Cowardice and Prejudice: That's Our U.S. Senate!

Threats of filibusters by Republicans and hand-wringing by Democrats over ending a policy that discriminates against openly gay and lesbian military personnel: Gee, must be an election year in the United States of America!

The cowards, who call themselves U.S. Senators, have decided not to proceed with a vote on the Defense Re-authorization Bill for the Pentagon. The Democrats needed to hold down 60 votes to prevent the Republicans from filibustering the bill. Instead, the two Democratic Senators from Arkansas crossed over and no Republicans deserted their party's hard-line stance against the DADT repeal amendment. Democratic leader Harry Reid also voted "No"... the idea being that only a member who voted with the majority can call for reconsideration. Of course, Reid hasn't done that yet. Perhaps, he is worried how pressing for a vote on DADT will play out in his own re-election campaign.

And that's my point. None of these folks give a damn about the gay and lesbian service members in our armed forces or their loved ones. They only care about keeping power. Are Republicans really that afraid of some big, strapping gay guy in uniform who is fluent in Arabic somehow disrupting decorum? And why are Democrats happy to serve up lesbian lieutenants on the altar of sacrifice all the time? Is that free health care and reduced cab fees in DC that precious?

"We need to wait for the Pentagon study," they say. Sen. John McCain, the leader of the GOP goon squad on this, argued that the Democrats were trying to push this through to score political points with their constituencies. No?? Really??? McCain himself is a trip on this one. Once a moderate Republican, he has definitely turned to the dark side and aligned himself with the tea-bagging cuckoos who are kicking all that's left of the old GOP out of the nest. What better way to establish his credibility as a wacko than by stalling a defense spending bill and the repeal of a policy that polls show 80-percent of Americans want to see ended?

I think the psalmist had it right when he wrote, "Put not your trust in rulers, or any child of earth, for there is no help in them." As a gay taxpayer in this country I say, "Ain't that the truth!"