Republicans Threaten Filibuster Over ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ (McCain will support filibuster)

[pinto]

Republicans Threaten Filibuster Over ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’
May 26, 2010, 3:25 p.m.
By Kathleen Hunter
Roll Call Staff


Armed Services Republicans threatened Wednesday to filibuster the defense authorization bill if it comes to the floor with Democrat-backed language repealing the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

Armed Services ranking member John McCain said Thursday that he would “without a doubt” support a filibuster if the bill goes to the floor with repeal language.

“I’ll do everything in my power,” the Arizona Republican said, citing letters from the four service chiefs urging Congress not to act before a Pentagon review of the policy is complete. “I’m going to do everything I can to support the men and women of the military and to fight what is clearly a political agenda.”

With Democrats trying to rally support for compromise language hammered out this week by the White House and Congressional repeal backers — and adoption of that language at this week’s Armed Services markup looking increasingly likely — Republican opponents of repealing the 1993 law are beginning to look ahead to floor debate.

Another Armed Services Republican, Sen. Roger Wicker, also said he would support a filibuster if the repeal language makes it into the version of the bill that goes to the floor, most likely after the Memorial Day recess.


http://www.rollcall.com/news/46798-1.html?type=printer_friendly

[Frances]

1. How many DUers will blame Obama for the filibuster?

[Tailormyst]

2. He isn't to blame for the filibuster but he is to blame for his own opposition to the bill.

[Frances]

14. Just what I thought some DUers

would do: let McCain and the Repub filibusters off the hook completely so that they can whine about Obama. REal smart move--if you want gay rights to fail.

[Tailormyst]

15. I love getting lectures by folks who have all their rights.

It's so easy for them to be cavalier with others rights.

[Frances]

16. I grew up during the Civil Rights Era

I remember when people black people ridiculed Martin Luther King for being too slow to bring justice; I remember the raised clinched fists; I remember the black berets and guns.

Of course, blacks had every right to be boiling angry; they had as much right as whites to carry guns.

But King was right when he argued that even if you did not believe in non-violent protest intrinsically, you should use it as a tactic if you wanted to achieve civil rights.

When it comes to gay rights, I think a person has a much better chance of achieving those rights if he/she uses his brain and plans tactics carefully rather than screaming out the very party that is most likely to get those rights passed.

[Bluebear]

3. What kind of inane question is that?

[Tailormyst]

5. It's a pre-emptive "stop your whining" slap at "teh gays"

[laughingliberal]

7. +1 nt

[donco6]

9. Yes. n/t

[pinto]

13. Geez all, I'm just noting probable current Senate actions.

They're in the Capital Building, not the White House - we all get that. Didn't mean to open an assessment on the President here. McCain is apparently going to support a filibuster, if the amendment gets included in the appropriations bill (not sure if that's happened or not) which means 60 votes to over-ride.

[pinto]

4. From the Courage Campaign - "What?!? Can you believe what McCain just did?"

Today, the Senate Armed Services Committee could make history.

Behind the leadership of Chairman Carl Levin, the Senate committee is on the verge of passing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would remove "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" from federal statute and set the stage for eventual repeal.

That's the good news. The bad news is that this is far, far, far from over.

Roll Call is reporting that Sen. John McCain will "without a doubt" support an unprecedented filibuster of the entire defense budget to stop the repeal of DADT if the bill comes to the floor of the full Senate.

It gets worse. According to the New York Times, McCain also solicited letters from the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- the chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines -- that object to the repeal amendment supported by President Obama, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen.

McCain's shocking obstructionism is being amplified by the right-wing Family Research Council, which released a video on Wednesday attempting to drive a wedge between the Joint Chiefs and the President, claiming Obama is trying to "force open homosexuality on the military."

<Snip>

Thank you for fighting back today. We can't do this without you.

Rick Jacobs
Chair, Courage Campaign

http://www.couragecampaign.org/

[FLAprogressive]

6. Weren't Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe supported by the HRC? If so, the HRC laid another turd.

[donco6]

8. They need to flush already - that toilet is FULL! n/t

[pinto]

10. Senate Armed Services Committee members -

DEMOCRATS

Carl Levin (Michigan)
Chairman

Robert C. Byrd (West Virginia)
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)
Edward E. Kaufman (Delaware)

REPUBLICANS
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)

[glowing]

11. Let him... AND make them actually stand there and filibuster for real.

Let them tell the Armed Services families why they won't be paid or have equipment.. or the contractors won't be paid their millions of dollars to make weapons or serve food to the soldiers in the field.. Make him look like a tool over something the American people don't give one toot about. As it is, most Americans won't serve, if someone is willing, who care's what their sexual orientation is. Abled personnel is the issue. Make those tools do a real filibusters.. make them wear diapers if they have to (they can borrow them from Sen. Vitter I hear.)

[arcane1]

12. Exactly! They have to ACTUALLY fillibuster!

None of this "intent" shit!

[goclark]

17. Let them look like the Emperor without any clothes

Put them front and center for all the world to see.

They are clowns and puuppets.