Ding Dong the DADT is Dead

And good riddance to it. It’s a policy that has cost us nearly 70 Arabic and Farsi speakers in a time when all branches of the military are suffering acute shortages of specialists in those languages. Apparently shaming gays for being gay is more important than actually collecting live intelligence so we can better protect our troops.

DADT was a bad idea to begin with; before, gays were banned because they were considered a ‘security risk’ because it was assumed that they were blackmail targets just for being gay. Rather than lift the stigma, DADT codified it, ensuring that gays and lesbians in the military were blackmail targets for anyone who knew they were gay.

Of course, the Repubs (with a few exceptions), who claim to be the party of the strong military, found themselves at odds with the JCS, the Department of Defense, and the bulk of the services themselves, all of whom agree that there’s no reason gays and lesbians can’t serve openly in the military. Again, I guess it’s more important to hate gays than actually support the troops.

And who ate John McCain’s brain, anyway?

While we’re at it, let’s take a quick look at the military that arguably has to be the most prepared on the planet: Israel. They ended gay exclusion completely in 1993. Subsequent effect on preparedness, effectiveness and morale? Nil.

Anyway, a welcome end to a bad policy.

Cognitive Dissonance

So, after an extremely contentious process (including protestors shouting “N****r!” at black Congressmen and “Faggot!” at Barney Frank as they entered the Capitol on Sunday and vandalism of Democrats’ offices including right here in Ohio), it is passed.

Let’s go to the tote board, Bob.

o/` ‘Tis the season to be wonky… o/`

I can’t say I’ve done the work of the five hardcore political junkies represented herein, but I have taken a moment to combine all their assorted prognostications into one, and I think I’ll try to keep it up until the election.

There are a handful of sites that run weekly (and even daily) electoral map predictions. I don’t rely on any one of them. Rather, I like the ‘average of averages’, which moderates wild claims and clearly highlights trends.

I’ve averaged out five prognosticators I like: the self-described ‘libertarian leaning Democrat’ at Electoral Vote to the ‘non-partisan who usuallty votes Democrat’ at Five Thirty Eight, and the right-wingers at Blogging Caesar, Election Junkie, and Federal Review (sorry, showing links to both sides doesn’t make you balanced when all the commentary is pro-McCain/pro-GOP/anti-Obama/anti-Democrat).

And what do we find when we average the predictors?

All over but the shouting… FINALLY.

Looks like Barack Obama has clinched the Democratic nomination today, finally. Hillary, who continues test my patience, still hasn’t conceded even though it’s mathematically out of reach. The magic number is 2,118, Hillary. He got it. You don’t. Time to step aside gracefully, like you should’ve done two months ago instead of wasting the party’s time and money on a pointless two month ego-gratification tour.

I’ve been celebrating by listening to the Deadheads for Obama concert. Obama re-united Lesh and Weir for the first time in four years – as if I needed any more reasons to vote for him!

Iowa. IOWA. Dayamn.

Here’s to Sean Fritz and Tim McQuillan, who have become Iowa’s first legally married gay couple.

I-O-fuckin’-wa. Who’d'a thunk it?

What a difference a year (and an election) makes

Some of you may recall this enraged rant last year on the occasion of Katherine Harr… er, Ken Blackwell’s last gasp of treason, when for the first time in my life I had my voting qualifications questioned.

Today I get a postage paid card in the mail asking me to please confirm my current address and reminding me that “If this card is not returned and you do not vote by the 2011 general election, your name may be removed from the voter registration list.”

Let me repeat that, with appropriate emphasis: “If this card is not returned and you do not vote by the 2011 general election, your name MAY be removed from the voter registration list.”

What a breath of fresh air from the Katherine Harr… er, Ken Blackwell years, when the policy was “If you live in a majority Democratic district, good fucking luck. We don’t need a reason and we don’t need to give you warning, and you’ll be lucky to have your ballot counted if you even get to cast one.”

Thank you, Jennifer Brunner.

Fuck you one last time, sideways and without lube, Ken Blackwell.