Social Question
Has John McCain officially had a schizophrenic break...or is he just lying?
I don’t like to judge – except in cases like this. John McCain has repeatedly stated he would support repeal of DADT when various information was provided… and each time it was, he has backed down and asked for more.
The Senate has now passed repeal of DADT, supported by massive data showing a negligible potential impact on our troops safety, over vocal dissent from McCain. McCain criticized members of the current Senate for pushing what he deemed a social agenda before the switch over:
“They know they can’t get it done on Jan. 5,” McCain said of Senate Democrats, citing the date that the new Congress takes office.
Further, he claims that this by doing do…the Senate is ignoring the voice of the voters.
Previously, I just felt lied to…but I now feel like this man may be insane. DADT has resulted in the discharge of over 14,000 service men and women. Discharges have slowed as the military has the right to retain a service member under DADT if it is imprudent from a defense perspective even if they come out or are outed – and has retained these individuals post-9/11 (e.g., the military retains gay military personnel until the war is over, and then would be free to discharge them). The costs associated with the discharges, solely in terms with the administrative procedures, retraining, etc., has been almost $400 million under DADT. The procedures to handle any potential negative reactions in the military due to repeal were already outlined in the report – and at a time of war, it seems that retaining members of the military is most preferable. And repeal is not a significant legislative task – all that needs to be done is the Congress needs to tell, as it just did, the military “We do not legally require you to terminate gay military anymore,” and the military to say “we have it from here”...which it already has.
But McCain is now bitching about how this is sneaky, undemocratic, and wouldn’t have gone through under the new Senate. If he’s not crazy…I’m afraid about what the incoming Congress will be like.
So, what do people think? My opinion is clear, but am I missing some valid argument for dragging this out? (PS – if you feel that the repeal shouldn’t be rushed and that’s where he’s coming from, please include information that shows how repeal at this time creates administrative burdens the military can’t handle, and why the current gradual implementation in terms of procedure of the repeal is not sufficient).
Composing members:
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