Charlie Rose

winter  12/29/2010 11:45 AM Report

Its becoming increasingly Orwellian out there as if we're in the middle of 1984 itself. It started decades ago when Rush Limbaugh began his campaign to poison the minds of his mob of rabid followers and continues with policies like Jan Brewers where consideration for saving human life is buried like the top card after a shuffle in her distorted idea of priority. Instead lets give millionaires and billionaires a tax break. We've got to be thru the looking glass and somehow the Hatters have power and microphones. Take your pick; Alice or Orwell, they both fit.

docmidnyte  12/24/2010 11:07 PM Report

Remant, by your "If gays see this as a ticket to sexually harrass their coworkers" you've made your bias perfectly clear. No need to write so much. Don't ask don't tell IS the ticket for everyone who serves to be open about whom they love. The very least we should grant someone who is fighting for the country.

robdverity  12/24/2010 03:31 PM Report

My service days were chock-a-block with objectionable characters. By comparison a gay wouldn't have made a dent.

REMant  12/23/2010 09:40 PM Report

It should be mentioned that both these gentlemen are Democrats, if not quite in the same category as Ezra Klein and Dana Milbank, and, it appears from this, Charlie Rose.

Repealing "don't ask, don't tell" is really of no significance, because it isn't what they call themselves, but how they conduct themselves, and that, ironically is precisely what "don't ask, don't tell" was about. If gays view this as a ticket to sexually harass their co-workers, the services will undoubtedly see more turmoil and reduced recruitment. With nearly a quarter of students failing the Army's entrance exam, and recruitment down even with depression-level unemployment, I'm sure there was a lot of pressure to do this, but after having seen first-hand what happened when women began entering the services in large numbers, I have a feeling it is going to be anything but smooth sailing. At a minimum I think they'll have to prohibit all fraternization in the ranks, and married couples from serving together if not entirely, at least nowhere near each other.

But I am, in fact, deeply concerned that with the draft gone our military has become something of a reflection of Washington, itself, with consequences yet to be revealed. If the president were really concerned that the military be egalitarian he would end the "all-mercenary" force and require people at all levels of society to serve. He would also move the military establishment back out of a few Southern and powerful coastal states. But, of course, that would likely end its utility as a 24/7 police force.

I think there's less than meets the eye in the lame duck session as a whole, and I can't see this as any kind of victory for the Democrats or the admin. Indeed, the plethora of earmarks and private bills introduced gave them a public black eye. START is a moderate treaty, and while not perfect, is not bad and a money saver. Altho we might need to, we are not going to be developing new nuclear weapon systems in the near future anyway. Congress's hands were tied on the NYC police and fire bill. And on the tax rate and unemployment benefit extension, as well. It may stave off more Fed folly. But we need to start reducing govt spending and removing a lot of inefficiencies, there, as well as, in our tax system, and I hope this will be the new Congress's priority and that the present mood continues once the defeated members are gone when there is less inclination to log-roll. It remains to be seen whether, as I wrote here just after the election, the president feels freed from the tethers of his own party.

As for the rest of the last two years, it has been a disaster of considerable proportions, and I'm sure Obama will be coupled with Hoover, in the public mind at least, tho it is actually something of a slur on the latter. The stimulus measures were stupid, and the healthcare and market reform bills deeply flawed, plus the mortgage mess was not addressed. Instead the Democratic dominated Congress acted just like the Republicans they replaced, and the president, too. Extending involvement in Afghanistan will most likely be deprecated. Indeed, I think it will be hard for him to avoid LBJ's fate, and the country the kind of inflation seen after Vietnam despite the Chinese. And I would expect to see involvement increase considering the change in the House.