The Curtain Comes Down Update!

Republicans feared that Democrats would try to ram through some piece of legislation at the eleventh hour that would destroy the Republic forever. It was hard to think of what that might be, except for a cap and trade bill that put the entire economy under the authority of the EPA and send most of us back to live in animal skin tents.

What did the Democrats come up with? From Politico:

Gay rights and immigration reform advocates mounted a last-ditch effort Monday to overcome an expected Republican filibuster of a defense authorization bill that could lead to a repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy and create a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children.

That's it? I gather that the Democrats are desperate to rally their base, and that ending DADT and legalizing anyone who got their ankles wet in the Rio Grande before they were, say, eighteen, might titillate one part and another of said base. If, that is, they could pass the legislation.

The funny thing is, they might have actually passed the thing with the first part in it. I am in favor of ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" as a military policy. It just doesn't seem to me to be worth the trouble. I also think that there is a strong libertarian streak in the Tea Party movement, and that this kind of reform has a chance at this moment.

But threatening to sneak immigration reform, and in effect, a really big legalization amendment into the mix suggests that the Democrats aren't serious at all. I can't read the legislative situation well because it is hardly being covered. The Washington Post has the story on their front page (website edition) but the New York Times ignores it. Most other major newspapers are ignoring it as well. Are they hoping no one will notice, or have they just lost interest?

It would be easier to take this seriously if Congress weren't planning to adjourn three weeks early, something that hasn't happened since 1960. It's one thing to end not with a bang but a whimper. You have to be around to whimper. The Democrats had control of the White House, the House of Representatives, and briefly a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. This is how it ended.

UPDATE:  Harry Reid managed to embarrass himself again.  The vote to pass the military authorization with a repeal of DADT failed.  I think this establishes two points.  One is the Reid wasn't serious.  He was trying to energize his base without any juice to supply.  The second is that Reid has lost it.  Getting the Gay Rights community together to protest, only to dash their hopes again, might not be the way to encourage them. 

Comments

[William]

My fear is they're saving any major action until a "lame duck" session when many of the Democratic members of Congress know they will no longer need to respond to the voters...

[Bill Fleming]

Curious post, KB. I can't tell if you're chiding the Dems for being timid, or admitting that your read on our wanting to destroy the Republic was in error.

[KB]

Bill: the answer is yes, except that it wasn't my read.

[Bill Fleming]

Hmmm...curiouser, and curiouser. You're starting to write like me, man. All ambivalent and stuff.

[KB]

Bill: I think Republicans are being silly when they talk about Democrats destroying the Constitution. The finale of this Congress is all whimper and no bang.