News-induced gloom

A lot has been happening in the news this week, at least in the circles of public discourse that I find most compelling.  NPR ran a series of well-done pieces on the evolution of the Balkans, coinciding with Secretary Clinton’s visit to the region.  Aside from this, much of the news has been rather depressing, with a fomenting foreclosure scandal threatening to worsen the already dismal housing crisis, Afghan officials weighing striking a deal with the Taliban (raising the question of why we just spent almost a decade at war), and the formal resignation of D.C. School's Chancellor Michelle Rhee.

Perhaps most aggravating of all, however, is something that should have come as welcome news to people like me.  A judge this week ordered the government to stop enforcing the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy that prohibits gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military.  Instead of accepting this ruling, the Obama administration’s Justice Department has pleaded with the judge to stay the decision pending the result of the appeals process.

To date, I have been more than willing to give Obama the benefit of the doubt on issues like this.  He has expressed consistent support for ending the policy, and his desire to allow the Pentagon’s yearlong implementation study to run its course before acting makes sense (and is an important piece of gaining broad support for the policy change from top military officials and more conservative politicians).

However, in light of the recent Congressional filibuster of the defense spending bill containing provisions to end Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, as well as the presumed Republican landslide at the polls in three weeks, Obama’s contention that the law should be allowed to fall legislatively rings a little false.  How, exactly, does he think he is going to push something like this through a hostile Congress when he couldn’t get it past one dominated by Democrats?  Letting the court strike it down, to me at least, seems like the easiest and most assured way to be rid of the policy.

And finally, a bright spot: the stories and images of the 33 rescued Chilean miners have been truly heartwarming.  A welcome break from the frustrating news that otherwise seems to perpetually fill the headlines.