Grand Divisions

Tennessee Equality Project seeks to advance and protect the civil rights of our State’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons and their families in each Grand Division.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Padgett hits Alexander on new GI bill

In a press release today, Mike Padgett asks, “So, why hasn’t Senator Alexander signed on – like 10 other Republicans in the Senate – to support it and give our heroes the benefits they deserve? Maybe he follows the twisted logic of the White House, which says the better benefits will hurt recruitment and military regiment. If you can make sense of that, please explain it to me.” He's referring to the newly revised GI bill proposed by Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va) and Sen. John Warner (R-Va). http://webb.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=293906 .

Padget may have found the one place where it's almost universally accectable to talk about class--the needs of our troops and veterans. Evoking Jim Webb is a smart move, too, given that unconventional Democrat's ability to win in the conservative Commonwealth of Virginia. I wonder whether such connections will have resonance in upper East Tennessee along the Virginia border where Webb commercials no doubt flooded the airwaves during the last senatorial election.

I am a little surprised that Bob Tuke, the other Democrat in the race, hasn't made more of the issue. As a veteran, he'd surely agree with Padgett, but it appears Padgett got to it first (as far as I can tell) and staked out the ground.

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