Posted on 12/18/2010 7:35:51 AM PST by Red Steel
The Senate will act on two important pieces of President Obama's progressive legislative agenda today: the DREAM Act and the repeal of the military's ban on openly gay servicemembers. By the end of the day, the path to final passage is expected to be set for DADT repeal, while DREAM is expected to languish for another Congress to pass.
Starting at around 10:30 this morning, the Senate will take up a cloture vote on DREAM. Cloture -- voted in by a 60-senator super majority -- is required to cut off debate and move a bill to final passage in the Senate. DREAM, which would provide legal status for illegal immigrants who serve in the military or earn college degrees, is not expected to hit that mark, effectively scrapping the bill for the time being.
That will set the stage for a cloture vote on a standalone DADT repeal bill, which proponents say is destined for passage. That will be the first step toward ending the nearly two-decade practice of allowing gays and lesbians to serve in the military, but not if anyone who works with them knows they're gay. Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), who has been the driving force behind lining up the votes for DADT repeal, says he has the 60 he needs and most observers expect there to be little drama today.
Lieberman and his allies in the Democratic caucus are expected to get help repealing DADT from at least four Republicans -- Sens. Scott Brown (MA), Susan Collins (ME), Lisa Murkowski (AK) and Olympia Snowe (ME). Most of the rest of the GOP caucus is expected to vote against it, though Lieberman said yesterday that the bill may pick up support from the GOP as it heads toward final passage.
On the Democratic side, Sen. Joe Manchin (WV) has not said whether he'll support the standalone bill -- and he voted against repeal the last time it came up, as part of a defense spending bill last week. Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), who voted for cloture on the spending bill, has also not said how he'll vote. Proponents of repeal say they don't need either vote to win today.
Supposing cloture is reached (which, again, is all but a foregone conclusion according to supporters of repeal), a final vote on the bill to end DADT could come as early as today. More likely than not, however, 30 hours of final debate on the measure will be kicked off by the cloture vote. That puts a final repeal vote sometime late Sunday.
The House already passed its version of the standalone DADT repeal (as well as DREAM, for what it's worth) which means that if the Senate passes the repeal this weekend it will go straight to the president's desk for likely signature.
Stay tuned throughout the day for live updates on the happenings here on Capitol Hill.
He was already a target and will be shown the same door Blanche Lincoln was. Trust me on this one!
Goes without saying. In the works right now.
Manc, IMO things will not stay this way. There will be repercussions, shakeups, and who knows what else.
Your boys may still have a chance to serve in an honorable US military.
For a short while.
This is very dark.
I am afraid for our nation.
First Lakin’s kangaroo court, now this.
One of the laws of nature is the law of karma - what is sown, is reaped.
Bad days ahead.
Thank you for your service. Are you saying that a requisite to live in base housing is completion of sex offender forms?! Please, say it ain't so!
thank you congress,you anti american vermin
I hope so as my dream to see them on their final training parade has been taken away as has their futures of serving.
I despise the homosexual agenda and anyone who supports it along with those who say they’re conservative but have no problem due to them knowing a couple of them.
23 Dems/Independents are up for election in 2012. I believe 14 are *beatable.
Dianne Feinstein of California
Tom Carper of Delaware
*Bill Nelson of Florida
Daniel Akaka of Hawaii
Ben Cardin of Maryland
*Debbie Stabenow of Michigan
*Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
*Claire McCaskill of Missouri
*Jon Tester of Montana
*Ben Nelson of Nebraska
Bob Menendez of New Jersey
*Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico
Kirsten Gillibrand of New York
*Kent Conrad of North Dakota
*Sherrod Brown of Ohio
*Bob Casey, Jr. of Pennsylvania
Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island
*Jim Webb of Virginia
*Maria Cantwell of Washington
*Joe Manchin of West Virginia <—(Skipped out on DADT vote)
*Herb Kohl of Wisconsin
Joe Lieberman of Connecticut
Bernie Sanders of Vermont
It has to be changed. Cannot stay this way or on this track.
Fascinating glimpse of history there- thanks for taking the time to find and post it.
I’ve struggled with this issue for years- two members of my family (distant family, now deceased)were gay and I’ve several friends who are gay or lesbian. More decent, hardworking citizens you will not find, nor better friends.
I know there are plenty who are militant, in-your-face with their preferences but not the ones I’ve known. In discussing DADT with a couple of them they ALSO are very conflicted about it- they doubt the wisdom of repeal.
I have a deep belief in the equal rights of all citizens. On the one hand I understand how/why gay people feel like second-class citizens. I also know there are sound reasons why the morality of the issue has always played a powerful role in how various cultures and societies have viewed and treated gay people.
While it’s up to God to judge what’s in the heart of us all- I feel as though we lost something today that made us a stronger people. Something that says we don’t HAVE to give in to every impulse, every desire or every instinct in order to be true and real. Sometimes it’s best to keep the door closed. Best for everyone.
Thank you for your service. Are you saying that a requisite to live in base housing is completion of sex offender forms?! Please, say it ain't so! (SSS post 246)
I need to amend my post 246. It should read:
Thank you for your service. Are you saying that a requisite for NON-HOMOSEXUALS to live in base housing is completion of sex offeder forms?! Please, say it ain't so!
Much obliged for the list:) It looks like I'd better rest up.....I've got alot of traveling ahead of me to make sure that all 14 are beaten! If I have to do it singlehandedly, I'm game! (Yes, I'm a tad worked up today.)
Very well put. Your entire post.
The tragedy of this particular occasion is that morality had nothing to do with it. Nor did practicality.
It was all about politics. And nothing else.
USMJ
the marines good for them, look a here.
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.
YOU BET THEY CAN STILL BE CHARGED SO PISS OFF HOMOSEXUALS AND YOU MSM
I got a number of questions that may arise:
1. Will any unmarried gay serviceperson be able to demand military benefits [ie: healthcare] for their partner?
2. If so, could unmarried heterosexual servicepersons then claim the same for their partner?
3. If a gay serviceperson got married - say in Massachusetts, will the military have to honor it as a marriage?
4. If a unmarried gay serviceperson gets a PCS {Permanant Change of Station] - will the partner get moving allowance to follow?
5. Same question as #4, but for married gay serviceperson.
6. Same question as #4, but for unmarried heterosexual serviceperson.
7. If an unmarried gay service person is together with the partner for ten years [then they split], could the partner claim 1/2 of the serviceperson’s pension when they retire after 20 [current law allows ex-spouses to claim this]?
8. Same question as #7, but for married gay serviceperson.
9. Same question as #7, but for unmarried heterosexual serviceperson.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If a little ol’ lady like me can feel this outrage, angry and in a fighting mood, I can only imagine what real warriors are thinking and feeling.
It’s NOT OVER!!!
Merry Christmas
Give it 2-3 years - they will have PINK TANKS!!! Believe it! Wait till the Army has Gay Pride day!
Time for the tea party.
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