Posted on 12/18/2010 3:34:32 PM PST by Brices Crossroads
Eight Republicans bucked their party in backing the repeal of the Dont Ask, Dont Tell" policy, potentially risking a backlash from the conservative base while giving the historic vote a stronger bipartisan finish than many expected.
The Republican senators voting yes with the Democrats on repeal were Richard Burr of North Carolina, Mark Kirk of Illinois, John Ensign of Nevada, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, George Voinovich of Ohio, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, both of Maine.
Burr, Ensign and Kirk did not announce their support for repeal before the Saturday vote. Burr and Ensign initially sided with Republicans in a procedural vote to bring the measure to the floor; they voted for repeal on the final vote.
But while Kirk and Ensign had previously indicated they were open to voting for repeal, Burrs vote came as a surprise even to the sponsors of the legislation. Collins, who led the charge for repeal in the Senate with Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, said she lobbied every other GOP senator who voted for repeal, except for the North Carolina Republican.
I was confident going into the vote today that we had six to seven votes. I didn't not expect eight, said Collins. I was delighted but surprised with the vote from Sen. Burr. I think that was a gutsy vote and I was delighted. But he was not someone who I thought to lobby on the issue.
Burr explained his reasoning to reporters after final passage.
It's just that weve had a generational change and I have vehemently objected to making a policy change of this magnitude at this time. When cloture was passed, that settled that, Burr said. Its not accepted practice anywhere in our society, and it only makes sense. But again, I was vehemently opposed to the timing of this.
Another surprise of the day was Kirk, who was just elected to the Senate. As late as Thursday, the newly elected GOP senator told reporters that he was undecided and still combing through the long report from the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the issue.
Yet, in a 400-word statement released after the vote, Kirk explained in detail why he voted for the repeal of the policy.
Following their exhaustive and considered military judgment, I support the Joint Chief's recommendation to implement the repeal of the current policy once the battle effectiveness of the forces is certified and proper preparations are complete, said Kirk. The legislation before us provides our military leaders with the time they requested to change the policy.
Known for his moderate voting record as a congressman from the northern Chicago suburbs, Kirk was elected in the typically Democratic state of Illinois last November and was sworn into the Senate just three weeks ago.
But since arriving in Washington, Kirk has stood firmly with Senate Republicans. He was vocal in his opposition to the Democrat-backed $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill, which Majority Leader Harry Reid yanked, voted against the defense reauthorization act that including the repeal of dont ask, dont tell, and voted against the DREAM Act earlier Saturday.
Two of the Republicans Brown and Snowe are up for reelection in 2012.
The vote speaks for itself, Brown told POLITICO, before an aide added that he had explained his position in prior published statements and the elevator doors closed.
Voinovich, who is retiring at the end of this Congress, told reporters that he was convinced, based on all of the experts who have looked at this, this is something that should be done.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46578.html#ixzz18VZMt3Em
Burr explained his reasoning to reporters after final passage.
It's just that weve had a generational change and I have vehemently objected to making a policy change of this magnitude at this time. When cloture was passed, that settled that, Burr said. Its not accepted practice anywhere in our society, and it only makes sense. But again, I was vehemently opposed to the timing of this.
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No wonder he had such a hard time getting reelected. He will have a harder time in 2016.
Might be time for a primary challenge.....
Why was Kirk a surprise??? He’s gay.
He will lose the primary for this.
Too bad no one challenged Burr this year. We have to wait six long years to get rid of him.
I think the “gay” RINOs have all come out of the closet.
I knew he was a tad jelly spine on imigration. Thought he was OK on DADT.
Thats it for me - I’ll vote for the D in 2016.
At least when I get stabed in the back I’ll know it was the enemy.
This is messed up. They really heard nothing on election day.
I guess this is a social issue that is getting in the way??
Bye bye effective fighting force, hello Pink Corps.
Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)
ART. 125. SODOMY
(a) Any person subject to this chapter who engages in unnatural carnal copulation with another person of the same or opposite sex or with an animal is guilty of sodomy. Penetration , however slight, is sufficient to complete the offense.
(b) Any person found guilty of sodomy shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.
Look for the spate of sexual harassment lawsuits to come.
That’s being struck from the UCMJ as we type.
..and dunham soetoro obama is bi-sexual.
Well since now they can “tell” ... seems to me they ought to wear it as a badge like a medal. How about a nice little frilly ribbon for uniform lapel ... that would look nice.
Which is why he felt safe in screwing the people.
of course.
To all:
The House GOP when it takes control of the Chamber next year needs to have hearings and call as witnesses those who can attest to this policy’s near certain failure. We need to spotlight this and educate the American people to what is being done to the military in the interests not of national defense but political correctness.
The incoming Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee is Howard Buck McKeon from the 25th District of California.
The House Armed Services cCommittee can be contacted after January 4 at:
2340 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 226-8980 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (202) 226-8980 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Fax: (202) 225-0858
*
McKeon’s contact info is below:
Washington, D.C. Office
U.S. House of Representatives
2184 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
ph: (202) 225-1956
fax: (202) 226-0683
Santa Clarita Office
26650 The Old Road
Suite 203
Santa Clarita, CA 91381
ph: (661) 254-2111
fax: (661) 254-2380
Palmdale Office
1008 W. Ave M-14
Suite E-1
Palmdale, CA 93551
ph: (661) 274-9688
fax: (661) 274-8744
Uummm, Ya!
Uncle Frank: “Why Barry, what nice big ears you have!”
I’ll quit now.
So now we have a military of poofters. Once they real men flee, they will draft squads of light in the loafers fools.
Goodbye America, and thanks to the GOP scum that made this possible.
I knew this country was dead. The Senate will be the undoing in 2012.
What part of “Bradley Manning is a faggot” do these idiot politicians not understand???
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