U.S. Senate Democrats: Failing Humanity With Your Tax Dollars

A Vast Majority of Senate Dems Tabled Bernie Sanders’ Resolution that Would Have Required an Accounting of How U.S. Arms Are Being Used in Israel and its Human Rights Violations in Gaza

For U.S. citizens concerned about their tax dollars funding and arming the Israeli military’s ongoing genocide against Palestinian civilians in Gaza, the Senate on Tuesday did not fail to disappoint and further showed its complicity in the horror that continues to unfold.

A motion to table the resolution passed with nearly unanimous support from Democrats. First, because it is short, the good news. These are the 11 senators that voted AGAINST tabling the resolution Bernie Sanders presented: Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Rand Paul (R-Ky), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Sanders.

That means a whopping 72 senators (including 37 Dems) voted to table the resolution, continuing to fall into lockstep with the Biden Administration’s unlawful support of and complicity in the ongoing genocide of Palestinian civilians occurring in Gaza. There were 17 senators who didn’t even bother to vote: 15 Republicans and 2 Democrats (Chris Coons, DE and Brian Schatz, HI). You can see the complete rundown of how each senator voted here.

On Monday I saw video of one of my senators from Pennsylvania waving an Israeli flag as he walked behind a line of U.S. veterans being detained in Washington D.C. for protesting and calling for a cease fire in Gaza. This is a guy who on Veterans Day posted a message on Instagram that reads: “Happy Veterans Day! After all our veterans have done for us, the least we can do is hold up our end of the bargain.” Right, John. What a hypocrite.

After seeing this video I was upset so I sent him a message letting him know how I felt. It was respectful but pretty much read him for filth because how can I not? Mr. Man of the People. Naturally, I didn’t hear back. Can’t say I blame the guy. How can he defend his position?

On Wednesday I participated in a zoom call where the participants all took time to contact their congressional reps in D.C. by email, phone, and the dumpster fire formerly known as twitter. I again contacted the offices of Fetterman, Casey and Wild; Fetterman and Casey both sent canned responses, I still haven’t heard a peep from Wild.

I’ll continue to post stories about my efforts to make my voice heard in opposition to U.S. funding of and participation/complicity in the genocide of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

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The U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights is a “political home for all who believe that freedom for the Palestinian people is an integral part of achieving our collective liberation.” Their website provides “resources and strategic support to the U.S.-based Palestine solidarity movement, channeling grassroots power into positive change in U.S. policy and public opinion.” Please check it out.