"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Nearly Certain to be Repealed

Our Senate, as most of you know, is weird. Even though a bill can be passed and sent over from the House, the Senate still has to take a vote to find out if they can take a vote. It's baffling. But the first vote--in today's reality--must have a majority of 60 votes to pass. This is because Republicans have turned a rarely used procedural tactic known as the filibuster (which is really more the threat of a filibuster) into an every-day, almost-every-vote procedure. They vote against everything. They vote against voting against everything. And because they've gotten away with it, I'm sure that unless they change the rules on January 5, this will continue to be the way things get done.

But in a small miracle, the vote to allow a vote on the repeal the military's discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy passed with 60 votes. This clears the way for an "up or down vote" (remember those?) in 30 hours, and it only needs 51 votes to pass. This virtually ensures the end of DADT. 

And while ultimately this law only effects a relative handful of people, it has much broader implications.  It is easier to hold on to prejudices and bigotry when there are institutionalized laws and policies that separate those same people out. DADT (and the "Defense of Marriage Act" or DoMA) are two things a homophobe could point to and say, "see, the government agrees with me."  With the repeal of DADT, we have one less institutionalized discriminatory law, and that is a very good thing.  As for the DREAM Act, I'm for it, but don't have a huge chip on my shoulder about it.  It sounds like a great idea, but it is not my fight.

[Excerpt]

Senate votes to advance 'don't ask, don't tell,' DREAM Act fails

The Senate voted 63-33 Saturday to proceed to a final vote to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy which bans openly gay people from serving in the armed forces. . .

Read more at: CNN