Todd Young

17 Republicans Join 50 Democrats In First Senate Vote On Physical Infrastructure Legislation

In a surprising development, 17 Republican Senators joined the 50 Democratic Senators to vote for a version of the Physical Infrastructure legislation, a promising sign of bipartisanship.

The 17 Republicans who voted in favor include:

Roy Blunt Missouri
Richard Burr North Carolina
Shelley Moore Capito West Virginia
Bill Cassidy Louisiana
Susan Collins Maine
Kevin Cramer North Dakota
Mike Crapo Idaho
Lindsey Graham South Carolina
Chuck Grassley Iowa
John Hoeven North Dakota
Mitch McConnell Kentucky
Lisa Murkowski Alaska
Rob Portman Ohio
James Risch Idaho
Mitt Romney Utah
Thom Tillis North Carolina
Todd Young Indiana

This list includes moderates Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitt Romney, but also leading figures in the party, including Lindsey Graham, Chuck Grassley, Mitch McConnell, and Rob Portman. It also includes both Republican Senators from North Carolina, North Dakota, and Idaho, an unlikely scenario!

And yet, Donald Trump has condemned this move in the Senate, and particularly attacked Mitt Romney, terming him a RINO (Republican In Name Only), and it is all jealousy that he was unable to accomplish any infrastructure legislation during his Presidency, despite saying it was an important goal!

It is good to see that Republicans are ignoring Donald Trump on this matter, and hopefully, the party will wrest its freedom from the danger that Donald Trump represents!

Possible Infrastructure Deal With Enough Republican Senators, But Will It Be Acceptable To Democrats?

A possible compromise infrastructure deal is in the works, as eleven Republican Senators seem to be on board.

This includes the following Senators:

Richard Burr of North Carolina
Bill Cassidy of Louisiana
Susan Collins of Maine
Lindsey Graham of South Carolina
Jerry Moran of Kansas
Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
Rob Portman of Ohio
Mitt Romney of Utah
Mike Rounds of South Dakota
Thom Tillis of North Carolina
Todd Young of Indiana

Some of this group also seem willing to work on a voting rights bill, along with Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Tim Scott of South Carolina, and Dan Sullivan of Alasks.

While this is encouraging, the question is whether all Democrats will be willing to work on compromise legislation on both bills, and that seems a quandary without easy solution.

Why No Criticism By Republicans In Congress Toward Donald Trump And Revelations About His Comments On Military?

The Republican Party has always prided itself on its support and promotion of the military, and their “waving of the American flag” patriotism.

66 members of the party in Congress, as compared to 30 Democrats, have served in the military

So why is it there is not a peep from Republicans in Congress to the revelations about Donald Trump’s comments about his true feelings on the military, that they are a bunch of “losers” and “suckers”?

And even more so, why is it that those Republicans in Congress who have served in the military themselves are staying silent?

And most particularly, what about those Republicans in the House who are required to run for office every two years, and those Senators who are facing election in the six year cycle?

So regarding the better known, more newsworthy Senators who face election, 8 in total:

Mitch McConnell of Kentucky

Lindsey Graham of South Carolina

Tom Cotton of Arkansas

James Inhofe of Oklahoma

Joni Ernst of Iowa

Martha McSally of Arizona

Dan Sullivan of Alaska

Roger Marshall, Congressman and Senate candidate from Kansas

And also the following 3 Republican Senators who do not face election this fall:

Rick Scott of Florida

Roger Wicker of Mississippi

Todd Young of Indiana

And also, among the many Republican House members, why is Greg Pence of Indiana, brother of Vice President Mike Pence, staying silent?

And why is Vice President Mike Pence, whose son is in the military, not speaking up?