Democrats Expel Fetterman After Repeated Warnings To Stop Supporting America

Senate Democrats voted to expel Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman on Thursday after their repeated warnings for him to stop supporting America were ignored.

Fetterman, who recently praised Trump's military action in Iran, was expelled under Article I, Section 5, Clause 2 of the Constitution after failing to fall in line with his Democratic colleagues.

"Hrrrrmmmmmmm," Fetterman reportedly said when he heard the news.

Ahead of his expulsion, Fetterman reportedly met with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in a closed-door meeting, the subject of which was leaked by congressional aides. "Listen here, Frankenstein, you've got some nerve supporting America, and you're going to pay, see?" Schumer allegedly said. "We vote on party lines here, got it?"

But the threat didn't stick, possibly thanks to Fetterman's tremendous girth, which makes taking a sledgehammer to his kneecaps impractical.

To expel Fetterman, Democrats needed a simple two-thirds majority and an oversized crane to physically lift Fetterman out of the Capitol Building after he refused to leave.

"So this is how democracy dies," Fetterman said following his expulsion. "With a giant crane."

Schumer was expected to appoint an interim senator to take Fetterman's seat and get back to destroying the country as soon as possible.

At publishing time, Republicans were reportedly inspired by the Democrats' impulsive move and had called for a vote to expel Senate Majority Leader John Thune.

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ElwoodBlues · M

Are you trying to distract from tRump's Strait of Hormuz debacle?? Have you seen the latest about mine sweepers???

Trump pulled mine-sweepers from the Middle East and they’re sitting in Philadelphia as the Iran War rages

On Monday, a massive cargo ship, M/V Seaway Hawk, was spotted on camera arriving in Philadelphia carrying a quartet of Avenger-class Mine Countermeasure Ships that were based at U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain as the Navy’s front-line deterrent against mining operations in the Middle East until this past fall, when the last of those ships, U.S.S. Devastator, was decommissioned.

... For the next four decades, the U.S. kept minesweepers forward-deployed in Bahrain to deter use of mines in the Gulf region amid fears that Iran could use them to effectively block the narrow chokepoint through which one fifth of the world’s oil supply passes each year.

But that long period of service ended in September with the decommissioning of Devastator, leaving only four Avenger-class ships in active service, based in the homeport at Sasebo, Japan.

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/iran-strait-of-hormuz-minesweepers-b2936416.html

Four Avenger -class minesweepers were removed from a U.S. base in Bahrain just weeks before President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes on Iran (X/@WarshipCam)

sunsporter1649 · 70-79, M

@ElwoodBlues Stars and Stripes • May 28, 2025

The littoral combat ship USS Canberra arrived at the U.S. naval base in Bahrain last week, the first of four new vessels expected to replace aging mine countermeasures ships in the Middle East, according to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.

The older Avenger-class ships, which have operated in the region for decades, feature fiberglass-covered wooden hulls that the Navy says have become increasingly expensive to maintain.

The last three Avenger-class ships, purchased in 1990, are capable of finding, classifying and destroying moored and bottom mines. Wooden hulls were used primarily to reduce the ship’s magnetic signature, a key safety feature in mine countermeasure operations.

The littoral combat ship’s minehunting module was once scheduled to reach initial operating capability in 2015, but reliability issues delayed that until 2023, forcing the Navy to continue deploying the older minehunters.

USS Canberra, which left San Diego for Bahrain on its maiden deployment in March, moves at a top speed of about 46 mph, while the Avenger-class ships top out at about 16 mph.

Canberra also comes equipped with unmanned maritime sensors designed to locate and destroy mines at a greater distance.

Canberra is conducting routine operations as part of its scheduled deployment. It eventually will be permanently stationed in Bahrain along with three more littoral combat ships, Navy officials told Stars and Stripes.

Canberra was welcomed with a ceremony Monday that included Bahraini defense officials, U.S. Ambassador to Bahrain Steven Bondy and NAVCENT commander Vice Adm. George Wikoff.

It is the first Independence-class littoral combat ship to be deployed to the region, NAVCENT said.

The Independence-class LCS is a trimaran with a larger flight deck than its counterpart, the single-hulled Freedom variant. Canberra also has room for two helicopters or multiple drones, according to manufacturer Austal USA.

Cmdr. Bill Golden, commander of Canberra’s blue crew, previously served aboard a mine countermeasures ship deployed to Bahrain. He said that “to see the differences between that platform and what Canberra offers is incredible.”

Since launching the LCS program in 2002, the Navy has received 35 vessels, with two more scheduled to be delivered.

The future USS Cleveland, a Freedom variant, and USS Pierre, an Independence variant, are under construction and expected to be commissioned later this fall.

ElwoodBlues · M

@sunsporter1649 Oh, you mean the vessels known as "LITTLE CRAPPY SHIPS"????

... the Avenger-class and the fact that they've been replaced with highly complex Independence-class Littoral Combat Ships. These new vessels are designed for high-speed operation in the littoral zone (close to the shore). They feature an angular trimaran (three-hulled) design, can reach speeds of up to 52 mph, and are capable of carrying out numerous operations, including chasing down pirates. In terms of mine-clearing, Independence-class ships are modular and carry a variety of systems, including a mine countermeasure module. Others include anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare modules.

Now, here is the good part. The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program is widely considered a, if not the, significant failure in U.S. Navy procurement, characterized by massive cost overruns, mechanical breakdowns, and abandoned mission capabilities. Designed for speed and modularity, the ships failed to meet expectations for survivability and combat, leading the Navy to cut the planned fleet size from 55 to 35.

Key reasons for LCS program failure are mechanical failures & design flaws, failed mission concept, cost & reliability, (the program was plagued by massive cost overruns and low operational availability, earning nicknames like "little crappy ship"), and structural defects.

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ElwoodBlues · M

@sunsporter1649 This is much more than teething problems; it's bad enough that the Navy cut the planned fleet size. They only do that when they don't believe in the vessel.

In any case, a shooting war is the wrong time to be dealing with teething problems. Thankfully, we still have four Avenger-class ships in active service, based in Sasebo, Japan. And who knows, maybe they'll put those four from Bahrain back in service. tRump sure needs something extra to re-open the Strait of Hormuz!

Four Avenger -class minesweepers were removed from a U.S. base in Bahrain just weeks before President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes on Iran (X/@WarshipCam)