Gates urges Congress to repeal gay ban now

[onehandle]

Source: AP

MELBOURNE, Australia – U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Congress should act quickly, before new members take their seats, to repeal the military's ban on gays serving openly in the military. He, however, did not sound optimistic that the current Congress would use a brief postelection session to get rid of the law known as "don't ask, don't tell."

"I would like to see the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" but I'm not sure what the prospects for that are," Gates said Saturday, as he traveled to defense and diplomatic meetings in Australia.

Unless the lame-duck Congress acts, the repeal effort is considered dead for now. The current, Democratic-controlled Congress has not acted to lift the ban, which President Barack Obama promised to eliminate. In his postelection news conference Wednesday, Obama said there would be time to repeal the ban in December or early January, after the military completes a study of the effects of repeal on the front lines and at home.

With Republicans taking control of the House in January, and with larger margins in the Senate, supporters of lifting the ban predict it will be much more difficult. Gates also urged the Senate to ratify a stalled arms control treaty with Russia before the end of the current legislative session in January.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101107/ap_on_re_as/as_election_gates

[xchrom]

1. i guess we will see. nt

[Oceansaway]

2. K&R...n/t

[terrya]

3. If it doesn't happen now, it won't happen for years.

Or ever.

[TheEuclideanOne]

5. The smart money is on......ever

[terrya]

10. I sadly think you're right.

I'll re-contact Senator Durbin's office, telling him to vote for DADT repeal (he does support repeal). And I guess this means contacting my new Senator, Mark Kirk, who hasn't said whether he supports repeal (he's waiting for the study, apparently).

But I'm prepared for the worst. That everything will fall apart in the Senate. A very possible outcome could be, facing a filibuster by McCain, stripping DADT repeal from the Defense Appropriation Bill.

It could happen in the courts. The Log Cabin Republicans will push their lawsuit for repeal through the courts. But if it winds up before SCOTUS...I am NOT optimistic about that.

As you said...DADT could very well never be repealed. Before the "Obama SAID he wants repeal" crowd jumps in, there is a very real possibility that it could never happen.

[elleng]

4. BRAVO!

But what kind of crappy 'story' is this, after the headline?

[NorthCarolina]

6. The LGBT community has the advantage of a "Fierce Advocate"

occupying the White House. I'm quite sure he will take advantage of his bully pulpit to rally the troops and get this done. :hurts:

[Gin]

7. isn't he the one who said to wait until the report comes out?

[theHandpuppet]

12. Call me a cynic...

But IMHO "the report" was simply an excuse to delay any action on DADT until after the election, as any positive legislation regarding GLBT rights, in their political wisdom, might alienate some conservative Dems and independent voters. (Though polling shows that a majority of Americans favor the repeal.) Additionally, any student of election history could have predicted the party shift in Congress, so I can take another leap and suggest that the current administration (and I include the democratically-controlled Congress) realized that by delaying any action until next year the chances were that the House would transform into a GOP majority, hence killing any chances of said legislation ever getting passed. That way the Dem leadership would have a convenient excuse for why they wanted but couldn't get DADT repealed and still expect money and votes from the GLBT community come the 2012 cycle. We'll see how well that works out for them.

Like I said, call me a cynic but I've spent too many years watching the GLBT community being kicked around like a political football and their votes taken for granted. The Dems wanted to push this game into overtime but it's time to blow the whistle. Game over.

[bertman]

24. Okay, you're a cynic. But you're right, too.

[66 dmhlt]

8. The Pentagon review is due in early December ...

Hopefully it will concur w/ Gates, and so provide some cover for this lame duck Congress to grow a pair and actually do the right thing.

[LiberalAndProud]

11. "grow a pair"? For fucks sake, Pelosi was ready to do this a year ago.

It was Obama who put the brakes on the repeal. It is Obama's AG who consistently fights the courts when they state clearly and succinctly that DADT (and DOMA) violate citizens' rights. But don't let that stop you from blaming this travesty on our Democratic majority congress.

[polmaven]

22. Exactly right!

do you suppose the FEMALE Speaker of the House is expected to "grow a pair" as well?

[Moonbat2]

30. Easy

it's just a figure of speech

[polmaven]

36. "figure of speech"...

a very sexist figure of speech. And, no, I will not take sexism "easy".

[Solly Mack]

9. K&R

[AllyCat]

13. Wait a minute. I AGREE with Gates on something?

Wish they would do it now too, but I doubt it will happen.

[defendandprotect]

14. The liberal Gates now pushing to overturn DADT .... ??? Whaat...???

Wouldn't this have been more helpful pre-election to encourage Obama and others?

Who is Gates encouraging now -- Boehner???? And the GOP????

[Iggo]

20. Yeah, where was he 2 weeks ago?

Oh that's right...

[Doctor_J]

15. Ironic if it gets repealed under the REPUKES

our peeps screwed the pooch really bad the last two years.

[USArmyParatrooper]

27. Not a chance in hell

They railed against it and filibustered repeal in the Senate unanimously.

[earcandle]

16. ram everything we worked on through before these guys destroy it all.

[sam sarrha]

17. as soon as the GOP gets in everything will be tied up for 2 years with Impeachment bullshit, it

worked on Clinton.. it will shut down the Government till the next election... then they will win that one running on the DO NOTHING Democrats..

[TomClash]

18. Frankly

It will not get repealed under this Congress or the next one. My message to Gates is just don't enforce the damn law - it is a serious impediment to the national security of the United States. We lose highly trained and skilled people because some Fundamentalist christian/jewish/muslim nazi nut jobs want it.

[MilesColtrane]

19. How long has this Pentagon "study" been underway?

How much longer will it go on?

Am I the only one who thinks that it probably just consists of a roomful of full bird colonels watching episodes of Will & Grace?

GET ON WITH IT FFS!

[riderinthestorm]

21. The study is supposed to be finished in December

But the survey was deeply flawed and badly homophobic, and included asking the opinions of people who aren't even serving like spouses. Imho, regardless of what the survey results are it won't make a difference. Congressional Rethugs will never repeal DADT if even 10% of our current service members are opposed (and there are at least that many high ranking generals that also oppose its repeal) because of the possible "loss of unit cohesion and combat readiness during 2 wars".

It's pretty well dead. Since a repeal attempt was already shot down earlier this year, it's ridiculous to think the results will be different now.

[craigmatic]

23. This is part of what Reid campaigned for. Time to pass the dream act.

[queerart]

25. Look.....

They took your Queer money, your Queer vote, and used your Queer shoe leather with smiles and promises........



... and they will treat the GLBTQI community that same way at every election.....



But don't think for one moment your efforts will be rewarded. They will guffaw and chortle while estimating their Queer support....



... and they will order another study to be finished January of 2013..... and so on..... as this nonsense will not end in most of our lifetimes......

[Better Believe It]

26. If it doesn't pass this lame duck Congress the ban will remain for years thanks to President Obama

His appeal of the federal court decision declaring DADT a violation of constitutional rights makes that possible.

That's the bottom line.

[w4rma]

28. They really should do it and get at least one good thing done before they go. (nt)

[guyton]

29. media coverage ... google it

Looks like the MSM is ignoring this story. What a surprise. Not.

[NuclearDem]

31. Too little, too late

Appreciate the sentiments Mr Gates...but we really could've used them months ago.

[nevergiveup]

32. It will be done before the new congress is seated.

You heard it here first.

[DFLforever]

34. I'll add:that's been the plan all along.

[BillH76]

33. They need troops, so they need to let the gays in.

Though why anyone would want to be a member of the imperialist US military is a mystery to me.

[progressoid]

35. Rec'd but not holding my breath for this misguided congress to do it.