Continuing in the vein of Human Rights Campaign not doing their job properly… Yesterday AMERICAblog organized what they called a ‘blog swarm’ to get HRC to put pressure on the White House to act on DADT. The reason?
We’ve had an amazing few weeks of momentum on DADT repeal following the mention of DADT in the State of the Union, the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing during which both the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs both stated their support for repeal, and the unexpected support we’ve received from former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Colin Powell and former Defense Secretary and Vice President Dick Cheney.But that momentum is quickly slipping away. After talking to people around Washington over the past two weeks, Joe and I have found a vacuum of leadership that is leading to confusion. The Hill has no idea if the President does or doesn’t want them to move ahead with repeal this year. The House has already said that it’s waiting for the Senate to do something. The Senate is in turmoil after the Democrats lost a single seat in January. And the DADT proposals being discussed in the Senate are focused on every possible approach except full repeal this year. As we painfully learned last year during health care reform, nothing happens in Congress unless the President leads. And when the President doesn’t lead, disaster is guaranteed.
So the politicians have got everyone reason in the world to do something but it being an election year combined with the typical Democratic cowardice no one’s taking charge. Yet instead of poking, prodding and getting lawmakers to acts HRC has been giving them political cover.
I find it particularly ironic that bloggers are using one of HRC’s primary tactics – overwhelm the target with phone calls and e-mails calling for x, y or z – against them instead of directing their energy at lawmakers themselves. I’m doubtful this will get anything done (especially given HRC’s response so far) but it is an interesting development that the lefty, gay blogosphere is starting to flex some muscle in order to move their agenda forward.
Want more on this? Check out Slog, DailyKos, Joe.My.God, Pam’s House Blend, David Mixner, Taylor Marsh or Bilerico.
Cross posted at Queer Merced.
