For most of its history, Rome’s military was the envy of the ancient world. But during the decline, the makeup of the once mighty legions began to change. Unable to recruit enough soldiers from the Roman citizenry, emperors like Diocletian and Constantine began hiring foreign mercenaries to prop up their armies. The ranks of the legions eventually swelled with Germanic Goths and other barbarians, so much so that Romans began using the Latin word “barbarus” in place of “soldier.” – From “8 Reasons The Roman Empire Fell” (HT:History.com)

I’ve had the pleasure of voting for [mc_name name=’Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’B001274′ ] several times. It’s a benefit that comes with living in Madison County, Alabama. Today he repaid this trust by removing an obnoxious plank from the current National Defense Authorization Act. Congressman Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) had inserted language in the bill that would have required military recruiters to prioritize illegal aliens amnestied under President Obama’s executive orders over American citizens when handing out enlistment slots. Congressman Brooks entered an amendment to the NDAA that stripped Gallego’s language. Brooks won on the floor by 221-202.

In the run-up to the vote, both sides debated their cases passionately. Gallego cited language from previous NDAA bills that seemed to allow the recruitment of foreign nationals in exceptional cases. He argues below.

“By statute, the Secretary can authorize the enlistment of non-citizens when it is ‘vital to the national interest.’ And enabling the best and brightest in our nation to serve in uniform, including DREAMers, is clearly ‘vital to the national interest,’” Gallego explained

Brooks countermanded such rhetoric by reminding us all that “Makes Barack Obama Happy”.DNE.“Serving the US National Interest.” He supported the idea that the US Government actually exists to further the interests of US Citizens. He hurts the feelings of Progressive social planners seeking to speed up the replacement of the current American population below.

“I submit we are in Congress to represent and promote the interests of Americans,” Brooks wrote. “In contrast, [mc_name name=’Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’G000574′ ]’s amendment does not, in any way, shape or form, represent or promote the interests of Americans. To the contrary, Gallego’s amendment betrays Americans by encouraging the Secretary of Defense to hire illegal aliens rather than Americans.”

Brooks’ efforts were not unanimously supported by the GOP caucus. The twenty representatives listed below voted in favor of retaining Gallego’s language in the NDAA.

They are: Reps. Jeff Denham (R-CA),
[mc_name name=’Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’C001077′ ] (R-CO),
[mc_name name=’Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’K000378′ ] (R-IL),
[mc_name name=’Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’H001056′ ] (R-WA),
[mc_name name=’Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’C001107′ ] (R-FL),
Charles Dent (R-PA),
[mc_name name=’Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’D000600′ ] (R-FL),
Rep. Bob Dold (R-IL),
[mc_name name=’Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’G000564′ ] (R-NY),
[mc_name name=’Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’H001051′ ] (R-NY),
[mc_name name=’Rep. John Katko (R-NY)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’K000386′ ] (R-NY),
[mc_name name=’Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’L000554′ ] (R-NJ),
[mc_name name=’Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-NJ)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’M001193′ ] (R-NJ),
[mc_name name=’Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’M001197′ ] (R-AZ),
[mc_name name=’Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’N000189′ ] (R-WA),
[mc_name name=’Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’R000578′ ] (R-WA),
[mc_name name=’Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’R000435′ ] (R-FL),
[mc_name name=’Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’S001196′ ] (R-NY),
[mc_name name=’Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’U000031′ ] (R-MI),
and [mc_name name=’Rep. David Valadao (R-CA)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’V000129′ ] (R-CA).

Of course, no defeat of the pro-Amnesty Caucus in the US Legislature would be in any way complete without leafy, green accusations of!RACISM! in full, verdant glory. [mc_name name=’Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’P000197′ ] performed the obligatory Progressive ritual of defamatory name-calling as a way to explain and absolve defeat.

“This is yet another example of anti-immigrant attitude on the part of the House Republicans,” House Minority Leader [mc_name name=’Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’P000197′ ] (D-Calif.) said a few hours before the vote on the Brooks amendment. “This xenophobic, anti-newcomer attitude is something that is un-American.”
House Minority Whip [mc_name name=’Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’H000874′ ] (D-Md.) piled on. “I would hope that our Republican friends would come to their senses,” he said, “[and] would not be blinded by prejudice or a desire to exclude, but be motivated by a desire to recognize the patriotism, and desire to serve, of these young people.”

So, like Horatio on the bridge, [mc_name name=’Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’B001274′ ] held the line for decency. We should be reminded that as long as Democrats remain elected to positions of significant professional responsibility, they will continue to see it in their political interest to undermine the economic and demographic underpinnings of stable, Middle-Class America. Today it was the military; tomorrow it will be something else. A battle was won; the fight rages on. For today, the American Empire did not further decline towards an inevitable fall. God Bless [mc_name name=’Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’B001274′ ].