For better or worse, I have a stomach for politics that makes me a man apart (usually from friends, from family, from anyone who wants the news turned off). Even so, the nation's leaders leave me reliably irritated, enraged, and discouraged and disappointed. This morning, I feel something completely unexpected: I feel embarrassed.
Yesterday, the United States Senate failed to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities treaty. The U.N. treaty to ensure the full enjoyment of human rights by disabled people abroad was adopted in 2006 and based on groundbreaking U.S law. It has enjoyed widespread international (126 nations have already ratified) and bipartisan support, including the endorsements of Fmr. Pres. George W. Bush, Pres. Barack Obama, Sen. John McCain and Sen. John Kerry.
The constitution requires a two-thirds Senate majority for the ratification of treaties. We failed the world by 5 votes.
8 GOP Senators voted with the Democrats for ratification. The rest cited concerns about American sovereignty.
To be clear: The world came to us, told us they love what we are already doing and that they want to do it that way too. That's it.
Ratification would not change our laws, but would send a message to the world that the U.S. still proudly accepts the responsibility of leadership--that we don't just look overseas to kill our enemies but to stand with our friends. It should have been a no-brainier.
This is actually embarrassing. We should feel embarrassed. Republican Senators should feel personally embarrassed.
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