Thursday, December 9, 2010

Sen. Brown continues to disappoint me

By the time this is posted anyone who is remotely interested in seeing Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT) overturned will know that the Republicans in the Senate successfully blocked a vote today. What has me most upset is not the rhetoric from the Republican Leadership, its my Senator - Scott Brown (R) - who indicated he would support the repeal then caved today and voted along party lines.

Ouch! Did you know that Brown has yet to once speak to anyone in the gay media since declaring himself as a candidate for Kennedy's former seat (double Ouch!) Considering Mass. has one of the highest gay populations in the country, the GLBT voting block is well organized and politically active in this state and that the DADT issue has been a high profile issue for many months - I find his voting record and behavior with regards to local papers like Bay Windows disappointing.
I fully expect my relatives who tend to vote more conservatively than me to vote with their wallets, but I wonder out loud if there are any GLBT voters in this state who either stayed home from the polls or voted against Martha Coakley who wish perhaps they could "turn back time" to quote a gay icon.

Even with Brown's support the measure would have failed - the measure needed 3 more votes. However, MA has a long and distinguished history of championing individual and civil rights and Brown's actions (or to be more precise inaction) flies in the face of that tradition. Its days like this that I miss the Lion of the Senate and a personal hero of mine, Teddy Kennedy.

3 comments:

robertga99 said...

Agreed. There are very few GLBT supporters who will take a firm stand for us. It's sad.

WranglerMan said...

Scott Brown wants to have it both ways. "Oh yes, I've changed my mind on DADT. It should be repealed," he said. But then he voted against it on procedure. It was an entirely political calculation to appeal to more liberal minded voters in MA, but yet to tow the part line when it mattered.

Susan Collins was the only Republican to vote for its repeal. The Republicans are bigots, fear mongers, and homophobes.

Vote Brown out of office! Mr. Maverick is anything but!

Bob said...

Well, if Brown had voted Yes, and my two senators had voted Yes, this would be a very different morning.
But my two senators are Lindsay Graham and Jim DeMint.
An "alleged" closted homosexual, and a bigoted fucktard.
Yay me!