START

I don't often get to praise the Senators from my state. But today I'll give some props to Senator Lamar Alexander for agreeing to vote for the new START treaty:

"I will vote for the treaty because it allows for inspection of Russian warheads, and because our military leaders say it does nothing to interfere with the development of a missile defense system. I will vote for the treaty because the last six Republican Secretaries of State support its ratification. In short, I'm convinced that Americans are safer and more secure with the new START treaty than without it."

Well said Senator Alexander. I don't care about missile defense because I think its a waste of money. But we should be doing all we can to make sure Russia's arsenal (and every other nuclear arsenal) is safe. We should also be getting rid of much of our own arsenal because we don't need all of them and they cost money to maintain.

It seems like the Senate will pass the treaty now that Alexander and the other Senator from Tennessee, Bob Corker, have come on board. I'm glad to see my state's Senators have put aside the typical Republican obstructionism of the past several years and decide to do what is right. Now if they could just do that on the health care for 9/11 first responders bill, which sadly is being held up for reasons I can't fathom.