Obama and Gay Marriage

Again, I think you’re either missing the point, or taking the easy way out. Now, 10+ years in, sure almost everyone sees that DODT has moved beyond its usefulness. But, you have to go back and look at what was happening in 1993 – beyond just saying ‘They voted for it, QED’. In 1993, the policy was simple: Gays were not allowed in the military. It was a total ban (which of course, was only applied when the military wanted to apply it). Clinton promised to remove the ban totally. And tried to do just that (read Kerry's speech regarding the issue - why Clinton promised it, and why it needed to be dealt with - it's very good). And, of course, some people lost their minds (The GOP almost universally, but a good chunk of Democrats as well). It became clear that removing the ban outright, was not politically feasible. Even Barney Frank, at that time, was offering a modified policy (essentially, homosexual conduct while on the base was bad, but the Military shouldn’t poke their nose into off-base conduct). Now, one way to look at the DODT vote is that (a veto proof) 68% of the house voted for DODT. That too, though, is only a 1 dimensional look at the vote. What did a Yes vote mean? That they thought DODT was a good idea, or that DODT was a better alternative than what else was being offered elsewhere (at the very least, the alternative was to do nothing and uphold the ban). Was a No vote because they thought DODT didn’t go far enough, or because it went too far? Both Barney Frank AND Dick Armey voted against DODT – I doubt very much for the same reasons.