A great menace threatened the nation. Citizens were scared and concerned. Fortunately the Republican caucus in the House and Senate sprang to action, and quickly drafted legislation to save the country from the impending threat.
- In November 2011, Rep. Todd Akin led the way offering an amendment to the Defense budget that would stop this movement in its tracks.
- The same month, Colorado Republican Reps. Doug Lamborn and Mike Coffman joined Rep. Michele Bachmann and 83 other members of the House signed a letter to the U.S. Senate urging that body to pass a bill to prohibit this grave threat to the republic.
- Religious conservatives announced they'd sue the federal government if this legislation was not adopted as law of the land to protect them.
- In May 2012, in a straight party-line vote, House Republicans approved an amendment via committee to the National Defense Authorization Act to address this.
- In July 2012, an amendment passed as a floor vote, introduced by Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa). It was approved 247-166.
- In September 2012, U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe and fellow Republican Roger Wicker of Mississippi introduced a companion bill into the senate.
Yes, the Republican Party fought valiantly, trying to pass a federal law that would avert this imminent national crisis.
Yet still, despite their intrepid and relentless efforts, the nation was unable to avoid this profound assault on our military culture. The legislation failed, a victim of D.C. partisan gridlock. And alas, I'm sorry to report, the worst has come to pass.
Follow me over the fold to find out what it was ... if you dare.
It's a great, big, gay wedding at
West Point Military Academy!!!
And it was perfectly legal! Because the Republicans failed to pass legislation banning gay weddings on military bases and facilties!
Retired servicemember, no longer a Congressman, DADT repeal proponent
Patrick Murphy, is still serving—red wine as steward to other guests.
Murphy even brought his children!
Yes, Brenda "Sue" Fulton, Army veteran and a 1980 graduate of West Point (the first class to include women) and who was
appointed by President Obama to the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2011,
gay-married her partner Penelope Gnesin.
Who's a drama queen now, Joe Klein?
In all seriousness, thank you to so many on this site who made this day possible for Sue and Penny and everyone who shares their happiness. Soon, may we find better things to ban with legislation than the of expressions of love, joy and happiness, maybe small-minded bigotry and theocracy in America? Special thanks to Leader Harry Reid our friends on the Congressional conference committee that tanked the House's successful passage of the bill.
Update: The Times, they are a-changing....