Eideard

President Barack Obama said at a fundraiser in California this week he has kept 60 percent of his 2008 campaign promises.

Here are some of his major promises made on the campaign trail in 2008 and where they stand:

* CLOSING GUANTANAMO BAY – Obama said he would shut down the facility set up by President George W. Bush to be the central prison for terror suspects in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks…

* END COMBAT MISSIONS IN IRAQ BY AUG. 31, 2010 – “Let me say this as plainly as I can: by August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end,” Obama said early in his presidency…

* REPEAL DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL – Last December, Obama signed legislation repealing a military policy that banned gays from openly serving in the armed forces. The policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” had been signed into law in 1993 under President Bill Clinton…

* UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE – In March 2010, Obama signed into law a bill to overhaul the $2.5 trillion U.S. healthcare industry. This followed months of wrangling and political standoffs with Republican lawmakers, who vehemently opposed the most sweeping social policy legislation in decades…

* FINANCIAL REGULATION – While running for president, Obama promised to rein in Wall Street forces and their risky practices that pushed America into its worst recession in decades…

* REPEAL BUSH TAX CUTS – As a presidential candidate, Obama vowed to oppose Bush-era tax cuts for wealthy Americans…

* IMMIGRATION REFORM – Obama’s 2008 election victory can be partly attributed to a huge turnout of reliably Democratic Hispanic voters drawn by his promise to deliver immigration reform that would allow millions of illegal immigrants a path to U.S. citizenship…

* ISRAEL-PALESTINE – In foreign policy, Obama pledged to set in motion a diplomatic push to achieve a Palestinian state alongside the Jewish state of Israel…

RTFA – and judge for yourselves.

The Democratic-led House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill to repeal a ban against gays serving openly in the U.S. military.

On a largely party-line vote of 250-175, the House sent the legislation supported by President Barack Obama to the Senate, where the prospects for approval are uncertain.

The vote came just a week after Senate Republicans blocked a similar measure to end the policy — known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” — as part of an annual defense bill.

Senate backers now say they have the needed 60 votes in the 100-member chamber to clear such a hurdle and pass the new stand-alone measure before lawmakers wrap up their work for the year. “We are very confident that there are at least 60 votes,” a Senate aide said.

“We’ll see,” said a Republican aide. “They said they thought they could get 60 last time…”

A Republican admission of unity in bigotry. How’d that slip in?

If Congress doesn’t repeal the policy, the issue may be decided by the courts, where the ban has been challenged.

Obama, along with Defense Secretary Robert Gates, want to do away with the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, but favor a congressional rather than a court-imposed remedy.

Men and women of good will have always had a problem with official bigots opposing a move towards equal opportunities for Americans. It doesn’t become less disgusting when padded by deceit and flip-flopping excuses by hypocrites like John McCain.

Democracy was allowed to function in the House of Representatives. Since that scarce political commodity is not given a chance in the Senate, folks will have to wait and see if the majority supporting civil rights are allowed an opportunity to vote.

The campaign to allow gays to serve openly in the US military will gain momentum today when the Pentagon releases a report on the impact a repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy would have on morale. It will be sent today by the defence secretary, Robert Gates, to President Barack Obama and to Congress.

Officials told the Washington Post last month that the report, a survey of opinion among soldiers, other military personnel and their spouses, found an overwhelming majority either supporting or, at least, not opposing the reform. A majority said it would have no impact on morale…

Gates and Mullen back the change, as does Obama, but repeal of the existing policy, in which gays can serve but not openly, needs to be done by Congress. The House has voted in favour of repeal of the existing law but the Senate is stalling.

The Senate is to hold hearings on Thursday and Friday and its Democratic leader, Harry Reid, has promised a vote before Christmas. However, senators such as the Republican John McCain are holding out, saying there has not been sufficient scrutiny…

Supporters of reform fear that if the vote, which would be part of a defence spending bill, is delayed until next year, the new Congress will have even more Republicans, possibly making reform tougher. Several Republican and Democratic senators have said they would not make up their mind until they had read the Pentagon report…

The survey is based on responses by some 115,000 troops and 44,200 military spouses to more than a half million questionnaires.

Everyone knew the report was coming – with a positive response. Hypocrites like John McCain have already been working out revisionist recasting of their original objections – which were based on waiting for the report.

Principles – and civil rights – be damned.

Handcuffed Gay members of the military protest President Obama’s inaction
Daylife/AP PHoto used by permission

A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the U.S. military to stop enforcing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, effectively ending the ban on openly gay troops.

U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips’ permanent injunction orders the military “immediately to suspend and discontinue any investigation, or discharge, separation, or other proceeding, that may have been commenced” under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

The judge, a Clinton appointee based in the Central District of California, previously ruled that the policy regarding gays serving in the military violated service members’ Fifth Amendment rights to due process and freedom of speech, but had delayed issuing the injunction.

The military was sued by Log Cabin Republicans, a gay rights group.

Justice Department spokesperson Tracy Shmaler would only say the department is “reviewing the ruling.” The department has 60 days to appeal, but is not required to do so…

More than 12,500 people have been booted from the military since “don’t ask, don’t tell” went into effect. Along with barring openly gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals from serving, the policy prevents the military from asking them about it.

Log Cabin Republicans praised the ruling but urged “caution by servicemembers considering coming out at this time, as the Obama administration still has the option to appeal.”

And, I’m sad to say I’d have to agree with the caution. Already appears that the DOJ is filing an appeal.

There simply are too many issues, too many times, that Obama has backed down before conservative homophobia – whether it’s coming from Republicans, teabaggers and religious nutballs – or Blue Dog Democrats. Bipartisan backwardness.

Daylife/AP Photo used by permission

A federal judge has ordered the reinstatement of an openly lesbian former Air Force major who was dismissed from the military under the government’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

Judge Ronald Leighton of Tacoma, Washington, made his ruling Friday. It is the latest legal and political setback for the Obama administration, which is seeking to end the policy through a legislative and executive solution.

Uh, I would have to interject, here, that Obama is trying to dump it off on Congress. He knows, you and I know, that will accomplish nothing. Especially before the fall election. There is nothing “executive” happening.

And he apparently hasn’t the integrity to live up to his promises to the Gay and Lesbian community made during his presidential campaign.

Maj. Margaret Witt, a decorated flight nurse with 20 years of service, had sued to return to the Air Force Reserve. She was honorably discharged in July 2007 on the grounds that she had a six-year relationship with another woman, a civilian…

“Her discharge from the Air Force Reserves violated her substantive due process rights under the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. She should be restored to her position as a flight nurse with the 446th AES as soon as is practicable,” wrote the judge…

She was described in employee reports and by trial witnesses as an “exemplary officer” who was an effective leader, caring mentor, and skilled clinician. She had hid her homosexuality for years…

Witt’s lawyers from the ACLU argued the Spokane native’s sexuality never led to any problems within her unit. Several members of her squadron had testified they would welcome her back.

“Today we heard the hammer of justice strike for Major Margaret Witt,” said ACLU of Washington Executive Director Kathleen Taylor. “We look forward to the day when all members of our military can serve our country without invidious discrimination. To discharge her simply because of her sexual orientation was entirely unfair to her and unwise for the military, which needs her significant skills.”

The saddest thing is that the Democrats and Obama are a slightly better alternative to the intellectually and ethically corrupt thugs in the Republican Party and their teabagger Brown Shirts. On some issues.

I can’t be moved to vote for the evil of two lessers.

In early 2008, just eight days before he was to deploy in support of the war in Afghanistan, Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach, a decorated Air Force flight officer, was told he was under investigation on charges of sexually assaulting a civilian and of violating the military’s ban on homosexuality.

He was placed on desk duty at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. Within three weeks, the sexual assault allegation was dismissed for lack of evidence. But the Air Force investigation into his sexuality continued. Now, just a year from completing his 20th year in the military, Colonel Fehrenbach, 40, believes he is about to be discharged under the policy known as “don’t ask, don’t tell.” He would be among the highest-ranking service members discharged under the policy.

On Wednesday, Colonel Fehrenbach’s lawyers filed papers in Idaho federal court requesting a temporary order blocking his discharge. The petition contends that a discharge would violate Colonel Fehrenbach’s rights, cause him irreparable harm and fail to meet standards established in a 2008 federal court ruling on don’t ask, don’t tell.

For advocates of abolishing the ban against gay men, lesbians and bisexuals serving openly, Colonel Fehrenbach’s case has become something of a line in the sand. Though President Obama has called for ending the ban and Congress has begun moving in that direction, gay service members continue to face investigations and discharge, albeit at a lower rate than in past years.

Lawyers for Colonel Fehrenbach assert that his case is among the most egregious applications of the policy in their experience. The Air Force investigation into his sexuality began with a complaint from a civilian that was eventually dismissed by the Idaho police and the local prosecutor as unfounded, according to court papers. Colonel Fehrenbach has never publicly said that he is gay.

However, during an interview with an Idaho law enforcement official, he acknowledged having consensual sex with his accuser. Colonel Fehrenbach’s lawyers say he did not realize Air Force investigators were observing that interview; his admission led the Air Force to open its “don’t ask” investigation.

RTFA. Lots of backwards bureaucratic behavior by the Air Force.

I have a strong affinity for my friends in the American military and I haven’t yet heard one of them say that being gay made someone a lousy pilot.