Sen. Tommy Tuberville has become one of the more divisive names in Republican politics in recent months due to his single-handed blockade of many appointments in the Department of Defense. The fact he is so divisive is a major feat in and of itself since this is the party of Trump, DeSantis, and McConnell, and yet, Tuberville’s efforts are uniquely damaging to both the GOP’s reputation as well as to national security. Therefore, asking why this one Senator from Alabama would start such a misguided ideological crusade is certainly valid. Why he can do this by himself for months on end, however, is worth digging deeper. Maybe this could even reveal a flaw in America’s political system, a flaw that could lead to more bats*** insane deadlocks in the future.

But first, let’s examine the background of Sen. Tuberville. Before politics, he was best known for being the football coach for Auburn back when they were a respectable rival to Alabama’s famous Crimson Tide. In fact, he received national awards from many sports publications for his coaching, and such fame may have contributed to his election as Alabama’s new Senator in 2020. Since taking office the following year, however, he has not had the same rationality that allowed him to be so successful on the collegiate gridiron.

To be frank, we should’ve seen this coming, because as soon as he got into office, he stated his support for Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 electoral defeat. Perhaps it goes without saying that Trump endorsed Tuberville during his primary cycle, with his opponent being Jeff Sessions. Yes, the same Jeff Sessions that recused himself from the Russia investigation as Trump’s Attorney General, and therefore really left Trump grinding his gears. So being a stooge for Trump is not surprising in the slightest, because such behavior is in Tuberville’s self-interest. 

Tuberville is also quite anti-abortion, and this is where we finally get into the main story that inspired this entry. That’s because he thought it was a good idea to protest the Department of Defense’s policy on abortion, which covers certain related expenses for those in the military. Tuberville calls this illegal, probably due to other government policies, and believes that it must be protested for that reason. Needless to say, the military brass are incredibly peeved that hundreds of Pentagon promotions have been single handedly stonewalled by one Senator from Alabama. In fact, this blockade has left the Marines, Army, and Navy all without confirmed representatives on the nation’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, which would surely hamper American interests if any war proceeds to break out during this. 

Combine this lack of leadership with the fact that Russia’s already invaded Ukraine, but have, thankfully, likely failed in humiliating fashion. Combine that fact with the one that tensions with China are increasing in regards to Taiwan, and you get a recipe for geopolitical disaster. After all, if most of our military is at less than optimal preparedness, especially against China, then Sen. Tuberville’s actions could unintentionally allow the influence of communism to spread again under Chinese hegemony. Given the GOP’s ideological furor against anything they deem communist, as well as the Democrats’ insistence on neoliberal or mercantile capitalism, that’s what I mean when I say national security could be jeopardized by this charade. In short, I have one message for Tommy Tuberville: It’s time to stop!