DADT Repeal and Dream Act Actually Heading to the Actual Senate Floor in Actuality

Harry Reid may not be getting that bill to legalize online poker — not to mention that dump truck full of pork he was hoping for — but it does seem as though — despite my disgusted pessimism yesterday — he has an actual real life shot a passing some genuine historic legislation before the two chambers of Congress descend utterly into trench warfare next month.

And these pieces of legislation would actually be "historic" in a good way, believe it or not…

After abandoning on Thursday night a $1.3 trillion omnibus Senate spending bill, Democratic Senate Leader Harry Reid filed cloture for the DREAM Act and a stand-alone repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" — both of which are now expected to reach the Senate for final votes as early as this weekend…

Republican Sens. Brown (who on Thursday confirmed his willingness to vote for the bill), Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Olympia Snowe (Maine) have said they would support the bill, and all but one Democrat – West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin – is believed to be in favor of voting for repeal.

The prospects of the DREAM Act, however, are less clear. The measure, which would provide undocumented young people with pathways to American citizenship, has inspired criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike, and a Senate vote on the legislation was recently delayed due to lack of sufficient support for passage.

It's sad enough that these are even issues being vigorously debated in the year 2010 in which we are currently living. What's sadder, though, is that I'd actually feel like it'd be a victory to get one of these bills through.

Fantastic job of managing expectations, Congress! That is one thing you do very well!

Tags: DADT, Gambling, Harry Reid, Immigration, Joe Manchin, LGBT, Lisa Murkowski, Military, Money, Olympia Snowe, Scott Brown, Senate, Susan Collins

Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins See Hope for DADT Repeal

In this press conference from last night, Sens. Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins seem pretty convinced that the 60 (or more?) votes for repealing DADT exist somewhere on the Senate floor and that it's just a matter of uncovering them at the right time and under the right conditions.

I had no idea that legislative work was so similar to the Raiders of the Lost Ark video game for Atari 2600. Jeeze! I hope Lieberman is able to find a shovel in the Black Market and cross the mesa toward the Map Room to find the location of the Lost DADT Repeal Votes before the sun sets on the Lame Duck Session. Or before he gets spit on by a cobra.*

Given their frustrations with the timing of the vote, it sounds like there may be some credence to Christopher R. Barron and GOProud's claim that fault for the DADT repeal failure lies (at least in part) with Harry Reid.

Still, a bunch of gay Republicans blaming a Democrat for a near-unanimous voting down by Republicans is about as rational as being a gay Republican.

.

^{* Please feel free to mentally replace this non-timely reference with practically any other one from any time during the past 20 years.}

Tags: DADT, Harry Reid, Joe Lieberman, LGBT, Military, Senate, Susan Collins

Gay Republicans Blame Democratic Senate Leader for Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Failure

GOProud — the 527 political organization intended to represent the slim special interest group of LGBT conservatives who are not currently closeted — last night retweeted a message from its founder and CEO Christopher R. Barron concerning just who is to blame for the Don't Ask, Don't Tell'd dismal showing on the Senate floor yesterday.

And, if you ask me, the answer is pretty obvious…

Hmmmm… Harry Reid. Of course! That makes perfect sense at first blush, but what if we take a closer look at the numbers…

60 - The number of votes the repeal provision would need to defeat a filibuster by Republicans

57 - The number of senators who voted for repealing DADT

40 - The number of senators who voted against repealing DADT

39 - The number of Democrats who voted for repealing DADT (Joe Manchin, of West Virginia, was the one dissenting Democrat vote)

1 - The number of Republicans who voted for repealing DADT (Susan Collins, of Maine)

0 - The number of Harry Reids who voted against repealing DADT

Well, you can't argue with numbers like that! Totally, totally Harry Reid's fault. That jerk!

(via Joe. My. God.)

Tags: DADT, Harry Reid, Joe Manchin, LGBT, Military, Republicans, Senate, Susan Collins

Jon Stewart on John McCain's Heroic Efforts to Maintain Military Subjugation of Gays at All Costs (to His Soul)

This John McCain guy… I'm tellin' ya…

I'm just sayin' is all.

The Daily Show airs Monday through Thursday at 11pm / 10c.

Tags: DADT, House of Representatives, Joe Lieberman, John McCain, Jon Stewart, LGBT, Mike Mullen, Military, Pentagon, Robert Gates, Senate, Susan Collins, The Daily Show, Video

Jon Stewart Watches Repeal Legislation of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Crash, Burn

The gentleman from The Daily Show is correct in calling our Senate a coterie of assholes…

The Daily Show airs Monday through Thursday at 11pm / 10c.

Tags: DADT, Dick Durbin, Harry Reid, John McCain, Jon Stewart, Lady Gaga, Military, Senate, Susan Collins, The Daily Show, Video