and I went to work for Halliburton or KBR or some other defense contractor, and my fellow employees locked me in a storage container for several days and took turns gang raping me, why don't you think those bad, bad men should have to face a trial? And why wouldn't the company lose its contract? Why, Grampa? Why?"

A shiny nickel to the first senatorial granddaughter who buttonholes her grandfather at the family Thanksgiving with that question.

[Nothing Without Hope]

8. A roll call of corruption. These are some of the worst. n/t

[Blue_In_AK]

9. I'm happy to see that neither of my senators

is on this list. Apparently Lisa Murkowski's status as a woman trumped her status as a Republican.

[Robyn66]

10. Oh Senator Gregg I'm so proud you are my Senator!

Asshole