Toomey backs plan to cut off aid to Libya, others
Pennsylvania Republican Pat Toomey was one of 10 Senators to vote for a controversial bill Saturday morning to suspend U.S. aid to Pakistan, Egypt and Libya.
Toomey backs plan to cut off aid to Libya, others
Pennsylvania Republican Pat Toomey was one of 10 Senators to vote for a controversial bill Saturday morning to suspend U.S. aid to Pakistan, Egypt and Libya. The plan, proposed by libertarian firebrand Rand Paul, of Kentucky, was never expected to pass and was soundly defeated, 81-10. But it was put forward anyway as a symbolic statement by members of the Senate who want to limit America's profile abroad, and Toomey's vote stakes out a position within their ranks. "The recent developments in Egypt, Libya and Pakistan are clearly a cause for concern. Although this bill was not perfect, it’s important that we send a message to countries receiving U.S. foreign aid that American assistance comes with responsibilities," Toomey said in a news release touting his vote. Paul's bill called for cutting off aid that he said helps dictators until they show they are working more closely with the U.S. Opponents said the plan would diminish American influence and hurt those fighting for democracy abroad, allowing extremists free reign. The bill, voted on in the early hours of Saturday morning as the Senate wrapped up its work until Election Day, drew a rebuke from not only Democrats but also veteran Republicans. GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, of South Carolina, was one of the most vocal opponents. According to The New York Times, he warned that a provision cutting off aid to countries where an American embassy is attacked would invite assaults on embassies in friendly nations. "If you want to destroy the hope of everybody in the Mideast who has been brave enough to stand up to these thugs and lose their family members, if you want to break their spirit, pass this amendment,"” Graham said, according to Politico. "If this amendment passes, good luck finding anybody anywhere in the world who will partner with us, who would be brave enough to stand up to these thugs and say, 'You will not have my children's future.'" In my early weeks in Washington, I have so far heard two takes on Toomey, the first-term Senator who was elected in the Republican tea party wave of 2010. One version is that he has been less sharply partisan than expected, even as he rises as a prominent Republican voice on fiscal issues. The other is that he is like a Senate version of Paul Ryan - holding deeply conservative fiscal views but with more polish and less froth than some of the tea party rookies, making his stances seem more moderate than they are. The foreign aid vote is one of many he has taken and will take, but this particular stand fits more with the second version.
toomey's alive?— tdoc- yes he's alive. That's more than you can say about Casey Jr., the original invisible man. He gets reelected there is no hope for the Commonwealth. What an empty suit Jr. has turned out to be.— MilesLong1
- Toomey and Casey remind me of the Vaudeville skit - Shlemiel and Schlimazel. Shlemiel is the guy who spills his soup and Schlimazel is the guy that he spills the soup on. Yes, our two Senators are merely a Vaudeville skit. Each one as partisan as the other.
- Miles...u have a suit? fooled me.....— The Philly Shadow
- and cut aid to any other country supporting AlQioeda and the terrorists muslums.....let the sob's
starve....when their governments fail, let thier civil wars kill each other...they are all blood sucking leeches on the world society.....— nuggett - Interesting bill. Now, one question, where would we then get our oil? Do the geniuses in the senate who supported this bill think U.S. involvement in the middle east has all been for sh#@s and giggles? You don't want to deal with thugs in the mid-east, spend more on alternative energy and fuel sources. But most of these senators are also in the pocket of big oil. Hm, what do? What to do?— Hemingway
- We borrow money from China to give away to people that are nothing but trouble....that includes Israel.
Stop giving away money to anybody and take care of the USA.
— oakster - Israel's trouble? You are an idiot. — bearsfriend
- Big time trouble. I'd still like to know what they knew in advance about 9/11. — ronzoni2
- Your assuming that the CIA,NSA or FBI would listen. They could have known something but I guarantee it was less than the Saudi's. Coincidentally the nationality of the majority of the participants and where Bush had the Bin Laden clan flown to within a day of the attack. — 1upsman
- "Israel is our only friend in the Middle East".....
before Israel we didn't have any enemies in the Middle East.
Note how their Prime Minister goes on our network TV to tell us we need to go to war.That's trouble in my book.— oakster - Well, he just cut off aid to veterans by spiking a bill he co-wrote, so at least he's consistent.
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/09/19/13966931-senate-republicans-kill-veterans-jobs-bill?lite— mattand - toomey is a scumsucking corporate raider. he represents everything that is wrong with America. that being said, I agree with his vote on this one. we need to address issues at home before we go around the world. in addition, we should bring all troops abroad home too. not just afghanistan and iraq, but germany , south korea, and africa too. time to end the american empire. we have too many issues of poverty and healthcare and deficit here at home— Ryan
- They elect these guys and they don't have a clue. We may not like it, but let the diplomats handle this. Contrary to what these putzes in Congress spout what happens behind the scenes is what is more important than what is publicly expressed. Our elected "representatives" only care about one thing - getting reelected. they don't care about you or me; or, the real patriots they send off to die. "War is a Racket" was written by USMC General, Smedley Butler (Former Philadelphia PD Superintendant) and says it all. It was written more than 80 years ago and it could have been written last week. My advice to the Toomeys of the world is "shut up" and let the professioanls do their thing.— BillyBob369
- Umm, a diplomat just got killed. I think they need help; — hey buddy
Jonathan Tamari is the Inquirer’s correspondent in Washington, where he follows the Philadelphia area’s interests and representatives. Tamari comes to D.C. after two years as a beat writer reporting on the Philadelphia Eagles and the NFL (where, a political source once told him, there are at least rules against hitting below the knees). He previously wrote about politics and government from Trenton, reporting on the characters and color of New Jersey state government.Jersey born and bred, Tamari now lives in the capital city, where he is looking for stories, places to run, soccer bars and good meals.
Reach him at jtamari@phillynews.com.
Follow Jonathan on Twitter: @JonathanTamari.
