Ben Nelson: 'Premature' to say whether 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy should end

[babylonsister]

Is this guy ever not a dick?

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/85413-ben-nelson-premature-to-say-whether-dont-ask-dont-tell-should-go
Ben Nelson: 'Premature' to say whether 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy should end
By Michael O'Brien - 03/08/10 10:42 AM ET

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) said it's too early to tell whether the military's ban on gay and lesbian service members should be lifted.

Nelson, a centrist senator whose vote may be key to passing legislation that abolishes the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy, said it's "premature" to say whether that policy should be changed.

Nelson told the conservative news site CNSNews.com that he's waiting for a report from military leaders and the Defense Department before making up his mind.

"It's a question of what impact it would have on readiness, retention and recruitment," Nelson said. "And until we have that report to look at, it's premature to make any decision, in my opinion, about how, what to apply to the 'Don't ask, don't tell' rule we have in place today."

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have come out in support of changing current policy, which forces discharges from service for openly gay or lesbian members of the military.

In the Senate, Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) is leading a legislative charge to get rid of the policy. His bill has garnered 13 Democratic co-sponsors.

[YOY]

1. Yes...let's wait 100 more years. Clearly the present evidence isn't enouhg.

Sick of this shit.

[MidwestTransplant]

2. Ben Nelson premature?

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. Ben Nelson centrist? nt

[gratuitous]

3. He'll wait for some unspecified report

Then he'll wait for a sign from the heavens. Then it will be whether or not there are crop circles in Nebraska. Then he'll have to wait until the Oklahoma-Nebraska football game is over.

THIS is the problem with stop-gap halfway measures. They always, and I mean always, become the new standard that should never be messed with. "Let's pass DADT now, and we'll get it fixed in another congressional cycle or two." Yeah, 1997 came and went more than 12 years ago, and "centrists" like Nelson still aren't quite sure if citizens should be allowed full rights to participate in society. It's just such a hard, close question. The question could be resolved tomorrow if we just said that any citizen denied full rights in society gets a tax holiday. Can't participate in society? Then you don't have to pay anything to support it.