So apparently DADT repeal is pretty much dead

[dsc]

http://gay.americablog.com/2010/12/hill-source-obamas-insistence-on-start.html

Kerry Eleveld just wrote the same thing in the Advocate this morning, and Joe and I just got the same thing from a connected source on the Hill. The President's insistence on the Senate taking up the START treaty during the lame duck session may run out the clock on DADT.

Here's Kerry:

I have to level with you – “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal is most likely dead.
Of course, it's more than just START. The Democrats are still talking about leaving for Christmas break a good week+ before Christmas. There's no reason they can't continue working on legislation up until the day before Christmas. These are, after all, the final days of the Democratically controlled Congress. You'd think the Democrats might want to do as much as they can before they lose their majority in the House. And in fact, Igor Volsky notes that there's no reason this Congress can't continue considering legislation up until the new Congress is sworn in, expected to happen around January 3, 2011 - or 28 days from now.

more at link

Honestly I am beyond disgusted with this. We have had a majority similar to this one only one other time in my lifetime (Carter 77-79) assuming we end up waiting as long for it again I will be 65 before we have it again. And all we have to show for it, hate crimes legislation. No enda, no dadt repeal. The typical gay is not any better off.

[BzaDem]

1. While I do not know whether or not it will pass, I wouldn't call it dead yet. They are now talking

about extending the session into Christmas eve, like they did last year. This stuff keeps changing by the minute.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/06/senate-dadt-repeal-2010-harry-reid-_n_792603.html

"Top Senate Democrats are willing to keep the chamber in session longer than expected in order to overturn the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. But leadership is not yet ready to commit to working up to -- or even through -- the Christmas break.

A Senate aide told The Huffington Post on Monday morning that Majority Leader Harry Reid has been "supportive" of the idea that lawmakers be kept in D.C. to pass a defense authorization bill that has, attached to it, language that would allow gays to serve openly in the armed services. That same procedural strategy is being pushed by Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.), one of the chief advocates for overturning DADT.

"Sen. Lieberman believes that there are at least 60 votes to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' this year, provided that leadership allows time for sufficient debate and amendments," Lieberman spokeswoman Erika Masonhall said. "Wanting to go home is not an acceptable excuse for failing to pass a bill that provides essential support for our troops and veterans and failing to take action that the president, the Secretary of Defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have called for."

Hours later, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) another leading advocate for overturning DADT, offered her support for Lieberman's position.

But keeping the Senate in session, perhaps through Christmas, requires the entire caucus being onboard. And currently, Reid, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and others have their hands fulls resolving the tax-cut debate (a meeting at the White House with President Obama is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Monday), so much so that they haven't been able to take the temperature of all their colleagues."

--snip--

[AlinPA]

5. It's dead and has been all along. Why would the republicans allow the President to have

something on his agenda passed? Why would the republicans vote for repeal with teabaggers staring them down? No way.

[BzaDem]

8. It wouldn't be all the Republicans. It would be Collins and Snowe. But you are right that it is more

likely than not that it won't happen.

I think that Collins and Snowe really want it repealed, but that they would probably succumb to party pressure to vote no anyway.

I just don't think the chances are as low as they are for the Republicans caving on taxes, etc.

[MNBrewer]

6. So dead that rigor mortis has set in

[bullwinkle428]

2. All of those promises we heard a couple of weeks back - "we have all

these Republicans on board, willing to vote to repeal!"

Apparently now, nothing more than dust in the wind, as they once again just laugh at us from their secret underground lair...

[RKP5637]

3. There are going to be an enormous number of people disappointed if DADT

is not repealed as it will another, we tried ...

[rucky]

4. After the elections...

After the holidays...

Well, the GOP just took over the House, so this isn't a real good time, either. Don't forget to vote in 2012!

[Better Believe It]

7. Good thing the Obama administration appealed the court ruling that declared DADT unconstitutional.

This is the icing on the cake.

It might come up again before Congress in 2017 if Democrats can win control of all 100 Senate and 435 House seats and have a Democrat in the White House.

Or maybe not.

[xultar]

9. We were trying to tell them we don't have time and they fucking appealed anyway

and fucked shit to pluto!

I'm so fucking angry,.

[BzaDem]

11. They appealed because it's the President's duty to defend Congressional laws. You wouldn't want a

President Palin to be able to de facto repeal Medicare just because some random district judge (out of 700) decided it was unconstitutional (even though the Supreme Court already upheld the law in question).

[Jakes Progress]

18. Look up the word duty.

Then look up the work tradition. They are not the same.

[BzaDem]

23. Look up the words "faithful execution of the laws"

and then tell me how "faithful execution of the laws" is consistent with de facto repealing any law you desire simply because someone found some district judge willing to strike it down, despite the very law being upheld multiple times by higher courts.

It's amazing how some people here cry foul over the unitary executive. But hey, when it comes to repealing ANY LAW any President wants, provided 1/700 district judges agrees, they defend that.

[Jakes Progress]

38. Please stop. You are embarrassing yourself.

Look. You want to excuse something like this, you can go ahead. But stop even pretending that Obama was forced to appeal the court decision. That was the issue you bleated about. Remember? Now you want to change the subject.

Like I said. If you have no problem with an executive that does this, that is your business. But don't try to convince thinking people that he did it because the "had" to.

[MNBrewer]

19. not exactly

[Tesha]

35. Do you think *ANYONE* actually believes you about that anymore? (NT)

[WiffenPoof]

10. Apparently...

it is on life support. Pray that the power doesn't go out.

-PLA

[KharmaTrain]

12. Yet Another Football...

This isn't a matter of rights or doing the right thing, the GOTB sees this as yet another bargaining chip either for Democrats to "compromise" on. They play Charlie Brown and Lucy with the football...the administration and "moderate" Democrats bite and then the football is moved.

The GOTB has a price tag on their support of repealing DADT and it's a dandy. Each time a Brown or Snowe will say they're all ready to repeal, then comes the but... It's a cynical game that this administration and Democrats can't win. Unfortunately, as we have seen over and over, without 60 votes in the Senate nothing moves...and nothing this administration can do will change that. So what's the price? Making tax cuts for the rich permanent? Making it that they don't pay any taxes at all? Allowing drilling anywhere and everywhere? Raise the retirement age to 75? There's always going to be a high price.

This issue will be settled in the courts...the legislative has failed.

[Better Believe It]

28. And the sad thing is they only need 51 votes to pass legislation, not 60 like they keep insisting.

Republican phantom filibusters?

They can be broken.

Just the same old lame excuse for inaction, compromise and capitulation.

[KharmaTrain]

33. We've Gone Through The Scenario

The phantom filibusters are also a pain for Democrats. Someone recently put up the rules as to how such a fillibuster would take place. Once and hour a rushpublican would just walk to the Senate floor and ask for a quorum call that would go on until a certain number of Senators are present. This means Democrats would have to sleep in the Senate almost non-stop while the GOTB could appoint their member of the hour who would call for yet another quorum call. Not quite the Mr. Smith moment so many hope for.

Get used to it...the Senate is officially dysfuncational and the blame will go to the administration for not being "strong enough". More lose-lose. It really sucks.

[Better Believe It]

36. It's really very simple.

Democrats don't let the Senate take up any other business while Republicans are forced to filibuster on the floor of the Senate on a specific legislative proposal.

The Senate forced the Republicans to engage in a real "on-the-Senate-floor" filibuster just this past March.

The filibuster fizzled after less than 24 hours.

You didn't know about that?

And of course the Senate should not be allowed to adjourn for a holiday recess until DADT, the $250 Social Security payment and other business is settled. If the Republicans want to flee Washington even without a recess, let them.

[KharmaTrain]

37. I Recall...

I've been a long time critic of Reid and the way he let things get away. He has a problem keeping his own caucus on the same page. With DADT Webb, B Nelson, Pryor and now Machin will probably vote against...and that is where the real log jam is. As long as the Democrats are divided and the GOTB stays united this government will remain dysfunctional.

I'm all for keeping them in session until we not only get DADT done as well as START and bunch of judges whose confirmations have been stonewalled but the urge of this administration to show they can get something/anything is proving they aren't capable of standing for anything.

If it were up to me, I'd adjourn the Senate until further notice...

[terrya]

13. If it doesn't happen legislatively, we pursue this through the courts.

Hell, it's not like it would be a total surprise. Gates and Mullen last week warned the Senate that they would rather have it repealed in Congress than have the courts decide it.

I doubt very much if this falls apart in the Senate, the LCR will stop with their lawsuit against DADT.

[MNBrewer]

17. THe only useful thing the LCRs have ever done

gotta hand it to them on this one. Dem groups didn't have the nerve.

[Bluebear]

14. 'a fundamental failure of leadership from the top down, starting with President Obama.'

From the article.

Thank you, O Fierce One.

[Bluenorthwest]

15. Everybody who knows says it is dead, give up, forget it

And they also so, as we knew from word go with the slimy religious hate bags hanging around DC these days.

[struggle4progress]

16. Could be. But Aravosis has a history of misrepresenting matters,

so I generally don't regard him as a useful analyst

Aravosis was still in junior high school or high school in the Carter era -- so his memories of the politics of that time may be useless

And what's the point of his claim we won't have good majorities again until 2028?

[BzaDem]

21. As much as I disagree with Aravosis on a great many things, he's probably right about the majority.

It's interesting how many people are claiming that they aren't going to vote this and that, because this Congress wasn't liberal enough.

Well, folks, that was likely the most liberal Congress we are going to see for decades. It will probably take another decade or two or more for us to get back 60 seats.

[MNBrewer]

22. memories are the only valid source of information?

[dsc]

30. actually that was me

and I am admittedly about the same age as him (born in 67). But the fact is those majorities are rare. The GOP hasn't had one since the 20's and we haven't had more than a handfull of them since the 1930's. This was a spetacular waste.

[EFerrari]

20. "I don't like Mondays."

:(

[terrya]

24. Hell, the Democrats should attach DADT repeal to the tax cuts.

The Republicans want their fucking tax cuts so damn much? They have to repeal DADT as well.

[xultar]

25. You think Obama wouldn't have given away the baby, the bathwater, the soap, and the ducky

but he did.

I cannot believe all he got was 1 year of unemployment.

Move aside Obama. Let Biden do Domestic and You do Foreign Policy,.

[Bluebear]

26. 'and the ducky'

:rofl:

Thank you for the laugh :) Nothing much else to be amused about!

[BzaDem]

27. Wouldn't work. Wouldn't get more than a few Republican votes, which wouldn't make up for losing 20

liberals because of the tax issue.

[gratuitous]

29. At least we got extended tax cuts for the wealthy

So we got that going for us.

[AmandaMae]

31. disappointing and disgusting. They fail us once again.

[spanone]

32. it's a travesty.

[terrya]

34. *sigh*...I might be a naive idiot, but...it may not be dead yet

I'll call Senator Durbin's (one of my Senators and also Majority Whip) about him signing on to this tomorrow.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/06/senate-dadt-repeal-2010-harry-reid-_n_792603.html