Democrats are still in-charge and must be given their dues for standing tall and not bucking down. It is very clear now that the repeal of the military's gay ban will be brought in for votes as part of the 2011 defense policy bill early in December.
Rollcall reports:
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced Wednesday night that he will schedule a vote next month on repealing the military’s ban on openly gay service members.
"During the work period following the Thanksgiving holidays, I will bring the Defense Authorization bill to the floor, including a repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’" the Nevada Democrat said in a statement. "Our Defense Department supports repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ as a way to build our all-volunteer armed forces. We need to repeal this discriminatory policy so that any American who wants to defend our country can do so."
Thank you Senator Reid! So, what is the Whitehouse's involvement here?
Crossposted at The People's View
Well, this is what Carl Levin said from the same Rollcall article:
Levin welcomed Reid’s announcement Wednesday night. "I will work hard to overcome the filibuster so that "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" is repealed and the [defense authorization] — which is critical to our national security and the well-being of our troops — is adopted," he said in a statement.
I guess this statement is now history...
Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) has said he would consider stripping the DADT language in an attempt to pass the defense authorization.
Well, may be The President has something to do with that chat he had with the Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin:
Keen News Service:
The president called Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin on Wednesday to urge him against stripping DADT repeal language from the Defense Authorization bill. White House officials then met with senior staff to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, as well as the Human Rights Campaign, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, and the Center for American Progress to discuss strategy.
snip
Now, Reid and Levin have agreed to keep the DADT repeal language in the Defense Authorization bill and to vote on it next month. That greatly improves chances for getting repeal.
Great News and I am glad Democrats are standing tall.
Pressure...Pressure...Pressure!
If we don't work hard now and collectively make our phone calls, the narrative will be as Pico notes it in his diary...oh, We Don't Have the Votes! So, let's get to work to get the votes:
Call Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin at (202) 224-6221 to thank him and to twist arms.
Call the waffling John McCain who is the Ranking Member of the Committee at (202) 224-2235 and ask him or his office this question...
Emailor call the Whitehouse at 202-456-1414 asking them to continue to put pressure on lawmakers
Bombard the members of the Armed Service Committee (see below) with calls and tell them it is time to move forward not backwords.Use this link to reach these members and tell them NO FILIBSTER!:
> Democrats | Republicans |
Carl Levin (Michigan)
Chairman
Joseph I. Lieberman (Connecticut)
Jack Reed (Rhode Island)
Daniel K. Akaka (Hawaii)
Bill Nelson (Florida)
Ben Nelson (Nebraska)
Evan Bayh (Indiana)
Jim Webb (Virginia)
Claire McCaskill (Missouri)
Mark Udall (Colorado)
Kay R. Hagan (North Carolina)
Mark Begich (Alaska)
Roland W. Burris (Illinois)
Jeff Bingaman (New Mexico)
Joe Manchin III (West Virginia)
Christopher A. Coons (Delaware) | John McCain (Arizona)
Ranking Member
James M. Inhofe (Oklahoma)
Jeff Sessions (Alabama)
Saxby Chambliss (Georgia)
Lindsey Graham (South Carolina)
John Thune (South Dakota)
Roger F. Wicker (Mississippi)
George S. LeMieux (Florida)
Scott Brown (Massachusetts)
Richard Burr (North Carolina)
David Vitter (Louisiana)
Susan M. Collins (Maine |
Guess What? As picopoints it out:
There is a lot at stake for Republicans here: a victory over DADT repeal will not only energize their conservative Christian base, but it will divide an already tense Democratic coalition, probably irreparably. Don't think they don't realize that. This is a major, major opportunity for Republicans to erode whatever confidence Democratic voters have left in their party. Plus it's easier to maintain the status quo, even for bad policy, than to stick out your neck for change... this is why the potential Republican swing votes are both extremely vital and extremely tenuous.
So please, whatever your feelings about this: call, call, call. Then write. Then call some more.
Every single day until repeal comes to the floor.
Think about those serving this country honorably, but secretively, in the face of constant physical threat, willingly laying down their lives for their country.
They deserve supporters at home willing to fight for them, too.
It is a damn shame to have a law in the books that discriminates against gays for wanting to serve their country. We all have a stake in this and must ensure that this law is stricken from the books for good, ones and for all.
Folks, this is the last stretch if we are going to get it done legislatively .
Yes, many have had differences in the approaches taken to advocating for repealing DADT within the Daily Kos community but in the end we are all in this together and we must push our Senators to vote in favor of repealing this discriminatory law and allowing homosexuals to serve openly without feeling like they are a second class citizens.