THE GOOD NEWS: DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL DON'T HAVE LONG FOR THIS WORLD!

The Senate didn’t fail us – at least on this. In a 65-31 vote, they have at long last cleared the way for gays to ask and tell. The bill now goes to President Obama who will sign the bill into law and never again will gay men and women be told that they cannot serve in the military beause of who they choose to sleep with, a choice that should have never been the concern of any of their superiors. Hopefully they won’t be spending too much more time overseas fighting the last president’s wars, but that’s another fight for another – bet on it – fast approaching day. And let us send our special little shout-out to Sen. John McCain, because were it not for his lackluster performance on the campaign trail in 2008, this bill would have gone to him, and if there is any time we are so glad that he is not the president right now, this is definitely one of them! McCain showed himself to be a pahological bigot with this issue – which is not to say he didn’t have his moments in the past. It was definitely nice to see that middle finger being extended to him and the other homophobes across the country.

poliglot

On a 65-31 vote for final passage, the stand-alone “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal bill that became a part of the repeal strategy less than two weeks ago will be heading to President Barack Obama’s desk for his signature.

Obama — following the successful 63-33 cloture vote a little before noon today — issued a statement asking for Senate action, saying, “I urge the Senate to send this bill to my desk so that I can sign it into law.”

In addition to the six Republicans who voted for cloture on the repeal bill — Sens. Scott Brown (R-Mass), Susan Collins (R-Alaska), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and George Voinovich (R-Ohio) — Republicans Sens. Richard Burr (N.C.) and John Ensign (Nev.) voted for the final passage of the repeal bill. Collins had co-sponsored the repeal bill.

The come-from-behind success will provide a much-needed liberal victory for Obama, although questions remain about the implementation of the repeal and the short-term implications for gay, lesbian and bisexual servicemembers currently subject to the law banning them from coming out.