Defense Appropriations, Gay Rights, and Immigration Reform

If  you don't vote to fund the troops you are anti-american. But, voting to fund the troops means you are voting to repeal the don't ask, don't tell policy. So, we've found the rock and the hard place. What do we do? Realistically, we do nothing since stuffing disparate issues into "must pass" bills is a truly bipartisan tactic.

In this instance, the defense appropriation includes a repeal of DADT as well as incorporation of the controversial DREAM ACT. One is the Clinton ERA policy that replaced the outright prohibition on gays serving in the military. The other is touted as a path to legal residency for some "undocumented aliens".

The conundrum is obvious. Failure to approve the bill will deny a well earned, if really substandard, pay raise to our military. Failure to approve the bill will delay the monies needed for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Approval means that hard line opponents of gays in the military or illegal aliens will have to swallow bile and look for ever sneakier ways to get around the intent of the law.

My beef isn't with the issues. I am opposed to multiple issue bills that create this squeeze play in the first place. Part of the reason our government is so huge and convoluted is political games like this.

Call or write your representatives and demand that they craft a single issue bill requiring that all future legislation be single issue. As an extra credit bonus demand that this bill require all legislation to specify in detail exactly how the Constitution authorizes the Congress to take this action.

FTFGIMAD
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