CYNICISM IN ACTION – AT 7:34 P.M. ET:  The perpetual campaign that is the Obama administration is in action again.  From The New York Times:

WASHINGTON — The Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday voted to let the Pentagon repeal the ban on gay men, lesbians and bisexual people from serving openly in the military, a big step toward dismantling the Clinton-era policy widely known as “don’t ask, don’t tell” as part of the annual defense authorization bill.

The House has included a provision for repealing the ban in its version of the defense authorization bill, and a vote on the legislation was possible late Thursday.

The Senate Armed Services Committee voted in a closed session, after about an hour of heated debate.

COMMENT:  This has nothing whatever to do with human dignity, the effectiveness of our armed forces, or anything else of importance.  This is pure politics.

The Pentagon has an ongoing study into the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, to be completed in December.  There was a general understanding that no action would be taken until that study was finished.  But the president is in political trouble, and is trying to shore up his base, which includes the gay and lesbian community.  This acceleration of action on "don't ask, don't tell" is the result. 

I have no opinion on the matter.  I want to see the results of the study.  It would have been nice had Congress waited.  But politics got there first. 

May 27, 2010