20080401

What to make of things...

What to make of things when those who spend their time harping about “follow the rules” decide to bend them?

The Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi demanded that a legislator’s gay partner be allowed to accompany Representative Baldwin to Europe. Why an issue? They were taking a military aircraft. As of now officially it is spouses allowed to travel together. A quick breakdown of where I stand:

Marriage is a religious ceremony. As of now my religious beliefs say marriage is between a man and a woman. I am fine with civil unions so that gay couples are able to see one another in emergency rooms, other basic rights. Do I include trips to Europe upon official Government property one of those rights? No.

DoD policy, like it or not does not support the use of its aircraft to carry friends, it is “spouses.” I mean she may very well “love” her partner however I love my friends, so do we start letting law makers take good friends, roommates, where does it stop? As of now it should stop here, President Clinton signed into law the DOMA which allows the Federal Government not to recognize marriages not recognized by the states (this situation falls in to that category). And as much as Barney Frank wants to think this is a Republican harsh treatment of the representative, last I checked (30 seconds ago) President Clinton is not a republican.

So what do we want, our federal government following its own rules… or just making it up as we go? It would sound as though the policy is like that of Space-A, meaning they could decline another passenger due to needing the seats. Since it is the left going on and on about our strained military resources, how about putting your money where your mouth is and saying “my partner will not go in order to cut down on any added strain”?

Now on the heels of the Obama and Clinton fibs, is Pelosi yapping about the “Hastert let them do it!” I thought that was the corrupt congress you were going to get away from Madam Speaker! However the Politico and AP are finding sources saying Hastert did nothing of the sort and only approved of the travel companion because the trip had already started.

“But that’s really as far as it goes,” Pentagon Spokesman Geoff Morrell continued. “This should not be viewed as a precedent which would now permit all nonspouse travel. That said, Secretary Gates will, on a case-by-case basis, entertain the speaker’s future requests to make exceptions.”

We’re full circle back to this idea of exceptions, so much for that tight ship operation Pelosi was going to run! My favorite is that the Pelosi camp is trying to say that she is in NO WAY trying to micro-manage the use of military aircraft. Of course not, she only called SECDEF to tell him what to do, then sent him a letter of exemption. No, who could dare come to the conclusion she is trying to play CINC???

Do we need to remind her that she is THIRD in line to taking over the Executive Branch, and POTUS/VPOTUS are still very much alive and in power.

Politico Link