The executive branch has the task of enforcing laws passed by the legislative branch. In other words, the White house to defend laws passed by Congress. The amount of effort they'll give, though, depends on whether the White House agrees. Case in point: Affirmative Action during the Bush administration. The Bush Justice Department did practically nothing to defend Affirmative Action because it doesn't agree with the concept.
The Obama White House says it supports repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Meanwhile, the Obama Justice Department is doing cartwheels to defend the policy in the courts. They are even using decades old quotes from General Powell. Powell 2010 disagrees with Powell from the early 1990's. Why on earth is the Obama Justice Department acting so vigorously (and using outdated quotes) to defend a policy they want to overturn?
The Bush Justice Department would never screw its supporters this way.
So you're saying perhaps that Obama doesn't really want to repeal DADT?
ReplyDeleteI think he does and it will get done before the next term. There's no reason for a guy running for re-election to anger a population that has a lot of disposable income (no kids). It's that the Justice Department has allowed a Bush holdover to work this case. And work it he has.
ReplyDeleteSteve