I Give President Obama A Lot of Credit for This Move Today.

[David Zephyr]

Today's move by the White House regarding Don't Ask, Don't Tell is welcome news. It is just one of a number of steps in the right (left) direction I've seen from President Obama in the last three months. I think he's finally "got it" that he will never have the GOP, Fox News or the right wing move an inch his way. He can, at best, hope to peel off a Republican here and there and govern as he promised he would.

I give President Obama credit. He pushed this further now than any President in history.

--------

From the AP:

A proposal to step up the repeal of the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military has won the White House's backing after administration officials met with gay rights activists.

The White House budget director on Monday evening sent a letter backing a proposal that would remove the Clinton-era "don't ask, don't tell" law even as the Pentagon continues a review of the system.

Implementation of policy for gays serving openly would still require the approval of President Barack Obama and the administration's military officials. How long implementation might take is not known.

"We want to be clear: This review is focused on 'how' the military should implement repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell,' not 'if' it should," said Rep. Patrick Murphy, a Pennsylvania Democrat and Iraq war veteran who is leading the House effort of repeal.

Activists met at the White House through the day with administration officials who are trying to broker a compromise. Policy aides to Democratic leaders met Monday morning to discuss the potential deal and top Democratic lawmakers planned to meet Monday evening on Capitol Hill.

Full Story at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100524/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_gays_military

[bluestateguy]

1. As long as there is a timetable on the Pentagon's "study"

We cannot allow them to just push paper and stall, as they wait around for their old bosses to come back into power in 2013 or 2017.

[Still Sensible]

2. I agree... but I also agree with Joe Sestek

(an unqualified supporter of immediately repealing DADT) who just said on CNN that he could support the compromise provided that enforcement of DADT is "abated" in the interim.

Damn I hope they can get the votes.

[bluestateguy]

3. I think they'll have it

I think a lot of yes votes will be coming from Blue Dog Democrats who are retiring this year, as they have no need to worry about appeasing redneck voters anymore.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Karenina]

5. And even then not...

Bill Clinton tried.

[David Zephyr]

6. Nonsense.

Did you forget that he signed the Hates Crime Law?

President Obama can not change the Law, but today he pretty much killed it.

The only problem left now is this:

"On Capitol Hill, the third-ranking House Republican promised unified GOP opposition to lifting the ban. 'The American people don't want the American military to be used to advance a liberal political agenda. And House Republicans will stand on that principle,' said Mike Pence, R-Ind."

Obama's move today (late, but he did it and no other President has) pulls the pillar out from under DADT. The Berlin Wall fell in Europe months before the Wall did.

This put a stake into the heart of this and it gives me joy to know that our GLBT sisters and brother serving in the Military can begin to breathe easier. Don't discount what this means to them.

[Feron]

7. He just needs to issue an executive order.

The military was integrated that way. Why not do the same for gays?

Hell gay people are already integrated into the military and there's no problem. The only problem is a law that kicks them out if their homosexuality is discovered.

The review is just another tactic to string along the gays so that they vote Dem in November.

[Unvanguard]

19. Segregation was not statutory; DADT is. It requires Congressional repeal.

The entire point was to prevent Clinton from fulfilling his campaign promise and letting gays openly serve.

Once this passes, it will be indeed doable by executive order, at least once the bullshit "review" is completed.

[Bluebear]

8. I will anxiously await his answer to this letter:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8408679

:)

Let us hope that there is finally an end to this baloney!

[Cleita]

9. I will be a 100% with you once he

starts channeling FDR and I hope it's soon for his sake. There is a reason FDR won 4 terms, even though he only served for 3. Right now I'm 55% with you.

[Teka]

10. No opposition to Obama is allowed here?

No truth-telling criticism of his betrayals of gays and lesbians?

[KonaKane]

11. Lately that's all I've been seeing.

So obviously your comment was sarcastic.

[Bluebear]

12. David's been very patient as have we all. I will give him his optimism here

and hope that it is well-placed.

[Catherina]

13. What am I missing my friend?

This seems to leave people in limbo all over again, with no clear policy to protect them while the military drags its feet and studies how to repeal the DADT compromise.

The military was ready to grudgingly do this in 1996 when Clinton became President. They held formations about it and announced it to the troops telling them to get ready for the change. Don't Ask Don't Tell was already a *compromise* and 16 years later, we're still in the same limbo because the military brass is going to drag its feet as long as they're given the option to.
There's no need to study how to repeal it. In the military's own words "just do it".

But something is giving you hope and for that, I'm happy.

[QC]

14. It's a way to throw some crumbs at the homos while not really offending the establishment too much.

Very Clintonian, I think.

Of course, the real issue is whether he suspends enforcement in the mean time. Then, we might be onto something. But if this is just a matter of suspending the policy some other time, then it's nothing to get too excited about.

[Swamp Rat]

15. k&r

[Prism]

16. That article's tone is very unkind to the White House.

It is basically, "Congress and the LGBT Community will drag this President kicking and screaming across the finish line." I wholeheartedly approve of that sentiment.

The administration has been just shameful on this, and now when even Speaker Pelosi and most of the Democratic House are boxing the administration about the ears, they can only very reluctantly give in to a conditional repeal.

The community, Pelosi, and House Democrats will deserve a lot of credit if we get this pushed through before the election.

You know who's going to take all of it though?

Yeah, we know this is coming. All we get is "STFU" for 16 months, and suddenly it'll be all "Yay, we're awesome! You're welcome, gays!" I've prepared much "Eat a dick" commentary to follow.

Why is our own party so much work?

[Unvanguard]

17. He deserves credit for the hearings. He deserves no credit for this.

Democrats in Congress did it without any encouragement from him.

[grantcart]

18. K and R