Barney Frank: ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ gone next year

[DearAbby]

MEDICAL ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS ENDING POLICY

Frank responding to backlash Dems' inaction on gay rights, critics say

The US military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy barring homosexuals from serving openly in the armed forces will "likely" be ended next year, in the 2010 defense spending bill, says US House Rep. Barney Frank.

Frank, who is only the second openly gay member of the House of Representatives, told Advocate.com that repealing DADT as part of a military spending bill was always the plan for approaching the issue.

“Military issues are always done as part of the overall authorization bill,” Frank said. “'Don’t ask, don’t tell' was always going to be part of the military authorization.”


http://rawstory.com/2009/11/reid-dont-tell-year/

[Countdown_3_2_1]

1. Why not this year?

Or is this an election year promise to get votes?

whats the deal? Write a bill and pass it. the votes are there now. DO SOMETHING!

[TheWraith]

2. I WANT MY PONY!

Did you read the article? He explains why--attaching it to the 2011 Defense appropriations bill.

[Forkboy]

3. No, he wants his equal rights.

You could have just answered that like a human being.

[nosmokes]

4. WADR, the Senator doesn't explain why it hasn't already been done and

why hundreds of qualified and needed service people have left the military because of this draconian civil rights violation.

[TheWraith]

5. First, he's a Representative, not a Senator.

And as to why it hasn't been done, what large period of downtime has the House and Senate had where they'd push through major legislation? Do you put it ahead of the stimulus plan? Or does it take the place of healthcare reform?

People should be able to understand this by now.

[nosmokes]

6. My apologies for putting Barney in the wrong chamber. long day.

And Obama can stop the practice of DADT w/ a simple signing statement, and the DADT rule itself can be overturned by the passage of a simple bill. Since bridges and Post Offices and a slew of other things are passed on a daily basis by Congress it is not outside the realm of reason to inquire as to why a simple maneuver for a such a monumental violation of human rights has not occurred already.

While politics may indeed consist of the art of the compromise, at times it also *demands* a line in the concrete. Several lines in the concrete were obliterated during the Bush Era and I haven't seen any tangible results of us getting any of 'em back.