Blue Dog Democrat Patrick Murphy is putting overturn of DADT legislation

[Peacetrain]

on the table in the congress.. President Obama has said he will sign the legislation when it comes to his desk. Murphy says it is his duty to get the legislation to the President.

The next time I see a post in here, slamming democrats who do not agree with us in every part of our agenda as less than and should not be in the party.. Think about who is going to put forward this legislation..a Blue Dog.

We need everybody.

[Thrill]

1. I'm sure no one is more happier than Obama

This is all he's been asking for. Congress needs to act and he will sign it. Same with DOMA.

[Peacetrain]

2. Exactly,.,

[Cha]

3. Thanks for the eye opener..who

knew this would come from a "blue dog"?

[Peacetrain]

4. Yep.. He is a veteran himself..(Murphy)

[NYC_SKP]

5. I love it. Let the non-vet homophobes try to argue "values" with a veteran.

I just love it! :P

:applause:

[Uzybone]

6. blue dogs should be drummed out of the party

we need to be pure....pure like the driven snow.

Kucinich can push all the pro choice and pro civil rights legislation we need.

[Clio the Leo]

11. ha ha, took the words out of my mouth.....

.... love it.

[Renew Deal]

7. What do you mean by "on the table?"

Is it going to come up for a vote? Is there a bill?

[Peacetrain]

8. Ah yep... Patrick Murphy is going to put it up

[Renew Deal]

20. Finally

:D

[jenmito]

9. K& (5th) R! I saw him on Rachel's show.

And he kept saying Obama WILL sign it.

[zulchzulu]

17. He was great on Rachel's show

Philly boy done good. I hope it works out. He has the right message and is the perfect person to "quarterback" the bill, as he said.

[BlooInBloo]

21. Yep - and there he specifically argued against Obama avoiding current law...

I appreciate his separation of powers argument, but I also appreciate the it's-just-wrong argument. Tough call.

[Jennicut]

10. He is very good on Veteran's issues.

There are some Dems that need to go but he is okay and I am glad to see him do this.

[Number23]

12. As an independent, I love this.

We need everybody.

Hear, hear!

[mitchtv]

13. From what I understand

The House is not the problem

[alcibiades_mystery]

15. You think a military readiness bill will pose a cloture problem?

:shrug:

[Marsala]

23. I think the problem is that no one in the Senate will even introduce it

DADT repeal should start in the Senate, anyway, but the Democratic leadership is afraid of touching it with the memory of 1993-1994.

[polmaven]

30. 1993-1994 was a long time ago.

The DADT compromise was what was needed THEN. The situation has now moved past that, and opinions have "evolved" (for lack of a better word) to a point where it is no longer necessary.

[alcibiades_mystery]

35. DADT was foisted on us by Southern Dems like Sam Nunn

That's all over now. Sanders will introduce it, or Franken, or any number of others, and Reid will have to take it up. Levin will cave and call hearings as soon as the House votes in the affirmative.

[Aristus]

14. I don't want to hear: "We don't have the votes", either. This veteran supports gays serving openly

in our military. I support EVERYONE serving openly in our military! :patriot:

[MadBadger]

16. I never really thought of Patrick Murphy as a blue dog, but that could just be me.

[SoxFan]

28. Here's the roster

http://www.house.gov/melancon/BlueDogs/Member%20Page.html

[polichick]

38. Me either, and he's my Congressman. He's very big on green energy...

...and progressive in most ways ~ just fiscally conservative.

Also a great guy; I've talked to him many times.

[Freddie Stubbs]

50. He describes himself as 'fiscal conservative'

[Canuckistanian]

18. There's no money in discriminating against gays

The PTB have no objection.

[ruggerson]

19. Your OP is not quite accurate

this bill has been on the table since March when it was introduced by Ellen Tauscher.

She has resigned to work in the State Department.

To Rep Murphy's credit, he has taken over sponsorship of the bill, is creating a website and is starting to get the kind of publicity needed to move the legislation.

HE's the perfect person to do this.

I'm sure he will appreciate Pres Obama's endorsement of the specific bill, HR 1283, whenever that should occur.


http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:h.r.01283:

[LiberalAndProud]

22. Finally!

A wrong-headed law will go away. I needed some good news. Thanks!

[cowcommander]

24. What exactly makes him a Blue Dog to begin with?

Just curious

[Freddie Stubbs]

27. He describes himself as a fiscal conservative who is strong on defense:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6759024

[harun]

32. He is my rep. Lot's of rich people in the North of the district to keep happy

so he is a Blue Dog and says so regularly at events. He is an Iraq vet and real hard worker, only lives about 3/4 of a mile from me.

I would like to see a bit more courage from him on Health Care, I tried to get him to co-sponsor H.R. 676 but he wouldn't do it. I would think he would support a strong public option but I haven't checked his stance lately.

[Freddie Stubbs]

34. He is not currently a cosponsor of HR 676:

http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR00676:@@@P

[harun]

45. Which is what I said.

[PVnRT]

25. 150+ cosponsors, according to NPR this morning

Senator Levin, however, has no plans to bring it up in the Senate Armed Services Committee unless he thinks there's a chance of it passing.

So, props to Rep. Murphy for fighting for this, but it looks like our useless Senate is going to kill it before it grows.

[HillWilliam]

26. Thanks, Peacetrain

I posted this yesterday in the GLBT forum but it ought to have more exposure. Any time a BlueDog moves in the correct direction, we ought to throw 'em a milkbone :) (I train service dogs and am a big believer in positive reinforcement!)

Edit: to add "recommended"

[Peacetrain]

31. I think so too.. we need to encourage our reps.. and not just

find fault 24/7.. Like raising kids I guess..

[HillWilliam]

41. Like raising kids, indeed!

99.9% of the time, positive reinforcement works. There comes that rare circumstance, though, when all else has failed that the only way to reach the brain is through the backside :P

[JVS]

29. Question: does an overturning of DADT revert the policy to the old one which was more draconian?

[alcibiades_mystery]

36. It's a new law that 1) repeals the provisions of the current law and 2)

outlaws discrimination based on sexual orientation in the military.

The bill is written with these two prongs precisely in order to avoid a return to previous policy (there was no explicit public law before DADT, but just DoD policy).

[JVS]

37. Good. Thanks.

[Beacool]

33. Don't look at me.

I got no bone to pick with the blue pooches.

BTW, good for Murphy!!!

:D

[mkultra]

39. finally, after 6 LONG months

its about time.

[bertman]

40. He spoke eloquently and emotionally about the bill to repeal DADT. His service and his

passion for this will help carry the day.

Thank you, Patrick Murphy.

[hileeopnyn8d]

42. I was hoping someone would post about this

Saw him last night on Rachel's show. Wow, is he ever the right person to quarterback this bill.

I get the feeling that everything he said, is exactly how he presents it while looking for co-sponsors. Even though Rachel and the majority of her audience don't need convincing, I'm glad he went through his whole argument verbatim.

I loved what he said to Rachel at the end - "Rachel, you're a great American."

[Vidar]

43. Good for Murphy.

[Phx_Dem]

44. At least Murphy knows what his job is. He should clue in the progressives

so they're in on the secret of how laws are passed and repealed. It's not really secret, of course, though you might think so judging by how cluess the progressive community seems to be about the process.

[Peacetrain]

48. ....

ah yep. And when we get it repealed, we want it sewn up tighter than a drum so the next time the cons get back in power, they will not be able to repeal it.

[grantcart]

46. This is a very very clever strategy.

He is a brilliant point man to get it done. From a conservative area and a decorate veteran.


They must be getting close because he said that he had a number of Reps that said that they would not sponsor it but would vote for it.

Repealing DADT will also make it easier to do away with DOMA.

[Ikonoklast]

49. Yes, they can criticize him at their peril.

Decorated vet, fiscal conservative...he could actually make the very real point that the repeal of DODT will save the military money.

Very smart strategy employed, there. I wonder who asked him to step up to the plate?

[kenfrequed]

47. It is rare that I actually get to agree with a blue dog

I suppose I am grudgingly grateful.