Though the election is more than a month behind us and the holidays are fast approaching, politics has been the dominant topic of late.
Locally, there have been both some wins and losses, with the approval of the Lower Merion antidiscrimination law, including sexual orientation and gender identity, and the veto of similar legislation by Hatboro’s mayor after the township’s council had approved it.
In Washington, D.C., repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has been at the forefront of activists’ efforts in recent weeks; they have worked to get legislation passed before the Congressional session ends and Republicans take over the House in January.
After years of activism, concerted efforts for the past two years and a near-frenzy for the past two weeks, many are saying the repeal effort is at the “now or not for a long, long time” point.
In the House, representatives approved a repeal amendment in May, which had been added to the National Defense Authorization Act. In the Senate, members have not been able to garner enough support to bring the legislation — the entire defense authorization act with the repeal amendment attached — to debate; threats of filibuster and procedural votes have blocked progress.
Two weeks ago, Republicans vowed not to move on any legislation that was not related to reducing taxes or cutting spending through the end of the session, and are now focused on the deal that would extend President Bush’s tax cuts (which reduces taxes but adds to the deficit in the long-term). Democrats, unhappy with extending the tax cuts for wealthy Americans, aren’t keen on passing the compromise between President Obama and the Republicans.
After failing to muster the cloture vote in the Senate last week, Democrats are trying a last-ditch effort to repeal the military ban. They introduced the repeal as a stand-alone bill last Friday; the House passed its version Wednesday.
In his State of the Union address, President Obama said he would work with Congress and the military to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” this year, giving a more concrete timeline to his campaign promise.
Over the summer, the administration and Congress was mostly mum on the subject, leading some pundits to suggest that Congressmembers were waiting until after the election to address a potential lightening rod.
Instead, their (in)action may have driven supporters away — or failed to inspire them to come out and vote — and cost them their jobs.
And now, it’s down to the wire. Republicans are dragging their feet, citing other issues as more important; Democrats are opposing the president’s tax-cut deal.
If this doesn’t pass now, years of work is likely lost, and the repeal effort will rest soundly with the courts — an option the military really doesn’t like.