Is Sen. Reid Sabotaging DADT’s Repeal?

Jim Burroway

September 21st, 2010

That’s what Servicemembers’s United’s Alexander Nicholson is asking this morning:

Sen. Harry ReidJust more than 60 votes had been lined up to break a filibuster on (the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA) and allow the legislation to move forward for debate, amendments and a final vote before the Senate adjourns for yet another month-and-a-half-long recess. That was until Sen. Reid announced he was going to use his status as Senate Majority Leader to block the minority’s customary ability to also offer their amendments to the massive annual defense-spending bill.

This unusual and controversial move by Sen. Reid predictably enraged all Republicans, including the few who were previously prepared to help break the filibuster and allow a repeal-inclusive NDAA to move forward. And who can blame them? This isn’t a very fair move on Sen. Reid’s part, and it wasn’t a very fair move at points in the past when Republicans did it either.

…Observers are already catching on to the fact that Sen. Reid is setting himself up to simply say “I tried” when Republicans vote to filibuster NDAA on Tuesday, but “I tried” will not be good enough anymore. We see through this trick, and we’ll make sure everyone else does, too. If NDAA fails this week because of cheap political stunts, we will ensure it is the Senate leadership that is held accountable, not the unreasonably slighted minority.

Ryan

September 21st, 2010

…and now after reading this, the Republicans won’t hesitate to filibuster for sure. It appears that both sides are equally horrible.

Lost Choi

September 21st, 2010

One thing the media is not well reporting is what else has been attached to this same Defense Bill: The DREAM act, which provides a path to citizenship (and other benefits) for illegal immigrant minors.

I’m betting that that the DREAM Act is at least as onerous to the Republicans as DADT. Probably even more so: once the minors become adult citizens, they have the right to petition for their parents & families to become citizens too, providing a path to citizenship for up to half of the illegal immigrants already here. (Figures quoted in the news.) For Tea-Party-tainted Republicans just weeks away from elections, I’d be shocked if they allow this to pass.

With both of these amendments attached to the bill, and with elections just around the corner, I very much doubt this bill will make it through.

guest

September 21st, 2010

That occurred to me as well. Did he get a phone call from the Mormon Pope?

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