Credit where credit is due, right? Don't Ask Don't Tell was ended by a vote in the Senate Saturday. For all the criticism I have lately dished out to Obama and the Democratic leadership, here they come and dunk from the foul line on a progressive issue.
Well, they make a foul shot, anyway.
Before you click away because of my irrational hate, I understand what a groundbreaking move this was. Decades, if not centuries of officially sanctioned bigotry and oppression by our armed forces will be done away with when the President signs this into law. Allowing gay men and women to serve openly in the military is an historic step forward in American civil rights. Kudos to all involved! This includes the much maligned (by me) President Obama - way to go, big guy!
It was inevitable, though, as is gay marriage. The path of history is clear in America. We make you wait, then eventually you get your rights. African Americans, women, gays - discrimination is not over, but legal recognition of your rights is now codified in at least our military. And when the right gay marriage case gets to the Supreme Court, it will also be allowed. It is a 14th Amendment no-brainer. And still you give credit to Democrats, and eight Republican senators.
But to continue the basketball analogy, this was an uncontested lay-up. There was no real fight against this, apart from the omnibus hostage-taking by Republicans over tax cuts for the rich. No CEOs bonus was threatened by giving gay people a little more rights. This was low-hanging legislative fruit. After the monumental cave-in by Democratic leadership on the tax bill, they could reach this one from their prone position, on their backs.
Here's what they couldn't even get to their knees to reach: the Child Marriage Act. This would redirect foreign aid resources to fight the practice of child marriage, which in some cases is a form of child sexual slavery. But Republicans blocked it.
Now, to the Obamapolagists, I get it - the REPUBLICANS blocked it. And yes, they are mean, bad, nasty and evil men and women. They obstruct, and they call the President bad names, and they give poor Senator Reid wedgies.
That is why you FIGHT them.
You mean the President couldn't be bothered to make several speeches about how Republicans want to continue forms of child sexual slavery when it doesn't cost any new money to fight it? Nope, just cave in to it. Fuck those kids, I guess. Literally for some, I guess.
911 responders? The heroes of 911? They need medical help. Republicans have been blocking that, too. John Stewart of the Daily Show embarrassed them mightily, and THEY may finally cave, but it will be the doings of Comedy Central, not the Democratic leadership.
And, if you are the Democratic leadership, how do you not win on this issue? Can you imagine ANY Republican sponsored bill having to do with 911 being blocked by Democrats? Can you not imagine the political carnage that would be the result? This is where Obama needs to walk onto the floor of the Senate with a pool cue, break in over his knee, wield the thicker end and dare those benefit-blocking Republicans to say "911" just one more time. Harry Reid should change the number on the bill being blocked, bring it up for vote again, and do this every day until is passes. And when it is blocked again use that opportunity to say how much all Republicans hate America, how they are with the terrorists, and how they work to harm the heroes of 911. Three days, tops, and they're begging to vote for the 911 responders.
God damn it is sad to watch.
And the final of many final straws? The end of net neutrality. Yup, in spite of all of Obama's pretty speeches in favor of net neutrality, he will allow his appointed chair of the FCC to give the store away to AT&T. This is the first foot in the door of tollbooth internet. Not just your access to the open web, but your ability to access or produce particular content. You don't believe me, ask Netflix, who is already being affected by bandwidth cuts because they compete with the ISPs.
Now this would have taken guts. Obama would have had to stand up to not just Republicans, but to large corporations. He would have had to stand up for free speech against moneyed interests, and powerful members of his own party who take big sacks of cash from those same interests. Which in my opinion, is his fucking job!
But apparently, our President sees his job differently. He sees himself as a facilitator. He's going to ease us into corporate serfdom. Or, he's just weak. Either way, he can't fight this one from his back, or his knees. He needs to stand up, and he just can't do it.
Yay for ending DADT, but it is a fig leaf. Just like unemployment extension - a good thing - masked a huge sellout to the rich and the undermining of social security, this bill takes attention away from selling our free speech and internet access rights, 911 responders, and little girls around the world down the river. Jesus, we have got to primary this guy hard! We need to find someone who knows how to fight as hard as the Republicans for their policy goals, and hope that those end up being our policy goals too.
Okay okay...you want me to admit more "progressive" victories by the Democratic leadership? START is likely to pass now, with over 60 votes in the Senate (don't get me fucking started on 60 again), and a food safety bill passed and will be signed into law. And these are good things. But I can't stand how we jump up and down when a few "good things" get done.
Would a John McCain administration have passed DADT, START or food safety? Probably START only, so I get it, there's a difference. But not enough of one. It's like saying "well, we got punched in the gut, but if it was McCain, we'd have been kicked in the nuts!" I don't want to be punched OR kicked. I don't want to have to choose between donkey shit or elephant shit. I want to elect a president who runs on a marginally progressive platform, and have him achieve marginally progressive policy goals. Not one who gives corporate interests everything, and then negotiates with Republicans for what's left over. I want a president who gets on a ladder to harvest the fruit, not one who lays on his back and picks what he can grab. Same for Democratic leaders in the House and Senate. So yeah, thanks a lot for DADT, now hows about getting to work for a "change."
It's not too much to ask. Don't listen to the Obamabots or Democratic fanboys who demand fealty or accuse you of helping Republicans. Fuck that. Primary the shit out of these corporate lackeys who are sticking it dry to you and your family. Primary hard.
Primary NOW!
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