The Don’t Ask Games

Senator Susan Collins of Maine just took to the Senate floor and said this about the defense authorization bill, “There was such a clear path for us to be able to get this bill done and I am perplexed and frustrated that this important bill is going to become a victim of politics.  Sen. Lieberman and I have been bargaining in good faith with the majority leader.”

Before I address the fact that this bill includes a repeal of the ban on members of the military who admit they are gay from serving their country, let’s think about what Senator Collins just said.

She and Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut have been negotiating with the Democrat Leader in the Senate on the bill.  Last night it was rumored that Collins was advocating and might have won 15 Republican amendments to the bill be included in return to 10 offered by Democrats.  Perhaps it is a fair trade, but generally 15 to 10 is a lopsided outcome.

In any case, today Senator Harry Reid is pushing the bill without the compromise and this may doom its passage.  Senator Collins says there was a clear path to get the bill done, but that it was becoming a victim of politics.  I assume she said this because the political bargain she and Senators Lieberman and Reid had hammered out behind closed doorswas not going to happen.  Such deals are the definition of bad politics in the first place.  She just thinks it is bad when she doesn’t get the politics she likes.

If the bill is a victim of politics, Senator Collins, it is clear there is a pretty narrow list of suspects who are the likely perpetrators of the crime.  Consider yourself on that list.

Now, Senator Reid is driving ahead with the bill even though doing so may kill it.  Odd.  The elected representatives in Washington continue to play games on issues like Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.  It is shameful that an issue as important as this gets lumped in with a take all or nothing package like the defense appropriations act.  Vote on the spending and vote on DADT.

It is time to stop the secret negotiations and political gamesmanship that Senators Collins and Reid play.  Vote to repeal DADT.  Fund our military and open a door and a few windows in the Capitol.  A little fresh air and sunshine, and fewer backroom deals would do the place some good.

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Graham Gillette can be reached at grahamgillette@gmail.com

ADDED AFTER INITIAL POST:  SENATE DADT VOTE FAILS
This entry was first published as a Des Moines Register blog entry.