New Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Bill Introduced in Senate

I suspect most readers are feeling wrung out by the disappointing roller coaster of the DADT repeal debacle in the U. S. Senate. One gets their hopes up yet again only to have them slammed down. Now a new stand alone repeal bill has been introduced in the Senate and candidly, I'm afraid to even try to fell remotely optimistic. As the New York Times opined on Thursday in an column entitled "The Senate Stands for Injustice," the lives of LGBT Americans don't seem to mean much to our elected officials. We are mere chess piece to be toyed with throughout the course of political games. And people wonder why gay teens - and gays of other ages - sometimes see suicide as their best option? This borderline contempt towards are lives and equality takes a real emotional/psychological toll. First, here are details on the new bill via the Washington Post:
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Trying to revive one of the year's most tumultuous legislative endeavors, senators on Friday introduced a new bill -- with significant support -- that would end the "don't ask, don't tell" ban on gays serving openly in the military. The measure introduced by Sens. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) uses the same language authorizing an end to the ban that was included in an annual defense bill that failed a procedural vote on Thursday.
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Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Mark Udall (D-Colo.) are cosponsoring the measure and other senators are expected to sign on throughout the day, according to Senate aides not authorized to speak on the record.
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Despite Obama and Reid's support and assurances from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) that the House will also vote on the bill, it remains unclear when or how it will be considered, if at all. Democratic Senate aides suggested a Senate vote could come as early as late Tuesday or Wednesday after senators vote to proceed with tax cut legislation on Monday. But senators also have to vote on a trillion-dollar government spending bill and may also consider the New START Treaty -- a bill that White House aides privately concede holds more priority.
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Supportive senators insist they should continue to fight in part because Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen want Congress to end the ban this year and allow the Pentagon to phase out enforcement of the ban in an orderly fashion.
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Naturally, I place no credence on anything Barack "Liar-in-Chief" Obama or Congressional Democrats may say on the issue at this point. As to the disgusting games in the Senate, the New York Times column stated in part as follows:
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On one of the most shameful days in the modern history of the Senate, the Republican minority on Thursday prevented a vote to allow gay and lesbian soldiers to serve openly in the military of the United States. They chose to filibuster a vital defense bill because it also banned discrimination in the military ranks.
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The senators who stood in the way of these measures must answer to the thousands of gay and lesbian soldiers who must live a lie in order to serve, or drop out. They must answer to the civilians who will not serve their country when some Americans are banned from doing so for an absurd reason, and to the military leaders who all but pleaded with them to end this unjust policy.
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The defense bill would also have raised pay for soldiers, improved their medical care and provided troops in Iraq and Afghanistan with additional equipment and support. It would be the first time in 48 years that Congress did not approve such a bill — all because of an irrational prejudice against gay men and lesbians.
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There is little sign of encouragement, however, for that good cause or others as the 111th Congress expires in the grip of Senate Republicans demeaning public service as an exercise of naysaying.