Hastings withdraws ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ amendment due to White House ‘pressure.’
Hastings withdraws ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ amendment due to White House ‘pressure.’
Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) said yesterday that he withdrew an amendment to a defense appropriations bill that would have weakened the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy because of “pressure” from the White House and some “congressional colleagues.” Hastings’ amendment would have prohibited “spending money to investigate or discharge members of the military who reveal they are homosexual or bisexual.” Saying he didn’t want “to get into names,” Hastings added, “I didn’t talk to Barack Obama.” During an appearance with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow last night, Hastings expressed his agitation:
HASTINGS: If something is bigoted and if your intent is to see to it that it does not continue, then I did not understand the leadership of Congress or the White House in saying that the time is not right. My position is: The president has said he wishes that this matter be repealed. My colleague, Patrick Murphy, now has more than 170 co-sponsors on a measure to repeal it. Secretary Gates has said, I`m glad he is now saying when we change our policy. Last year, he would have been saying “if.” But my view is, that the time is now to eliminate this bigoted law once and for all.
Watch it:
Earlier this month, Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters that, until the law is repealed, he is looking at ways to make the application of it more “humane.”
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Mr. President, you and yours are really starting to make wonder what we voted for.
Where’s the change?
July 30th, 2009 at 9:52 amIf the Obama Administration does nothing good for either health care or DADT,
it will permanently lose the progressives, and it will find itself at the mercy of the racist repiggies and blue dogs.
If this were to happen, progressives should immediately begin a nation-wide campaign to strengthen into a well-organized political party.
July 30th, 2009 at 9:54 amI don’t understand this.
July 30th, 2009 at 9:57 amSomeone better ask Gibbs today.
I’m a little skeptical of Hastings on this one. It’s unlikely that “White House pressure” would prevent him from putting into motion a goal that the White House is (presumeably) working towards.
Keep in mind: Hastings was a crooked federal judge in the ’80s. Crooked enough to be impeached and removed.
I’m saying, it’s possible he’s embellishing the situation a bit.
July 30th, 2009 at 10:06 amThis is disappointing – Gibbs had better give a good explanation for what is going to happen next.
July 30th, 2009 at 10:08 amI’ve been very dissapointed in the Obama administration’s take on LGBT affairs. First it was their previous brief supporting DOMA (after Obama explicitly said he wanted to repeal it) and now this crap about DADT. What is the end game here for Obama?
July 30th, 2009 at 10:11 amChange we can dis-believe in.
July 30th, 2009 at 10:12 amWell, we sure don’t want to rush the process of granting everyone equal rights under the law. Isn’t that right, Mr. President? By the way, how’s the view from the back of the bus? Oh, that’s right…
PEACE
July 30th, 2009 at 10:17 amUnfortunately, Obama is making a calculation which leverages a victimized minority (gays, lesbians) against a victimized majority (those needing meaningful health care). This sad calculus was made possible by the haters who torpedoed Clinton and his failed attempt at justice. Obama gets a pass on this one.
July 30th, 2009 at 10:18 amFull civil rights for our gay brothers and sisters is non-negotiable. The Dems ignore this at their peril.
Screw the holy rollers. They represent a diminishing sector of the population.
July 30th, 2009 at 10:19 amPublic policy should not be at the mercy of the dogma of any cult.
At least Senator Carl Levin, Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, has agreed to hold the first Senate hearings on repealing DADT, but not until this fall.
Wouldn’t want to spoil a month-long vacation by considering offering equal rights to our brave service people home and abroad!
PEACE
July 30th, 2009 at 10:22 amEarlier this month, Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters that, until the law is repealed, he is looking at ways to make the application of it more “humane.”
How the f-ck do you make bigotry and hate more humane?
July 30th, 2009 at 10:23 amThe Progressives have rebelled and said they won’t vote for the crappy healthcare plan Waxman and the Blue dogs cobbled together. Firedoglake and other sites are asking us to call. They’re under tremendous pressure from “Leadership” and the White House right now. Please help.
July 30th, 2009 at 10:29 amhttp://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/07/29/progressive-revolt-in-the-house-on-health-care-tell-blue-dogs-to-get-stuffed/
When will homophobes grow up?
July 30th, 2009 at 10:30 amTrapped inside the glass
July 30th, 2009 at 10:35 amSnow-globe anachronism
Smash the bubble now
Dear Mr. President:
If not now …when?
July 30th, 2009 at 10:40 amevangenital says:
If the Obama Administration does nothing good for either health care or DADT,it will permanently lose the progressives, and it will find itself at the mercy of the racist repiggies and blue dogs.
They already lost me due to the free pass given the torturers and war criminals. I might be lured back into the fold with a repeal of DADT and meaningful healthcare reform.
July 30th, 2009 at 10:42 amlefttown says
July 30th, 2009 at 10:29 am
Please help.
__________________________________________________________
I have just e-mailed my Congressman. He is a Progressive and no doubt one of those planning to vote against this anyway, but I want him to do so with a fistful of messages from home supporting this action.
July 30th, 2009 at 10:54 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
RC needs a hug from somebody in the Rainbow Coalition.
NEWSFLASH: There are already “queers” in the military, you stupid bag of discarded vagina washings.
July 30th, 2009 at 11:06 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
RealityPunk the brainless dickhead shows again that he is nothing but a Limborg parrot, using Rushs derisive nicknames for a man whose boots he isnt fit to lick. RealityPunk is an ignorant braindead brainwashed troll without a shred of decency or a single functioning braincell. Several rungs below pondscum on the evolutionary ladder maggots pity him for his massive stupidity and the stench he emits. Pathetic is far too tame a word to describe the pustulent carbunkle on the A$$ of humanity
July 30th, 2009 at 11:15 amRealityPunk isnt it time for you to go to your dayjob blowing leprous crackheads on skid row for pocketchange and hits off their pipe?
July 30th, 2009 at 11:16 amPerhaps Pres Obama wants it done right and not piecemeal.
July 30th, 2009 at 11:18 ammisscoleopteramolly @18 says:
July 30th, 2009 at 11:40 amI want him to do so with a fistful of messages from home supporting this action.
========
It’s so important to give them support. At least, when everything shakes out, we’ll be able to say we voiced our views on this piece of legislation.
#19 – RealityCheck says:
———————————————————
“Well..Well..Well..Seems PeeBO doesn’t want the queers in the military too.”
July 30th, 2009 at 11:01 am
This from the man who said he was going to go “slurp the pole”?
Love that internalized homophobia you’ve got going there, RC.
July 30th, 2009 at 11:41 amRealityCheck says:
Homophobia much?
July 30th, 2009 at 11:45 amResearch has shown most homophobes are in reality closeted gays. Come out of the closet RS.
RealityCheck,
In addition to voting your comments even further below the -10 mark, I just wanted to say that I find your comments offensive, unintelligent, delusional, and, in general, those of a sick, perverted mind. The only reason you, an obvious conservative with no interests in advancing a progressive agenda, continue to post here is because TP lets you.
I thought you should know that if TP won’t make your comments go away, I and several others will do everything in our limited powers to make them go away, one down vote at a time. Sooner or later you will take the hint and stop coming back here.
In the meantime, have a nice day.
July 30th, 2009 at 12:13 pmWayne, I feel the time has come for RC to be banned. He’s passed the tipping point and is now showing how racist and bigoted he really is.
Flag, flag, flag, and vote down.
PEACE
July 30th, 2009 at 1:44 pmThis is all ridiculous, asking anyone for any reason about their sexuality is ludicrous. This is a violation of individual privacy and the God given unalienable rights were are supposed to have in this nation. If you are a devout Christian or Jew and you think it is wrong for a gay person to be in the military, your decision is based on sexual misconduct. Then you must arrive at a similar conclusion concerning those who commit fornication or adultery.
The U.S. army would consist of 22 people if we followed this standard. Don’t ask, don’t tell policy does not condone sexual misconduct. It sets a precedent for enforcing Constitutional rights.
July 30th, 2009 at 2:59 pmTojby,
“Unfortunately, Obama is making a calculation which leverages a victimized minority (gays, lesbians) against a victimized majority (those needing meaningful health care). This sad calculus was made possible by the haters who torpedoed Clinton and his failed attempt at justice. Obama gets a pass on this one.”
A pass? Why exactly? Mr. Hope and Change hasn’t lifted a finger to repeal DADT and he could have pushed this through a democratic congress during the height of his popularity. Given both his history (bold talk, timid action) and the history or health care reform, (small, incremental maybe, fundamental overhauls, nearly never), it will be harder, not easier as time passes. When congress returns from recess, they’ll be bogged down in the healthcare debate for the rest of the year. Beginning next year, Congress will be pre-occupied with their pending re-election campaigns. Trust me, they aren’t going to want touch this close to an election. Obama gets no pass from me on this. He’s not an idiot. He can do the same math I just did. Remember that when he makes excuses to the GBLT communities in the months ahead.
July 30th, 2009 at 3:13 pmOn a lighter note, the Onion weighs in.
http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/military_institutes_new
July 30th, 2009 at 3:20 pmTrueLiberty said:
So you think Christians and Jews make their decisions about homosexuals in the military based on the sexual misconduct of the soldiers? Exactly what is sexual misconduct except rape? Are you trying to say that gay soldiers are rapists?
Why would I arrive at a similar conclusion regarding those who commit fornication or adultery? Who gets to define what fornication is anyway, you? I suspect my definition and yours is quite different, and I certainly would not arrive at the same conclusion you seem to have reached.
What does sexual misconduct have to do with the don’t ask don’t tell policy? Homosexuality is not sexual misconduct. What precedent does don’t ask don’t tell set for enforcing Constitutional rights? What constitutional rights are you talking about?
Clearly TrueLiberty is a homophobic bigot who feels that homosexuality is equivalent to fornication and adultery and that it is some kind of sexual misconduct. Please vote TrueLiberty’s comments down, and flag him for hate speech.
July 30th, 2009 at 3:35 pmNynick… Obama is slow walking the DADT issue because he needs 100+ of Dem support and some Repugnacan coverage too to pull off health care reform. If he ended DADT now it could very easily torpedo the larger goal. Which initiative do you think is more important to the common good?
July 30th, 2009 at 3:41 pmTojby,
“Nynick… Obama is slow walking the DADT issue because he needs 100+ of Dem support and some Repugnacan coverage too to pull off health care reform. If he ended DADT now it could very easily torpedo the larger goal. Which initiative do you think is more important to the common good?”
That’s a convenient excuse but it’s not a very good one. Healthcare reform is a wonderful thing but it’s unlikely the outcome of that debate would be harmed by the repeal of DADT.
July 30th, 2009 at 4:08 pmEven now, the blue dog dems are not the impediment to repealing DADT. Several are already on record supporting the repeal of DADT. As for Republicans, they want the issue to fester and exploit. If Obama had acted early in his presidency, the issue would have been fodder only for the far right wing. The military would have adjusted quickly. That fact alone would have made explioting it a hard sell for the majority of the moderate voters. Instead, it remains a prime target for Republican exploitation. They can argue all kinds of dire consequences. They can paint Obama as either a sissy loving fool or a liar. Trust me, they’ll do that regardless of what happens with healthcare. You’ve created this link, I have not heard Obama or anyone in his circle use it to defend inaction on DADT.
Hey libs, how is the hope and change thing working for you?
July 30th, 2009 at 4:19 pmLevi the dungbettle,
I think there’s a difference between saying something truly offensive and having your remarks desconstructed in a way that you find offense with.
July 30th, 2009 at 4:20 pmConservativePUNK
How is that being stupider than tile grout thing going for YOU?
July 30th, 2009 at 4:21 pm@10:
Tell me though, what is the peril? Is it greater than the peril of not passing health care reform?
July 30th, 2009 at 4:55 pm[putting DADT on the back burner to maximize political advantage]
Obama has learned the health care v. DADT lesson played out in Clinton’s first term. The Party of Lies used the gay issue to distract and crush Hillary’s try for health insurance change. Obama knows he would jeopardize his health initiative if he were to expend scarce political capital on DADT.
July 30th, 2009 at 8:20 pm#36 – conservative guy says:
———————————————————-
“Hey libs, how is the hope and change thing working for you?”
July 30th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
A heck of a lot better than the “Trust me!” attitude of the former Administration responsible for thousands of Military deaths when he went to war in Iraq based solely on lies. Too bad Fmr. Pres. Bush wouldn’t admit the truth that the only real reason he went to war in Iraq was for the oil.
July 31st, 2009 at 9:25 amhuffpo
August 1st, 2009 at 12:35 pmhuffpo
August 1st, 2009 at 12:36 pm