Public entry - DADT - Pure Politics
On DADT, the Republicans don't really care and the Democrats had no intention of repealing it. Both sides played pure politics and, as usual, the ones getting screwed are you and me.
The Bill in question was a Defense funding Bill. One that was sure to pass. Therefore, it is an attractive Bill for our Congressperson's to tack shit onto. Fairly early on, it was common knowledge that a repeal of DADT was going to be tacked onto the funding Bill and it didn't cause too much of a ripple on the Hill. Oh, there would be Republicans who would have voted against it, but it would have easily passed. After all, there are not enough Republicans currently in Congress to successfully block any legislation unless Democrats join them in blocking it.
Repealing DADT would be good for Democrats appealing to their base, right? What would be even better? Well...if they could also tack on something that would make a portion of illegal aliens citizens. (DREAM) If that would pass, well, that would be something Democrats could use in this election.
If it didn't pass? That would be just as good. The Democrats could flog Republicans with how hateful they are and that would ramp up the Dem base, too. In fact, it would probably work even better to get the Dem base fired up and get them to show up at the polls this November. Because as grim as the polls look for the Dems, the enthusiasm gap between R and D voters looks even grimmer.
Now we get to the Republicans. Another charming group. Yes, they wanted the Funding Bill to pass. Yes, many of them don't want to repeal DADT. But none of them are going to vote for the DREAM act. No way and everyone knew it.
How they saw it, if DADT was repealed, most of them could say they voted against it, it was in a needed Bill and those dirty dogs played dirty pool by attaching it to a funding Bill for our troops. Voting for repealing DADT buys a Republican very few votes. Yes, Indepedents care about this issue, but not very strongly. Voting against DADT also doesn't buy them many votes, but it also doesn't piss off a good chunk of their base. Most of those who are passionate about repealing DADT are die hard Democrats and they will never, ever vote Republican.
Now you throw in DREAM. Voting for that would do more than piss off the GOP's base, it would piss off Independents. Big time. So the Republicans dug in their heels and voted "NO" in a block.
The Bill still should have gone to a vote and then passed. But because DREAM was included, you had a few Democratic defectors who crossed the aisle and joined the Republicans.
So you could headline this story: Republicans Block Repeal of DADT or you could title it: Democrats Poison Repeal of DADT and both headlines would be correct, to an extent. But the headlines should have read: Dems & Pubs Fuck Over Gays Again
The Bill in question was a Defense funding Bill. One that was sure to pass. Therefore, it is an attractive Bill for our Congressperson's to tack shit onto. Fairly early on, it was common knowledge that a repeal of DADT was going to be tacked onto the funding Bill and it didn't cause too much of a ripple on the Hill. Oh, there would be Republicans who would have voted against it, but it would have easily passed. After all, there are not enough Republicans currently in Congress to successfully block any legislation unless Democrats join them in blocking it.
Repealing DADT would be good for Democrats appealing to their base, right? What would be even better? Well...if they could also tack on something that would make a portion of illegal aliens citizens. (DREAM) If that would pass, well, that would be something Democrats could use in this election.
If it didn't pass? That would be just as good. The Democrats could flog Republicans with how hateful they are and that would ramp up the Dem base, too. In fact, it would probably work even better to get the Dem base fired up and get them to show up at the polls this November. Because as grim as the polls look for the Dems, the enthusiasm gap between R and D voters looks even grimmer.
Now we get to the Republicans. Another charming group. Yes, they wanted the Funding Bill to pass. Yes, many of them don't want to repeal DADT. But none of them are going to vote for the DREAM act. No way and everyone knew it.
How they saw it, if DADT was repealed, most of them could say they voted against it, it was in a needed Bill and those dirty dogs played dirty pool by attaching it to a funding Bill for our troops. Voting for repealing DADT buys a Republican very few votes. Yes, Indepedents care about this issue, but not very strongly. Voting against DADT also doesn't buy them many votes, but it also doesn't piss off a good chunk of their base. Most of those who are passionate about repealing DADT are die hard Democrats and they will never, ever vote Republican.
Now you throw in DREAM. Voting for that would do more than piss off the GOP's base, it would piss off Independents. Big time. So the Republicans dug in their heels and voted "NO" in a block.
The Bill still should have gone to a vote and then passed. But because DREAM was included, you had a few Democratic defectors who crossed the aisle and joined the Republicans.
So you could headline this story: Republicans Block Repeal of DADT or you could title it: Democrats Poison Repeal of DADT and both headlines would be correct, to an extent. But the headlines should have read: Dems & Pubs Fuck Over Gays Again