Thursday, December 16, 2010

What a difference a year makes - Joe Lieberman edition

I awake this morning with hopeful news that the repeal of DADT may finally be imminent. The hero of the day is none other than Senator Joe Lieberman. I am not going to formulate any opinions, simply will point out that it was just a year ago that Senator Lieberman was the thorniest of the thorns in the sides of Democrats. He essentially was a one man road block to the passage of the Public Option.

Today he is potentially being heralded as a civil rghts hero.

It appears that the Senate has 62 votes to pass the repeal of DADT. Senators Lieberman and Senator Collins have kept this issue alive long enough for the House to pass it and force the Senate to have to decide whether or not to proceed with a vote.

A summary: the President campaigned for the repeal and is asking for it, the Republican appointed Secretary of Defense is for it, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff is in favor, 70% of the troops state it would not be a problem, and the general public approve of the repeal by about 75%. We now have 38 Republican Senators from southern and rural states who may run out the clock on our Service Men and Women who have volunteered to serve us. If this happens, it will morally wrong and the grandest example of how broken the Senate is procedurally.

(a possibility to watch out for if it makes it for a vote, and it is destined to pass you may see a number of Senators who are currently on the wrong side of history decide to vote for the repeal. So history can show their support. I suspect if that happens we will see far more than 42 votes to pass the repeal.)

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