DADT repeal on a timetable
On December 12 the US Congress passed a bill to repeal the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) policy that stops gays and lesbians serving openly in the military.
An earlier bill had already passed the Congress but was defeated in the US Senate the week prior despite a vote of 56 to 43 to advance the bill as a super-majority of three fifths was needed to break through Republican filibustering.
A filibuster is where opponents to a bill use the right to unlimited debate to delay legislation by simply talking and taking so that the bill may not be dealt with.
However on Wednesday openly gay Democrat Barney Frank introduced a new bill to end DADT which Representatives supported in a vote of 250-175.
The fight to end the policy now goes back to the US Senate where Independent Senator Joe Liebermann and Republican Senator Susan Collins have introduced a bill in the hope that it can be passed in a non-filibustered vote before the end of this year’s parliamentary session.
On the books forever, eh?
http://m.smh.com.au/world/us-senate-backs-lifting-military-gay-ban-20101219-191me.html
The 1993 unconstitutional and outdated DADT policy will stay on the books forever now because the Senate does not have the numbers it needs to pass the bill and the repeal bill has been BLOCKED twice (you need at least 60 votes to pass on bills in the Senate).
Remember it was the Democrats who introduced this policy as well as the DOMA – funny that because it is the Republicans who are actually supporting Democrat-enacted legislation!!!!
The Obama and his Democrat politician supporters really have NO plan to repeal this law – their whole plan what to look like they were going to repeal this law (but they NEVER acted on repeal on both the DADT and DOMA when they did in fact have the majority numbers in the past 2 years in both houses to pass the bills).
Only in America!!!! – America land of the free hey???? – NOT!!!!!