After years of criticizing Democrats for not supporting the troops, just three Republicans supported

[spanone]

the military funding.

Senate Democrats block GOP filibuster

Senate Republicans failed early Friday in their bid to filibuster a massive Pentagon bill that funds the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, an unusual move designed to delay President Obama's health-care legislation.

On a 63 to 33 vote, Democrats cleared a key hurdle that should allow them to approve the must-pass military spending bill Saturday and return to the health-care debate. After years of criticizing Democrats for not supporting the troops, just three Republicans supported the military funding.

The maneuvering came as Democrats were still trying to secure a crucial vote on the health-care legislation. Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.), the last holdout in the Democratic caucus and the focus of an intense lobbying campaign by White House officials, rejected an abortion compromise aimed at bringing him on board. Nelson has said he would not support the package unless it explicitly bars use of federal money for abortion services.

If Nelson's support can be locked up by Saturday, Democrats are hopeful that they will be able to begin clearing the parliamentary hurdles that would allow final passage of their version of the legislation by Christmas Eve. That would meet their self-imposed deadline to begin negotiating with House Democrats to craft a final version of the bill to send to the president early next year.

Republicans have said their goal is to delay the bill and force Senate Democrats to go home and face their constituents, hoping for some supporters of the measure to return after New Year's too fearful to back the legislation.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/18/AR2009121800241_pf.html

[RaleighNCDUer]

1. I thought there already was legislation that specifically bans the use

of federal money for abortions.

Holding out on that point, for redundant legislation, is...well, a LIE.

Ben Nelson, the Senator from Mutual of Omaha.

[democrat_patriot]

2. Why not let them filibuster it?

I don't see a downside.

[WT Fuheck]

3. the hypocrisy of republicans

and the obliviousness to it of their supporters are equally mind-numbing