The Republicans are dragging their feet on ratifying the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with Russia, which requires approval by two-thirds of the senators, meaning some Republicans. This treaty has modest arms cuts and is championed by nearly everyone, including six former secretaries of state and five former secretaries of defense from both parties, and nearly all former commanders of U.S. nuclear forces.

What’s wrong with the Republicans? They’ve delayed a vote until the fall, which makes the treaty part of the grandstanding political campaign season. They’re asking for 10-year budget guarantees on modernizing our aging nukes. The Obama administration has budgeted more money, but it can’t guarantee what future Congresses will appropriate.

This cheap politics threatens President Barack Obama’s attempt to “reset” relations with Moscow. Foreign policy should be bipartisan, and this treaty is, except for the party-of-“no” Republican senators. Only one Republican has said he will vote for the treaty, and it’s not Sen. Orrin Hatch or Sen. Bob Bennett.

For once, it’d be nice to see our Utah senators transcend partisanship and lead, even in a no-brainer like this. Our politics is broken, especially in the Senate.

- David Lee Anderson

Salt Lake City