The idea that “United States Senator” would precede the name of Democratic Party politician Doug Jones was always unlikely. Indeed, the title of a Democratic Senator from Alabama has been a virtual oxymoron since the party’s political salad days of the 20th with Sen. John Sparkman and Sen. Howell Heflin wearing the donkey logo to the Senate from Alabama for decades.
But in 2017 Jones beat controversial candidate Roy Moore in a closely contested special election to represent Alabama in the Senate, a short-lived success that saw Jones lose the seat in 2020 to ex-football coach Tommy Tuberville. (Jones had been the only Democrat among elected officials statewide in Alabama.)
Tuberville, a popular man in the deeply conservative state, is presently facing backlash for holding up military promotions and appointments over his objection to a Defense Department abortion policy — or, more aptly, his version of the policy. Tuberville is popular in his state for his steadfastness on the issue, even as some Republicans in Washington think Tuberville’s obstruction is a problem.
Jones, however, points out that Tuberville is mischaracterizing the DoD policy and making his stand against a policy that doesn’t exist. Simply put, Tuberville wants the Defense Department to stop “paying for abortions,” while Jones says DoD isn’t paying for abortions and that Tuberville is well aware of this.
That’s total BS Tommy.
— Doug Jones (@DougJones) July 20, 2023
You know damn well that the military isn’t “paying for abortions.”Paying for travel and providing paid medical leave is not -NOT-paying for the medical services. Well, on second thought, maybe you just don’t understand it.
What DOD is doing is making… https://t.co/X0LN7telp9
“That’s total BS Tommy,” Jones writes, refuting Tuberville’s claim. “You know damn well that the military isn’t ‘paying for abortions.’ Paying for travel and providing paid medical leave is not – NOT-paying for the medical services.”
On the policy specifics, Jones is right. But Tuberville, of course, objects to what he sees as the military’s encouragement and enabling of abortion, which he reduces down to “paying for” it. He’s technically incorrect, but Tuberville is unconcerned with that technicality.
Paying for travel is paying for abortion, as the Senator sees it. Jones does allow that Tuberville might not see the difference, writing: “Well, on second thought, maybe you just don’t understand it.”
Jones goes on to reprimand Tuberville for possessing an antiquated vision of the modern military, ripping the Senator who replaced him for having an idea of the armed forces built on the movies of John Wayne, a patriotic symbol who, like Tuberville, never served in uniform.
“You clearly have a ‘women need not apply’ vision of the military based on old John Wayne movies that in today’s world is both pathetic and dangerous,” Jones says.
“What DOD is doing is making sure that women in the military have medical options that SCOTUS and states like Alabama are taking away,” Jones says. “Taking away those options the way you want to deters recruitment and retention of women in the military, and leaves our military readiness in jeopardy.”
