This would have all happened much sooner if Hillary were president:
The Senate just voted 63-33 to break the filibuster on the DADT repeal bill.
Late Update: Just so we’re clear. This is not the passage of the actual DADT repeal bill. This is the vote that allows a straight majority vote, which will likely come tomorrow. And since there are many more than 51 votes for repeal, that means that the actual bill will pass tomorrow and likely be signed by the president early next week. This vote means that DADT is history.
Davis X. Machina
Superb. Great. Tremendous. Long-overdue. And largely symbolic.
If it really mattered the GOP, and its Democratic Senate allies, would not have allowed it to pass
The rich are still booted, spurred and ready to ride.
The rest of us are still saddled, and ready to be ridden — too many glad to be ridden.
Most importantly the passive will glance at the headlines, and go shopping. Those who have jobs, and money to do it with, at least.
It’s a better country this way. Better. Not good.
alwhite
yes, lets start the celebration by taking shots at our allies.
GregB
According to Closet Louie Ghomert we’re all Romans now.
Brian S (formerly Incertus)
Don’t know who it was, but someone on Twitter posted right after the vote that the arms and legs of Marines everywhere spontaneously detached after the vote ended.
JenJen
I’m giddy!! Even Voinovich voted for cloture!
This is a Big Fucking Deal, everyone. Wow!!
ETA: Reading on Twitter that the four Senators who did not vote on DADT cloture were Bunning, Gregg, Manchin and Hatch. Way to stand up, speak out, and have some integrity, Senators. Not.
@Brian S (formerly Incertus): I was so proud of Twitterites for giving John McCain the lashing he deserved for that sickening speech.
Baud
I’ll be the first to say it: This is all Obama’s fault.
Seriously, this is freaking amazing.
dmsilev
@Davis X. Machina: Oy vey. Can’t you take at least a few seconds to celebrate the passage of A Good Thing?
dms
magurakurin
Fuckin A. I wonder how the haters on the “left” will spin this as a fail for Obama. I’m sure they will. But it looks like Obama was right in the end about Lieberman. Holy Joe came through on this one. Heads must be popping on the “true progressive” blogs, the old black and white world of good guys and bad guys just took a little back flip. And I can’t imagine the blood splatter from head pops on the winger sites.
arguingwithsignposts
I’m blaming Obama.
cleek
amazed.
dmsilev
Has anyone checked John McCain’s blood pressure in the last few minutes? For that matter, has Palin’s Twitter feed spontaneously combusted yet?
dms
Chris G
This is a good day.
Do I have to like Joe Lieberman now?
SteveinSC
@alwhite: Concur. DougJ can just fuck off.
As happy as I am for the repeal of DADT, I am pretty upset over the DREAM act collapse which will hurt many young people in a direct way.
Davis X. Machina
@dmsilev: I did. A few seconds. The GOP didn’t. So they’re still ahead.
Buck
Heads are a’poppin everywhere.
Merry Holidays Y’ALL!
Bill H.
Unless one Senator puts a “secret hold” on it?
Just asking.
Baud
@Davis X. Machina: Looks like someone’s got the Christmas spirit.
magurakurin
Got my answer faster than I thought. In fact it was first in line.
fuck me.
I am so over the haters.
This is good news. I’m happy about it.
Anya
But will the ‘worst president on GLBT rights’ sign the bill?
RinaX
@alwhite:
I know, right? What a shocker.
To be fair, the posts since then haven’t been like that. I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts…
dmsilev
@magurakurin:
Prediction: “If Obama *really* wanted to get this done, he’d have used his bully pulpit ™ to force it through a week after his inauguration. Waiting this long shows that he didn’t really care, and had to be forced into it.”
dms
JPL
How many times can McCain sell his soul to the devil? Quite a lot it appears.
curious
good. even if only to spare us more of john mccain’s vague objections.
KDP
Watched it happen on C-Span2. I believe Reid may have provided the official 60th vote (although he could have been 61); I attempted to tick off the ayes as she read them off and may have missed one of the first rounds of ayes.
Despite deliberate and admitted obstruction by the Republican minority that blocked many important votes, the 111th Congress has been productive, overall.
GregB
John McCain would have a stroke but he thinks that would be too gay.
Baud
@Bill H.: I don’t know much about Senate procedure, but I don’t think you can use a hold for something that’s already on the floor of the Senate.
Linda Featheringill
Didn’t think I would see this in my lifetime.
Damn, life is funny!
Rhoda
This is a real change; you can believe that for damn sure.
DADT passing is big.
I didn’t think anything could happen this lame duck and things actually are getting done and even with DREAM it’s going on the damn record so we can run on it; good job for Team Obama-Pelosi-Reid. They’re going out with their heads high. This has been an incredible year legislatively.
Chat Noir
Glad that it passed the cloture vote! Will hold off on celebrating until the final vote (and Obama signature). I’m assuming both my senators, Levin and Stabbenow, voted yes. I can’t watch this stuff live because it makes me too nervous so I get my news instead from Balloon Juice and Benen’s place.
Lolis
I am thrilled. I am joyous. Congratulations to all the Dems who worked for passage. Congratulations to all of us who signed petitions and called our elected officials.
Mark S.
Yeah, Holy Joe is good on this issue as well as some others. He is also still a sanctimonious warmongering jackass. Unlike Nelson or Conrad, he represents a very blue state and almost any Dem from there would be better than him.
JPL
Cole’s Senator was absent…wtf….
change
Everybody who voted for this abomination will have blood on their hands if it passes, blood of dead and injured troops who were distracted by social engineering in the military.
And we’re going to take every single RINO who voted for this the fuck out in the next round of primaries…
Don K
So much more to do until I’m a first-class citizen, and no chance to get it done for at least two years (probably more), given the partisan balance in Congress, but for right now I’ll shut up about all of that and just bask in the warm glow of actually getting a pro-gay (or anti-anti-gay) bill through both houses.
RosiesDad
Cole:
Your boy Manchin didn’t vote (weasel).
McCain is quoted in the WaPo as saying, “Today’s a sad day.”
Not nearly as sad as the day we all realized that you had lost your mind and sold your soul, Senator McCain.
Buck
@Linda Featheringill:
That’s because it was the right thing to do. And even in shitty American politics, good eventually trumps evil/stupidity.
Davis X. Machina
@Baud: We’ve dragged ourselves up to the level of every other OECD state, more or less, and it took a massive effort to actually do it. The win is gratifying — the need for the battle is a national embarrassment.
As with the passage of ACA, another triumph, by the way, the magnitude of any celebrations today are proportional, directly proportional, are a precise measure of, how far we are behind.
KDP
Watched it happen on C-Span2. I believe Reid may have provided the official 60th vote (although he could have been 61); I attempted to tick off the ayes as she read them off and may have missed one of the first round of ayes.
Despite deliberate and admitted obstruction by the Republican minority that blocked many important votes, the 111th Congress has been productive.
I think now is the time, though, to push our senatorsfor the procedural changes that will stop the secret holds and the absent filibuster. There is still a Democratic majority in the Senate and rules can be changed on January 5. If a senator wants to block legislation, let that senator stand up and declare their opposition openly. I was disgusted and appalled by the behavior of McConnell, McCain and Kirk on the night that the Omnibus Bill went down in flames.
SteveinSC
In related news, Larry Craig has just announced his intention to join the Marines, for some good ole’ toe-tapping, one-on-one combat.
4tehlulz
@change: lol at traitor complaining about anyone else having blood on their hands.
Chyron HR
@change:
Got any Super Bowl predictions for us while you’re at it?
dmsilev
From TPM’s coverage, I see that John’s new Senator was a real profile in courage:
dms
magurakurin
—-s-p-l-a-t——
head pop, baby. Right here on BJ.
nice one.
MattF
Interesting how the momentum for this just built up and crushed the opposition, culture wars notwithstanding. And a big, fat, well-deserved ZERO for McCain.
Baud
@Don K: Keep in mind that one of the earliest salvos in the civil rights movement was Truman’s decision to desegregate the military. Full equality won’t happen quickly enough, but this is (or will be in a couple of days) a major milestone.
hildebrand
@Davis X. Machina:
And people wonder why Obama sometimes gets a trifle bit miffed with the ‘left’. I would bet that Reid and Pelosi would join him in his exasperation. Nothing is ever good enough. Nothing.
Bob
HufPo reports that,
Very classy.
J.
Ain’t that the truth.
Mark S.
@change:
Please tell me this is DougJ. Nobody is this stupid in real life.
JenJen
Best tweet I’ve seen today comes from Jamison Foser:
Awesome day! And sticking it to Grumpster McCain is just the icing.
@change: Bwaaaaah ha ha ha! You’re a jackass.
Tim
Great news. If it actually passes tomorrow, I will be duly impressed.
THAT said, I confess to slightly mixed feelings on this issue. I am gay and of course back all laws that help guarantee equality in all spheres of society…BUT I loathe and despise the American military industrial complex and its current endless wars, and I hate the fact that so many gay folks are happy to be a part of all that.
THAT said, I suppose equality within the MIC helps guarantee equality in other, less murderous, aspects of society, so perhaps this is a net plus.
thoughts?
stuckinred
I’ll be glad when gays can openly hate the fucking Army! FTA all the way!
Dee Loralei
My best friend’s lesbian daughter is getting her BA in a ceremony right now. I can’t wait to see them tonight!
I’m still fucking pissed about the DREAM Act, why the fuck can’t those goddamned Dems hold together at least for cloture? Seriously, what can we do to make the caucus at least fucking support the party on cloture and nominations?
TheBus18
I just posted on AmericaBlog that this probably would’ve passed under President McCain. Don’t you think?
Can’t believe JoeMentum got this done. Perhaps he owed Obama something? Not sure, but regardless, the disfunctional Dems and Obama got it done.
Like former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Chuck Noll would say, “Whatever it takes,” get it done.
Buck
@RosiesDad:
Shorter McCain: WAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
Who’s laughing now, McCain?
Elisabeth
@dmsilev:
Be nice now ~ he’s still trying to figure out how West Virginians feel about it.
Don K
@Chris G:
No, you don’t, because he’s still a fucking warmongering shit, but sometimes you have to take your allies where you find them. Holy Joe really was a force behind this one, and for that he gets my thanks.
Also thanks to both of my Senators (Levin and Stabenow) and my Representative (Gary Peters).
SteveinSC
@GregB: He’s changed his position and opinions so many times, his spinning brain is no longer attached to a circulatory system. Hence the impossibility of a stroke. And in any case if he had a stroke he would remain standing and not fall down like some girly-man wussey.
stuckinred
@Buck: Did you know he was a POW?
Barb (formerly Gex)
Well done to the President. And to the Democrats who after making me pull out all but one of my hairs managed to get this done.
Dennis SGMM
This is very good news. I wish that the cynic in me would stop whispering that the right will blame every reverse suffered by the American military from here forward on the repeal of DADT.
Will
Fucking history. Just got made. Thank you Majority Leader Reid, and President Obama. YES!
Svensker
@Tim:
Right there with ya. Happy that equality is coming at last. Sad that gays are now free to kill innocent foreigners along with the straight.
mrmcd
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InBXu-iY7cw
Also, for like the 800th time in his life, John McCain is both a loser and a fucking hypocritical asshole.
Nellcote
I’m looking foreward to the photo-op where Sen. Reid gives Dan Choi his ring back.
Jim C.
Fantastic news, and kudos to the Republicans who helped this to get through. Credit where credit is due, whatever their reasons (and some of them do come from blue states) they helped end this discriminatory practice.
And yes, Joe Manchin’s cowardice on this issue will not be forgotten.
tomvox1
This is fucking awesome. Today I really am (extra) proud to be an American. A definite win and bonus points for publicly exposing McCain as a bitter old homophobe who should fade away ASAP. Civil rights victories really are the sweetest!
stuckinred
@Svensker: And hopefully some guilty ones as well!
Baud
@Tim: Since you asked for thoughts, I don’t think you can support equality without accepting the equal rights of others to make wrong decisions (or what you may believe is wrong, anyway).
Davis X. Machina
@hildebrand: Not passing it would have been a catastrophe.
But it’s not enough. Until I look out my window and see an enormous, giant, ocean-to-ocean version of Denmark, with an army the size of the NYPD, it’s not enough.
Fights over the size, sequence and timing of the steps needed to get there tend to exclude over time any consideration of where we’re headed.
It’s my job today to be the string around our liberal finger, so we don’t forget.
SteveinSC
@stuckinred: And a maverick.
Joseph Nobles
Well, I’m very happy and I’m here to eat my slice of humble pie. 63 votes for cloture is incredible.
Of course it will be Obama’s fault because it took so long. Haters are gonna hate. But now it will have been done right.
Anya
I just found out about DREAM. The defeat of DREAM Act means that the bigots hate immigrant children more than they hate the gays. It’s really depressing how people who are supposed to lead are driven by bigotry and/or fear of bigots.
Svensker
@Svensker:
Well, shoot, no edit function. “along with the straight soldiers”.
David
America steps into the 20th century!
Lynn Dee
@Davis X. Machina: How can you say it’s largely symbolic? The military will change. Certainly it will make a huge difference to those who are gay and their family and friends — and to anyone who cares about equal rights under the law.
You just don’t feel like being happy about this?
Buck
@stuckinred:
Many people were POWs. I’m sure a lot of gay men, having to keep there mouths shut lest they get their necks slit, were POWs.
That’s a fair assumption, right?
(EDIT: I think I might have missed some snarkiness, didn’t I? Sorry!)
Svensker
@stuckinred:
I’m a Quaker. There is no way to peace. Peace IS the way. :)
Don K
@Baud:
True. Right now I refuse to be grumpy about what is yet to happen; I’ll just focus on the positive.
stuckinred
@Buck:
it
was
a
joke
same as my comment to the wonderful Svensker
JGabriel
@change:
Change clearly knows this from his own history as a soldier who died because he couldn’t stop being distracted by cock.
.
Jim C.
@Davis X. Machina:
No offense intended, but honestly it sounds like your “job” is to be a bit of a dick.
I understand the need to keep pushing for Democrats to go further and faster in advancing liberal causes, but generally speaking taking at least ONE thread to say, “Hooray!” and “Congratulations” when your side does something that really IS a big deal and was difficult to get done isn’t a bad thing.
Lest you forget, this really was one of the biggest advances in gay rights EVER if for no other reason than this was a LEGISLATIVE advancement of gay rights rather than “judicial activism”.
blackwaterdog
This is all Obama’s fault. That liar bigot.
Davis X. Machina
@Lynn Dee: I’m happy. This is happy.
See me when I’m not happy.
change
So when will troops who are just trying to do their job get sued by the leftist Grievance Industry for being too “homophobic”?
How soon until we have to have special bathrooms for trannies on the front line lest we be “bigoted”?
The left just ruined the best institution in our society through social engineering.
Skepticat
@Chat Noir: Glad that it passed the cloture vote! Will hold off on celebrating until the final vote (and Obama signature).
I feel the same way, and it’s sad that we have to be so gleeful about a preliminary cloture vote that never should have been required and wasted so much time and effort that could have been spent so much more productively. But an ugly win still is a win, and I’m hoping for one.
tomvox1
Also, too: What was with Lieberman’s transformation into Great Civil Rights Crusader on this issue? Did he suddenly remember that Bobby Kennedy was once his North Star? Political deathbed conversion? Either way, he was really amazing on this and, um, I haven’t ever written that before…but credit where credit is due, gosh darn it.
gbear
Great news! This 56 year old is enlisting tomorrow.
Really, what incredibly good news for GLBT soldiers. No more living double lives with the threat of discharge.
And who honestly thought that the Senate would actually get this done? Who would have thought that they could accomplish anything anymore? This is damn near a miracle.
edit: every day’s a sad day when you’re John McCain.
Will
@Davis X. Machina:
What a crock of shit that is.
Mark S.
More McWalnuts goodness:
In Walnutsland, voting on bills the majority of the Senate supports is a waste of time.
Davis X. Machina
There will be a national removal of the liberal foot from the legislative gas pedal now, and we don’t need that, perhaps never needed it less.
Baud
@Jim C.:
A million this’s for this.
Linda Featheringill
@Tim:
I share your point of view about all things military.
The best thing I’ve seen in the buildup to this vote is that the VERY BASTION of machismo doesn’t seem to care. Maybe being gay will cease being a threat to the manhood of some people.
[Well, I can dream, can’t I?]
edmund dantes
If it’s not his fault when things fail because it’s out of his hands, it’s not his fault when they succeed. Just saying.
Here’s the thing. It’s a victory by all the people involved. Obama, Dems in the House, Dems in the Senate, the gay activists, the progressive activists, etc.
Most importantly though it’s a victory for basic human decency (barring a stunning defeat on majority vote).
Buck
@stuckinred:
I edited my post. Sorry about that, Stuck…
It’s a good day. Let’s all be joyous! :-)
stuckinred
“As Barry Goldwater said, ‘You don’t have to be straight to shoot straight,'” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., referring to the late GOP senator from Arizona.
MAJeff
Final vote will be today instead of tomorrow. They waived the 30-hour debating period and vote is now scheduled for 3:00 Eastern time this afternoon.
Chat Noir
@Don K:
Mine too! And I second the thanks to them for their aye votes.
Michael D.
I would like to thank all of our non-gay friends here at Balloon Juice for getting on those fucking phones and letting your Senators know how you felt!!
Now, my friends, and I am sure many you know, will be able to serve openly if they choose to. And if they don’t want to serve openly, then because of people like you they won’t be fucking kicked out for such a ridiculous reason as being gay if some wingnut finds out about it.
THANK YOU!
Nick L
This isn’t just symbolic, folks – lots of good people got booted out of the military because of their sexual orientation. That not only sucks for them and damages our moral standing as a country, it actually undermines our military effectiveness – it was insane to have a policy that resulted in Arabic translators being fired during a war in Iraq and a shortage of translators.
Repealing DADT isn’t just the right thing to do. It’s plain-old good policy.
JenJen
@Jim C.:
This, this, a thousand times this.
@Michael D.: You know, I practically harangued Senator Voinovich’s office every day this week. And when I heard him say “aye,” it felt so damned good.
@change: Haw-haw to that BS. You know what else just happened? Obama beat McCain, again. I could get used to this!
Chat Noir
The DADT vote makes me think of this scene from season 1 of “The West Wing.”
stuckinred
@JenJen: Don’t talk to it, it just keeps coming back if you do.
Gwangung
Good thing to applaud at any rate.
TooManyJens
@JenJen:
Score one for “that one”!
JGabriel
Buck:
Or, as Martin Luther King said:
.
stuckinred
Says they are going for the final vote at 3pm.
JenJen
@TooManyJens: I’m kind of hoping Walnuts runs again in 2012. :-)
@stuckinred: Yeah, but also, sometimes, it should be told to go fuck itself. :-)
Awesome news about the 3:00 vote, too! Thanks for sharing that!
Baud
@JGabriel: One of my favorite quotes.
stuckinred
@TooManyJens: You watch, the motherfucker will take credit for it just like he did the GI Bill he was against!
Omnes Omnibus
@Bob: I don’t know. If he couldn’t bring himself to vote for it, at least he didn’t piss in the punch bowl by voting against it. He wasn’t needed for cloture. In the end, meh.
Congrats to the ones who did stand up to do the right thing, both D and R.
JGabriel
@change:
I wonder how many people said the same thing when Truman desegregated the military.
Careful, Change, your white robes are showing.
.
Kerry Reid
@Baud:
Piker! When Obama signs this, he will be worse than Bush!
BombIranForChrist
You know, if you guys are really serious about reducing trolls, you might want to stop trolling in your own posts:
“This would have all happened much sooner if Hillary were president:”
Really? Are you guys really, really astounded why people troll here so much?
*rolls eyes*
FormerSwingVoter
Wait.
I was just reading about the DREAM act failing earlier.
With FOUR Republican votes.
#@$GJaregjriogjnragRYKLAHGETHATE
Fucking ConservaDems. Can we kick Baucus and Nelson out of the caucus yet?
J.A.F. Rusty Shackleford
@Davis X. Machina:
fyp
Robertdsc-iphone
Color me surprised. And glad.
Linda Featheringill
@JGabriel:
Ruining the military:
I’m sure that Truman harvested a LOT of criticism for integrating the military.
JGabriel
FormerSwingVoter:
I guess that makes it official: the Senate GOP hates Mexican babies more than teh gays.
.
hildebrand
I knew it was pointless, but I have been calling my senators rather a lot this week – regarding the Dream Act, DADT, and new Start – pointless because I live in Texas and my senators are heartless hacks. That said, I called regularly. I never got irate (difficult, at best) and the staffers listened (for the most part). Sigh. I wish they at least had souls.
4tehlulz
So when were you enlisted? I look forward to your using your experience to explain how the best institution will be ruined.
Chicago dyke
as a queer Marine, the reason this makes me the happiest is because it will mean an end to the political games in the services, which very frequently have involved accusations (true or false) of homosexuality. missions and operations have failed in the past because of that gaming by various unscrupulous brass who are more concerned with using “gotcha” tactics against those in the forces they don’t like, to advance their own careers, at the cost of military success. i’m also happy that openly gay poor youth will now have the option of joining the military, as they realize there are no other paying jobs in their communities.
as someone who opposes our endless, illegal, pointless, security-reducing multi-front wars, i am sad that openly gay people will now join the torture and slaughter machine without barrier. i was always a contrarian in this way in the queer community, because in the end that’s really what military service is accomplishing right now. of course not every member of the military is a torturing murderer, but far too many are part of operations that result in just that. peace is the solution, and our wars are draining resources that millions in this country desperately need.
politically, i’m enough of a cynic to compare this with the DREAM act, and recognize that the latter would’ve affected far more in a much more meaningful way, helping our economy for all of us and advancing the project of integration. the senate helped itself more than anyone else today, creating fodder for campaign ads while avoiding the needed work of actually bringing benefit to the greatest number.
JGabriel
@Linda Featheringill:
Of course. My point was that Change would have joined Truman’s racist critics.
.
amk
Finally, a real bipartisan vote with the same motives.
scav
poor ol’ small change is especially incoherent at the moment. ‘Cause in his mind the socially enacted rule keeping teh ghay out of the military isn’t social engineering, while getting rid of the rule and allowing them to serve in the same proportion as they exist in society is social engineering. Wonder just what the hell his bridges (to nowhere?) look like?
otherwise, general youpee!
El Cid
This really is a huge, and decent, achievement, from the very short time in which Democrats had majorities in all branches of the government. The Senate being the quasi-functional, conservative hinged branch that it is.
Maude
@stuckinred:
Was John McCain a POW?
I don’t know if DADT does pass, if transgendered soldiers are included.
I am amazed that this Senate went this far on equal opportunity to dislike military service.
J.W. Hamner
I may wax more philosophic on the actual vote as opposed to the procedural one (though obviously they are fairly close tp being the same thing)… but it’s nice to see that at least 63 Senators aren’t insane.
Lynn Dee
@Davis X. Machina: That was outstanding, Davis X. Very poignant. Thank you for pointing that out to me.
Dennis SGMM
@Linda Featheringill:
Writer recalls Truman’s risky order to integrate military
Nellcote
@JenJen:
I’d like to see the polling on that since the msm insists on polling for 2012 two years ahead of time.
jinxtigr
Here is why to be pleased at this even if you are not a sword-rattling warmonger…
The cause of most war, bloodshed, and terrorism in the world today is religious fundamentalism. Period. Yes, economic actions, yes, jockeying for political power, but more than all that, it’s the religious fundamentalism that is causing the biggest problems.
Repealing DADT (whatEVER your view on the military in general) is a blow against fundamentalist religious power at home, where we can do something about it. Repealing DADT and allowing openly gay soldiers, sailors and airmen to serve their country is a structural change that cannot be matched by opinion pieces or bloggers.
When fundamentalist Muslims in other countries say, “You must lay down your life to fight the Christians, who are pursuing another Crusade, demand conversion or death, and control the United States Military, particularly the Air Force!”
We can say, “Yes, they’re in there, particularly the Air Force, but look how much they aren’t in control. Lay off. We got this.”
This is a BIG, BIG structural change in the direction of peace and coexistence between enemy faiths. It really matters that our military is not controlled by Christian fundamentalist dogma. They’ve gotta be secular or there will be hell to pay.
Buck
“The left just ruined the best institution in our society through social engineering.”
Maybe now the right will come to the conclusion that maybe our defense budget does need a little trimming.
Vincent
So your metric of success is failure? Because by this ‘logic’ we got absolutely nothing of true importance done this legislative session at all. And we never will because as soon as a bill passes it apparently means that it wasn’t really that big a deal.
By this ‘logic,’ the upcoming Republican Congress should be the best session for the poor and unemployed ever!
We also didn’t cure cancer and solve global warming today. It must be a trying time for you.
We all know that DADT repeal is only the first step in an infinitely long journey on many fronts. It’s not like we’re so stupid that we would have forgotten that if you weren’t there to remind us.
Left Coast Tom
@Omnes Omnibus: On a cloture vote _not voting_ is identical to _voting no_, except for the not-standing-up thing.
Kerry Reid
@Davis X. Machina:
— Saul Alinsky, “Rules for Radicals”
Amanda in the South Bay
@gbear:
GLB soldiers, not trans soliders :(
We still have a ways to go to catch up to other first world militaries in that regard.
Omnes Omnibus
@Left Coast Tom: My point was the purely cosmetic one that this way no Dem voted against cloture. He wasn’t needed, so Reid let him be a coward. No harm was done.
Dee Loralei
@Nellcote: I read somewhere earlier this week that Dan Choi had hospitalized himself. I think he was in a state of depression. I’m not sure if he was suicidal or not. He said something about having activist PTSD. I kept on waiting to hear Rachel or Keith with a follow-up on it, or some background, but neither touched the story, neither did any of my fav blogs. And now I’m not sure if I misremembered or made it up or dreamt it, or what…..
But yea, that will be a great photo with Reid and Choi.
And congrats to all the Dems and Reps and activists and the Pentagon leadership for getting this done. The President, NancySMASH!, Patrick Murphy, Harry Reid, Kristen Gillibrand, Joe Lieberman especially.
geg6
This is a huge day in American history. The righteous cause of expanding civil rights to all Americans marches on (despite, sadly, the failure on the DREAM Act).
The turning point for black civil rights was the integration of the Army by Truman. Once they were able to fight and die on the same field in the same units as whites, there was no turning back. I have no doubt that we will see the same effect for LGBTs with this amazing vote today.
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but HUGE kudos to Senator Lieberman. I may oppose almost everything he stands for and will still work to defeat him, he will go down in history for this, and deservedly so. A huge thank you to the President, Speaker Pelosi and Steny Hoyer, Majority Leader Reid and my two senators, the Republican senators who showed true courage today, all the activists who have fought for years, the Pentagon brass, and all the open-minded service men and women, especially all the gay ones who have served well and bravely despite knowing that they were treated as something less than human as official policy.
And I have never despised John McCain more than I do today. And that’s saying quite something.
Tom Hilton
I’ve seldom been this happy to be proven right.
This is a big fucking deal.
J sub D
Credit given where credit is due. Who’d a thunk a simple yea or nay vote on a stand alone bill would do it?
+1 Dems.
I really feared they’d screw this up. I was wrong.
licensed to kill time
@JPL:
You’d think the devil would be all “Don’t bring that wrinkly ol’ mess around here tryin’ to flog it again. Take it to the pawn shop, seriously. They might give you a nickel.”
Dennis SGMM
Does anyone know for certain whether or not this will allow for the reinstatement of service people who were discharged under DADT?
alwhite
@SteveinSC:
Why does it have to be ‘fuck off’? I am less concerned about people whining about Obama or whining about whining about Obama then I am that it seems there is no argument than doesn’t consist of “I think X’ followed by ‘FUCK YOU’.
I think Obama screwed up plenty & is not the President I would have wanted. I think the Blew Dogs will be the death of this country. But we are (marginally) better off now than we would be. I love that Democrats can actually have policy discussions internally because it is the only place serious policy discussions are actually happening. But I am sick to the teeth of the petty shots from everyone.
Svensker
@change:
Wait til you find out that they’re going to try to allow negroes to serve right alongside real people. The horrors just don’t stop, do they?
Alex S.
So how many EXCLUSIVE interviews with John McCain will there be tomorrow? And how much longer will it take the media to realize what a hollow shell this man has become?
But seriously, this is a great moment.
Omnes Omnibus
@Svensker: They have women openly serving as well. The horror…
Maody
@change: 17, count ’em, a total of 17 republicans in the house and senate voted for the Zagroda Act. That is one of the GREAT shames you have to live with.
That and your buddies voting against the DREAM Act. Keep those brown people down butchering your meat and harvesting your food so easily had in your precious morally not superior world.
YAY DADT repeal. Will clap loudly after the 3 p.m. vote.
JenJen
Pretty groovy tweet from Senator Reid, his first after the cloture vote:
danimal
I’m happy to see simple justice progress.
This wasn’t my fight; I’m not gay, I’m an anti-militarist and the whole issue barely registers in my personal experience. But it’s important that others are treated with fairness and respect, and seeing gays and lesbians get some measure of justice is a good thing.
A good day.
KDP
@Dee Loralei: I saw it too, but can only find now through AOL News
Dennis SGMM
Speaking as a military brat who went on to serve, including combat, you don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.
Comrade Mary
I am so fucking thrilled to be wrong. And now it looks as if it’s going to a final vote at 3 PM today, too. Must go out and get alcohol — w00t!
JenJen
@KDP: @Dee Loralei: A Miami Herald reporter just spoke to Dan Choi and got his reaction to today’s historic vote:
More from Choi at the link. So happy to hear he’s been released from the hospital.
fasteddie9318
change, dude, i don’t even know what you said because you’re the only name in my pie filter, but go fuck yourself anyway.
Dee Loralei
@JenJen: Many thanks for that Jen Jen. Great news about Choi being released! ( LOL and great news about me not being crazy and imagining things.)
I’m so excited about 3 PM vote. And this is so not my fight at all. But YAY equality!
And thanks also to KDP @152 for the confirmation on my sanity!
Uncle Clarence Thomas
.
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I say we give President Obama full credit for ending DADT. Who’s with me!?
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Citizen_X
I would like to point out, to those saying “Yes, but…American militarism and the giant M-I-C…” that, if you want to eventually demobilize America (for the first time, really, since 19-fucking-41), the last thing you want to have on your hands is a military that is insulated from the rest of society. DADT was a way of officially separating the military from the rest of the country, and now it’s finally going away. Not only that, but in this fight the Republicans, the most fanatically militaristic part of our government, made themselves look completely clueless and out of touch with the actual U.S. military.
This is a great day all round. (OK, excerpt for DREAM going down.)
Pangloss
Does that explain why this post makes me want to give DougJ a great big, wet kiss?
JenJen
@Dee Loralei: Yay equality indeed! Straights Against Hate, pure and simple.
I’m so f’n stoked!!
Anya
@Alex S.:
The media is full of hallow shells of men. The reason they are so attracted to him is he is one of them, an unprincipled hypocrite.
Craig
It’s great to know that the 65% of in-combat Army and Marines who had a negative view of this repeal don’t count for squat. Why should their view matter over soft ideologues in the Capital?
Current service members enlisted under one set of rules, of conduct, of ‘morals’. Will they be given the chance to ‘de-enlist’, to resign honorably when that code changes? And, please, skip the ‘obey orders’ routine: orders are ‘go fight in Iraq’, not ‘go bunk with openly gay Randy’.
Jewish Steel
@Tim:
I was confused by this at first like you.
I think its potency is in its power as a symbol. Now the GLBT can point to one of nation’s largest and historically conservative institutions(and who’s patriotism is questioned at one’s peril) and say, “Look. They’re cool with it. Why can’t you be?”
Uncle Clarence Thomas
@change my diaper:
.
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Nah, it just allows more Republicans to serve and get their asses shot off too – for a change.
.
.
JMC_in_the_ATL
This will also prove to be excellent news in the long run for marriage equality and other GLB(unfortunately not T, not today) struggles. It is going to be a lot more difficult to demonize openly gay service members and vets with negative stereotypes.
I am sad about the DREAM act, though. If you had told me when I came out in the late 1980s that brown people were more scary than gay people in the fever dreams of Real Murika, I would not have believed you.
Yutsano
@JenJen: As far as I’m concerned he has nothing to apologize for. Choi did more than just about anyone to keep this horrible policy in the news, including risking his career and his life. He deserves some credit here.
And as someone who loves a gay man in the military, I’m just fucking relieved. Now I don’t have to worry about the career he loves coming crashing down on him just because of who he sleeps with. I’m not partying, I’m just giving out hugs.
chopper
democracy has a habit of making mccain have a sad.
seriously, the dude is still digging. this is amazing.
JenJen
@Yutsano:
And a huge-ass hug from me to you, my friend!
Choi has nothing to apologize for. I hope right now that he’s concentrating on his recovery, and he should know, and I wish there was a way for me to tell him, that I think he’s a civil rights hero.
Bill E Pilgrim
@alwhite: No kidding.
I was just about to come here and congratulate Obama, since this is pretty much the most O-positive blog I know of.
Good grief. Yes, anyone critical of Obama, ever, is a PUMA. Why that’s just common sense.
Just can’t let the 2008 primaries go, huh?
Oh and PS: Good going, President Obama. Damn good. Historic even, barring anything bizarre in the next few hours.
jon
Fixedifiedicated.
Yutsano
@JenJen: The Dawg isn’t the only gay soldier I know. This ending has a huge effect on all of them, and they’re all great guys and wonderful soldiers. It’s like a nightmare ending for them, and that just makes me happy.
Choi I bet more than anything just wants to go back to serving and fade into obscurity. But I bet his name goes into the history books for his work on all this. Taking a stand, especially against your own organization, is never easy. He deserves a vacation if nothing else.
gogol's wife
@Uncle Clarence Thomas:
I am.
ruemara
@Bill H.:
That is a “no”. And I am pretty damn happy about this, pretty damn angry about DREAM. Fuck the haters in the Senate.
Tom Hilton
@Uncle Clarence Thomas: not sole credit, but certainly credit. Along with my beloved Representative (aka Madame Speaker), Harry Reid, and (it pains me to say this but it’s true) Joe Lieberman.
Plenty of credit to go around.
DPirate
Well, that is a good victory.
I have a friend who is a fundie, and he is very anti-homosexual. When I ask him if they ought to be persecuted, he says no, but he cannot explain how denying them equal rights is not persecution.
Uncle Clarence Thomas
@Tom Hilton:
.
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Yes, full credit for his Presidentin’ (verb, intransitive) on the issue.
.
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ruemara
@Tim:
Can I say I hate MIC with a furor that belies my real life hippie, composting, back to the earth pagan lifestyle? Yeah, I’d get myself bloody with some Bankster McWarbucks blood, if I could. I am also tearing up, thinking of friends who are proud Marines, who’ve served with honor and can finally stand up, wave to their loved ones when they come back home and no one can take away their job and ruin their life. The military isn’t the problem. We need one because we are a nation and some level of effective armed combatant class will always be necessary. The industry of war is the problem. I have weapons in my house. My blades and staves are kept well, I try to stay in shape and practice so I can defend myself. My goal is to never have to use it, especially since I don’t run around trying to take from my neighbors.
Mister Papercut
@fasteddie9318: While I’m thinking about it, belated big ups to cleek for the pie filter, which I only recently began using/having fun with my own custom Redacted Text.
There’s most assuredly a seat waiting for you in heaven, good sir.
Mark
@Amanda in the South Bay: Trans soldiers? Really? You’re complaining that an organization whose goal is to kill people is insufficiently hospitable to transsexuals? Why would some of the last people on earth to get a seat at the equal rights table want to kill Iraqis?
It’s possible to take “wanting to be just like everyone else” a bit too far. What’s the goal here? Get sufficient equality so that gay people can vote Republican purely for economic reasons with a clear conscience?
It pains me to think that gay people want to be like the WASP elite rather than be a group that’s generally committed to social justice.
Craig
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Why? No profanity in this, just uncomfortable facts.
It’s great to know that the 65% of in-combat Army and Marines who had a negative view of this repeal don’t count for squat. Why should their view matter over soft ideologues in the Capital?
Current service members enlisted under one set of rules, of conduct, of ‘morals’. Will they be given the chance to ‘de-enlist’, to resign honorably when that code changes? And, please, skip the ‘obey orders’ routine: orders are ‘go fight in Iraq’, not ‘go bunk with openly gay Randy’.
Mike Kay (Team America)
Fucking Obama! This is his fault!
This never would have happened if he only listened to the grassroots and signed an EO during the inaugural address! When will he fucking learn to listen to the netroots!
But seriously, to all you assholes who stupidly screamed for an EO since day one, I say, fuck you.
Rationality > hysterics.
Jules
did I just turn on C-span to witness the end of DADT?
keestadoll
IT’S DONE! Thank frakking gods!
JenJen
I’m so stoked!! 65-31? are you f’n kidding me? Well done, US Senate! Well done. Credit where credit’s due.
It’s almost hard to believe, isn’t it?
Woodrow "asim" Jarvis Hill
@Craig: And a huge majority of people in the military hated the idea of serving with Negroes when Truman signed the integration EO.
Your goddamned POINT?
jwb
@arguingwithsignposts: I’m also blaming Obama. @cleek: I’m also amazed. I really did believe that the build up was just more theater by Lucy so she could pull the football.
Yutsano
@JenJen: When the Dawg gets home, I’m giving him a big long ass lip lock. In public. And neither one of us does PDAs. That’s how relieved I am over this.
@Craig: Get over it you delicate wallflower. Teh fags are already in the military, you’re just gonna know who they are now.
Mnemosyne
@Davis X. Machina:
I couldn’t disagree more. I think the DADT repeal became an unnecessary distraction among progressives as everyone started lining up and accusing each other of bigotry and insufficient dedication to the rest of the progressive agenda. It turned us against each other, and the right wing was cackling with glee.
Now that the distraction has (thankfully) been removed, we can concentrate on the other, more difficult tasks ahead of us.
Don K
@Mark:
I’m not sure what to make of this argument, but to me it sounds an awful lot like “Uhoh, if gays get too many rights they’ll get fat, dumb, and happy; we better hold back so they’ll stay at the table begging a while longer.”
There’s no chance of anything else (e.g., ENDA, DOMA repeal, UAFA) passing Congress for at least two years and probably six years, so don’t let that worry you for a while.
Even though I’m retired, my own preference would have been to pass ENDA, to benefit the largest number of LGBT’s, but legislative priorities of the majority in Congress are what they are, so I’ll take this one as a statement of sincerity from the Democrats.
The 18-year-old me was terrified of being sent to Vietnam, and hypothetical younger versions of me never would have volunteered in any subsequent years, but I’m overjoyed that my brothers and sisters who want to volunteer won’t have to hide during their service careers.
abrxas
WTF? You can’t say with any certainty this would have happened sooner with Hillary. Or that it would have happened at all. Can we stop with the reruns of 08 already?!? No wonder I skip over so many of your irrational, blowhard posts.
Mark
@Don
John has made the same argument as I do. Gay people, for whatever reason, really want to be Republicans. The open bigotry of the R party makes it unpalatable for most of them, but the more things Democrats accomplish in this realm, the more gay people abandon the D party and tell me that Obama is to the right of Dick Cheney.
It sickens me that rich white men use the Democratic party to accomplish their goals, then vote against rights for everyone else. It is really disheartening to know that after rights issues are resolved, gay people care more about low taxes and the military than they do about other people who face discrimination.
PanurgeATL
@Mark:
Well, those are the gay people in the community, I suppose. Most of them appear to go to sleep with Virtually Normal under their pillows, leaving out (for lack of a better term) the rest of us. With all due respect to you and Don K, it just seems as if, well…
Let’s put it this way: The subtext of “We just happen to be gay” is “We’re just as square as you.”