Senators to Attn. General: Don't Appeal DADT Ruling

[Mass]

(Time to throw them under the bus?)

http://www.shewired.com/Article.cfm?ID=25910

Senators to Attn. General: Don't Appeal DADT Ruling
by Kerry Eleveld | Article Date: 10/12/2010 9:30 PM

A total of 21 U.S. senators have signed on a to letter urging Atty. Gen. Eric Holder not to appeal last month’s ruling by Judge Virginia Phillips that found “don’t ask, don’t tell” to be unconstitutional. Phillips ordered Tuesday afternoon that all discharges under the policy be halted, and by early evening the Department of Justice had given no indication whether it would seek to stay the injunction on discharges.

Senators Mark Udall of Colorado and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York led the effort to circulate the letter, which they originally sent to Holder last month. ...

Udall and Gillibrand originally sent the letter to Holder in September. They are now joined by Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Roland Burris (D-I;;.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Ben Cardin (D-Md.). The additional signatures are a testament to the support in the U.S. Senate for repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
...

[vaberella]

1. Great news, although there's no proof yet for appeal.

I think this Obama will tell Holder not to appeal it.

[zipplewrath]

2. Why do you think that?

Other than working to prevent any prosecution of toturers, I'm not sure what you find in the Obama White House that would indicate a willingness on his part to intervien. Especially since it would be in conflict with his DoD. Something he has taken pains to avoid for 2 years.

[vaberella]

3. I take it back b/c the DOJ just went on to appeal a fed. judge who said DOMA was uncon.

Ugh. Apparently they must do so in regards to the law. I heard this before. I'm not sure where that regulation was listed.

In any event, that's hardly anything to do with willingness or not. It would seem it's a regulation to defend these things although they don't agree with them.

As for the rest of your comment I don't know what it has to do with this situation.

[zipplewrath]

4. Where your point of view comes from

I was just curious where your point of view comes from considering there isn't much in the history of this administration to support it. I was curious what the basis of your, now obviously misplaced, optimism came from.

[vaberella]

7. I was over optimistic I won't deny that.

I do strongly believe this administration does want to end DOMA and DADT. I also admit to not knowing the full scope of what their obligation is within any court system when a law is being questioned. That also plays a role in my judgement. I don't like the fact that they aren't letting this go unappealed. However, I as I said...I don't know their obligation if any. Many here are willing to say---the Government could totally disregard this...but I don't know the history of that happening and/or if that can even be done.

[zipplewrath]

8. In a sense

"I do strongly believe this administration does want to end DOMA and DADT."

I'm reminded of the position of many white southerners that thought Jim Crow was wrong, but they always had a wide variety of excuses why it shouldn't be done in one manner or another. I get the impression that this administration is more concerned about the effects of repeal, than the effects of the status quo.

When the Soviet Union was collapsing, the conservatives should have been celebrating. Instead, they were worried sick that it was just all a ruse. They just couldn't imagine a world in which their signiture issue, the collapse of communism, was a realtiy. It's the old problem of "being afraid of success". One can get a very quick impression that this administration is very afraid of "winning" on this issue and wants to narrow the possibilities down to a very limited scope, and pace.

[Bluenorthwest]

5. 12 Good Senators addressing a craven and prejudiced

DOJ and administraion. I hope the Holder/Obama/Kaine crowd understands that this is not church, this is the real world.

[xchrom]

6. Whatever gets this over with.

If the senators have influence - then great.