Official White House photo
George H.W. Bush signs the Americans with Disabilities Act into law in 1990.
The far-right's reflexive opposition to anything related to the United Nations isn't exactly a new development, but the U.N. Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities seems entirely uncontroversial. It enjoys bipartisan support, with Republicans like Dick Lugar and John McCain arguing it would simply help extend our Americans with Disabilities Act to people around the world.
As Dana Milbank noted yesterday, however, some prominent conservatives still hope to block ratification.
[Former Sen. Rick Santorum], joined by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), declared his wish that the Senate reject the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities -- a human rights treaty negotiated during George W. Bush's administration and ratified by 126 nations, including China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, Syria and Saudi Arabia.
The former presidential candidate pronounced his "grave concerns" about the treaty, which forbids discrimination against people with AIDS, who are blind, who use wheelchairs and the like. "This is a direct assault on us," he declared at a news conference.
Lee, a tea party favorite, said he, too, has "grave concerns" about the document's threat to American sovereignty. "I will do everything I can to block its ratification, and I have secured the signatures of 36 Republican senators, all of whom have joined with me saying that we will oppose any ratification of any treaty during this lame-duck session."
Ratification on all treaties requires a minimum of 67 votes, and though there appeared to be progress on securing the supermajority over the summer, the lobbying campaign on the right has grown fierce.
Even by contemporary standards, there's just no reason for this. When the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the treaty with bipartisan support in July, Chairman John Kerry (D-Mass.) explained the proposal simply "raises the [international] standard to our level without requiring us to go further."
In other words, we don't actually have to do anything except say we like the treaty -- and then wait for other signatories around the world to catch up to the United States' laws.
But Santorum & Co. don't seem to care. Milbank added:
Their concerns, rather, came from the dark world of U.N. conspiracy theories. The opponents argue that the treaty, like most everything the United Nations does, undermines American sovereignty -- in this case via a plot to keep Americans from home-schooling their children and making other decisions about their well-being.
The treaty does no such thing; if it had such sinister aims, it surely wouldn't have the support of disabilities and veterans groups, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Republican senators such as John McCain (Ariz.) and John Barrasso (Wyo.), and conservative legal minds such as Boyden Gray and Dick Thornburgh.
If Lee is right, and the right has locked up 36 senators to oppose the treaty, it will die in this Congress, and proponents will have to start from scratch in the new Congress.
Leave a Comment:
Please remove my name from the short list of people who give a rat's "butt" what Rick Santorum & Co. thinks about anything.
Thanks.
Exactly.
Why let the GOP set the agenda of what gets talked on at MSNBC. Is that what journalism is to you Benen? An endless crowd pleasing Punch and Judy show to gain viewership? Pointless pugilism to generate outrage over whatever the latest right wing media spectacle is?
How about focusing your chattering on something important.
If MSNBC and the rest of us had paid more attention early on when the ALEC/ Republican/Tea Party-controlled state legislatures started passing their anti-health, anti-woman, anti-choice piecemeal legislation, perhaps we wouldn't have the Draconican laws that restrict our rights today. Sorry, John , but paying some attention to what they say and do is not the same as "setting the agenda for what gets talked about at MSNBC." Letting the Far Right get into the mainstream by... thinking no one was paying attention to them so just let them talk...has made the nation more conservative today than it was 50 years ago. We can't let them push it even further right by ignoring the wingnuts any more.
As long as the far right has enough power to get at least 36 Senators to go against this we need to know this. So I for one am glad this news is on MSNBC. We can not afford to ignore the crazies.
@ Judy, thanks you said it so much better then I
The repub strategy is to try to do things under the radar, so that their legislation is passed before anyone knows it even exists. ALEC is a great example of that strategy at work. Examples like what Santorum and his band of loonies is doing need to constantly be trumpeted to voters so they continue to see the lunacy coming from repubs.
judy king: Its a sad fact that the media didn't understand the fact that the criticizing of the left of the Dem Party in 2010 helped with the Republican Landslide. It is going to happen again in 2014 if they refuse to acknowledge that the left has governmental needs as well. Mark my words on that.
As far as the UN thing is concerned... oh well, let the Republicans show that they hate another whole demographic... it will only help in 2016.
People with AIDS have obviously been given God's Curse for their Allegiance to Satan, so discriminating against them is Holy Writ for the true believer. Bullying "crippled people" has always been fun for this crowd.
It's good to get constant reminders how far from "civilized" these barbarians are. They are The Enemy.
TCinLA, Ignorance is the enemy.
The GOP has less compassion than my cat toward people with disabilities, the poor, or the elderly. That fact needs to sink in to to the American people's consciousness.
Their aim is simple: Starve government to death, eliminate the safety nets, and as far as the poor go, "let them eat cake".
santorum has a child with a life threatening disability. what the hell is he doing?
His child is covered. It's YOUR child or My child he doesn't care about.
We got rid of him in PA. Thank God.
@Shea, your response is a logical one, but the thing is - Santorum has money and a stay-at-home wife to take care of their disabled child. So it boils down to "I've got mine, you've got yours to get" and if you don't get yours you are not working hard enough - see it's the GOTP way.
@John M - the reason more attention needs to be focused on the craziness that's coming from the right is because we need to stop them, stop them now, point out exactly how badly the nation has become because of the crazy that has now inhabited indeed overtaken the irrational non-informed nature of the GOTP decisions.
John Mess: Alot of us enjoy watching you folks squirm. Nothing irks a moderate Republican more than pointing out who they caucus with. These are your people, stand with them or not. Steven Benen does a fine job here, and it's doubtful he is going for brownie points. Reasonable people pushing back by shining a light on what is being said is not "pointless pugilism" unless you are embarrassed.
Zora- they are engaged in distraction. It is not that this treaty ratification should be ignored. It is that Santorum should be ignored, and the media spotlight should be shown on the "moderate" Senators among the 36 who are opposing them. Especially focus the light on those up for re-election in 2014.
In other words, the coverage should hit them where they live, not enlarge their heroes.
Lebowsky, you are confused. I am far to the left of Obama, not his right.
Ok Judy I'll bite.
Dems should have won all of those races.
As for MSNBC- We were inundated with Presidential and Senate race coverage but the only House races MSNBC saw fit to cover were ones that involved spectacle- Like Tennessee's Desjarlais or Florida's West-Murphy race.
I freely admit I am demanding the moon. The goal is necessarily extreme, "because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win". I recognize it is a very tough problem to hold the attention of an audience while simultaneously informing the viewership about facts that may not make them feel especially good. Much easier to do as Fox does and just make them feel good. I think Bill Moyer's and Amy Goodman's shows are two of the best on TV today. Moyer's shows are broad based and excellent but I admit they depress the hell out of me. Moyers' sucky ratings may be an indication that is not an uncommon reaction to real information about the challenges facing America.
An unwatched show is useless, so I recognize a balance must be struck. I think the exceptional TRMS experiment has demonstrated something startling- that very large audiences can be persuaded to tune in regularly for real information.
I would like to believe that this is a ginned up controversy amounting to nothing. But that is exactly what we thought when the right wing started talking about death panels. At this time, the treaty is not attracting a lot of attention, but if Fox starts beating the drum, then we cannot ignore the issue.
Mike, there is no question it should be ratified. Moderate Senators who oppose it deserve to be excoriated. Rice should be confirmed if she is nominated. Ok ok. But if viewers write one letter to their Senators, it should be about aggressive reform of Senate rules.
I am not just picking on Benen. Does Milbank focus on these moderates? No. And Why?
Because the spectacle that sells newspapers is about these Beat the clock Cage Matches. Nobody knows or cares about the relatively obscure moderate Senators who will go along with the Santorum led lunatic fringe. For World Wrestling Journalism to work, you have to focus on the big stars- a larger than life nemesis like Santorum.
The story writes itself, and folks like reading it.
The GOP wants to run out the clock and defocus attention away from the measures that would truly hurt them- like aggressive Senate Rules reform, or permanent elimination of the debt ceiling statutes. These Senators know that this UN treaty is not enforcable on the US. Plenty of nations have ratified but indicated they will not enforce portions of it. So any real policy impact is not their concern- it their comicbook grudge match with UN conspiracy to undermine US sovereignty. The point of Santorums assault besides the good play at Fox for their ideological comic book narrative is the real political effect of distraction of national news cycles from the issues that really could hurt the GOP.
John, I do not disagree with your analysis, but there is only so much you can say about any important issue. MSNBC should not fall into the trap of repeating the same story over and over to fill air time or the blog with posts. We see this every day on the news even though there is no new information or aspect of the story that needs to be covered. One post on this topic does not trivialize the other important issues. Ten posts might do so.
John M- we agree far more than not, so this is not a p contest. The logjam is in both houses of Congress due to Republican stonewalling and filibustering. The focus on the Senate races may have seemed more likely to have influence - I don't know why MSNBC focused more on those, but that would be my guess. As far as the House race coverage, I saw some on Graves/Bachmann in MN, Duckworth/Walsh in IL, Barber in Az, Ruiz in CA, and a few others, but I wish I had seen more coverage, too - maybe more would have contributed to these and other races (as I did, too) and we MIGHT have had more of an impact on the House numbers. Coverage of the Senate races did seem to help Murphy, Donnelly, Brown, McCaskill, Testor and others, especially early in the campaign and now we can do something about the filibuster/rules of operation so the Senate won't be as blocked from acting in the interests of us all.
Moyer and Goodman are the best and I wish MSNBC hosts would ask them to appear or at least, refer to their reporting, but neither focused specifically on local races or issues either. We can thank them both for their reporting on ALEC and keep fighting the Right's attacks on PBS so the nation won't be stopped from being exposed to Frontline or Bill Moyers at all.
Maybe, we need more dialogue about what is a distraction or what is an appropriate level of response to issues raised by either side which CAN obfuscate the immediate concerns... like efforts to gain millions of good JOBS for the American people across the nation instead of focusing the FCliff/Curb...or taking away the Benghazi issue from those Republicans by demanding the focus be shifted to the real questions about the attack and not on Susan Rice or John Kerry or future appointments. Maybe TRMS and Benen and staff can help that focus even more than they already try to do.
And Paula, I have read the "Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities" - as a former Special Education Teacher, I do try to be informed, and see nothing in it that overrides existing laws within this nation or calls for any efforts other than diligence in insuring continued improvement in the inclusion of those with disabilities in the pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Check out Article 4 - General Obligations, for specific statements that in no way force any nation to agree to any actions that violate its sovereignty. Certainly, we all do need to read to learn from more than one source of information. Hope you pass your concern in that area to friends who just watch FOX nightly shows, as well, and make sure all media sources do not fan the flames of ignorance or fear with Knee-jerk reactions to any UN proposal.
John Mess: Those "right" and"left" labels don't mean alot. Your suggestion that MSNBC ignore or limit coverage of the far right is wrong no matter where you fall on the political landscape. It's also disengenuous to suggest MSNBC works in unison with it's myriad broadcast talent and venues. Some programs and writers might be to your liking, and some might not. Sounds like Fox News should be your locale if slanted news is what you are after.
Sure. Even measures that try to split into more dimensions are crude. Just for fun, try the test at Political Compass.org
Compare your score to mine and it might give you a better indication where I stand. My score is Econ:-7.25 Social: -6.97
I said some critical things about people and institutions who are often attacked by the Right. You chose to personalize the matter, seeking to dismiss the ideas by dismissing me. It is not that you made a sloppy inference, it is that the tactic is pointless at getting at the issue being discussed. The issue is whether those critical things stated have merit or not. So unlearn the tactics right wing commentators and shock jocks use- they achieve nothing.
The media does deserve scrutiny both from the true left- as far as I'm concerned there are very strong biases away from in depth coverage of issues. There are strong political biases in US coverage that are pretty obvious when you compare our coverage with those of other countries. But I think the most insidious bias is the bias to pump ratings. That's why not for profit sources like PBS and BBC tend to be longer form, in depth, and more willing to risk boring their viewers with the facts.
In depth analysis by the news media died a few decades ago. That includes many newspapers as well as TV and radio. I don't watch one network, but many of the networks to see their treatment of any major news story. Unfortunately, there is way too much fluff in the news. People should not blindly accept anything that goes beyond facts, but too many people do not recognize opinions and conclusions couched as facts. Skepticism should be a way of life for everyone. Critical analysis is a learned skill but even that is lacking in the news media. That is why I do not watch the Sunday morning talk shows. Jon Stewart does a better job in 10 minutes in an interview than some people in the media with a 60 minute show.
Judy-
Amy has been on Chris Hayes' show a few times, and I recall Maddow using some of her coverage of events overseas. I tried to think of some cases of O'Donnell using Goodman coverage, I think he most probably did, but I am blanking on any specific memories.
The house races you mentioned emphasize my point. Walsch and Bachmann fit the spectacle/ heavy drama mold, as does the former seat of Gabrielle Giffords in AZ. The only exception was Ruiz but I don't recall seeing it. Please don't tell me they referred to his opponents father or family connections with Florida politics, or that will reinforce the point as well. But I see why they choose these stories.
Even after the election and the press of the coverage is less frenetic there are useful post game type stories they can do. For example, examining failures of down ballot. Like in Kathy Boockvar's case in PA 08. The district goes for Obama 50 to 48, but against her 57 to 43. This is the same district (basically unchanged) that in 2008 elected a Dem 57 to 42. So WTF. The GOP opponent Fitzpatrick votes completely party line with the GOP- Ryan budget, abortion, the whole bit. Yet he does not pay the price.
It's a stunner. Why.
You know, we heard a lot of sound and fury about how the GOP would be made to pay for their embarrassing votes against medicare and against womens issues. But it was sound and fury signifying nothing. Why did they vote for the President but against Kathy by such a large 7 point difference? I followed the campaign so I know the stupid crap she was hit with, but I would have thought that the DCCC would brought heavier guns to bear on Fitzpatrick's extreme voting record and capitalized on the extreme negative view the the people have of congress.
The hoped for Truman like campaign against the Do Nothing congress never materialized. It was a huge huge mistake.
Mike- you should check Chris Hayes' and Moyers shows both of which are on Sunday. What is surprising to me is that there are no equivalent shows on the Right. Charlie Rose tends to have conservative voices on his show, but there is nothing like Buckley's Firing Line. I wonder what acidic words he would have for this Benghazi lather that right wing media has gotten themselves into.
As for the other Sunday shows, I record them but I am with you. Last Sunday was especially revolting. I couldn't even get through much of Fareed, who has his moments. ABC? My god. They regularly have serial liars from breitbart.com on there. When they had Amanpour on, I at least gave them the benefit of the doubt, but it must have been shear torture for her.
Hey, look over here, over here! Watch as once again Conservatives are being mean-spirited to the most vulnerable not only here in the good ol'USA, but now world-wide!
WTF are you thinking Santorum and Lee? Threat to sovereignty?
What rubbish! -Kevo
Remember the Law of the Sea treaty earlier this year? What a fiasco!
I predict that we will once again have the GuanoNutz demand to have the U.N. thrown off our shores!
John Birchers unite! Unite and take the republican party down to your level. It occurs to me that enough of a schizm exists within the democrat party that it serves as a two party system by itself. More importantly it remains far more relative to the real world that the Murdoch -uh, republican-party.
You're missing the point. It isn't the disability act that they're concerned about. It's the UNITED NATIONS.
These folks are simply extensions of the John Birchers of the 60s. You'd go through the farm fields and see signs "Get Us Out of the United Nations".
Isn't there some UN fantasy that they refer to where the UN is going to take over the United States?
I live in Central California (Republican stronghold) and still see those signs. Uhhgg!
Yup, the one world government thing, revelations, apocalypse, rapture, etc.
There's one now! No,my mistake, it says Burma Shave.
Ever notice how nut jobs go underground to simmer and then heat up every fifty years or so? Religious nuts pushed for in god we trust and for "under god" then as they got too much attention they dug in and waited.The NAZI party raises up in spurts and the KKK too.
Maybe it is like the locusts? Brain damaged folk come to life every fifty years and then hibernate ?
The only sovereignty they feel is threatened is their own. It's a safe treaty to oppose, just for the sake of being in opposition to something so that they can get on TV and make believe they are relevant to anyone. Most people get over that by the age of ten or so.
"Most people get over that by the age of ten or so."
Isn't it nice to know that we have adults that are voted into office with a mentality that would shame a ten year old.
Anyone against this are monsters pure and simple. Any right of themselves to call themselves "Christian" has been abolished.
If you look closely, Santorum is most likely a member of the very right wing arm of the catholic church, Opus Dei. He's admitted being a member once, but tries to tap dance on the issue.
If you check into their beliefs, you'll find some REAL crazies.
Please don't generalize about being Catholic and belonging to any fringe "crazies" groups I am Catholic and I follow my conscience when it comes to my beliefs. In other words, I am not a crazy or someone who follows the Catholic church's teachings without question. So, Dogjudge...I resent being lumped into one person's judgmental and narrow view. Try to maintain some perspective!
Opus Dei, founded by a Spanish Falangist priest who was a Franco-supporter. They are fascists, plain and simple.
Dogjudge was talking about Opus Dei, not the general laity.
It's getting very hard NOT to generalize about any Christian religious group with the way they have been acting and poking their noses in politics lately. It's not saying that all the people that follow that particular religion are that way, but the religion itself is.
Rick Santorum is a nut. He clearly proved that during the Republican debates. I don't know why the press even follows him or cares what he says. He will never hold a public job again although I'm betting that's his plan.
I thought Santorum had a special needs child. Seems to me he can't see the forest for the trees.
... which is exactly why senators who filibuster should be required to do so publicly. Make these insane people own their insanity.
I dunno, maybe Rick Santorum thinks people can pray away the quadriplegia.
The response from Santorum and the Tea Partiers isn't surprising at all - most of them would get rid of the Americans with Disabilities Act if they could.
Having said that, MSNBC has a crappy (nonexistent) record on covering disability rights issues - and if it weren't for the Republican wrecking crew they'd probably be ignoring this vote. Even now, is MSNBC having representatives of disability organizations that have actually participated in drafting and promoting the Convention? People who might actually discuss the content with authority?
Again - they have and will drop the ball on that again. Getting a "disability expert" on MSNBC means getting some medical professional - not a disability advocate or scholar.
What idiots!
Santorum is wrong on this and almost everything else he has an opinion on. He probably read it in a Conservative newsletter. What a "butt-head"!
Rich Santorum will not stand for threats to US sovereignty, but he'll help you with threats to US democracy.
Doesn't this ass know that Crusades are over???
Santorum and Lee are IDIOTS of the highest degree. Opposing human rights?! These morons should be put in a deep dark place and left to rot.
Let's increase jobs here by refusing to buy products produce in "slaver" countries (China, India, Mexico, etc.). The U.S. and the U.N. can redefine slavery and we can act accordingly. We need to decentralize industry anyway...
I do my best to buy real "Made in America" products, but it is not easy. There are some things that are simply no longer made here. :(
Republicans have become concern trolls with their "grave concerns" on every issue. Repeating their mantra of having "grave concerns" about the U.N. Disabilities treaty, the possibility of Susan Rice being selected as Secretary of State, taxing those making over $250,000 at a higher rate and all the rest ensures that the media will report those "grave concerns" without requiring republicans to actually provide substantive arguments for those concerns.
The strategy of making Obama a one-term president has turned to the new strategy of grave concerns to delay any and all progress.
Kaneblues, Their actual "grave concerns" revolve around their overstuffed wallets and little else.
Unfounded UN conspiracy chasing in order to negate humanitarian advances...is there NOTHING else they could be worrying over?
Santorum doesn't want to make a difference, he just wants to make "news". Sounds like someone is jealous of McCain's Sunday Show status...
Fapff! Incredulous.
Why does the SNL skit "Mr. Short Term Memory" pop into my head everytime the Republicans think they're on to something???!!!
Think...Debt ceiling approved by Boehner under Bush 1 & 2
Reagan raised taxes
Well..at least some are throwing Norquist under the bus. He, Rove and Trump should all get together for an afternoon of electro-shock treatment. Maybe then they'll realize that reality is really real.
Almost forgot...Santorum is an idiot
Eureka! I finally figured this out. After Bob Hope passed away, these lunatics stop laughing altogether.
This reminds me of a great song from the Marx's Brother's movie called Horsefeathers. The lyrics say it all:
I don't know what they have to say,
it makes no difference anyway -
whatever it is, I'm against it!
No matter what it is or who commenced it,
I'm against it!
Your proposition may be good,
but let's have one thing understood -
whatever it is, I'm against it!
And even when you've changed it or condensed it,
I'm against it!
I'm opposed to it.
On general principles I'm opposed to it.
For months before my son was born,
I used to yell from night to morn -
"Whatever it is, I'm against it!"
And I've kept yelling since I first commenced it,
"I'm against it!"
Excellent! I was all for it! I love children.
It is unbelieveable that these right wing crazies will go out of their way to hurt weakest suffering people. Their religion is hate.
#24 Al Sanders,
Right.
And their money is God.
Are they being blackmaled, they have grave concerns, means they're afraid to die. Who wants to hurt them, nobody, they just need to get out of politics. They are the ones that made all those promises to the rich and famous oil companies. They made promises that they cannot keep. But, the middle class and the poor had nothing to do with it. They never really asked us our opinion, before they started selling out all the farmers. Some people were born to farm. They've been taking away our dreams for far too long. Money has now been put in the backseat with his friend Greed. Now, if we could only conquer obesity and gluttony, we'd be set.