I do not think DADT was necessary at all. Colin Powell and the Republicans did, and President Clinton agreed to the DADT "compromise", which he later said was a mistake.
On 12/22/10, GregfromBoston <[email protected]> wrote: > WHY was DADT necessary Tommy? > > On Dec 22, 11:07 am, Tommy News <[email protected]> wrote: >> Greg- >> >> DADT was a compromise brokered by Republican Colin Powell, who >> convinced President Clinton it was the best way forward. Obviously, >> the misguided policy failed, ruining thousands of lives and careers, >> and it has now been repealed. >> Puting the blame on Democrats does not pass muster. Your twisted >> pretzel glue logic will not work. >> >> On 12/22/10, GregfromBoston <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> >> > How bout the OVERWHELMING number of democrats who made DADT necessary >> > in the first place? Whole bunch still there. >> >> > Ya really wanna play the, its a republican thing, card mate? Cuz the >> > hundreds, just became dems. >> >> > On Dec 22, 10:51 am, Tommy News <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Sure, why not. Also vote out all the Republicans in the house who >> >> voted against repeal. Hundreds of them. >> >> >> On 12/22/10, GregfromBoston <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> > Does the same go for the 26 Democratic members of the House that >> >> > voted >> >> > against DADT [repeal]?? >> >> > -------------------------------- >> >> >> > Uh oh! >> >> >> > Tom? >> >> >> > On Dec 22, 10:27 am, Mark <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> Does the same go for the 26 Democratic members of the House that >> >> >> voted >> >> >> against DADT?? >> >> >> >> On Wed, Dec 22, 2010 at 9:19 AM, Tommy News <[email protected]> >> >> >> wrote: >> >> >> > I disagree. >> >> >> >> > 31 Republican Senators voted against stand alone DADT repeal. They >> >> >> > have now blatantly exposed their stand alone homophobia. John >> >> >> > McCain, >> >> >> > who attempted to filibuster DADT repeal, is the worst of the lot. >> >> >> > We >> >> >> > must now vote all 31 of them out of office. >> >> >> >> > On 12/18/10, dick thompson <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> > > Like we told you a long time ago. Bring it up by itself and it >> >> >> > > will >> >> >> > > pass. Instead you kept trying to blame the votes against the >> >> >> > > Omnibus >> >> >> > > earmark bill on the DADT alone. Someday you might learn >> >> >> > > something >> >> >> > > but >> >> >> > > I kinda doubt it. Now maybe you will accept that some of the >> >> >> > > votes >> >> >> > > against the Omnibus krep bill were against something other than >> >> >> > > DADT. >> >> >> > > Although I doubt that too. You are far too wedded to blaming >> >> >> > > anything >> >> >> > > that goes against what you want as being homophobic alone. >> >> >> > > Obviously >> >> >> > > that is not so. >> >> >> >> > > On 12/18/2010 09:43 PM, Tommy News wrote: >> >> >> > >> Victory! Senate Repeals ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’, Despite 31 >> >> >> > >> Republican >> >> >> > >> No Votes and John McCain's Fillibuster Attempt. This is a long >> >> >> > >> overdue >> >> >> > >> victory for Civil Rights equality. Repeal of DOMA and Passige >> >> >> > >> of >> >> >> > >> ENDA >> >> >> > >> and UAFA, and introduction of The American Equality Bill for >> >> >> > >> Civil >> >> >> > >> Rights are next. >> >> >> >> > >> Senate Repeals ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ >> >> >> >> > >> Drew Angerer/The New York Times >> >> >> > >> Senator Joseph I. Lieberman gave the thumbs up as Majority >> >> >> > >> Leader >> >> >> > >> Harry Reid spoke at a press conference after the “don’t ask, >> >> >> > >> don’t >> >> >> > >> tell” vote. >> >> >> >> > >> By CARL HULSE >> >> >> > >> nk WASHINGTON — The Senate on Saturday voted to strike down the >> >> >> > >> ban >> >> >> > >> on >> >> >> > >> gay men and lesbians serving openly in the military, bringing >> >> >> > >> to a >> >> >> > >> close a 17-year struggle over a policy that forced thousands of >> >> >> > >> Americans from the ranks and caused others to keep secret their >> >> >> > >> sexual >> >> >> > >> orientation. >> >> >> >> > >> Clockwise from left, Senators Mark Udall, Joseph I. Lieberman, >> >> >> > >> Susan >> >> >> > >> Collins and Kirsten Gillibrand after a news conference on the >> >> >> > >> repeal >> >> >> > >> of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” >> >> >> >> > >> By a vote of 65 to 31, with eight Republicans joining >> >> >> > >> Democrats, >> >> >> > >> the >> >> >> > >> Senate approved and sent to President Obama a repeal of the >> >> >> > >> Clinton-era law, known as “don’t ask, don’t tell,” a policy >> >> >> > >> critics >> >> >> > >> said amounted to government-sanctioned discrimination that >> >> >> > >> treated >> >> >> > >> gay, lesbian and bisexual troops as second-class citizens. >> >> >> >> > >> Mr. Obama hailed the action, which fulfills his pledge to >> >> >> > >> reverse >> >> >> > >> the >> >> >> > >> ban, and said it was “time to close this chapter in our >> >> >> > >> history.” >> >> >> >> > >> “As commander in chief, I am also absolutely convinced that >> >> >> > >> making >> >> >> > >> this change will only underscore the professionalism of our >> >> >> > >> troops >> >> >> > >> as >> >> >> > >> the best-led and best-trained fighting force the world has ever >> >> >> > >> known,” he said in a statement after the Senate, on a >> >> >> > >> preliminary >> >> >> > >> 63-to-33 vote, beat back Republican efforts to block final >> >> >> > >> action >> >> >> > >> on >> >> >> > >> the repeal bill. >> >> >> >> > >> The vote marked a historic moment that some equated with the >> >> >> > >> end >> >> >> > >> of >> >> >> > >> racial segregation in the military. >> >> >> >> > >> It followed an exhaustive Pentagon review that determined the >> >> >> > >> policy >> >> >> > >> could be changed with only isolated disruptions to unit >> >> >> > >> cohesion >> >> >> > >> and >> >> >> > >> retention, though members of combat units and the Marine Corps >> >> >> > >> expressed greater reservations about the shift. Congressional >> >> >> > >> action >> >> >> > >> was backed by Pentagon officials as a better alternative to a >> >> >> > >> court-ordered end. >> >> >> >> > >> Supporters of the repeal said it was long past time to abolish >> >> >> > >> what >> >> >> > >> they saw as an ill-advised practice that cost valuable >> >> >> > >> personnel >> >> >> > >> and >> >> >> > >> forced troops to lie to serve their country. >> >> >> >> > >> “We righted a wrong,” said Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, the >> >> >> > >> independent from Connecticut and a leader of the effort to end >> >> >> > >> the >> >> >> > >> ban. “Today we’ve done justice.” >> >> >> >> > >> Before voting on the repeal, the Senate blocked a bill that >> >> >> > >> would >> >> >> > >> have >> >> >> > >> created a path to citizenship for certain illegal immigrants >> >> >> > >> who >> >> >> > >> came >> >> >> > >> to the United States at a young age, completed two years of >> >> >> > >> college >> >> >> > >> or >> >> >> > >> military service and met other requirements including passing a >> >> >> > >> criminal background check. >> >> >> >> > >> The 55-to-41 vote in favor of the citizenship bill was five >> >> >> > >> votes >> >> >> > >> short of the number needed to clear the way for final passage >> >> >> > >> of >> >> >> > >> what >> >> >> > >> is known as the Dream Act. >> >> >> >> > >> The outcome effectively kills it for this year, and its fate >> >> >> > >> beyond >> >> >> > >> that is uncertain since Republicans who will assume control of >> >> >> > >> the >> >> >> > >> House in January oppose the measure and are unlikely to bring >> >> >> > >> it >> >> >> > >> to a >> >> >> > >> vote. >> >> >> >> > >> The Senate then moved on to the military legislation, engaging >> >> >> > >> in >> >> >> > >> an >> >> >> > >> emotional back and forth over the merits of the measure as >> >> >> > >> advocates >> >> >> > >> for repeal watched from galleries crowded with people >> >> >> > >> interested >> >> >> > >> in >> >> >> > >> the fate of both the military and immigration measures. >> >> >> >> > >> “I don’t care who you love,” Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of >> >> >> > >> Oregon, >> >> >> > >> said as the debate opened. “If you love this country enough to >> >> >> > >> risk >> >> >> > >> your life for it, you shouldn’t have to hide who you are.” >> >> >> >> > >> Mr. Wyden showed up for the Senate vote despite saying earlier >> >> >> > >> that >> >> >> > >> he >> >> >> > >> would be unable to do so because he would be undergoing final >> >> >> > >> tests >> >> >> > >> before his scheduled surgery for prostate cancer on Monday. >> >> >> >> > >> The vote came in the final days of the 111th Congress as >> >> >> > >> Democrats >> >> >> > >> sought to force through a final few priorities before they turn >> >> >> > >> over >> >> >> > >> control of the House of Representatives to the Republicans in >> >> >> > >> January >> >> >> > >> and see their clout in the Senate diminished. >> >> >> >> > >> It represented a significant victory for the White House, >> >> >> > >> Congressional advocates of lifting the ban and activists who >> >> >> > >> have >> >> >> > >> pushed for years to end the Pentagon policy created in 1993 >> >> >> > >> under >> >> >> > >> the >> >> >> > >> Clinton administration as a compromise effort to end the >> >> >> > >> practice >> >> >> > >> of >> >> >> > >> barring gay men and lesbians entirely from military service. >> >> >> >> > >> Saying it represented an emotional moment for members of the >> >> >> > >> gay >> >> >> > >> community nationwide, advocates who supported repeal of “don’t >> >> >> > >> ask, >> >> >> > >> don’t tell” exchanged hugs outside the Senate chamber after the >> >> >> > >> vote. >> >> >> >> > >> “Today’s vote means gay and lesbian service members posted all >> >> >> > >> around >> >> >> > >> the world can stand taller knowing that ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ >> >> >> > >> will >> >> >> > >> soon be coming to an end,” said Aubrey Sarvis, an Army veteran >> >> >> > >> and >> >> >> > >> executive director for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. >> >> >> >> > >> Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona and his party’s >> >> >> > >> presidential candidate in 2008, led the opposition to the >> >> >> > >> repeal >> >> >> > >> and >> >> >> > >> said the vote was a sad day in history. >> >> >> >> > >> “I hope that when we pass this legislation that we will >> >> >> > >> understand >> >> >> > >> that we are doing great damage,” Mr. McCain said. “And we could >> >> >> > >> possibly and probably, as the commandant of the Marine Corps >> >> >> > >> said, >> >> >> > >> and >> >> >> > >> as I have been told by literally thousands of members of the >> >> >> > >> military, >> >> >> > >> harm the battle effectiveness vital to the survival of our >> >> >> > >> young >> >> >> > >> men >> >> >> > >> and women in the military.” >> >> >> >> > >> He and others opposed to lifting the ban said the change could >> >> >> > >> harm >> >> >> > >> the unit cohesion that is essential to effective military >> >> >> > >> operations, >> >> >> > >> particularly in combat, and deter some Americans from enlisting >> >> >> > >> or >> >> >> > >> pursuing a career in the military. They noted that despite >> >> >> > >> support >> >> >> > >> for >> >> >> > >> repealing the ban from Defense >> >> ... >> >> read more »- Hide quoted text - >> >> - Show quoted text - > > -- > Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. > For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > > * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ > * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. > * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -- Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time. Have a great day, Tommy -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more.
