Bernie Sanders Slams Tea Party Idiot Marco Rubio for Voting Against Veterans’ Benefits

“It’s not who you are underneath — it’s what you do that defines you.” Of all the recent one-liners in recent movie history, this line from Batman Begins may be the most profound. One of the oldest questions in philosophy is “how do we define ourselves?” Bruce Wayne would say we’re defined by our actions — our observable behavior and impact on the world. Others would say we’re defined by our intentions, because we can’t always know what effect our actions will have. But how much good does the self-definition of intention do in the real world, where material effects matter? Well, we want to answer that question for you. Does that answer your question?

The GOP and its Tea Party core have long defined themselves in terms of support for veterans; a convenient base, if you’re counting on the strength of arms to maintain power. But that self-definition, that intention, has long since given way to the action of selling veterans out at the drop of a dollar. After all, what are veterans if not leeches…wards of the state, welfare queens sucking our nation dry of dollars reserved for precious corporate tax breaks?

Koch-friend Marco Rubio has long been more of the Courtney “use once and destroy” Love school of thought regarding veterans than most. Rubio, along with the rest of the GOP, have developed a rather stunning habit of pandering to veterans from one hole, and speaking out to block every effort to care for them with the other. Most recently, Rubio was one of 41 Senate Republicans to block the passage of a bill that would have improved veterans’ benefits.

The reason that all but two Republicans (excepting Dean Heller and Jerry Morgan) blocked the vote was that Harry Reid would not permit an up or down vote on a rider that imposed sanctions on Iran. This completely unrelated bit of poison was none other than Mitch McConnell’s contribution to the bill. When he was denied his sanctions, he and his fellow Republicans scuttled the entire veterans’ bill in protest.

McConnell and his cronies were immediately slammed by almost every involved party, not least of which being the American Legion veterans’ association. Jon Stewart put in his two cents, but Bernie Sanders levied the most damning attack of all right on the floor of the Senate.

Bernie spared no whips or quips when Marco Rubio, in typical GOP fashion, attempted to blame his own betrayal on Obama and everyone but himself.

You can find the all-caps transcript from Bernie’s office below. We’ve underlined the important parts. But for those who don’t speak very polite Senator-ese, here’s the translation:

“Marco, stop blaming everyone but the GOP. I just introduced a bill that would help veterans’ widows, and you and every other Republican voted against it. Because Mitch McConnell and your own primaries. Now…remind us again who you guys support?“

Of course, we can’t fault Republicans, either Republican voters or their representatives, for having bad intentions. It’s possible that there are just, to their minds, higher priorities than caring for veterans. Oil pipelines and tax breaks for the Koch Brothers and such. Every member of the GOP probably has every intention of caring for veterans after they’ve used and maimed them through a pointless war for oil.

Undoubtedly, many Republicans really want to answer questions on their own manipulation and betrayal of America’s soldiers. They really, really want to answer them.

Does that answer your question, Veterans?

RUBIO: WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID IS THAT OVER THE NEXT WEEK THERE’S GOING TO BE AN INITIAL REPORT AND THEN ULTIMATELY A REPORT AT THE END OF THE MONTH ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHO NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE…THERE’S BEEN A DELIBERATE EFFORT BY SOME WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION, SOME WITHIN THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION TO COVER IT UP OR TO MAKE THINGS LOOK BETTER THAN THEY ACTUALLY ARE. AND THAT SHOULD TROUBLE US EVEN MORE, BECAUSE THE IMMEDIATE REACTION WHEN AN AGENCY IS CONFRONTED WITH A PROBLEM SHOULD BE, WE NEED TO FIX THIS.

AND INSTEAD THE REACTION BY SOME SEEMS TO BE, WE NEED TO COVER THIS. IF IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE, AMONG THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT SERVE AND WORK HERE FOR, SOMEONE WAS DERELICTION IN THEIR DUTY, THEY WOULD LOSE THEIR JOBS. IF THE PRIVATE SECTOR SOMEONE DID NOT DO THEIR JOB, THEY WOULD LOSE THAT JOB.

SANDERS: BUT THERE ARE VERY SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN TERMS OF ACCESS. THERE ARE SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH REGARD WAITING LISTS. THERE ARE SERIOUS PROBLEMS REGARDING THE POSSIBILITY OF HOSPITALS KEEPING TWO SETS OF BOOKS. AND WE’RE GOING TO GET TO THE ROOT OF THOSE ISSUES. BUT ONE THING THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO DO, MADAM PRESIDENT, IS POLITICIZE THE WELL-BEING OF AMERICA’S HEROES. LET ME QUOTE TO YOU FROM AN EDITORIAL IN “THE WASHINGTON POST” TODAY.

“THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SERVED THEIR COUNTRY IN UNIFORM DESERVE BETTER THAN DELAY OR DENIAL OF THE MEDICAL CARE THEY NEED AND HAVE EARNED. SO IT IS CRUCIAL TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF ALLEGATIONS OF MISCONDUCT AT THE NATION’S VETERANS HOSPITALS.AMERICA’S VETERANS ALSO DESERVE NOT TO BE TREATED AS SO MANY PAWNS IN ELECTION-YEAR GAMESMANSHIP. BUT THAT, SADLY, IS PROVING TO BE THE CASE IN CONGRESS’S HYPERBOLIC RESPONSE. THAT THE EXTENT OF WRONGDOING IS UNCLEAR DOESN’T SEEM TO MATTER MUCH TO THOSE MORE INTERESTED IN SCORING POLITICAL POINTS. HOW ELSE TO EXPLAIN THE KNEE-JERK CALLS, MAINLY BY REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE, FOR THE OUSTER OF VETERANS AFFAIRS SECRETARY ERIC K. SHINSEKI OR THE ILL-ADVISED LEGISLATION AIMED AT V.A. WORKERS.”

I’M VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT AS CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE. AND I WOULD SAY TO SENATOR RUBIO AND OTHERS THAT HE IS WELL-AWARE THAT THE VETERANS COMMUNITY FACES MANY, MANY SERIOUS PROBLEMS, ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WE ARE HEARING IN THELAST FEW WEEKS WITH REGARD TO THE V.A. WE HAVE 200,000 MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE COME BACK FROM IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, EITHER WITH PTSD OR T.B.I.U I WOULD ASSUME THAT MY FRIEND FROM FLORIDA ASSUMES WITH ME THAT THEY NEED TO GET THE QUALITY CARE THAT THEY DESERVE.

I JUST HAD THE PRIVILEGE, SENATOR RUBIO, OF BEING HONORED AN HOUR OR SO AGO BY THE GOLD-STAR WIVES. YOU KNOW THOSE ARE THE WIDOWS OF THOSE WHO DIED IN AFNTLE. WE HAVE THE LEGISLATION WHICH I BROUGHT TO THE THE FLOOR WHICH RECEIVED 56 VOTES AND ONE SENATOR WAS ABSENT, WHICH WOULD HAVE GIVEN US 57 VOTES. BUT ONLY TWO REPUBLICANS SUPPORTED THAT BILL. THAT BILL WOULD MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR GOLD-STAR WIVES, WIVES WHO HAVE LOST THEIR HUSBANDS, TO BE ABLE TO GET A COLLEGE EDUCATION UNDER THE POST-9/11 G.I. BILL. I SUSPECT THAT SENATOR RUBIO AND MANY OTHERS SUPPORT THAT. THAT’S IN THE BILL THAT I BROUGHT TO THE FLOOR. WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, AS I’M SURE SENATOR RUBIO KNOWS, BECAUSE THE SENATOR EXISTS IN NEW YORK AND FLORIDA, WE HAVE 70-YEAR-OLD WOMEN, IN MOST CASES, WHO ARE TAKING CARE OF DISABLED VETS. THEY DON’T GET THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED. THEY’RE ON DUTY 24/7.

THEY SAVE THE GOVERNMENT MONEY BECAUSE THOSE WOUNDED VETERANS ARE STAYING AT HOME. THEY NEED SOME HELP, AND I WANT TO SEE THEM GET HELP. AND I WOULD HOPE THAT SENATOR RUBIO WOULD WORK WITH ME TO MAKE SURE THEY GET THAT HELP.

(Copied from the source transcript, so please excuse the caps.)