As one might expect, the media has jumped all over this story, prodded by Republicans delighted at the prospect of a fresh culture war battle, since they seem to be losing the one about economic policy. This is the kind of red meat that folks like Rush Limbaugh love to chew on.
The timing struck me as unusual, however. The bill was first filed way back in 2007. Back in January, while saying President Obama opposed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” an aide stated fixing the economy was the president’s first priority and repeal of the anti-gay policy would have to wait.
So why would Rep. Tauscher make an issue out of it now? With the economy in a death-spiral and the Republicans fighting the economic stimulus at every turn?
Maybe it’s because of what’s in this post at Firedoglake:
On Saturday I wrote a post about the efforts of former Wall Street investment banker Ellen Tauscher to gut legislation that would allow bankruptcy judges to write down mortgages, something that would stop 20% of foreclosures at no cost to the taxpayers. But banks and banking lobbyists are holding out hope that they can unload their bad loans on taxpayers, and are working through people like Tauscher to oppose the legislation so they never have to take responsibility for their mistakes.
I’m wondering if there’s a connection here.
This seems like an awfully bizarre time to focus on gays in the military, unless you’re trying to pressure the president and the House Speaker on behalf of banks while they are trying to solve our credit crisis.
I dunno, peeps ... tell me I’m crazy.
