Drive to Repeal 'Don't Ask' Policy "ALL BUT LOST"....thanks for nothing, Obama & Congress

[Bluebear]

"On my watch" my ass. Now maybe it will start sinking in to those who complained about our poutrage and our "ponies" that the GLBT community was right to complain about Congress and the President on this issue.

======

The drive in Congress to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy appears all but lost for the foreseeable future, with action unlikely this year and even less likely once Republicans take charge of the House in January.

Sens. Carl Levin of Michigan and John McCain of Arizona, the top Democrat and Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, are in talks on stripping the proposed repeal and other controversial provisions from a broader defense bill, leaving the repeal with no legislative vehicle to carry it.

Failure to act on the policy would heighten tensions between the White House and its supporters in the gay community, many of whom hoped Mr. Obama would have accomplished far more on their agenda by now.

"What has been particularly surprising to me is how broadly the disappointment is felt. It's as if people feel more betrayed than just let down," said Mr. Socarides....

The Obama administration isn't raising expectations that the issue will be considered this year. "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," Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters traveling with him in Australia over the weekend.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703856504575600851961320666.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

[Justitia]

1. Whaddabout Lame Duck? Too much of a shitstorm for that? -eom

[Bluebear]

3. 'stripping the proposed repeal and other controversial provisions'

Controversial although a great majority of Americans approve of gays serving their country. As mentioned, there will now be no host legislation for DADT repeal that the lame duck session could address.

[Ken Burch]

2. And this proves the admin was wrong to keep the appeals going

DADT will NEVER be struck down now that the GOP controls the House. The Supremes NEVER say no to that party.

[Bluebear]

5. Well, at least DADTwas struck down during Obama's term. Then his DOJ reinstated it!

:crazy:

[cynatnite]

6. Exactly what I was thinking. n/t

[donco6]

30. +1

[Hell Hath No Fury]

41. I said it here repeastedly:

That decision was a fucking GIFT to Obama and he refused to take it. :mad: It was his one good shot at killing DADT and he fucking KNEW IT. Congress? Not going to happen, even in the lame duck when a lot of the Blue Dogs/conservatives will be going home and could cast such a "controversial" vote and not pay at the polls. Supremes? Oh hell no. W-a-y yoo risky with that current lot.

He could have walked away from the repeal. Allowed gays to serve openly. And any attempt to put that genie back in the bottle would be all but impossible.

[Bluebear]

46. +

[madrchsod]

4. it still has to go through the federal court system.

it would be nice if he used his power as commander in chief but a republican president would restore the anti-gay policy. unfortuanitly it`s going to the supremes.

if we think the elections were bad this year just wait till 2012....actually do`t wait- start today...

[Creideiki]

8. It didn't need to

Repeat: It didn't need to.

Repeat: It didn't need to.

We had repeal that couldn't have been re-instated by executive order. It was dead. All we needed was the Administration was to not appeal the decision.

[Skittles]

7. tell the truth, PT

ultimately, you knew this would be the outcome and yeah, I know it completely stinks

[Creideiki]

9. I'm so glad I'm no longer in the military

The administration actually argued that there would be harm to the military if this were repealed. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

[Skittles]

18. well, there have always been gay folk in the military

the question is whether or not they are required to live a lie

[AnArmyVeteran]

38. When I served I couldn't care less what my fellow soldiers sexual identities were.

It was 100% totally irrelevant. I find it sickening how the most vocal opponents of the repeal if DADT NEVER served! I do find that offensive! Not one non-felon right wing radio fraud ever served in the military but they are all against gays in the military. While they are sitting on their asses cashing in on fear and hate real MEN who are gay are defending their asses. Not one cowardly right wing pundit would take a bullet for a gay soldier, but many gay soldiers died defending their rights to spew hate, lies and racism. As Jim Traficant used to say "Beam me up Scottie!"

I don't know of one instance in any army in the history of the world where a military force fell apart because a soldier was gay. The entire matter is ridiculous
and to even be debating the issue at this point reveals just how backward our country truly is.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

67. very well said.

Very!

[Bluebear]

11. I always hoped...I'm losing hope and certainly losing enthusiasm!

What. A. Farce.

[donheld]

10. Fierce Advocate at work

:eyes:

[Skittles]

80. and WHAT exactly is wrong with that?

you sound fucking ridiculous

[Catherina]

12. What has been particularly surprising to me is how broadly the disappointment is felt

"What has been particularly surprising to me is how broadly the disappointment is felt. It's as if people feel more betrayed than just let down.

...

Asked what the White House priorities are for the coming congressional session, press secretary Robert Gibbs named four issues—tax cuts, a nuclear-arms treaty with Russia, a child nutrition bill and confirmation of Jack Lew as White House budget director. Asked why he wouldn't put gays in the military on the list, Mr. Gibbs said it looked like Republicans would block action."

Words fail me. Fool me once.

[Bluebear]

13. 'Mr. Gibbs said it looked like Republicans would block action' - which is why this was delayed

Two years of nothing, then 'surveys', then surveys of families...they absolutely and cynically kicked this can down the street.

[laughingliberal]

17. +1 nt

[mitchtv]

49. what about Biden's "trade"

no EO in exchange for later R votes? does anyone else remember that lie?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

14. BULLSHIT!! The House passed repeal. Held up in the Senate!!! UNRECOMMEND! n/t

[ThomCat]

20. Yeah, and where was obama when it was held up in the Senate?

He was NOT making phone calls to rally votes.

He was NOT using the bully pulpit to rally support and public pressure.

He was remarkably quiet while the vote died in the senate from lack of support.

We even had Biden talking in an interview about how the administration was waiting until after the vote to act because a deal had been made in order to get the necessary votes to pass that repeal of DADT in the senate. But those votes never existed. They never happened.

So we were all asking, what was your "or else" part of that deal with those republicans if they didn't deliver those votes. They broke their end of the deal, so what consequences would they see as a result? Anything? Would they even name the republicans who broke their promise to shame them in public? Nope. Nothing.

Did they have a back-up plan. We know for sure now that they didn't. Because all that has happened since then is Obama is suing for make sure that DADT REMAINS IN FORCE! He's now using the full force of the DoJ to preserve DADT instead of doing anything to trying to end it.

So you can go and unrec this thread, but all is shows is that you'll defend the President no matter what, even when he's wrong. No matter how much you love him, that's just wrong.

[Sherman A1]

85. Right there with

single payer option, EFCA and other parts of the "change we can believe in" or perhaps "change for which we HOPED too much".

Yes, I like the guy.

Yes, he has done some good.

Yes, He is far superior to the alternative.

Yes, I am still disappointed.

[Starry Messenger]

15. No, it won't start sinking in for them Bluebear.

That would require admitting they were wrong, which would require humility. You know that ain't goin' to happen.

[laughingliberal]

16. I'm so sorry, Bluebear. I was flabbergasted when Obama asked Congress to 'slow down.'

As if we didn't have every reason to believe the next Congress would be led by the GOP.

Just damn it!

[EFerrari]

19. This is *such* bullshit. What will get America's crazy uncles

off their butts? The administration is not on board. Do we need to appeal to the members of the Senate Closet Caucus? What?

[xchrom]

21. recommend

[terrya]

22. Oh, hell, I knew it was over when that bigot was appointed Commandant of the Marine Corps....

a few weeks ago.

He's the one who not only supports keeping DADT in place, but has suggested that if it's repealed, there should be segregated housing for openly gay and lesbian troops.

Why would you appoint someone so vocal in his opposition to DADT repeal to the Joint Chiefs of Staff...someone with an extremely influential opinion....if you're allegedly trying to repeal DADT? That didn't make a damn bit of sense.

Of course DADT repeal is dead. And it sure as fuck isn't going to happen with Speaker Spray-on Tan's Republican House for the next 2 years.

Of course, now we'll be told to shut up and wait and be glad for the crumbs this White House will throw us. I can't even begin to articulate how pissed I am.

[VMI Dem]

23. He knew it had no chance of repeal in a lame duck and none in the next Congress.

:grr:

[terrya]

24. And just in case no one gets the message:

You might as well close the coffin lid on DADT repeal:

http://gay.americablog.com/2010/11/homophobe-ike-skelton-being-talked.html

[Unvanguard]

61. Oh my god, is that for real?

Words fail.

[racaulk]

25. You never really loved him.

:cry:

[QC]

31. You didn't either!

:cry:

[Bluebear]

45. "Your hate for Obama makes you blind!"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9510617&mesg_id=9513531

:cry:

[Vinca]

26. I really don't get this . . . I don't.

Does not allowing someone to say they are gay or lesbian mean they aren't there? No! This is stupid. If anything, I'd think the homophobes would want to know who is or is not so they could avoid breathing the same air or whatever the hell they're afraid of. It blows my mind it's the Log Cabin Republicans making progress on this while Democrats have been looking for spines to inflate.

[QC]

27. Quelle surprise. n/t

[PeaceNikki]

28. A friend who has 20+ years in the military said this:

Him: A majority of us in the military want it. Why do politicians who have never served a day in boots keep fighting against what military leaders and servicemembers want?

Me: Because it's not what they think is the Jesusy thing to do.

Him: I never met a gay or lesbian in the Army who got someone pregnant, cheated on someone with another soldier's spouse.....

[donco6]

29. GASP! No WAY! How could ANYONE have FORESEEN this?

<clutching pearls>

"It's as if people feel more betrayed than just let down." Yes, that's because we were betrayed. Any IDIOT could have seen this coming, and to have appealed that decision instead of letting it stand - even if temporarily - would have been FAR BETTER than what we were subjected to by this President. Not only is he not a "fierce advocate", he is no advocate at all.

[EFerrari]

50. Also, if you look to your right

this writer assumes only gay folk are upset about this in any way which is caca misrepresentaional minimizing.

[QC]

32. Here's a picture we haven't seen in a while.

[MadHound]

33. Apparently there's a reason we haven't seen this in awhile,

Namely Obama doesn't have this. His actions have doomed DADT, he failed in his promise to close Gitmo and get the public option, and judging from his post election remarks, he hasn't learned the lesson that you can't compromise with these 'Pugs, but rather you have to stand up and fight.

Frankly Obama has gotten very little since he has been in office. I welcomed the experiment of trying to be post partisan, but when it doesn't work, he needed to trash it and come out swinging. But after having his ass handed to him this past election, he is still trying to go down that bipartisan road.

Obama doesn't have anything, that's a huge part of the problem.

[QC]

34. Yet the campaign was picture perfect.

I guess there really is a big difference between campaigning and governing.

[Gold Metal Flake]

40. In that picture, who is he talking to?

[Bluebear]

44. His adoring throng. nt

[Gold Metal Flake]

52. Wall Street? Bush Admin criminals?

[Bluenorthwest]

47. I thought of that one on November 4th

I wondered if those who posted it felt that chilling out was a wise move as their States went Red.

[QC]

74. I thought of it, too, then.

Amazing how that picture, which was once ubiquitous, has become so scarce as it has become more clear that the president hasn't got it after all.

[joeybee12]

35. Honestly, this is obviously a brilliant chess move because, well...

well...hell, I got nothing. KNR

[VMI Dem]

36. Kick.

[TriMera]

37. k & r. n/t

[piratefish08]

39. just another can kicked down the road.......

[SidDithers]

42. Unrec...nt

Sid

[Bluenorthwest]

48. Rec for the truth

[Name removed]

58. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Celtic Raven]

43. K&R nt

[mitchtv]

51. K&R for all those

I wish i had a dime for every DU'r who posted that this was definitely happening , this year. I never believed him. This kind of shit loses my one vote, I will match their "no" with many of my own.

[flvegan]

53. Hey! Who the hell let you out from under the bus in the first place?

[WCGreen]

54. I'm not gay,well, there was that once, I was so drunk....

But I see no reason why a gay person should be precluded from serving his or her country if that is what they want to do.

I really think Homophobia is the fear of being gay and not the fear of a gay person.

As so many of our self proclaimed men and women of the cloth have proven time and time again...

[riderinthestorm]

55. Shameful. nt

[GOTV]

56. I'm sure that they will tell us we got 90% of what we wanted with the DADT repeal ...

... and the left are just whining over that last 10%.

That they're good at.

[foxfeet]

57. K&R

Sickening.

[racaulk]

59. Back to page 1

:kick:

[amborin]

60. K&R

[Exilednight]

62. Technically, Obama didn't lie. DADT ended for almost 24 hours ...........

Chalk it up as another win for team Obama. :sarcasm:

[Unvanguard]

63. This is still fixable, IF AND ONLY IF Obama uses executive action to end the policy.

He can abandon the appeal (he can start by getting the DOJ to argue for the law's unconstitutionality in the brief it will file to the Supreme Court next Wednesday.) He can issue a stop-loss. He can invoke his powers as commander-in-chief to suspend enforcement.

It is time for this terrible policy to end. Obama's go-it-slow, follow-all-the-rules method was tried, and it failed. His pledge to end DADT, recently reiterated, remains outstanding. He needs to try something else--now.

[krawhitham]

64. 30% of LGBT voted repig

what did they think would happen?

[QC]

68. About 3/4 of "them" voted Democratic in 2008

and a hell of a fucking lots of good it did "them."

[Bluebear]

72. Yes, certainly, Blame the victims.

[racaulk]

73. So did 62% of white people.

What rights do you recommend we withhold from them?

[Ignis]

77. !

:thumbsup:

[Behind the Aegis]

76. Will you make that same factual statement when anti-immigration legislation occurs?

[Bluebear]

79. crickets

[avaistheone1]

65. k&r

[Tx4obama]

66. The White House issued a statement Monday evening....

Source: Advocate

A top White House official issued a statement Monday evening saying the administration does not approve of any attempt to remove “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal from the Defense funding bill to which it is currently attached.

“The White House opposes any effort to strip 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' from the National Defense Authorization Act,” said Dan Pfeiffer, White House Communications Director.

More here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4607197


And Barney Frank here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9516348

[Mikeystyle]

69. Republicans don't have a problem with gays, as long as they stay in the airport washroom

Faced with the eventual repeal of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy on gays in the military, a group of current and former Republican lawmakers introduced their own proposal on Wednesday whereby gays would be allowed to serve in the military as long as they provide graphic details about their encounters. They call it “Don’t Ask, DO Tell.”

“I want to hear all their sordid tales,” said former Sen. Larry Craig. “I mean, where are they getting together? Are there any positions I’m not aware of? It’s time for gays to come out of the men’s rooms and give some pointers to those of us living in denial. When I think of all those buff military guys doing what comes unnaturally I just uh…. excuse me….. I gotta find a restroom.”

(continued…)

http://www.thechicagodope.com/2010/10/27/republicans-call-for-%e2%80%98don%e2%80%99t-ask-do-tell%e2%80%99/

[Bluebear]

71. Except the Log Cabin Republicans have led on this issue, unfortunately.

[inna]

70. K&R+65

[VMI Dem]

75. Kick.

[Bluebear]

78. Only one "ignored" post so far. Go figure!

[racaulk]

86. I know, I'm surprised by that too.

Ignored usually loves your posts!

:hi:

[TexasObserver]

81. The cowardice has been appalling.

[TheWatcher]

82. Words absolutely fail me.

So much for "Fierce Advocacy."

Oh, But I KNOW, I never really loved him, blah, blah, blah.

[TexasObserver]

83. K&R

[sendero]

84. Stop whining..

... that you didn't get your clown and pony (well maybe the clown). Stop expecting things to happen all at once, it takes time. Campaign promises are just for getting votes, there is no contract implied. You really just don't get the 3D chess Obama is playing here.

And on, and on, and on. Cue the the usual apologists.