House votes to repeal 'don't ask, don't tell'

[onehandle]

Source: AP, MSNBC

WASHINGTON – The House has voted to repeal the 1993 law known as "don't ask, don't tell" and allow gays to serve openly in the military.

The House vote Thursday came several hours after the Senate Armed Services Committee took the same course and approved a measure repealing the policy that prohibits service by gays who openly acknowledge their sexual orientation.

The House was a victory for President Barack Obama, who has pushed for a change in military policy, and for gay rights group who have made an end to "don't ask, don't tell" their top legislative priority.

Republicans voted overwhelmingly against lifting the ban, saying Congress should wait until the Pentagon completes a review of the impact of a repeal on military life and readiness.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_gays_military

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Rachel just reported.

She says this is still just a beginning, but it is a Big Step.

[stevenleser]

1. Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!

:-)

[sakabatou]

2. Whoo-hoo!

Now, onto the study.

[Divine Discontent]

3. Excellent! Too bad McCain is going to filibuster it b/c he's a worthless bastard who wants to

appeal to the lowest common denominator in Arizona (you know who they are).

The Family Research Council said Obama is trying to "FORCE OPEN HOMOSEXUALITY ON THE MILITARY"!

Oh yeah, that's what he's trying to do... force it...

Why not, you crazy bastards at the FRC force rentboy's to give you erotic same-sex massages because you're a bunch of closeted nutcakes!

[xchrom]

4. How cool is that!?!?!nt

[NI4NI]

5. 25 Dems voted Nay, 7 more still NV

4 Pugs voted Yea

3 minutes left, but Murphy's (D PA.) amendment has passed

[Occulus]

10. Which ones? Is there a list? n/t

[NI4NI]

23. I saw Critz from PA. who won Burtha's seat last week was one

I quessed Shuler was one beforehand, and he was.
I'm disappointed Ike Skelton is another.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. Most excellent news!

[riderinthestorm]

7. This is wonderful! Truly great news! Can't wait to read the details (real details, not MSM). nt

[Robb]

8. Heh. All right, then.

On to the Senate. :toast:

[Iliyah]

9. I am

so happy!

[Iliyah]

12. Oh I

forgot to say this is a another reason for repealing the repeal that the GOP want to do after the study proves that the repeal is positve. As in te Clinton era, impeach any means necessary!

[defendandprotect]

11. About time . . . but when I was watching 10% of Dems were voting AGAINST . . .!!!

Don't know if that figure changed later???

20 years and still waiting to see this nonsense overturned!!!

[onehandle]

13. Blue Dogs.

There is a room here that loves the Blue Dogs... somewhere...

[Frances]

15. There is also a room here and there was a room elsewhere

before there was a DU that said there was no difference between Dems and Repubs, forgetting that the majority of Dems are VERY different from the majority of the Repubs and that when the Repubs are in control this kind of thing never makes it out of committee!

[defendandprotect]

18. Repugs will take us back to Dickens . . . but same right wing forces have long been working on Dems.

we have to TARGET and get rid of right wing/corporate Dems --

when we can replace them with liberal/progressive Dems --

That's the way the right wing did it and moved the government to the right --

It's what the T-baggers are working on -- TARGET and REPLACE with your guys.

We're also much harmed by having DLC Rahm at obama's ear and elbow -- and

especially that he works against liberal/progressive Dems and tries to replace

them with right wing Dems!!

[Frances]

24. I think we should target right wing Dems AFTER we target

vulnerable Repubs because the Dems are in danger of losing the House and 7-8 seats in the Senate. If the Repubs control the House and we have an almost even Senate, that puts us close to where we were under Clinton. Clinton could veto stupid legislation but that's about all he could do.

[defendandprotect]

31. We can do both . . . and we should also get ready for 2012 .. . we need a more

liberal/progressive president -- i.e., Obama's corporate ways are hurting us in every way.

Any Dems in mind for that?



And one example of that is Halter leading Lincoln right now -- and we need to keep that

pressure up.

[Tx4obama]

14. The FIVE republican 'yes' votes are...

It is being Twittered that the FIVE republicans that voted YES are:

Djou (HI), Cao (LA), Biggert (IL), Ros-Lehtinen (FL), & Paul (TX)

Djou just won his election last week in Hawaii,
I wonder if he is going to end up like Scott Brown and start voting with the Democrats a good percentage of the time!

[onehandle]

16. Djou was a fluke in that district and will likely not see a full term. nt

[Tx4obama]

17. Here's a link to the official roll call of the votes

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll317.xml

[defendandprotect]

Thanks . . . my sleazy GOP/NJ Rep. Leonard Lance is a NO, of course . . .!!!

Just had an e-mail from him -- he's pushing $11 billion for fencing for borders --

but we can't afford MEDICARE FOR ALL!!

How do these people get away with this crap??/

[NI4NI]

22. Thank You! n/t

[defendandprotect]

19. Kind of lost track of Brown after election, tho know T-baggers are unhappy with him ....

what has Brown been doing?

[Tx4obama]

26. Brown (R-MA) was the 60th vote to cut off debate on Financial Reform the other day.

As long as he votes with the dems on the important votes he'll be a pretty good guy ;)
The teabaggers are really upset with him right now :)

[defendandprotect]

30. OK - thanks --

[alp227]

20. Congradulations Congress! n/t

[uppityperson]

21. k&r

[BreweryYardRat]

25. YES!

Way to go, House!

[Loudmxr]

27. So Drier from Calif. voted Nay. HAHA!

He is sooooo gay. The stories I hear of his parties!!!! OMG! The hypocrisy of the Rethugs.

He once bragged about getting all this money to fight illegal immigration. The bill actually cut funds from the year before. Useless even to his own constituency.

He is just in the next district over yonder from my congress member. Who is not really my representative. Redistricting what it is our representative sort of gave his section of Burbank to OUR congress member to handle. It works.

They both voted Yea. Yay!!!

[Patiod]

28. Can I get a round of applause for Rep. Murphy?

Baby-face, bad Philly accent and all. I remember all these Congresspeople being sworn in with their adult children and grandchildren around, and there was Murphy with his infant first-born, looking painfully young. My dad was reluctant to vote for him because "he looks about 14" (to my 86-yo dad)

Murphy has absolutely NOTHING to gain by this - his district is NOT urban, and includes a lot of vets and socially conservative elderly Catholics. I'm guessing he probably just thinks it's THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

Good for him! (he's 100% pro-choice as well)

[onehandle]

29. I have no idea why this isn't on the front page, but morning bump. nt

[ruggerson]

32. Technically, the House voted to ALLOW repeal of DADT in December

or thereafter.

[vaberella]

33. So this is not a repeal of DADT? n/t