Oh My: Standalone DADT repeal bill passes House as Olympia Snowe flips to yes in Senate

Hotair.com ^ | December 15, 2010 | Allahpundit

[tom h]

They already passed an amendment to repeal DADT back in May, but that was part of a broader defense bill. Today’s vote was on the standalone DADT bill that Lieberman and Collins are hoping to put in front of the Senate next week. The vote in May: 234-194, with just five Republicans voting yes. The vote today: 250-175, with 15 Republicans in the majority. (Among the 10 who flipped to yes this time: Jeff Flake.) It was smart of Pelosi to force a vote in the House, just as it was smart of Reid to table the vote on the DREAM Act so that the House could go first. In each case, the fact that the lower chamber’s already passed a corresponding bill ratchets up the pressure on Senate fencesitters.

In fact, it’s already paying dividends. Olympia Snowe was one of the 40 no votes last week on the defense bill that had a DADT repeal provision in it, but suddenly on the standalone bill she’s had a change of heart:

“After careful analysis of the comprehensive report compiled by the Department of Defense and thorough consideration of the testimony provided by the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the service chiefs, I support repeal of the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ law,” Snowe said in a statement.

Remember, the sticking point for Scott Brown and Murkowski (but not Collins!) has been the procedural posture of the DADT vote, not the substance. They claim they’re in favor of repeal, but they want the tax deal finalized — which could happen tomorrow — and they wanted more time for debate on the broader defense bill. I’m not sure how those procedural objections will translate to the new standalone DADT bill. It could be that Brown, Murkowski, and Snowe all vote yes, which would actually put Reid at 61 votes for cloture, or they could all vote no for whatever procedural reason, leaving Reid stuck at 58. Or maybe Snowe alone will join Collins in voting yes, putting Reid one thin vote away from the magic number. If that happens, the pressure on Manchin to switch from no to yes will be overwhelming, especially since one of his aides said after last week’s vote that he probably would have voted differently if he had been the 60th vote. Long story short, anything can happen, but they’re tantalizingly close to finally getting this done. Exit question: After threatening to hold the lame duck session over until January 4th if need be to deal with the START treaty and other business, Reid basically has to bring this bill to the floor now, right? Gay activists aren’t going to accept “we ran out of time” as an excuse.

[tom h]

All those media surveys of the military are not surveys of troops fighting on the front line, where the presence of gays would be far more stressful. I expect that for frontline troops there would be significant opposition -- a sentiment confirmed by the USMC Commander who went public with his opposition a few days ago.

To those who think that having open gays serve in the military is no big deal, just answer me this -- I cannot imagine any young man wanting to fight alongside another man who might have a sexual attraction toward him. It's disruptive and offensive no matter how much PC-bull honkey one says about it. Matters of sex should stay out of the foxhole altogether.

This is the same reason, of course, why I am violently opposed to women in combat, also.

[JPG]

Tan shoes with pink shoelaces.

[McGavin999]

Isn’t there a big military base in Maine? It needs to be moved or closed down since the Maine twins are both set on betraying our military.

[scbison]

Don’t these Asshats realize that if they repeal DADT, the military is going to struggle to recruit and retain people? Our military will eventually become very weak and our country will no longer be able to defend itself and rebellion and secession will eventually come to fruition. I predict within 50 to 100 years, the USA will be no more....

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***To those who think that having open gays serve in the military is no big deal,***

what would George Washington do?

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field(DOCID+@lit(gw110081))
Note: go to the above link, you will get an error message. Go to the URL window and make sure the last two )) are there. If not place them and hit enter.

The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745-1799. John C. Fitzpatrick, Editor.

Head Quarters, V. Forge, Saturday, March 14, 1778.

Parole Ormskirk. Countersigns Otley, Ottery.

****

At a General Court Martial whereof Colo. Tupper was President (10th March 1778) Lieutt. Enslin28 of Colo. Malcom’s Regiment tried for attempting to commit sodomy, with John Monhort a soldier; Secondly, For Perjury in swearing to false Accounts, found guilty of the charges exhibited against him, being breaches of 5th. Article 18th. Section of the Articles of War and do sentence him to be dismiss’d the service with Infamy. His Excellency the Commander in Chief ( George Washington) approves the sentence and with Abhorrence and Detestation of such Infamous Crimes orders Lieutt. Enslin to be drummed out of Camp tomorrow morning by all the Drummers and Fifers in the Army never to return; The Drummers and Fifers to attend on the Grand Parade at Guard mounting for that Purpose.

[ColdOne]

this whole bunch in power needs to go. They are traitors to our Constitution, our way of life.

[bobzeetwin]

Isn’t there a big military base in Maine? It needs to be moved or closed down since the Maine twins are both set on betraying our military.

Closed last year. Brunswick Naval Air Base. Maine still has Bath Iron Works, builder of Navy ships.

[Ben Hecks]

It’s difficult to believe that Congress is voting to legalize sodomy. It’s all downhill from here.

[jagusafr]

They. Don’t. Care. Their political agenda is the only thing they care about, but they’ll be the first to start shrieking for protection when we get attacked the next time.

Colonel, USAFR

[WHBates]

We have a government out of control. The fact that this is being done in a lame duck congress is a national shame.

[JoSixChip]

"I predict within 50 to 100 years, the USA will be no more"

Well your certainly more optimistic then I am.

[madprof98]

I predict within 50 to 100 years, the USA will be no more....

I don't think it will last that long. We are clearly at or beyond the "bread and circuses" stage of another once-great empire. The majority are content with whatever pittance the government sends their way as long as they can bed whomever they want, whenever they want, with complete impunity. The generation of children left to raise themselves as best they can (with government indoctrination as their sole education) will not be able to sustain a viable society.

[mrsmel]

I have wondered if that’s their plan.

[Blood of Tyrants]

YES! They DO know! They are INTENTIONALLY destroying the US! They know that their agenda is dead come January 5 so they are trying to shove as much down our throats to do as much damage as possible before then!

And the RINOs go right along because they are nothing but sleeper socialists.

[mrsmel]

It’s the way they do things which they know Americans oppose-look at CommieCare and how they passed that, all the shameful wheeling and dealing behind closed doors. I know that’s nothing new, but in some cases the deal was to avoid the very legislation they were stuffing down our throats.

[Blood of Tyrants]

They have already been voted out. This is their last middle finger as they are heading out the door.

[matt1234]

What are the prospects of this passing in the Senate?

[McGavin999]

Well, they really need to think about moving to VA or some other military friendly state.

[jessduntno]

“In fact, it’s already paying dividends. Olympia Snowe was one of the 40 no votes last week on the defense bill that had a DADT repeal provision in it, but suddenly on the standalone bill she’s had a change of heart”

What’s in the Omnibustus Bill for her? Or is there a couple million coming from Ogunquit?

[The Comedian]

Don’t these Asshats realize that if they repeal DADT, the military is going to struggle to recruit and retain people?

Yes, that's their goal. That way, the Obama Civilian Security Force will be the best option. You see, Hussein's Praetorian Guard won't accept homos. They aren't stable enough to protect His Kenyanness.

Our military will eventually become very weak and our country will no longer be able to defend itself and rebellion and secession will eventually come to fruition.

Yes. You say that like it's supposed to convince people who have that as their goal to change their course and methods. You are operating from the false premise that these people are American patriots. They are not. They are anti-American sleeper agents extraordinaire.

I predict within 50 to 100 years, the USA will be no more....

LOL, you're insanely optimistic. We've got 2 years, tops. Probably more like 6 months.

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.