...because he hates Barack Obama even more.
Yesterday, Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) was the only NO vote on an amendment that would give a tax credit to companies that hire unemployed or disabled military veterans. The final vote in the Senate was 94 - 1 with 4 Senators not voting and one voting "Present" (See vote). The bill was a component of President Obama's recently proposed Jobs Bill. As Politico reports Sen. DeMint explained his position on the Senate floor stating that
"I’ll probably be accused of not supporting veterans by the politicians pandering for their votes. But, I am not going to be intimidated into voting for something that may make sense politically but is inherently unfair and isn’t going to work"
DeMint classified veterans as a "political group" and essentially said that politicians shouldn't be pandering to particular groups, even if they are veterans.
Jim, you're an asshole. You have a long history of hatred and complete disdain towards President Obama and have had no problem getting in front of the cameras and spouting asinine bullshit about him.
Talking Points Memo has some of his greatest hits from the 2009 health care debates. A couple of the more memorable ones; He said that Republicans can make health care into President Obama's "Waterloo," and that it would "break him." (YouTube) also he declared that America was "... about where Germany was before World War II where they became a social democracy. You still had votes but the votes were just power grabs..."
More recently he stated that “This whole idea that the President is the leader of our country is a mistake” and that “It’s pretty clear this President is not going to lead. We’ve got to replace this President.”
Jim DeMint is a tea party darling and perhaps the most conservative member of the Senate. His hatred for Obama is an obsession for him. He will take any chance to obstruct the Presidents agenda and get in the way of the Federal government from actually functioning. He will call him a socialist or anti-American or the Grinch or the Boogeyman or whatever other childish insult he comes up with on a regular basis.
His anti-Obama sentiment led him to be the lone NO vote on a bill that might not be really effective in its outcome, but was at least an attempt to deal with the huge number of veterans who are currently unemployed or will be soon coming home from service in Iraq and Afghanistan facing a grim job market (service that Jim voted in favor of and voted against bringing the troops home in 2007, 2008). John McCain (R-AZ), no fan of the President simply didn't vote. DeMint simply had to vote NO.
Do you feel better now Jim? You stood up to the big meanie socialist President and slapped the troops in the face at the same time. Bravo, we're all so very proud of you.