The Blog Swarm
We join the blog swarm’s call for DADT repeal this year. The best way to erase the law from the books in 2010 is for the Obama Administration to include repeal in the defense authorization bill and then for Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, to also include repeal of the law in the defense bill he reports out of his committee. Find out what you can do here.
As we have noted before, Congress must repeal DADT this year while the Department of Defense conducts its study. Both can and should happen concurrently. DoD’s study Working Group should not hold up legislative repeal this year, since the study Working Group is not looking at if the law should be repealed but how.
We agree with Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO) when he said earlier this month, “A study should not unduly delay taking our last steps toward final action.” Congress must go ahead and do its part to dismantle the law now through the defense authorization bill, and the White House must be pushing that too.
02-16-10 By Kevin Nix, Communications Director |
2 Comments
Comments for this entry are closed.Michael @ LeonardMatlovich.com on February 17, 2010 at 09.18 pm
Courtesy of AMERICAblog, a new poll proves that any belief any Dems have that there’s political points to be gained by letting DADT repeal die on the vine is a myth:
“It’s a similar story [to health care reform] when it comes to the prospect of repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ Over 54% of voters support it with 37% opposed. But among the voters Democrats need to make happy—the ones planning to or considering voting for them this year—there is 72/24 support for letting gays and lesbians serve openly in the military. The total numbers are brought down only because of 59/25 opposition with folks WHO WILL NEVER VOTE FOR THEM ANYWAY.
Congressional Democrats really need to decide if they’re going to let their agenda be dictated by voters who won’t support them NO MATTER WHAT THEY DO. These numbers provide pretty clear evidence that most of the voters opposed to health care and repeal of DADT will not consider voting Democratic EVEN IF THE PARTY DECIDES NOT TO MOVE ON THOSE ISSUES.”
http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2010/02/democratic-agenda.html
Bill on February 17, 2010 at 04.47 pm
Thanks Kevin. The blog swarm is supported by a poll swarm. I hope it is not already too late to put repeal in the defense authorization bill. I believe this method is what Rep. Barney Frank in 2009 suggested for 2010 when ending DADT was put on the back burner by both the President and Congress—both falsely considered ending DADT in 2009 would detract from health care reform. With all their theoretical power, the main problem Democrats have these days is looking weak to everybody. Of course ending DADT will ignite a temporary firestorm from homophobes, but Democrats showing guts will actually increase their chances of keeping Congress in November. No more study is needed. After DADT implodes and joins other examples of wasteful discrimination and injustice too common in American history, DOD can take its time fine tuning the details of implementation. As Admiral Mullen knows from first hand experience and the President is learning, strong leadership would allow a successful end to DADT tomorrow.