"You can get with this, or you can get with that" - some choice...

Unlike the little rodents in the video, allegedly offering a better quality product than what's already out on the streets - the little Democrat rodents in DC have just shown that they were merely shining up the same old shit and calling it gold with Reid's Don't Ask Don't Tell/Dream Act amendment.

I'm no fan of McConnell or the Republicans, - but I definitely co-sign this observation:

“They want to use this week for a political exercise. They want to weigh this bill down with controversy in a transparent attempt to show their special interest groups that they haven’t forgotten about them ahead of the election.”

“This is not a serious exercise. It’s a show,” he added. “And it’s because of shows like this that our [Democratic] friends have lost credibility with the public.” (emphasis mine)

No font of credibility his damned self, he does, however, make a couple of salient points to which the Obama faithful might want to pay close attention:

1. You gave your support, your money and your votes on a wing and a damned prayer - to a consummate con man and his handlers who've been lying about what they're going to do for you since day one;
2. In return, they shit in your hand - AND! - expect you to say thank you in November and beyond (and sadly, like many who resigned themselves to a Shrub second-term after he'd gotten the country knee-deep in his "Mission Accomplished" bullshit - you probably will).

When I read this back in May, I was cautiously optimistic - even though there was evidence of some Ickey Shuffling going on:

The push to end the military’s “don’t ask don’t tell” policy that prohibits gays from serving openly in the military cleared two major hurdles Thursday, with the House backing repeal by a 234-194 vote, while the Senate Armed Services Committee voted 16-12 in favor of that body’s version of the change.

Both repeals, offered as amendments to a defense spending bill, would remove the policy only after the Pentagon completes a study due in December on the impact of the change on the military. (emphasis mine

That, "remove the policy only after the Pentagon completes a study due in December" part, seemed to me a set-up, and an awfully precarious row to hoe for actively serving, LGBT service members (do read the study questions!). But, since they'd tacked it onto the defense authorization bill and, since -

The White House and the Pentagon both approved the compromise in the amendments that allows Congress to act while granting the president, the defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff the ultimate authority to implement repeal when they are satisfied that the military’s readiness, recruiting, retention and morale would not be adversely impacted by it. (emphasis mine)

- I figured it had at least a snowball's chance. But once I reached this now, pretty-much-accepted-as-real-progress-in-matters-of-equality sentence uttered by Sen. Carl Levin -

"Today’s action by the Senate Armed Services Committee is an important step to end this discriminatory policy.” (emphasis mine)

- cautiously optimistic was immediately replaced with the increasingly nagging suspicion that there were plenty of those "Games Mother Never Taught You" being played by people for whom no "urgency of now" exists. Then came Maj. Margaret Witt, LT. Dan Choi (I really like what I see of this guy!), Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach and so many others - bringing with them the memory of my grandmother's tried-and-true caution: "Always follow your first mind." She was right.

In this NPR piece published before the vote, R. Clarke Cooper, executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans beat old Harry to the press-conference punch with this statement:

"The majority leader is setting himself up to simply say 'I tried' when Republicans vote against cloture on the defense bill today"... "If the(defense bill)fails to proceed this week because of cheap political stunts, it is the Senate majority leadership that is should be held accountable, not the unreasonably slighted minority."

Well, we can quibble about "unreasonably slighted minority" but, you gotta admit - this is too funny! I'll bet Harry had that exact speech all ready!

Really now - it's not like he didn't know that Republicans were planning to try and block his afterthought of an amendment!  It's not like - with their Congressional majority and the seat in the Big House on lock - they hadn't had enough time to do their usual backroom, wheelin' and dealin'! What - of any substance - can he possibly say??  Don't bother answering - I think Maxine's got that covered:

And speaking of that now, pretty-much-accepted-as-real-progress-in-matters-of-equality sentence, here it is again - in an emailed petition I got yesterday from Reform Immigration FOR America's, Marissa Graciosa:

"Our country and our children suffer under a broken immigration system.  Pass the defense reauthorization bill and the DREAM Act as a step toward comprehensive immigration reform." (emphasis mine)

No malice or disrespect intended Ms. Graciosa, but please - see numbers 1. and 2. above.

The Changeling's politically expedient, "Suing Arizona" stunt notwithstanding, just ask yourself this question - Why in the world would the people, who definitely did numbers 1. and 2. (not to mention sending 1,200 additional troops to the border to keep people who look like you out), and those who crowed about the passage of SB1070, be invested in the DREAM Act's passage, much less comprehensive immigration reform (aside from more cannon fodder for war, of course)??

Hell, in this piece, just a little over a month ago, Sen. Jon Kyl said:

“As we’ve said many times, until the border is substantially more secure than it is today, there’s not going to be a consensus to move forward on immigration legislation.” (emphasis mine)

I could be wrong, but I just don't see any of 'em giving two shits unless there's something REALLY BIG in it for them. And seeing as the Changeling and his crew have already gotten their really big something from you guys (and us!) via his selection, they've more than shown that there'll be little or no bending over backwards to do what is right for the remainder of this Administration's term (but look out in the run-up to 2012!).

And the Republicans? Given their forever-pandering to the majority "white" voting bloc of "real Americans" in these United States, I doubt there'll ever be any backward-bending over on their part. As a matter of fact, as long as most society-identified "Others," held hostage by the trauma of White Supremacist Capitalist Patriarchy, remain in this weird, Stockholm Syndrome existence, celebrating the crumbs, while resisting true freedom - there's really no need for them to ever do anything.

The solution? Take a hint from my beautiful sister, Lauryn Hill  - and choose not to "get with this, or that":



UPDATE I:  Still scratching my head trying to figure out what's going on, but this is certainly interesting: Pro-Gay Groups Find New Allies in the GOP

UPDATE II:  Margaret Witt, Air Force Major Discharged Under 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Ordered Reinstated