The ‘Don’t Ask Don’t’ Tell Rollercoaster
September 17, 2010 by James Hipps
Oh what a ride it’s been, but hold on, it’s not over yet! This week’s been nothing less than tumultuous when it comes to the debate over repealing the ban.
On one hand, we’ve got V.P. Joe Biden saying there are enough votes in the Senate to flat out repeal the law, but even if it was repealed, that repeal wouldn’t take effect right away. Why?
According to what Biden had to say on Rachel Maddow’s show:
“Because that is the compromise we basically had to make to get the votes to finally repeal it. We had to build a consensus for this –working very hard on the telephone, calling people…and everybody’s looking for the orderly elimination of this law…. That’s why it hasn’t happened. It’s resulted in us getting over 55 votes –I think we’ll get 55 votes—to flat repeal it.”
But Biden’s optimism hasn’t prevented Senators Harry Reid and John McCain from going for each other’s jugulars over the issue.
As reported all over the place, Reid is getting targeted by McCain for trying to attach the repeal to the Defense Budget Bill. But McCain has also said he’d try to filibuster the bill because Reid is trying to attach immigration reform to the bill that would allow non-US citizens to be placed on a fast track for citizenship if they serve in the military, something McCain says Reid is doing to try to win votes in his upcoming re-election bid as he runs against the holy-rolling “I hate gays too” Sharon Angle.
But wait! There are some Republicans pushing for DADT’s repeal, of course they’re gay Republicans who are members of the Log Cabin Republicans who recently won a lawsuit that deemed DADT unconstitutional, as ruled by a U.S. judge…but because that judge is in California, members of the Pentagon have stated her powers are limited to that state. Crazy doesn’t seem to quite cover it.
So, will DADT be repealed? Will gay rights destroy the nation founded on white Christian supremacy liberty and justice for all? Tune in next week as the answer unfolds. This is better than any daytime soap!
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