More Lawmakers Sign On To Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
WASHINGTON, DC - Four additional Congressional lawmakers have signed on as co-sponsors of legislation to repeal the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual service personnel in recent days, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) reported this morning. Republican Congressman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) and Democratic lawmakers Cynthia McKinney (D-GA), Julia Carson (D-IN), and Michael Doyle (D-PA) join 110 other Members of
"SLDN salutes Members of Congress who are taking a stand in favor of putting our national interests ahead of anti-gay prejudice."
Congress in calling for repeal of the gay ban. Boehlert is the fifth Republican co-sponsor and McKinney joins nine other members of the House Armed Services Committee who are also co-sponsors of the bill (H.R. 1059). In all, 114 Members of Congress now support the legislation, introduced in March 2005 by Congressman Marty Meehan (D-MA).
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Polling from the Pew Foundation now shows Two-to-One Support for Allowing Gays in the Military
The public supports a policy of allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military by a margin of 60% to 32%. This represents significantly broader support for this inclusive policy than in 1994, when 52% favored allowing gays to serve openly and 45% were opposed.
Support has grown in most segments of society, particularly among young people those under age 30 favor an open policy by three-to-one (72% to 23%). But the balance of opinion has shifted in favor of allowing open service across all age groups.
Regionally, the South has seen the biggest change in opinion on this issue. In 1994 the South was the only region in which a majority of residents (55%) opposed allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly. Today, just 35% in the South take this position, while 58% support open service.
Republicans are divided on the issue 46% favor allowing gays to serve openly and 46% are opposed. A majority of conservative Republicans oppose such a policy, while moderate and liberal Republicans favor it by a wide margin (62%-29%). Democrats of all ideological groups tend to favor allowing gays in the military, though liberal Democrats are nearly universal in their support (85%-9%). Independents also favor the policy by a 66%-to-30% margin.
I realize this is beating a dead horse, but considering these facts can there be any excuse for putting forth a netroots hero fighting Dem who supports DADT and, as a Democratic Senator with a military background would be in a good position to torpedo repeal of DADT ?
Is it asking to much to hope such a candidate might reconsider his position ?