The US Senate had the opportunity today to do what was right: finally pass the end of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ in the military, which the top military leaders support; and approve the DREAM Act, giving children of illegal immigrants who have become adults, to move toward citizenship by finishing high school and either going to college for two years or joining the military! The purpose is to give these young people the opportunity to serve their country, and be treated as equals, since the fact that their parents may be illegal should not be used to discriminate against them and their future!
But the motion failed 56-43, with not one single Republican–not Olympia Snowe nor Susan Collins of Maine, George Voinovich of Ohio, Richard Lugar of Indiana, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. or any others who are not totally right wing extremists–including John McCain of Arizona–willing to be fair and reasoned on these issues, but instead playing politics and continuing the total refusal of Republicans to do what is right! 🙁
There is now the possibility that neither of these significant reforms will make it through Congress this year, although they might at the “lame duck” session after the midterm elections in November!
But assuming major GOP gains, it might NOT happen, and might have a gloomy future on both counts in the next Congress!
What a sad day this is for America–further evidence of no sense of righteousness and fair justice! 🙁