Next is Now - DADT Repeal Vote This Afternoon
Submitted by Jake Gellar-Goad on Tue, 09/21/2010 - 12:53am
As you may recall, my last blog entry on this was called "What's next?" HCR had just passed, and Don't Ask Don't Tell repeal had finished waiting its turn after earning its place in line through many speeches, rallies, lots of civil disobedience, and many careers and lives ruined. And like many issues coming to the floor of the Senate these days, it must overcome a filibuster. This is yet another area where a Senator Marshall rather than Senator Burr would be the difference between progress and potential failure. Two potential swing votes come from Maine, and so that is where Lady Gaga headed to rally in support of repeal after her recent Raleigh concert, along with veterans, and the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. More on the rally, and the crucial vote below.
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First, photo credit for the photo above goes to Tim Greene. Here is a wider shot of the rally I found on PHB from Kerry Eleveld of The Advocate.
From what I've heard on Rachel Maddow's show the vote happens around 2:15 this afternoon. Apparently Senator Snowe wants to wait until after the midterms, when there wont be enough votes to break the filibuster, to hold the vote, but there are some other possible swing votes. Gaga, going by her actual name Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta at the rally, called on those Republican Senators such as Snowe of Maine, Collins of Maine, and Brown of Massachusetts to not filibuster DADT repeal. Other possible swing votes include retiring Republican Senators Lugar and Voinovich. I'd suggest giving any or all of their offices a call tomorrow if you get a chance.
You can find all of there contact information here. Another important person to call is Democratic Senator Jim Webb. It seems that it is likely that he wont vote in favor of DADT repeal, but it is possible that he wont vote in favor of a filibuster either, which would be enough since this bill has the votes to pass if it can get past a McCain-led filibuster. And it never hurts to give Senator Burr a call since he does ostensibly represent us, if for no other reason than preventing him from having the excuse that no constituents brought up this issue with him.
So if you have time, please make those 7 short phone calls tomorrow, and keep your eyes on the news when the afternoon rolls around. It should be interesting. The vote will be close. Seems almost fitting that this is happening on NC's Pride week.
One less step
Here are the numbers for the aforementioned Senators (for the online contacts click here):
Snowe(202)224-5344
Collins(202)224-2523
Brown(202)224-4543
Lugar(202)224-4814
Voinovich(202)224-3353
Webb (202)224-4024
Burr (202) 224-3154
Thanks for the info, but this is a sideshow
Obama possesses the power to end discharges right now -- just as he did the day he took office. He just needs to take the effort to lift his pen and sign an order.
No matter what the Senate does today, a finished Defense Authorization bill won't get through a conference committee before the midterms because the Harry Reid is a horrible leader. I really do hope he loses to the likes of Ms. Angle so we can be rid of his incompetence (declaring that you won't use reconciliation to pass bills, seriously?)
To make this even easier, DADT was declared unconstitutional by a federal judge only days ago as I'm sure this audience knows.
All Obama has to do is tell his Justice Dept not to appeal, and we're done. Finished.
So... to stop the DADT discharges, Obama can 1) lift his pen or 2) tell his Justice Dept to sit on their hands.
This distraction of a cloture vote in the Senate today should fool no one into thinking that the Democrats in power haven't been fully capable of ending DADT on their own with no help from Republicans.
It is simple. The Democrats in power have chosen not to end DADT (Obama lifting pen, Justice Dept defending DADT in court, not using reconciliation in Senate).
They have utterly and completely failed.
Its Sat. Lets see if DADT goes down today or not?
Hopefully it will this time, because the promise to end it this year is running out of time.
DADT Repeal beats filibuster!!!
DADT repeal passed the key vote today to pass the filibuster. Now the actual vote will happen at 3 pm with a simple majority which they easily have, and then on to the President's desk. Granted this bill is a little watered down and requires additional approvals and steps even after repeal is signed, but today is still a big day.