At the Intersection of Bigotry and Cowardice

[ProSense]

AT THE INTERSECTION OF BIGOTRY AND COWARDICE....

The dust has not yet settled, and the reasons behind the Senate's failure to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" this afternoon are still coming into focus. But we know a few things with some certainty.

The first is that a 40-member Senate minority -- 39 Republicans and one Democrat -- blew off the appeals of the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs about an issue of great importance to the U.S. military. A clear majority of Americans support repeal; a clear majority of the men and women in uniform are on board with repeal; and clear majorities of the House and Senate have voted to support repeal.

Republicans still blocked it. This isn't just a situation in which they just chose to vote against a proposal -- they feel so strongly about this, they wouldn't even let the Senate vote up or down on the defense authorization bill, legislation that funds the military during two wars, and includes a provision to give U.S. troops a raise.

And what was driving such intense opposition? For senators like John McCain (R-Ariz.) and most of his GOP allies, it appears to be matter of not liking gay people.

For senators like Scott Brown (R-Mass.) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), it's about putting procedure above people. They'd like to do the right thing, but it's more important to get a certain kind of legislative debate.

The Republicans to message to gay servicemen and women, who volunteer to put their lives on the line to protect the rest of us, in effect, is, "We'd like to protect you from pointless discrimination, but Senate procedure matters more."

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[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. A horrible section of road.

[valerief]

2. Don't forget the corner of Greed and More Greed, too. nt