Where Things Stand With "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Stars and Stripes, an exhaustive news source aimed at military personnel, has a good rundown on the current status of the Pentagon's discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy:  White House spokesman Robert Gibbs repeated last week that the administration is working with members of Congress on finding a way to pass legislation to overturn the law, set in place by lawmakers in 1993 during the Clinton administration.  Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said that lawmakers are waiting on a legislative proposal from the White House before moving on the issue, saying they need "presidential leadership and direction" on how to approach a repeal.  The House of Representatives has had a bill to overturn the law pending since March, but no hearings have been scheduled on the measure.  Bill sponsor Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Calif., collected 147 co-sponsors for the legislation but publicly said she wouldn’t push for passage without support from the president.  An official with the House Democratic leadership said the House is committed to repealing “don’t ask” but has agreed with civil rights groups to put new hate crime legislation and a workplace nondiscrimination bill on the legislative calendar before taking up the military issue.  White House officials declined comment on their plans, and on whether the president will send his own “don’t ask” legislation to Capitol Hill... The hot-potato game between the White House and Capitol Hill is fueling frustration among gay-rights advocates, who strongly supported both Obama and the Democratic slate of congressional candidates during last year’s election. 

Are Lawmakers Finally Getting The Message?

Just this morning, Democrats in the House of Representatives called on the White House to do the right thing and halt these unjust and shameful discharges.  From the Boston Globe:  In the most vocal plea for the White House to take the lead in allowing gays to serve openly in the military, 76 Democratic lawmakers today urged President Obama to use his executive powers to order a halt to military discharges under the controversial "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and work aggressively with Congress to pass new legislation to overturn what they describe as a discriminatory policy that harms national security.  "We urge you to exercise the maximum discretion legally possible in administering Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell until Congress repeals the law," states the letter... "To this end, we ask that you direct the Armed Services not to initiate any investigation of service personnel to determine their sexual orientation, and that you instruct them to disregard third party accusations that do not allege violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice."  (The article goes on to note that no Republicans or centrists "have expressed a willingness to overturn the law.")

As many legal experts have said, the President could stop these firings with the stroke of a pen - if he felt motivated to do so.  But he doesn't.  Even with the above-mentioned call to action from fellow Democrats, I'll be surprised if Obama takes up the cause.  This political hot-potato shows no sign of cooling, and it's unlikely our Commander-in-chief will risk burning his fingers for gay and lesbian Americans.  After all, that's something only a "fierce advocate" would do.

Go ahead, Mr. President.  Prove me wrong.  Please.  I double-dog dare you.