White House and Congress Meet on ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’
White House and Congressional officials met Monday in a carefully orchestrated effort to discuss a possible repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in advance of a House vote on the issue this week.
Separately, a dozen retired military leaders wrote to Congress and the White House saying that the time had come to overturn the ‘’discriminatory and misguided’’ policy, which bars gay men and women from serving openly in the Armed Forces.
White House and Pentagon officials would say little about the meetings, which included representatives of gay rights organizations. The groups have been pressing President Obama to live up to his pledge to repeal the policy, and are especially eager to see Congress do so before this year’s midterm elections, when Democrats are expected to lose seats.
“Given that Congress insists on addressing the issue this week, we are trying to gain a better understanding of the legislative proposals they will be considering,’’ said Geoff Morrell, a spokesman for Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.
The BackChannel Blog 
Can’t end soon enough!Happy Days..
“Obama needs to get out there and lead. No matter what he may be doing behind the scenes (and I do believe he is involved) it is going to hurt him politically if he doesn’t get out there and let people see him and hear from him directly. He needs to show strength and leadership. A bit of anger directed at BP and the entire situation would be nice, too. He’s way too “cool” and detached.”
Nanny,
I sure hope the President will start listening because the storm is coming his way..The President can lesson the political damage by dropping the steely cool and showing his pissed off side..It just seems as though the US Government can’t solve much,as Tweety’s guest point out,where’s are can do attitude??? Mary Landrieu,can’t stand her,telling people BP is going to write a check and make everyone whole,what fucking planet does she live on…
Though just a tyke, there were two things I remember about the political scene of the early ’60’s:
1. President Kennedy was cool. Very cool. The first Catholic in the WH (Irish Catholic to boot), was always calm in the face of calamity.
2. USSR Premier Nikita Khrushchev taking off his shoe and banging it on his desk at the UN. He was very passionate, and definitely not calm or cool.
Since then, I prefer calm and cool in my leadership.
From previous thread, dog is correct: it’s “Lowe’s” not “Lowes” (check the spelling under “General Reel”, you can see the spelling on the car in the video). Doots, I had no idea about the placeholder text. I figured Brian was just one toke over the line 😉
Landrieu is a shill for the oil industry. She’s too concerned with her campaign coffers, I believe. She actually opposes raising the liability limit that BP would have to pay from 75 million to 10 billion! It’s hard to understand wtf she is thinking….
“She’s too concerned with her campaign coffers,”
Agreed but not the entire story, don’t forget big oil is a big employer in the region, that’s def part of the story too.
Yep,the fact that big oil is big employer is true,but she might as well be on BP’s Board of Directors! Ed Shultz XM radio show played the audio of her telling people any business that loses $ 50,000 or a million,that BP would simply write a check,what BS,especially when she doesn’t support raising the liability limit!
“I prefer calm and cool in my leadership.”
D,
I prefer empathy and resolve in my leadership! Cool leads many to feel that their leader doesn’t feel their pain,not good politically and doesn’t inspire loyalty,of coarse, just my opinion…
Tony,
I feel your pain. (bad riff on Clinton 😉 ).
I understand your position, and it’s a valid one. It’s not in Obama’s DNA to be a touchy-feely new-age sensitive kind of guy. Actions speak louder than words. When he signs legislation getting rid of DADT, you’ll know that he has empathy and resolve.
“When he signs legislation getting rid of DADT, you’ll know that he has empathy and resolve.”
D,
I will be assuming he does and hopeful!
I fixed the reel real good
Fix the “Lowes” and you may get the Loehmann’s account 😉
I did fix the lowes, refresh your page!
Early evening greetings from the desert. I served in the Navy quite some time ago and everyone on board ship knew that there were gays serving with no one really caring other than could they swab decks and get to their battle stations when General Quarters were sounded announcing some kind of attack or crisis on board. Good riddance DADT!
Good evening.
from last thread: Agree with tony and nanny on Obama’s need to use the bully pulpit. To the point of repeating himself too often. Fox and others go for repetition, repetition — Obama need not overestimate the American public’s intelligence.
Or insult it.
And bring an axe. And the Justice Department or any other cabinet agency. And whatever it takes …
And hang this one on lack of regulation and foresight.
=======
What do you all think about dispatching the National Guard to the southern border?
It won’t surprise you to hear that I think it’s a good idea. Take some heat off that issue for a while.
However: you will know this administration — or any — is serious about preventing unauthorized immigration when they shut off the jobs spigot.
Crack some illegal employers’ heads. Make work eligibility verification more stringent (it’s not like we’re in a hiring frenzy at present) and take a good look at social security number mismatch (well known to employers, when they get the IRS notification).
Employers have so many loopholes to escape compliance, and I think they’re there on purpose to ensure a steady stream of cheap labor that often undercuts wages and conditions for those already eligible to work here.
I wouldn’t touch “comprehensive” reform until you show voters you’re serious about discouraging undocumented crossings and employment. You cannot close the border physically, but you can make it less worthwhile to take the risk.
And maybe we are seeing baby steps (symbolic even) in that direction.
A month after Arizona passed an immigration law that reignited a national debate, President Obama is sending up to 1,200 National Guard troops to help secure the U.S.-Mexico border.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-05-25-obama-immigration_N.htm
PS: forgot to mention: I do not blame those migrating for jobs. Who wants to starve in place, with no future? And insufficient education for your young?
I do blame employers and industries that game the system. (Hello Chamber of Commerce.) They undercut those who play by the rules, however ineffectual our immigration laws are.
I do not blame “all of us”, as some are wont to bleat.
Dog,
I completely agree with your posts regarding illegal immigration.The biggest problem i have with the Arizona Bill beyond discrimination is they don’t go after the people,businesses that hire undocumented workers.Glad the President is sending troops to are Southern border,its a small start,now if only they would fine the employers out of existence.
http://www.taylormarsh.com/2010/05/25/comprehensive-plan-or-preemptive-election-year-strategy/
“Comprehensive Plan’ or Preemptive Election Year Strategy?”
“In light of the crisis in competence for Pres. Obama on BP’s Gulf blowout, coming after the heavy-handed Arizona immigration law, perhaps Obama’s political team decided they had to do something.”
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/05/the_decisive_action_obama_can.html
“The decisive action Obama can take”
“As I noted this morning, there’s been a palpable shift in the tone of media coverage of Obama’s handling of the Gulf spill, with newly-aggressive news orgs raising more questions about whether the admistration has ceded too much control to BP.
The White House is very sensitive about this line of criticism, which is why Obama advisers release a daily fusillade of fact cheets, photos of Obama in action, and other such materials designed to show that he’s on top of the crisis.
But it seems to me there’s another solution to this perception problem. Maybe Obama should take an additional path of decisive action that clearly is an option right now, which is to use the crisis to rally the public towards real energy reform.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/26/james-carville-to-obama-o_n_590000.html
“James Carville To Obama On Oil Spill: ‘Get Down Here And Take Control… We’re About To Die'”
Tony,
Would you trust the commentary from someone who married Mary Matalin?
Wow,should the President really have flown to California last night for the fund raiser for Sen.Boxer?Perceptions being what they are..I can’t help but agree with Carville,although he’s letting his emotions get away with him.I don’t blame him after what his home state has been through in the last few years..
Oh well,work calls..
D,
I wouldn’t have gifted you with all the wonderful reading material had i not have had a cancellation,ha ha,you probably wish that hadn’t happened..:)
D,
I do,lov Carville.Ever heard of opposites attract? Again as i’ve said about T.Marsh,i don’t have to agree with all the commentary i read,whats important is i read! Keeping informed requires that i read things or commentary i might not like..Off to work,but thanks for playing…Have a good one…
Tony,
Carville – Clinton loyalist
Marsh – Clinton loyalist
Keep on reading that commentary you might not like. 😉
Top of the day peeps
Greetings from the desert!
New border math: This morning’s paper stated that there are now 20,000 border patrol agents working the Mexican-US border, a distance of approximately 2,000 miles. If my math, which I’ll admit is shakey, is correct, that makes 10 border patrol agents for every mile. Add to that the 1,200 additional national guard troops that makes 9.5 agents per mile. Add to that ICE agents, local police from border cities and towns, national park police, highway patrol officers working on or near the border and you have about 10,000 more police and military working on or real near the border for about one US agent for every one-tenth of a mile or every 150 yards. I think we should another 4,800 national guard troops, as McCain is calling for, so we can have an agent every 25 yards or so on the border. And, oh, don’t forget there is a fence there already. That should be sufficient to secure the border, shouldn’t it?
eProf2, do those border patrol agents work 24/7?
Air Force Academy graduation today. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen to give the commencement. It’s remarkable to think these kids were 14 when we went into Iraq.
Back when I was married to my Border Patrol Agent first husband in the mid 70’s, there were only about 2,000 BP Agents in the entire country. It seems to me that they have more than enough now to do the job. They should concentrate on the smugglers and drug runners and leave the people looking for menial jobs alone. While it sounds good to place heavy fines on those who employ undocumented workers, people are not going to like it when the price of produce, meat and poultry rises significantly. They aren’t going to like it when gardening and childcare costs skyrocket. And just wait until construction costs go through the roof! There is only one way to deal with the immigration “problem” (unless you agree with eprof and me that we should just have an open border policy.) We need to enact comprehensive immigration reform. Anything else is short sighted and doomed to fail.
They work 10hr days, 5 days a week, dnd.
“They work 10hr days, 5 days a week, dnd.”
Thank you. My point was that our friend eProf2’s math was slightly off in not compensating for the 24/7 need for BP agents.
And 10 hr days in the hot AZ sun makes me hope that their pickup trucks have AC. 😉
If I am not mistaken, The BP guys work shift work. Like 3 or 4 shifts a day. so there is some overlap on manpower thru out the day.
Eprof – I’m so glad you did the math. Now McC is yelling 1,200 isn’t enough and they need 6,000 troops. I was ready to try and figure out the length of the border/per person so thanks for doing that.
When I saw the AZ Rep headlines this morning and people saying that 1,200 is not enough, it pissed me off.
As I see it, there are 2 separate issues with the immigration uproar. #1 There are the illegal immigrants that are already here and working the jobs that no white American would stoop so low (pardon the pun) to do. It’s been estimated 12 million illegals in the US.
#2 the border. Ok, the 9.5 agents per mile ought to be able to help secure the border which helps with the drug smuggling and coyotes smuggling people.
So what do we do with the 12 k already here? I heard one lady on Ed S say “we don’t want the rapists and murders here – deport them.” I don’t know about you, but I haven’t seen any person wearing a sign around their neck saying “I’m a rapist or murderer”. White people commit these crimes too. No one seems to agree on what to do – the repugs in Congress certainly don’t seem to be helping solve the matter buy refusing to bring up immigration reform. That subject probably doesn’t do much to line their pockets as health care and oil.
When business fold because no one will take the jobs of landscaping, construction, food service, hotel service and the hundreds of other jobs that are done by illegal immigrants, people shouldn’t be surprised. I don’t think there will be a stampede of unemployed Americans to make beds or pick lettuce.
If you ever saw the movie “A Day Without a Mexican” it is a real eye opener.
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/05/top_social_conservative.php?ref=fpi
it is incredible at the length these asshole will go to.
Their vehicles have AC now; back in the 70’s most didn’t.
“Keep on reading that commentary you might not like.”
D,
I also listen to and read
Ed Schultz,Huffpo,Rachel,Peter Beinhart and the list goes on and on..Oh don’t forget i tune in to OBAMA TV or MSNBC…This list a bastion of Clinton loyalty,NOPE….
This is priceless!
Palin’s new neighbor turns out to be a legendary journalist
McGinniss is a master of immersive journalism, and he is currently writing a book about Palin. (She was also the subject of a none-too-flattering profile by McGinniss in Portfolio last year).
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/05/palins-nosy-new-neighbor.html?wprss=44
This world would be a better place if he were still a drunk.
George W. Bush Says Giving Up Booze Put Him on Path to Presidency
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/05/26/george-w-bush-says-giving-up-booze-put-him-on-path-to-presidenc/
Tony Perkins is insane. He is also very un-Christian like IMO.
“Homosexuals” in the military will assault everyone, Christian right warns
Senator Ben Nelson announced that he’s joining Evan Bayh, Susan Collins, and the other Nelson in supporting a repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
Family Research Council head Tony Perkins, though, knows the truth: allowing gays and lesbians (sorry, “homosexuals”) to serve openly “will increase sexual tension and even sexual assault in the military.”
http://www.salon.com/news/us_military/index.html?story=%2Fpolitics%2Fwar_room%2F2010%2F05%2F26%2Fscary_military_homosexuals
It’s 91 degrees here. That means it’s too hot to cook…. for ME. But that doesn’t mean my guys can’t throw some burgers on the grill. I’ll even be nice and get out the ketchup and the buns. 🙂
Thanks for the great reading,Nanny!
OMG,laughing my ass off,homosexuals will assault people in the Military,if that’s the best Perkins can put up he need to shut the fuck up!
Yep,94 here,sandwich time…
“I also listen to and read
Ed Schultz,Huffpo,Rachel,Peter Beinhart and the list goes on and on..Oh don’t forget i tune in to OBAMA TV or MSNBC…”
Tony,
Try listening/reading to someone who isn’t a lefty. I’m not suggesting nut bags like the Drudge Report or Glenn Beck. A good place to start is The News Hour or Charlie Rose on PBS.
BTW, don’t forget, tomorrow is Face the Grayson with Alan Grayson on the Stephanie Miller Show .
If you think Perkins is nuts, Tony, check this out:
Top Social Conservative: Hitler Used Gay Soldiers Because They Had ‘No Limits’
A top official with a leading social conservative group recently laid out the view that Adolf Hitler deliberately recruited gays to be his “enforcers,” because they had “no limits” to “the savagery and brutality they were willing to inflict.”
During a radio broadcast, Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association explained….
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/05/top_social_conservative.php
Hot here too, a/c season has begun!
Ruth Marcus in WaPo:
“Has Sarah Palin learned anything since she was plucked from obscurity almost two years ago? Not that I can tell. ”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/25/AR2010052503970.html
“Top kill” live:
http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk_english/homepage/STAGING/local_assets/bp_homepage/html/rov_stream.html
“Charlie Rose on PBS”
Yep,lov Charlie,listen to him often.Thanks for the reminder on Stephanie Miller with Grayson…
dnd, I was fully aware that bp agents don’t work 24/7. My point is that if they all had to report for duty at one time they’d only be about a football field apart behind double fencing trying to stop “illegal immigration.” What most people don’t understand is that undocumented immigrants in the United States flew in with student and worker visas and just forgot to tell anyone they weren’t going back. I don’t know the exact percentage of desert crossings versus flying in and staying might be but I’d be willing to guess it’s a significant number flying in and staying.
Good point eProf2. It would be interesting to get those stats. It appears that Mexican immigrants are no different than Polish, Irish, Italian, Chinese, etc. immigrants of the beginning of the last century. The come to make money to send home. They then decide, despite the bigotry and hardship, this is where they want to raise their children. And they work their asses off so they can provide their kids with an education so they won’t have to work their asses off. This is the American Dream.
I don’t understand why we don’t re-implement the Bracero program. That way we’d know the only illegals are criminals.
Bev and eProf2,
With McCain trying to out-crazy J.D. Hayworth, do you think it might be possible for a Democrat to win that seat?
ps. Lopez v. Jimenez tonight. Good thing they’re playing in Colorado. The cops here won’t ask for their papers 😉
What a mean spirited and petty man McCain is. Anyone who thinks he’s an honorable man is delusional. This guy is a political opportunist with no integrity whatsoever. He’s a disgrace and ought to be ashamed of himself.
Republicans Threaten Filibuster Over ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
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.”
http://www.rollcall.com/news/46798-1.html
eprof, your point is an excellent one.
I have more than a few connections with the BP and ICE; I’ll see if I can get those stats.
I hope that works. But I have very little confidence in anything BP does.
“What a mean spirited and petty man McCain is.”
Duh!!!!!
I’m working on getting the stats, dnd.
Watched Tweety,boy hope “Top Kill” works…President Obama is in a tough spot along with the Gulf of Mexico..
d – I’m crossing my fingers.
dnd, Jimenez was outstanding as we took it on the chin — again. It’s early, but the D-Backs are a lousy team. The bullpen is the worst in the majors. I hope I’m wrong but it’s not shaping up very well at all.
KO had Democratic Representative Gabrielle Giffords from Tucson on tonight. She’s against SB1070 but for the troops on the border. She says drug related crime is across the border now, migration is up, and the rancher was, from all the evidence (little or none), killed by a Mexican illegal. Why does she believe the rancher was killed by a Mexican? Because they traced footprints more than twenty miles from the crime scene to Mexico. The AZ Republic, however, hit the nail on the head this morning when reporting about her support for more troops — she’s in a tight race for re-election and she wants to show she’s tough on the border issue. The same for the other Democrat, Anne Kirkpatrick, who also supports more troops on the border. Kirkpatrick is my Rep and won’t get my vote this November. She had to be pushed into voting for health insurance reform, is crazy about the NRA, and doesn’t differ much from the right wing Republicans in this state much at all. I’ve contacted her four times re: veterans inability to get on the VA rolls and have yet to hear back from her.
Good morning from the warm and sunny North Country.
The head of MMS has been fired. It’s about time! A lot of people need to go with her. And let the prosecutions begin. What those people did is criminal.
Salazar needs to clean house at MMS.
Morning folks,
Well here in NYC the heat has broken and it’s overcast.
It’s a little cooler here today, Brian. But it’s still 80 already. And the humidity is higher. I thought that storm we had last night would really cool things off but I was wrong. Oh, well. The kids will enjoy the pool again today.
Looks like we’re finally getting some good news from the Gulf. I just saw the Coast Guard says the top kill seems to be working.
eProf2,
Rough 7th for Haren. Smith, CarGo and Spilly back to back to back jacks.
Sweep, damn it, a sweep!! Even our best isn’t very good.
Caught a few minutes of Tweety on Hardball tonight. He was berating Obama’s response to the BP spill. Perhaps if he’d have tuned in to Face the Grayson with Rep. Alan Grayson on Stephanie Miller this morning he’d know that the administration has been in control and using every means possible to deal with the spill since day one.
Tweety needs to decide if he wants to be Glenn Beck or Walter Cronkite. Or maybe he’s already decided…
ps. For you Alan Greyson fans that didn’t catch him on Stephanie Miller this morning, you can listen to it on
http://www.stephaniemiller.com/
Breaking News Alert
The New York Times
Thu, May 27, 2010 — 10:08 PM ET
—–
House Votes to Permit Repeal of Ban on Gays in Military
The House voted to let the Defense Department repeal the ban
on gay and bisexual people from serving openly in the
military, a major step toward dismantling the 1993 law widely
known as “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
Separately, the Senate Armed Services Committee voted earlier
on Thursday to repeal the ban.
New thread.