Obama Convinces US Supreme Court Not to Hear DADT Case

Yesterday, the US Supreme Court refused to hear a case challenging Don't Ask Don't Tell, which stemmed from a lawsuit by 12 former service members who were discharged because of their sexual orientation. The denial came through certiorari, which comes down to at least four justices were not willing to accept the case.

Here's the fun part.

Bloomberg reports, "The rebuff spares President Barack Obama’s administration from the awkward task of mounting a legal defense for a policy the president says should be repealed. In urging the Supreme Court not to hear the appeal, administration lawyers said a lower court was correct to uphold the policy."

That's right folks, Obama urged the Supreme Court to uphold the policy, stating "don't ask, don't tell" is "rationally related to the government's legitimate interest in military discipline and cohesion." Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman referred requests for comment to the Justice Department, but said the military policy "implements the law."

Naturally, our friend Rachel Maddow had a few choice words for President Obama:



AC360 also asked Lt. Dan Choi for his perspective:



Here's the Gallup Poll referenced by Anderson Cooper.

I just don't get it. Sure, we've heard Obama's reasons before - (paraphrasing here) "This needs to go through Congress for a real fundamental change, my issuing a stop-loss won't change anything, blah blah blah."

WAIT.

Here was a real chance to let the court, potentially, issue a real "fundamental change." It doesn't necessarily have to go through Congress. However, if it went to court, then Obama would have to argue FOR DADT, going against his campaign promises of repealing it. Right?

I might buy that he didn't want to argue for it if he didn't issue a statement that DADT is "rationally related to the government's legitimate interest in military discipline and cohesion." That to me doesn't sound like he's against it. Troop cohesion?! Don't tell that to Lt. Dan Choi.

I'm growing impatient - and not with lack of progress, but lack of support. (I'm not the only one - there's a planned protest of Obama's visit to Moscow by Russian activists showing solidarity with us here in the USA. Wow!)

If he's sticking to his guns of going through Congress, then it sounds like if DADT is repealed, he's hoping to get all the credit for it.

Where's the change Obama promised? So far, I haven't seen any. All I've seen is a president that bought into his own hype.

PLEASE Obama. Prove me wrong. We can't create change without you.