They need to take a civics course, and then chain themselves to something near the Capitol Building. The Executive Branch has done virtually everything in its power to end the policy.The Obama administration has done everything it could to... avoid any responsibility for this either way. It would be easy for Obama to end enforcement of the policy by executive order. The law would be on the books but so what? In fact, people have argued that it would be perfectly legal for Obama to do, by issuing a stop-loss order which takes precedence over various regulations.
The Obama administration is responsible for getting DADT reinstated after the Log Cabin Republicans won in federal court.They are responsible, but there is no one that can prevent them from 1) not appealing or 2) not asking for a stay during appeal or 3) Not issuing a stop-loss order untill the law is actually repealed.
And until you've gone to law school, been admitted to the bar, and actually litigated an Article II issue, I and others who do this for a living would appreciate if you would stop passing yourself off as an expert.Aren't you adorable.
"On March 18, 2010, Choi and another ousted military officer, Capt. Jim Pietrangelo, handcuffed themselves to the fence of the White House. They were eventually removed with the use of a master handcuff key and arrested. Choi and Pietrangelo were initially set to be tried for 'failure to obey a lawful order' on April 26, 2010. Trial was postponed until July 14, at which time the charges against both men were dropped.posted by ericb at 7:38 AM on November 17, 2010 [1 favorite]
On April 20, 2010, Choi and Pietrangelo again participated in a self-chaining protest on the White House fence with Petty Officer Larry Whitt, Petty Officer (Rtd.) Autumn Sandeen, Cadet Mara Boyd and Cpl. Evelyn Thomas. All six were removed with a master hand-cuff key and arrested."*
"There is not a major issue on which John McCain can be found now to have one identifiable position. Not a single one. John McCain's positions on every single major policy issue that he has faced since he has been in the Senate are now utterly incoherent.posted by ericb at 7:54 AM on November 17, 2010
... Senator John McCain's stances on legislation and important policy issues and principles are so fundamentally inconsistent as to render the phrase 'flip-flop' meaningless. And yet John McCain is still viewed as a Washington 'oracle'. As a guy you've got to win over. If you do fail to win him over, don't worry, a new John McCain might come along any minute now and maybe you will have better luck with him."
Cindy McCain Speaks Out Against 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' as Part of NoH8 Campaign's Anti-Bullying PSA.And...just one day later:
Cindy McCain Repeals Her View ON DADT.Her husband didn't influence her to do a 180 degree change. No. No way.
"'Did she lie today or lie yesterday? Either way, she's a liar, and she should be removed from the NOH8 video because, as of right now, Cindy McCain is a hater. Not to mention, great message she just sent to gay youth. If someone pressures you, cave and support hate.'*The Washington Post's Jonathan Capehart Rips Into The McCains and 'DADT.'
Sounds like she's backpedaling simply because, as Dan Choi pointed out to Keith Olbermann last night, her 'very significant' public objection to DADT 'underscores the values behind the repeal effort,' something her husband opposes."*
"The champion of 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell' repeal in the U.S. House maintains that President Obama will provide the 'full spectrum' of engagement in getting the military’s gay ban repealed once the Pentagon completes its report on the issue.posted by ericb at 8:15 AM on November 17, 2010
In an interview Tuesday with the Washington Blade, Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.) said Obama has been engaged in moving Congress to repeal 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell' and that this effort will expand once the Pentagon working group report — due Dec. 1 — is complete.
'I think there are different levels of engagement and, I think, once the report comes out, I think we’ll see the full spectrum of that engagement,' Murphy said.
The first Iraq war veteran elected to Congress said he expects this 'full spectrum of engagement' to come from not only the White House, but also the president’s 'own Department of Defense.'"
"The Christian Science Monitor reports today that the Army may begin paying retention bonuses worth as much as $150,000 to Arabic-speaking soldiers, 'in reflection of how critical it has become for the US military to retain native language and cultural know-how in its ranks.' Yet as Steve Ralls points out, the Army is 'taking almost every step imaginable' to keep Arabic speakers except rescinding the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy, which resulted in the expulsion of dozens of Arabic speakers and translators. A GAO report found that between 1998 and 2003, more than 60 linguists specializing in Arabic or Farsi were expelled from the military for being gay."posted by ericb at 8:54 AM on November 17, 2010 [3 favorites]
EXECUTIVE ORDER 9981Seems like Obama could get this done pretty fucking easily.
Whereas it is essential that there be maintained in the armed services of the United States the highest standards of democracy, with equality of treatment and opportunity for all those who serve in our country's defense:
Now, therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, and as Commander in Chief of the armed services, it is hereby ordered as follows:
1. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the President that there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion or national origin. This policy shall be put into effect as rapidly as possible, having due regard to the time required to effectuate any necessary changes without impairing efficiency or morale.
2. There shall be created in the National Military Establishment an advisory committee to be known as the President's Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services, which shall be composed of seven members to be designated by the President.
3. The Committee is authorized on behalf of the President to examine into the rules, procedures and practices of the armed services in order to determine in what respect such rules, procedures and practices may be altered or improved with a view to carrying out the policy of this order. The Committee shall confer and advise with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, and the Secretary of the Air Force, and shall make such recommendations to the President and to said Secretaries as in the judgment of the Committee will effectuate the policy hereof.
4. All executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government are authorized and directed to cooperate with the Committee in its work, and to furnish the Committee such information or the services of such persons as the Committee may require in the performance of its duties.
5. When requested by the Committee to do so, persons in the armed services or in any of the executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government shall testify before the Committee and shall make available for the use of the Committee such documents and other information as the Committee may require.
6. The Committee shall continue to exist until such time as the President shall terminate its existence by Executive Order.
HARRY S. TRUMAN
The White House
July 26, 1948
OBAMA: First of all, I haven’t “mentioned” that I’m against Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. I have said very clearly, including in a State of the Union Address, that I am against Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and that we’re going to end this policy. That’s point number one. Point number two, the difference between my position right now and Harry Truman’s, is that Congress explicitly passed a law that took away the power of the executive branch to end this policy unilaterally. So this is not a situation in which, with the stroke of a pen, I can simply end the policy.If we assume that Obama could do it and he's lying, then President Palin could undo it at 12:01 Jan 20, 2013 just as easily.
"Following reports that Senator Carl Levin was considering stripping the Defense Authorization bill of the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' repeal amendment, ... word from the White House [is] that Obama has reached out to Levin.posted by ericb at 1:22 PM on November 17, 2010
The White House also suggested that outreach to the Senate on DADT is underway.
Said White House spokesman Shin Inouye:'Today, President Obama called Chairman Levin to reiterate his commitment on keeping the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' in the National Defense Authorization Act, and the need for the Senate to pass this legislation during the lame duck. The President’s call follows the outreach over the past week by the White House to dozens of Senators from both sides of the aisle on this issue.'"
"Senator Carl Levin asks General Carter Ham, co-chairman of the Pentagon’s Working Group on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, if he could make every effort to deliver the Pentagon report on 'DADT' before the December 1st deadline.posted by ericb at 9:29 AM on November 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
Ham also told Senator Joe Lieberman that the breadth of the study is impressive:'We believe this is probably, as far as I could tell, the most comprehensive assessment of a personnel policy matter that the Department of Defense has conducted.'And Senator Jim Webb praised the care and depth of the study:'I can't, again having spent five years in the Pentagon. I can't remember a study on this type of issue that has been done with this sort of care. Not even having seen it or knowing the results, but I know the preparation that went into it. So it's going to be a very important study for us to look at and examine.'"*
"Sen. Lieberman announced GOP Senators Lugar & Collins will vote for repeal. GOP Sen. Murkowski tells a reporter she would vote for DADT repeal making the 60 vote threshold."posted by ericb at 7:45 AM on November 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
"Large majorities of Democrats (70%) and independents (62%) favor allowing gays to serve openly. Republicans are divided (40% favor, 44% oppose). Among conservative Republicans, far more oppose than favor allowing gays to serve openly (52% to 28%)."posted by ericb at 4:18 PM on November 29, 2010
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posted by Seamus at 8:11 PM on November 16, 2010