Barack Obama is Looking for ......

Barack Obama is Looking for

Kevin Nix, spokesman for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, which represents gay and lesbian members of the military, said the president did little more than repeat his campaign pledge on the issue. "He missed an opportunity tonight" to set a timetable, Mr. Nix said. "We'd like a bill in Congress in 2010."
Mr. Obama's comments could also spark criticism from conservatives and some supporters who say the administration must set priorities, as the nation grapples with continued high unemployment, a recession, and two wars.
Any attempt to change government policy concerning gay people could further divide an already polarized Congress. The administration needs lawmakers' cooperation to pass legislation to overhaul the nation's health-care system, a top priority for Mr. Obama. The administration is also trying to secure passage of new financial-industry regulations and could turn to Congress to request more troops in Afghanistan.
Congress passed the law popularly known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in 1993. Subsequent efforts by then-President Bill Clinton to repeal it ran into opposition from the military and Congress, which after 1994, was controlled by Republicans.
It's far from clear when, or if, Mr. Obama's pledge would have any practical impact on the armed forces. Besides that the president didn't give a timeline for his pledge, eliminating the "don't ask, don't tell" rule would also require congressional action. Lawmakers may be unwilling to take up such a politically contentious issue while they tackle health-care legislation and other matters.
Advocates of repealing the rule point to polling data showing that service personnel have become far more accepting of homosexuality, suggesting that such a move could be less disruptive today than it would have been in the 1990s. At least 13,500 personnel have been discharged since 1994 over their sexual orientation, according to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a nonprofit group working to repeal the ban.
A 2006 Zogby poll found that three-quarters of the military personnel surveyed said they were comfortable around gays and lesbians, while 78% said they would join the military even if gays were allowed to serve openly. Just under 25% of the respondents said they knew someone in their own unit who was gay.

source of : online.wsj.com