Posted on 12/18/2010 9:27:04 PM PST by onyx
In a surprising move, after voting against cloture earlier in the day, Sen. Richard Burr (R., N.C.) and Sen. John Ensign (R., Nev.) both voted to repeal the U.S. military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy on homosexuality. The measure passed by a 65–31 margin this afternoon. Other Republicans voting in favor of repeal: Sen. Mark Kirk (Ill.), Sen. Scott Brown (Mass.), Sen. George Voinovich (Ohio), Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), and the Maine ladies, Sen. Olympia Snowe and Sen. Susan Collins.
Burr said it was not a difficult vote to cast, despite his state’s being home to Camp Lejeune, the largest Marine Corps base on the East Coast. Gen. James Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps, had been one of the most high-profile opponents of repeal. “Hopefully we all think independently here and we listen; we don’t have to be lobbied or influenced,” he said.
Burr told reporters that he supported repeal because “this is a policy that generationally is right,” but said he “didn’t necessarily agree” with those who have characterized the issue as a civil-rights struggle.
“A majority of Americans have grown up at a time [when] they don’t think exclusion is the right thing for the United States to do,” Burr said. “It’s not the accepted practice anywhere else in our society, and it only makes sense.”
Burr explained that he voted against cloture because he “vehemently objected to making a policy change of this magnitude at this time . . . when we’ve got troops deployed.” He also wished Republicans had been allowed to offer amendments to the bill.
“Even though this bill has now passed, it should never be enacted immediately,” he said, expressing concern over how and when the bill would go into effect. Burr said he hoped the implementation process would address his concerns and those of military officials, like General Amos, who had come out against repeal. “The speed with which this was done ignores their input and their concerns,” he said.
After he left the Capitol, Burr’s office issued this statement:
“Given the generational transition that has taken place in our nation, I feel that this policy is outdated and repeal is inevitable. However, I remain convinced that the timing of this change is wrong, and making such a shift in policy at a time when we have troops deployed in active combat areas does not take into consideration the seriousness of the situation on the ground. But, the vote this morning to invoke cloture on this bill indicated that the broader Senate was prepared to move forward with a change, and despite my concerns over timing, my conclusion is that repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is the right thing to do.”
Sen. Bob Corker (R., Tenn.) told National Review Online he wasn’t surprised by Burr’s vote. And though he echoed his colleague’s concerns about bringing up the issue during a lame-duck session and in a time of war, Corker suggested that under different circumstances and after greater consideration, more Republicans would have supported repeal.
“It was something people knew was going to happen,” Corker said, pointing out that apart from Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.), few other Republicans put up much of a fight to stop repeal. “You didn’t really see anybody in there talking about it much, right? It wasn’t impassioned at all.”
Ensign, for his part, departed quietly:
Before the vote, Ensign said the choice for him was a struggle between what he personally thought was the right thing to do, and the circumstantial concerns of various military chiefs.
That’s why, he explained, he had voted against taking up the measure.
But in the end, once the question on the table, it appeared personal conviction won out over political circumstance. “My personal feeling is that it should be repealed,” he’d said before the 65-to-31 vote.
Ensign left the Senate chamber quickly and quietly . . .
John has been under a cloud ever since he let his little head do the thinking instead of his big head.
I thought he might overcome that scandal, now it looks like he may not try?
If it’s going to become an open seat I prefer he announce it right away so we can find a good candidate to replace him.
Nevada has a significant military population (Top Gun, etc.) and Ensign voted “yes?” Un-effing believable. Gotta be blackmail or a vote “trade.” He was just let off the hook by DOJ. “The decision by Justice not to bring charges against Ensign was first reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.”
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/45815.html
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/45815.html#ixzz18XdOUEbR
LOL.
Yes, you’re right and sjneuf has posted the link to very timely article.
Unreal, I know, and his vote was NOT necessary, but now I’m glad he cast it. Better to have all of them out themselves. No pro-homosexual agenda Republican House or Senate need apply or remain in their seats.
Just as the lie of Man Made Global Warming was exposed so too will the LIE that you are born gay and more. But by then it will be too late as they will never undo this.
I have been lied to long enough by these shameless bastards I call my representatives. I resent liars like Brown of Massachusetts and others who talked a good talk but live a great lie. Like the lie of homosexuality they will come to regret what they have done.
If I, as a male soldier, can’t bunk or shower or live in the same room as a female out of sexual propriety and properness and tensions that would exist how in the hell do they think that it will magically not exist between men of whom one is sexually motivated towards men?
I resent my government today...every last one of them for supporting this...they have no idea what they have done and just how much harm they have caused.
Burr has obviously been lying since he has running for Senate.
You know the issues precisely, and I can't help but to think that the traitorous senators did, also, but military cohesiveness be damned, -— the homosexual agenda took precedence. I am only a civilian woman with no military service, but I understand, and I can readily see spats and lawsuits over military housing --- homosexual married couples demanding to live next door to families --- and what about Christian soldiers who truly believe sodomy is a sin?
All of this jammed down the throats of our finest all volunteer military by a handful of RINO traitors; including 3 stupid women!
The Marxist-democrats have always hated the military, so their votes were not surprising, just disgusting.
You and all of our straight brave troops and officers have my prayers.
greedo!!! You've hit gold! THANKS VERY MUCH!
Burr and Kirk are Romney supporters!!!
Whenever you see a Republican do something bizarre, just google his name with Romney and follow the money.
Thanks very much, (again). I will remember your sage words of advice!
obama and his minions own the results of this social policy experiment of sexualizing the military being foisted on our troops while they are engaged in a multi-theater war
mark their names
watch for it
Ensign was notified that there would be NO federal investigation into his affair with a staffer. He sold his vote.
Burr’s vote is inexplicable.
Ensign....another b*stard from my state of Nevada.
JMO.........Could it be these eight senators have family members who are homosexual? Blood is thicker than water.
Ensign....another b*stard from my state of Nevada.
JMO.........Could it be these eight senators have family members who are homosexual? Blood is thicker than water.
There's going to be a lot of that going around.
Mr. niteowl77
It's time for Ensign to be zotted in the 2012 Republican primary. Votes have consequences.
Collins and Snowe are what they are. But, Ensign and Burr showed us who they really were and they need to be eliminated.
I don’t know. I did fire off one heck of an email to his office this morning. My county in Nevada is overwhelmingly conservative and they are not going to be happy about this. I wonder if Harry didn’t make some deal with helping him back here? He’s got that pesky extra marital affair dogging him.
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