Slog
News & ArtsMonday, January 25, 2010
Homo State of the Union: The End of DADT?
Posted by Dominic Holden on Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 1:57 PM
Rumors from ABC News:
Will President Obama announce new policy regarding the sexual orientation of people serving in the military during his State of the Union address Wednesday?Sen. Carl Levin, who chairs the Armed Services Committee thinks so.
Levin told reporters today that he has delayed plans to hold Senate hearings to examine the current “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy at the request of administration officials. Why would they want him to hold off? The officials Levin talked to said they expect the President will address the issue of homosexuals serving in the military during the State of the Union Address.
Could this be it—the fierce urgency of Wednesday?
6
Well, I was going to ask is repealing DADT would end the constant stream of anti-Obama bitching and squealing from SLOG, but I guess these comments answered that question... The gay community will not be happy until Obama is voted out of office.
7
It would be brilliant if he did. For no other reason than to get the right wing frothing focused on something that exposes all that frothing for what it really is... you know... frothing!
8
It would be nice but honestly I'm not holding my breath either. All we hear from this corporate clown are nice speeches and lots of promises that are backed up with no action.
9
I'll believe it when I see it. I like Obama well enough on other issues, but he has been quite disappointing in regards to gay issues. He has been a tepid supporter at best, and has shown no spine or initiative. Given that the senate has been reluctant to deal with DADT, I doubt Obama will stick his neck out either.
10
I doubt Obama is moving himself to the Left on social issues. We're not living in an episode of West Wing.
13
Eric @6: If Obama actually DOES repeal DADT, you might see a lot less anti-Obama bitching on SLOG. But talk is cheap -- especially after a year of not just doing nothing, but of his justice department actually filing a brief in support of Don't Ask Don't Tell.
14
Why should Obama "give" anything to the lgbt community since most people aren't willing to fight for it? Most of us sit on our asses and attack those who do take a principled stand and insist there's nothing we can do except play bitch to the Democratic Party. If there is no fight, we will not win. Fucking 80% of the country, including a majority of Republicans, want an end to DADT. The reason the Obama and the Democrats won't act on this and many other progressive measures is because THEY DON'T WANT TO.
15
At best, we may see some "non-binding" legislation vaguely supporting the repeal, while alluding to the notion that homosexuals "might" be similar to pigfuckers, all in the name of bipartisanship.
18
I don't see how delaying hearing on repealing DADT is a sign of progress. If we apply Occam's razor and ask what is the simplest, most obvious explanation, I think it is that the Senate is delaying holding hearings on repeal because it is DELAYING REPEAL. (Which is the first thing they do before they drop it entirely.) There, that wasn't so hard, was it?
22
Maybe this is the reason why Obama has put it off for so long. He needed something to get his base rallied behind after the speech if he couldn't do it on health care.
So does this mean that we're now being used as a distraction from the president's deficiencies in other places?
So does this mean that we're now being used as a distraction from the president's deficiencies in other places?
23
@22: Stirring up shit about teh gayz in order to get the health insurance reform bill passed would be an interesting move.
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