DADT repeal now basically dead

[Joanne98]

Just hours after Democrats and Republicans agreed to bargain on tax cuts, and fewer hours still after Defense Secretary Robert Gates implored Congress to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell this year, word leaked that Republicans aren't really interested in any of it -- a major repudiation of Gates' authority.

According to a letter delivered to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid this morning, Republicans will block all debate on all legislation until the tax cut impasse is bridged and the federal government has been fully funded -- even if it means days tick by and the Senate misses its opportunity to pass DADT, an extension of unemployment insurance and other Dem items.

All 42 GOP senators signed this letter, which you can see here (and check out that crazy signature on page three, third one down, right-hand column - it looks like a Kandinsky).

What this means first of all is that don't ask don't tell repeal is basically dead. All the Republicans I cited a couple posts down as potential votes for it have obviously now signed this letter saying that no business will be considered until the tax cuts are done, and the tax cuts are going to take (in all likelihood, I believe) basically all the time they have right up until Christmas. So I think that's probably dead now.

Second, and maybe more interestingly than that, Mitch McConnell was working on this letter yesterday. In other words, at the same time he was meeting with Obama and agreeing that he and other Republicans would sit down with Tim Geithner and Jack Lew (the new OMB director) to work on compromise language on the tax cuts, McConnell was also getting all 42 Republicans to sign on to a letter that says plainly and emphatically, we are not compromising (read the letter's third graf).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2010/dec/01/us-military-congress-dadt-repeal-dead

[librechik]

1. I've just been waiting for this shoe to drop

really makes you lose faith in humanity.

[Glorfindel]

2. Only if you think Repukes are human, which they're not.

n/t

[librechik]

5. good point. n/t

[Whisp]

3. what despicable creatures they are.

evil. fucking evil.

This is what I don't understand about all the hate here against Obama, when it should be directed at these cretinous fucker dangerous evil pricks.

[political_Dem]

14. [phone]. Exactly.

[TheWraith]

16. Well said. But I call bullshit on the article in the OP.

At their worst, Democrats are weak-kneed and misguided. At THEIR worst, Republicans are a threat to all life on Earth.

And in any event, I don't think the article is right at all. Here's why:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x539660

[ProSense]

4. It could be since

people's reaction to this letter is to simply throw their hands up and say Democrats are stupid.

Despite McConnell's bluff, Senator Collins could still vote for DADT repeal, spox says

<...>

Collins spokesman Kevin Kelley emails me:

Senator Collins has maintained that the Senate should be focused on taxes and the economy (especially since the tax provisions expire on January 1) and obviously we need to pass a bill funding the government before Friday.

These are top priorities and there is limited time.

However, she believes there is time to consider other issues as well, and she has made it clear that if the Majority Leader brings the Defense Authorization bill to the floor, for example, and allows sufficient debate and amendments, she would vote to proceed to the bill.

<...>

UPDATE, 11:08 a.m.: Obviously, Senator Collins could very well hold the line with McConnell in the end and vote against DADT repeal, pulling away the football yet again. The point, though, is that this is anything but assured, and that may well be true of other moderate GOPers, too. And Dems can use Gates's presser yesterday to press the point.

[progressoid]

10. The people's reaction?

More important is the Democratic leadership's reaction.

It appears our leaders are letting the minority is run the show...again.

[leftynyc]

13. If Sen Collins had ever

shown one ounce of the chutzpah needed to buck her party, I may have some faith. As she hasn't, I don't.

[NorthCarolina]

6. Did anyone TRULY hold the belief that DADT would be repealed this year?

I never did. It is far too valuable as a political tool for both conservative Republicans as well as conservative Dems. Not only that, they are fully aware that the repeal of DADT would quickly lead to a call for full equal rights, including marriage, for LGBT individuals, given that they would be openly allowed to fight and die to protect those rights for others. DADT isn't going anywhere in the near term, and after January 01 there will likely be little, if any, discussion of its repeal.

[David Zephyr]

7. K&R. Hope this gets more visibility.

Thanks, Joanne92 for posting this.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

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[flpoljunkie]

9. Make them work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week until they get it all done!

Including unemployment benefits extension, DADT, and the DREAM Act.

[QC]

11. But the Republicans wouldn't like that!

And they mean say something mean!

[Renew Deal]

12. DADT is no more or less dead than anything else.

They could write the same headline and replace DADT with START or DREAM.

[dsc]

15. START was exempted

from the letter.

[AlinPA]

22. START is dead too. No way the republicans will allow the President a foreign policy success. nt

[VMI Dem]

17. Good thing he appealed that decision.

His law now.

[donco6]

19. Yeah, me too. When does that 3D chess kick in again? n/t

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

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[grumgrum]

18. In 20-30 years U.S.A. will be like Mexico -- Canada will have to make Border Fences

Its truly amazing how much control republicans have over the entire country. Whatever they want they can get. And it just pretty much is tax cuts for the rich. And it doesnt help that most of the democrats want the same thing but they must do it under the guise of bipartisanship gimmicks so when real social issues come and fail they can blame republicans for not having the votes but secretly they are working with them. Both parties suck.

[AlinPA]

21. It never had a chance with the republican filibuster and people like Pryor. nt

[jenmito]

23. Not true. The Rupert-owned Guardian is starting trouble. There are Repubs.

still willing to repeal DADT.

[QC]

24. The Guardian is a leftist paper. Murdoch does not own it.

You are probably thinking of The Times (London), which is a Murdoch publication.