As It Turns Out
There's been a lot of media on Don't Ask Don't Tell this last week.
President Obama gave another inspired speech last night telling an LGBT group that he was with them all the way on passing a law to get rid of the half a loaf compromise on gay people in the military.
Bill Maher had a great "New Rules" diatribe on his show last Friday (you can read it at Huffington Post) saying that it was time that the President fulfilled his campaign promise and signed an executive order reversing Bill Clinton's order creating the problem.
I was ready to pile on; and, then I wandered around the Internet looking for a quote or two to build on.
Damned facts.
As it turns out, after Clinton's executive order, Congress enacted a statute codifying the silly policy. The statute has been given the Supreme Court's blessing. It's a stupid law, that Obama can't "poof" away by signing his name on an executive order.
How come no one is saying that? I hate the term "mainstream media;" but, not one place I went to that covered the issue (except two decidedly obscure sites) mentioned that small little fact. Why isn't Obama stressing that he can't he can't sign his name and make the silliness go away? And, why is the gay community giving him shit over something that he can't change without the support of a Congress that wants nothing to do with the issue?
As it turns out, he's doing what he can do without much in the way of power or leverage.
I apologize for my former ire.
7 comments:
Has Obama submitted legislation to reverse the policy? If he hasn't, then I'm not ready to let him off the hook.
If he hasn't, the Dems have. He obviously supports it. And, I don't think Presidents introduce legislation.
I'm kind of with you on him for similar reasons; but, I think he gets a pass on this one.
We ask Obama to take on the most divisive issues in the country, those with powerful constituencies that he has little control over, and then we want him to succeed on all of them in no time.
Who of us would not chafe under such unwarranted pressure?
We need to give the man some time; after all, we elected him to a four year term.
That's a heck of a can of worms for sure! So, how does a Supreme Court ruling get reversed or changed then, anyway?
Presidents can't introduce legislation directly, but I bet if he asked Nancy nicely she'd do it for him.
There are hearings scheduled in the Senate this fall and next year in the house:
http://www.washblade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=27229
I think the theory behind 'Don't ask, don't tell' was more for ones own safety. They had had some study (back in the day) and decided that if gays were hurt in combat they would not be saved. They also studied that marines would be more inclined to risk an entire platoon to save a fellow female officer which is why women were not allowed on the front line.
I don't think you should be discriminated by the military but I also agree with why they don't want your fellow officers to know.
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