The Berkeley City Council, as we have heard coast to coast, has disinvited the Marine Recruiting Office from continuing to do business in the People’s Republic of Berkeley. To make their point clear, they awarded a free parking spot right in front of the recruiting station to Code Pink, coupled with a free sound permit once a week, effectively to invite them to continue harassing the Marines.
And what did Harry Reid have to say about it? No surprises there, but humor at Reid’s expense is still fun.The folks on the City Council did not anticipate the reaction they would get. Thousands of outraged emails from all over the country poured in; a marina developer, Brian G. Dennard of Meridian Development Group LLC, not only took his business elsewhere, he informed all he did business with that if they did business with Berkeley, he would find other suppliers. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the mentally stable citizens of the community staged a counter protest better attended than the one with its tattooed, pot-smoking denizens:
U. S. Senator Jim DeMint went even further:
“This is a slap in the face to all brave service men and women and their families. The First Amendment gives the City of Berkeley the right to be idiotic, but from now on they should do it with their own money. If the city can’t show respect for the Marines that have fought, bled and died for their freedom, Berkeley should not be receiving special taxpayer funded handouts. I am currently drafting legislation to ensure that American taxpayers aren’t forced to pay for this insult by rescinding all of the earmarks for Berkeley in the Omnibus Appropriations bill, and to transfer the funds to the Marine Corps.”
But good old Harry Reid moved to delay the bill long enough for Berkeley City Council to “regret” its action, giving cover to the Democrats for failing to act on behalf of the Marines - thereby not to arouse the wrath of their Move On puppeteers. Delay how? By recessing twice, an unusual step. The Hill reports:
Instead of adjourning at the end of a day as usual, the Senate “recessed” twice, a move that, under Senate rules, slows the process of adding new bills to the calendar. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) did not adjourn until last Friday, effectively pushing back floor consideration on the GOP bill until Tuesday — the same day that the city council is likely to tone down its call for Marine Corps recruiters to leave town.“The only reason to recess is to block something, and the thing that got blocked by Reid’s stall tactic was the Semper Fi Act,” said spokesman Wesley Denton, referring to the bill introduced by his boss, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.).
Democrats have chosen not to defend the Marine Corps, but to pander to anti-war protesters and Berkeley officials that are actively trying to impede military recruitment.
Meanwhile, Berkeley businessmen plead not to be blamed for the stupidity - or cupidity, your pick - at work on the City Council. Patrons are not persuaded.
Like many others around the Northern California area . . .
Diane Britto of Lafayette and her friend Elynne Allen of Pleasant Hill vowed they would never spend another dollar in the city of Berkeley. Britto, whose son is in the Navy, said she would keep her season tickets to Cal football games but will have dinner in Oakland on game days from now on.
The battle continues. As one blog response puts it, “They are unencumbered by reality.” Stay tuned.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
fairydogmother 02.17.08 at 12:11 pm
The only surprise I see here is that it took so long for Berkeley to show their colors in this particular way. I’m pretty sure they ceceded from the Union decades ago.
And what would we do without Senator Reid?
a. sandstrom 02.17.08 at 5:56 pm
Pays to know — most people who engage in these protests are not UC Berkeley people. Few of them are involved with the University. Too bad that they give an otherwise beautiful campus a bad name. But they obviously elect the City Council, just like the Democrat fringe elects Pelosi, Clinton, et al.