U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet today voted to filibuster funding for our troops, part of the Democratic strategy we told you about last week to block VA funding and military pay in an extortion scheme to increase federal spending for union-backed education funding, more domestic grants and law enforcement.

We have no idea when Democrats became such big fans of law enforcement spending. Call us cynical, but we suspect that Democrats’ demands are just a ruse to force Republicans into a government shutdown showdown before a critical election year. The Associated Press is also leaning towards that conclusion:

A brief exchange between the Republican and Democratic leaders underscored the broader budget dispute that is likely to stretch through the summer, up until the Sept. 30 deadline to keep the government operating. It also captured the political gamble by Democrats, who blocked Pentagon money and left senators open to GOP criticism that they were failing to support the military.

Democrats hope to force Republicans to the negotiating table, a strategy that seems risky. It would put Democrats on the hook for filibustering troop pay, funds for operations in Afghanistan and combating Islamic extremists, and the rest of the Pentagon budget.

Bennet is expected to join the next filibuster, VA funding, when it hits the floor this month. That would include the much-needed construction funds for the Aurora hospital, you know, that issue he pretends to care about?

Bennet’s participation in this first filibuster is reprehensible, and affects nearly 100,000 troops stationed in Colorado. It’s proof that he is more loyal to the Democratic leadership back in D.C., than his own constituents.

“It’s shameful that Senator Bennet would filibuster funding for our troops,” said Matt Connelly, spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. “Senator Bennet’s willingness to put partisanship ahead of the interests of soldiers at Fort Carson, Buckley Air Force Base, and countless other Colorado men and women in uniform is stunning and a clear dereliction of his duties as a United States Senator.”