Senate deals blow to 'Don't ask, don't tell' repeal in 56-43 vote

[Shin]

Senate deals blow to 'Don't ask, don't tell' repeal in 56-43 vote
Excerpts from an article by Roxana Tiron -

In a 56-43 vote, Senate Democratic leaders fell short of the 60 votes they needed to proceed to the 2011 defense authorization bill, which included language to repeal the Clinton-era “Don’t ask, don’t tell” law.

All Senate Republicans and three Democrats voted to block debate on the bill after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he would attach several leadership priorities, including an immigration-related provision, to the defense bill. Reid also attempted to limit the amendments offered by the GOP.

“Today’s Senate vote was a frustrating blow to repeal this horrible law,” said Aubrey Sarvis, the executive director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, an organization dedicated to the repeal of the ban.

The defense bill is now in limbo until the Senate returns to work after the November elections.

“It is premature to say this vote is over for this year,” Sarvis added.

Conservative groups meanwhile, praised the Republicans’ filibuster.

"This is a victory for the men and women who serve our nation in uniform. At least for now they will not be used to advance a radical social agenda,” said Family Research Council President Tony Perkins.

After the vote, Reid, who is the GOP’s number one target in the Senate this fall and faces a tough reelection race, said efforts to move repeal would continue.

In a statement, he criticized Senate Republicans for blocking the bill.

President Obama pledged during his campaign to scrap the ban, and White House press secretary Robert Gibbs expressed confidence that the Senate would vote on repealing the policy at a later date.

“I don't think this is the last chance,” he said. “If you look at today's vote, I don't see how you could come to that conclusion.”

The Pentagon is in the midst of conducting a review on the implementation of repeal and is surveying members of the armed forces on the issue. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is scheduled to receive the review on Dec. 1 — perhaps before the Senate tries again to debate the defense bill.

Under language included in the defense bill, repeal would not be implemented until the Pentagon finishes its review of how it would affect the military. Obama, Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen must first certify it can be achieved consistent with the military’s standards of readiness, effectiveness, unit cohesion and recruitment and retention.

Sen. Carl Levin (Mich.), the leading Democrat on military affairs, on Monday warned that failure to secure enough votes on Tuesday’s motion to proceed would be “a real setback” for the 2011 defense authorization bill, which contains several key policies for the Pentagon and the members of the armed forces.

Levin said the legislation could still move after the election, but that any lame-duck session would be unpredictable.

“I can’t predict what will happen in the lame-duck,” Levin said. Those who make predictions have “a lot more courage than I do,” he added.

—Jordan Fabian contributed to this report.

[Shin]

I try not to mention much to at all discussion of abominable sins and those promoting them, I would rather these sins 'no to so much as be named' but there can need to be a certain degree of social awareness of the dangerous troubles advancing and sometimes being stopped, as in this case a perhaps temporary but nevertheless significant victory.  

One general has made clear, then denied his remarks that if the policy is repealed the reverse policy will be enacted, that is, those who oppose unnatural vice will be expelled from the military.

This is clearly what will occur, all those with firm Christian beliefs will be suppressed and expelled.

So we must continue to pray and thank God for every social victory towards the suppression of unnatural vice, and the ending of social acceptance of it.