"If Democrats did that, there would be cries of treason"

So, the same people who like to scream about how they "support the troops," and how the other party doesn't "support the troops," are now threatening a "serious disruption' in the military's ability to pay troops" at a time of war?

Democrats were furious at the [Republican] filibuster attempt on Pentagon funds. "They are prepared to jeopardize funding for troops at war," Senate Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) said Thursday evening. "If Democrats did that, there would be cries of treason."

[...]

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates sent Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) a blistering letter Thursday warning of a "serious disruption" in the military's ability to pay troops. "It is inconceivable to me that such a situation would be permitted to occur with U.S. forces actively deployed in combat," Gates wrote.

Republicans had hoped that Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.), a staunch opponent of the wars, would support the filibuster on grounds that it would deny funding for the efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. At a closed-door meeting Thursday evening, Feingold delivered a stirring talk to Democrats and indicated that he would vote with them, leading to applause that could be heard outside the room.

"I am not going to be part of a partisan and cynical effort to delay passage of the defense bill in order to block the Senate from considering health-care reform," he said in a statement later. After voting to cut off the filibuster, Feingold expects to vote no Saturday on the final Pentagon spending bill, a vote that will require only 51 ayes to succeed.

That's right, everyone, do not forget this: Republicans were willing to play games and risk "serious disruption" to "U.S. forces actively deployed in combat," in order to delay consideration of health care legislation by a few hours. Again, what would Republicans be saying if Democrats had done this under President Bush? I can hear the howls now - "traitors!" "communists!" - from the likes of Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Michelle Malkin, etc. Of course, I'm sure these people be evenhanded and say the same things about Republicans when they actually do threaten funding for troops in harm's way. Not.

UPDATE: It looks like Democrats have managed to block the Republican filibuster of funding for our military, with with only three Republicans voting to cut off the GOP filibuster of the Defense Appropriations bill. Incredible.