News Round-up from DADT Debacle this Afternoon.

Obama complains about Dem. base, but fails to say a word about DADT repeal 

A few minutes ago, I tweeted this:

Does @barackobama know that the GOPers are filibustering the Def. Auth. bill? We're in 2 wars, you'd think he'd say something.

Mike Signorile tweeted:

Imagine if Democrats held up a defense bill? Why isn't Obama pointing to the Repubs not supporting the troops in 2 wars? Where is he?

We haven't heard a word. But, last night, Obama was bitching about Democrats who aren't happy with him, via Jake Tapper:

Last night at the Pyramid Club in Philadelphia, President Obama said “when I hear Democrats griping and groaning and saying, ‘Well, you know, the health care plan didn’t have a public option;’ and I don’t know, ‘The financial reform -- there was a provision here that I think we should have gotten better’; or, ‘You know what, yes, you ended the war in Iraq, the combat mission there, but you haven’t completely finished the Afghan war yet’; or this or that or the other -- I say, folks, wake up.” Continued the president: “This is not some academic exercise."

Actually, we know that. So, while he's out complaining about us -- and last night wasn't the first time, no one has heard a thing from Obama on this upcoming vote. Last night, I reported that the White House wasn't even lobbying for passage of the Defense bill. Yet, Obama wonders why we "gripe and groan."

Today, via the Washington Blade, SLDN goes on the record saying the President has been AWOL:

Blame is already being assigned to the White House.

Trevor Thomas, spokesperson for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, said his organization hasn’t seen an effort from the White House on the issue in recent days.

“We have not seen any signs that the White House has been whipping this vote in the last 48 hours,” Thomas said.

Thomas said he can’t predict what will happen with the cloture vote and maintained SLDN is “taking nothing for granted.”

Every time this President has had the opportunity to take action for equality, he hasn't. We get nice speeches, but not much more.

It doesn't get any better: Don't Ask, Don't Give

SLDN Statement on the U.S. Senate’s Failure to Break Filibuster and Repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), a national, legal services and policy organization dedicated to ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT), issued a statement today after the U.S. Senate failed to break a filibuster on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which contains the repeal of DADT. To move forward on debate of the bill, 60 votes were needed to break a filibuster by U.S. Sen. John McCain.

Statement by Army veteran and SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis:

“Today’s Senate vote was a frustrating blow to repeal this horrible law. We lost because of the political maneuvering dictated by the mid-term elections. Let’s be clear: Opponents to repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ did not have the votes to strike those provisions from the bill. Instead, they had the votes for delay. Time is the enemy here. We now have no choice but to look to the lame duck session where we’ll have a slim shot. The Senate absolutely must schedule a vote in December when cooler heads and common sense are more likely to prevail once midterm elections are behind us. Servicemembers Legal Defense Network will continue to take this fight to the American people, the vast majority of whom support repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’”

Reaction to the Senate’s Failure to Move Forward on Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, DREAM Act

Thanks in large part to Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain, the U.S. Senate voted Tuesday afternoon not to move forward to a vote on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which contains the repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and the DREAM Act. The vote on the cloture motion to end debate on the bill failed 56 to 43 – four votes short of the 60 votes needed to break the filibuster.

Two Democrats, Sens. Blanche L. Lincoln and Mark Pryor from Arkansas, voted with all 40 Republicans. On the other hand, conservative Democrat Jim Webb of Virginia, who opposes repealing DADT, voted with the Democrats in order to pass the larger NDAA. And apparently Lady Gaga’s highly publicized appeal to Maine Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins also went unheard, though Collins supports repealing DADT.

Being Gay in the Military is a "Private Hell" Under DADT

The New York Times' "At War" blog on Monday released the stories of seven current and former service members and their experiences in the military under the discriminatory and counterproductive "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy. You would be very hard-pressed to read these powerful testimonials from obviously outstanding members of the armed forces and not come away with the impression that DADT has undermined and weakened our military, and destroyed very promising careers.

A lesbian combat engineer lieutenant and West Point graduate, currently preparing for a combat deployment to Afghanistan, writes:

The problems encountered are endless. How does a young gay N.C.O. live with his partner when he is forced to live in the barracks because the Army does not recognize his marriage?

How can a soldier receive emergency leave for a spouse who does not exist, according to the Army? How is it possible to incorporate your partner into family readiness groups while deployed?

At a fundamental level, the Army is built around the team, whether it's a squad, platoon, or even a family readiness group. It's not a job meant to be done alone. Yet any of these soldiers can tell you that life as a gay service member is a lonely and foreign endeavor in which the typical choice is between having a healthy relationship or family, or pursuing the career you love.

What is gained by forcing otherwise dedicated men and women into making such a choice? This is a question that DADT proponents must answer.

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