Free Republic

We all know that people on the Left are the great destroyers. There is not a single institution in this great land that they do not want to tear down, demolish, devastate, obliterate, and annihilate. There is not a single just and righteous law that they do not seek to subvert and overturn. There is not a single needful tradition that they don't desire to delegitimize and replace with abject nonsense. The object of all this effort on their part is power — pure, unadulterated power. They want to be able to run our lives, they want to be able...

U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, says she's willing to support the repeal of the military's ban on openly gay service members. In a prepared statement, Snowe said that she will vote for a new stand-alone bill co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, that would eliminate the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The policy, enacted in 1993, keeps gay and lesbian servicemen and servicewomen from serving openly in the military. (snip) U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., who co-sponsored the repeal with Collins, indicated that Snowe's support would give the bill the 60 votes it needs to pass to avoid a...

I called it correct yesterday that the dems were dropping Omnibus spending bill only to put forth Dream Act and Don't Ask Repeal. And thats what they did today. The clock is running out and time did not permit and ugly fight over the spending bill so they changed course. Now watch for the republicans to float letting the Start Treaty pass if the dems drop Don't Ask. Tomorrow the dems will drop Don't Ask and make the deal. That leaves one last chip on the table , the Dream act. Obama wants the start treaty as part of his...

Regardless how you feel about the potential repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," an open and honest debate on the matter is essential, considering the possible effects on our military members' ability to perform their duty. As the Commandant of the Marine Corps has been outspoken in his opposition to the law's repeal, efforts are underway to call for Gen. James Amos to resign, simply for conveying the concerns of his Marines (2 out of 3 combat arms Marines felt the repeal would have a negative effect).Gen. Amos is a 38-year veteran who has served with honor, and his dedication...

Complete title: Sen. Durbin Doesn't Directly Respond to Question of Whether He Accepts Judgment of Marine Commandant That Lifting the Ban on Homosexuals in Military Will Cost the Lives of Marines (CNSNews.com) – Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) did not directly respond when asked Thursday whether he accepted the judgement of Gen. James Amos, the Marine Commandant, that lifting the ban on homosexuals in the military will cost the lives of Marines.Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said he would “have to consider” Amos’s view “during my vote."The House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to repeal the law (Title 10, USC 654) that bars homosexuals from...

UPDATE, 4:11 p.m.: In an interview with me just now, Senator Bob Corker doubled down on his contention that if Dems move on DADT, Republicans will be less likely to support START. "I felt like momentum was growing for START," Corker said, adding that since Reid announced he was holding votes on DADT and DREAM, it has had a "chilling effect." "I'm watching support for the treaty erode, because of highly partisan political issues being brought up solely because activist groups in the Democratic Party want this done," he continued. Corker said he wasn't issuing a personal threat, and was...

Retired Congressman Duncan Hunter released this statement today regarding this weekend’s critical votes in the United States Senate: The so-called DREAM Act does one thing – and that is it disserves the men and woman of our Border Patrol and our other border control agencies. It increases the magnet for illegal immigration into the United States. It is one more way of saying that if you get past the immigration officers, and you violate our laws and come into the United States, and you cut into the line in front of the people who are patiently waiting, you will be...

After abandoning on Thursday night a $1.3 trillion omnibus Senate spending bill, Democratic Senate Leader Harry Reid filed cloture for the DREAM Act and a stand-alone repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" - both of which are now expected to reach the Senate for final votes as early as this weekend. Reid, faced with receding Republican support for the spending bill (not to mention threats to read it aloud in its 1,924-page entirety), turned his attention instead to two bills that liberal Democrats hope to push through in the final days of the lame duck congressional session. The Senate is...

Why aren't you doing something to stop DADT from being repealed?

DADT vote in the Senate this Saturday? Anybody know?

On Wednesday, Republican Congressman Ron Paul of Texas voted to homosexualize the United States military, forcing our service men and women to share barracks, showers, and foxholes with indivduals who are openly involved in homosexual conduct.   House roll call on repeal of current ban on open homosexuals in the military:   http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll638.xml   FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 638(Democrats in roman; Republicans in italic; Independents underlined)       H R 2965      YEA-AND-NAY      15-Dec-2010      5:24 PM       QUESTION:  On Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment with an Amendment       BILL TITLE: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010   Yeas Nays PRES NV Democratic 235 15  ...

Gay rights lobbyists say they now have 61 Senate votes in hand to repeal the Don't Ask, Don't Tell ban on gays and lesbians in the military. Three Republicans are needed and at least that many have now made firm commitments to vote yes if a stand-alone repeal comes to the floor. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Scott Brown of Massachusetts have both said they are on board, joining Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine. That's four Republicans, one more than needed, and two more are considered possibilities. Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., said it's now squarely up to...

Sixty-one senators have now expressed support for repealing the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, appearing to clear the way for passage if Democrats can bring the bill to a vote before the holidays. But the timing of a potential vote on the legislation remains uncertain as lawmakers race to dispose of other major items in the days left before Christmas. The House voted on Wednesday to approve the repeal and sent it to the Senate for passage. Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, has remained mum about when the chamber might vote on the measure. But Mr....

Senator-Elect Pat Toomey has just issued a statement supporting repeal of “Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell.” “As I’ve said previously, my highest priority is to have the policy that best enables our armed services to do their job,” Senator-Elect Toomey said. “Our civilian and professional military leadership have now spoken and said we should repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. I would support a free-standing measure to do so.” If Majority Leader Reid keeps his word, the freestanding repeal measure passed by the House yesterday will be voted on in the Senate in the lame duck, before Sen.-Elect Toomey is seated. Still, the...

Murkowski, Brown betray...Senate Vote TODAY on Gay Military...Whip Count 61 Pray in Jesus Name ProjectChaplain Gordon James KlingenschmittI just got off a conference call with Christian Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) who said Harry Reid (D-NV) may push for a Senate vote today or tonight to homosexualize our military. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) hinted she's poised to betray conservatives today, and Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) also came out in favor, making the whip count 61, so we need a miracle or 2 Democrats to vote "no." Everybody call Senator James Webb (D-VA,  202-224-4024) and say these words:   "Please filibuster Senate Bill 4022...

Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown today voiced his support for a stand-alone repeal of the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, bringing the bill one vote over the 60-vote threshold that it will need to reach if and when the Senate votes on the measure in the coming weeks. “Sen. Brown accepts the Pentagon’s recommendation to repeal the policy after proper preparations have been completed. If and when a clean repeal bill comes up for a vote, he will support it,” said Brown spokesperson Gail Gitcho. Brown’s backing means that – on paper – supporters of the repeal have 61 senators...

ABC News reports that Scott Brown has announced that he will support a stand-alone repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” ending the expulsion of gay and lesbian troops from the military. Brown’s decision gives Harry Reid 61 votes, enough to pass a cloture vote for the policy, and one final hurrah for the Democratic-controlled 111th Session — if he can fit it into the schedule: Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown today voiced his support for a stand-alone repeal of the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, bringing the bill one vote over the 60-vote threshold that it will need to reach...

Vice President Biden issued a stern warning to Senate Republicans to "get out of the way" of Democrats trying to ratify a nuclear arms treaty. The vice president sharply criticized Senate Republicans who have opposed ratification of the New START treaty during the lame-duck session of Congress. "Get out of the way. There's too much at stake for America's national security," Biden said in an interview with NBC News that will air tomorrow in its entirety on MSNBC. Biden's warning to Republicans come after a day of high-stakes wrangling over the nuclear arms treaty between the U.S. and Russia, which...

The Democrats are three votes short in the Senate of being able to outright pass the stand alone bill repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, but it looks like that obstacle has been overcome. Word has come down that not only will Senator Susan Collins be voting for it, but so will Senators Olympia Snowe and Lisa Murkowski.

Not only do supporters of the repeal have reason to celebrate today because of the House of Representatives’ vote in favor of a stand-alone bill to repeal the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, but also because the chances of the bill passing the Senate improved when Republican Olympia Snowe of Maine said she will support it. “After careful analysis of the comprehensive report compiled by the Department of Defense and thorough consideration of the testimony provided by the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the service chiefs, I support repeal of the Don’t...