The GOP's Foolish Defense of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
Instead of preparing for the next round of pork-laden "jobs" bills or increased regulations from the Democrats, Republicans are wasting their political capital in defense of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".
Not wanting to be on the unpopular side of a controversial issue, Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown has announced that he will not join Senate Republicans in a filibuster of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal. Include Maine Republicans Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe with those opposed to a filibuster, and the Republicans fall three votes short of being able to stop a repeal. Republicans still may be able to mount a filibuster if joined by several southern Democrats. Jim Webb of Virginia voted against repealing DADT in committee, and Arkansas Senator Mark Pryor, who believes in talking snakes, has said that he will vote against it as well. That still leaves opponents of the repeal one vote short, but Southern Democrats Mary Landrieu and Blanche Lincoln have not yet stated which way they will vote (Ben Nelson of Nebraska supports the repeal).
Why Republicans will spend energy on opposing a repeal overwhelmingly supported by the American voters is puzzling, when considering the necessity of saving political capital to fight upcoming Democratic bills on cap and trade, and another pork-filled “jobs” bill. Republicans are wasting precious ammunition needed to stop a continued European-style liberal economic onslaught, just to make sure that our fighting men and women who are gay stay closeted.
It's ironic that the same leaders who portend to support our troops also support making the lives of some of them miserable. My cousin's husband is a navy flight surgeon. He's terrified when he calls my cousin, for fear that others will overhear them talking and learn that he is gay. Everything they say to each other is coded, and they can't express any affection toward each other.
My cousin's husband is fighting for our freedom, but he doesn't even have the freedom to say “I love you.” It's bad enough to fear bullets, why should gay soldiers have to fear being outed?