Charles Krauthammer: Obama’s New Start - Republicans no longer have the wind at their backs.

Riding the lamest of ducks, President Obama just won the Triple Crown. He fulfilled (1) his most important economic priority, passage of Stimulus II, a.k.a. the tax-cut deal (the perfect pre-reelection fiscal sugar high — the piper gets paid in 2013 and beyond); (2) his most important social-policy objective, repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell”; and (3) his most cherished (achievable) foreign-policy goal, ratification of the New START treaty with Russia.

Politically, these are all synergistic. The bipartisan nature of the tax deal instantly repositioned Obama back to the center. And just when conventional wisdom decided the deal had caused irreparable alienation from his liberal base, Obama almost immediately won it back — by delivering one of the gay-rights movement’s most elusive and coveted breakthroughs.

The symbolism of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal cannot be underestimated. It’s not just that for the civil-rights community, it represents a long-awaited extension of the historic arc — first blacks, then women, now gays. It was also Obama decisively transcending the triangulated trimming of Bill Clinton, who instituted “don’t ask, don’t tell” in the first place. Even more subtly and understatedly, the repeal represents the taming of the most conservative of the nation’s institutions, the military, by a movement historically among the most avant-garde. Whatever your views, that is a cultural landmark...

Why?

You think I should be zotted?

I’ve been a member of FreeRepublic since 2001. I regularly participate in the forums.

You really think I should be zotted for this rather innocuous missive, a post mostly to express a theory I have, hardly any support of DADT.

You proud of yourself?

The tax-cut deal was NOT a victory for O-Bow.

He campaigned AGAINST it and stabbed his far-left constituency in the back. It was a desperate measure on his part saved for the last bell since he was so ashamed to do it.

And DADT was NOT his most important social policy initiative. It was one of them, but not the most important.

Ahem.....well I will soon be zotted because of your little teeny actions, a member of this group since 2001, so I guess I’m not allowed to express a little innocuous opinion.

Lookit, you could be right. I’m no expert on the military. By me I think this DADT was more a social thing, another rung to climb up to complete social acceptance of homosexuality, to an end of marriage.

I don’t approve of it in any way and frankly thought, like most of America, that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was a very fair way to handle the thing.

My argument is more that I don’t think it’s any big accomplishment and don’t think America will view it that way. Lately I’ve been hearing things that the Pentagon’s going to take its good ole time implementing it.

But hey, I been a member of FreeRepublic for ten years but I guess I’ll be gone soon, thanks to you for keeping the likes of me off of here.

Be talking at you.

He fulfilled them, but at what cost? He has alienated most normal Americans”

Hi might think it worth it, he probably weakened the military most non quers don’t much like working alongside open homos, at leasr they didn’t in my time in the navy 1954-1961 I know times are differant now, but meybe not that much

Yep, and I definitely opposed the repeal of DA/DT. But this action is not permanent, and if the conduct of gays becomes detrimental to the military’s mission, this can all be reviewed and changed again later by a more conservative Congress and President.

I found your comment shocking on a conservative web site, If you go through that thread a lot of zots were given for a lot less. This place is still stinging mister “nothing burger”. As whether I think you should be zotted, that is Mr. Robinson’s decision.

I wish we had a truly conservative cable channel. FNC has become neocon/RINO: Krathammer, BORe, Shep, Baby Huey (Rove), Krystal, Barnes, Morris, Newt, Perino, Wallace, the Huckster - not a conservative among them.

The only conservatives FNC has are Sarah and Hannity and Sean is dumber than a brick.

Never happen in a million years, this sh!t stain is forever.

If this has the effect on recruitment and retention of personnel that some predict, it absolutely could be changed. I don't know whether it will have a significant impact, but if it does, it'll definitely be scrutinized again.

What will happen in a catastrophic enlistment reenlistment shortfall scenario is a draft will be reinstated. There will never again be the political will to stand up to the gay Mafia. No, America took a huge shot in the rear, thanks to the bend over and spread ‘em Repukicans in the 111th congress.

This change was made by a Congress and a President. It can be changed again. And, no, the draft will not be reinstituted to make up for shortfalls if the DA/DT repeal damages recruitment and retention, especially as the military will probably be somewhat smaller in the future.

There are a heck of a lot more political factors to be considered when considering reinstituting the draft than the reaction of gays and their supporters.

a normal turndown in the economy was hyped...

It's not a normal turndown, aka recession, as there have been since World War II from an excess of production. Excees consumption fueled this baby. This is due to all of the bad loans the banks made just like the Great Depression. Except loans from car financing and credit card companies also got wrapped into the collateralized debt obligations that Wall Street bankers started peddling all over the place.

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