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US President Donald Trump today announced that Transgendered people can't serve in the US Military.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40729996
This seems to be another rolling back the advances made under the previous president.
How very different this is from the British Military as some people who post here know from first hand experience.
Sad, so very sad.
Samantha
Comments
Does he have the right
The question is, does he have the right to do it? Doesn't Congress have to approve it first?
If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”
― Toni Morrison
Don't kill the Messenger
Trump is doing the exact same thing Obama did, making executive orders. Is it legal? Yes and no. The Constitution gives a president the right to make a decision IF the Nation is in danger and there isn't time to consult congress. No idea when former presidents started abusing this part of the Constitution but it goes back over previous ones beginning with George Washington.
Never an intent of the Constitution to be a part of making laws, presidents now use it to pass anything and everything they feel like without the input of Congress. Which is normal for our messed up government now. There are so many things all branches of government are doing not legal by the Constitution but are running amuck and ignoring.
The bottom line is an exec order is not a law but it is. Presidents can make it a law but it can be revoked by congress or the next president. Our government has gone from being a Republic where our nation belongs to the people to a Monarchy where Presidents rule as they wish. Damn few people realize what went wrong because they never read the Constitution, something no longer taught in school because ignorance is easy to lie to.
Either get involved in government dictating your life or lose your Republic once and forever.
She asked, "Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?”
With no hesitation whatsoever, Benjamin Franklin responded, “A Republic, if you can keep it.”
Learn the difference between a Democracy and a Republic. It isn't the same.
always,
Barb
Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl
Executive orders are not laws
Executive orders are not laws, remember, he already was treading thin ice on that with the immigration bans, the difference here is that he is directly violating the rights of American citizens currently in America or attached to American military units, as such there is potential grounds for impeachment proceedings. Executive orders are no more law than orders from any officer of the law or the military, an order for an illegal action can lead to the officer giving the order to be charged, actually if it is overtly illegal or the legality is questionable, the subordinates can disobey it, depending on circumstance.
Interesting
Could he not say that as Commander In Chief, he can command the Military not to enlist Trans people?
How many more actions like this need to happen before he is on the receiving end of
"You're Fired!"
?
Executive Orders
Obama's order to the military to admit TG people to active duty with all the branches wasn't going to go into effect until January, delayed six months by Mattis who asked for more time to get regulations changed and offices made aware of new policies. He said he didn't want the change to impact readiness and needed time to study which regulations and procedures would need changing.
It's no easier to implement things by executive order than it is by law or court order; other presidents have discovered this before. Since there are already 2 to 5 thousand TG soldiers/sailors/marines serving in various reserve units including some that have been called up to active duty, this change in policy is likely to end up in court.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
I would guess the UCMJ and then the Supreme Court
I've been out of the military for too long to have a feel for how the rank and file are receiving this.
But I expect it to get appealed to the UCMJ and probably on to the Supreme Court if any discharge orders go out.
At least the UK is standing by their TG service people.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/26/uk-defence-chiefs...
Gillian Cairns
FYI.......
A report I read today placed the number of transgender personnel on active duty at 15,000, with the total number of defense employees who are transgender at roughly 150,000.
D. Eden
Dum Vivimus, Vivamus
Maybe Trump Has Done Us a favor
Trump has established a pattern of stating something completely outrageous when he wants to change the conversation. Things aren't going particularly well between him and his most ardent supporter, Jeff Sessions. He made a complete ass out off himself speaking to the Boy Scouts. His health care measure is in ICU.
So . . . he tweets something he knows is unconstitutional and watches the media get all lathered up in a silly debate.
Not too long ago such a ban would have been considered mainstream. Today such a ban is outrageous.
That's progress.
Jill
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Trump was wooing TG support before election
There are so many conflicting opinions floating around out there it is impossible to nail down the truth. The one absolute is Donald had the rainbow flags with him during several speeches on his run to President. Now?
Will his exec order baring TG from military stick or mean anything? I see years of legal battles ahead of this mess. He would have been better off leaving his mouth and his Twitter pen in the closet. Doing a one eighty on his previous stance is not helping.
http://nypost.com/2017/07/26/trump-announces-ban-on-transgen...
God, if you love me, I'm tired of this mess our world has become.
always,
Barb
Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl
I don't trust myself to comment about this
except to make the general observation that sociopaths don't feel any obligation to tell the truth or say the same thing two times in a row. To them words are just a means to getting whatever they want. So are people, for that matter...
"Government will only recognize 2 genders, male + female,
as assigned at birth-" (In his own words:)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1lugbpMKDU
2 Steps Forward, 10 Steps Back
What a travesty as we rush headlong into the dark ages.
Portia
all I can say
All I can say; is that I am NOT surprised. I knew it would happen, I only wondered when. That's all I'll be saying.
quidquid sum ego, et omnia mea semper; Ego me.
alecia Snowfall
What is even more ludicrous about this.......
Is his reason for doing it. He claims that the cost of healthcare is too high, and once again his facts are totally wrong. But why should that be a surprise?
The numbers show that the Department of Defense spends vastly greater sums of money on Viagra than it does on transgender care - more than it is even projected to spend on transgender care in the near future. If we can provide drugs to Trump's horny old cronies, why can't we provide equally for those who are serving and transgender?
The numbers also show that there are some 15,000 transgender people serving on active duty, and roughly 150,000 employees of the Department of Defense who are transgender. Has anyone looked at the cost of replacing those people? The cost of wasted training? Of course not! Because his excuse is total bullshit - the true reason is simple ignorant prejudice.
D
D. Eden
Dum Vivimus, Vivamus
Not surprised
I remember the military fretting over Clinton getting elected and was overjoyed when Trump was elected.
I've never really understood
what the HELL what a person does in his/her BEDROOM, or how one chooses to DRESS / EXPRESS GENDER affects his/her ability to DO THE JOB to which he / she has been assigned on the FIELD OF BATTLE. It's really nobody's f'n business, as long as the individual serves to the best of his / her ability.
*Kisses Always*
Haylee V
TG in the US Military
From what I have read and understand, Trump giving this on Twitter does NOT make it any kind of law, regardless of reactions towards Trump's tweet. Before anything can be done Trump must sign a proclamation that essentially says the same thing as those three tweets. If he does, then there are multiple discrimination suits that can, and probably will be filed against him which he will lose. Until such a proclamation is made and signed by Trump, the tweets have no legal bearing. Remember that - tweets have NO LEGAL BEARING! However, the reactions of the Pentagon indicate we ( the people and THOSE WE ELECTED TO REPRESENT US AND NOT THE PRESIDENT, ACCORDING TO THE U.S. CONSTITUTION) must be prepared to fight, oppose, and ultimately reject ANY attempt by the president to try to enact this as law. The Supreme Court has already ruled in the favor of women being allowed to serve in combat situation. It follows, then that if WOMEN can serve, people ANY COLOR can serve, then Transgendered people may serve. The statues about discrimination indictate that this is so. O.K., so the President is the Commander in Chief of our Armed Forces, and though while some may say he has the ultimate authority to make such a proclamation, he DOES NOT if it is in conflict with LAWS passed by the authority of the Legislative branch of our Government and SIGNED by whoever the current President was. These 'tweets' are just that - a tweet that regardless of what is tweeted, it is only AN OPINION BEING EXPRESSED BY THE TWEETER. Trump's three tweets about this is nothing more than an opinion, and not truth. Truth is backed up and supported by facts. Opinions never are - otherwise it would either a truth other a falsehood because facts back it up. Trump has not backed anything in those three tweets with any truth at all, and truth in this case reveals he has no idea whereof he speaks, as is usually the case. If you are interested in verifying my statements, I suggest you read the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post and other national reliable newspapers about the tweets, and responses to them. They are all available on line. Personally, I do not take 'Breaking News' nor immediate responses to them by the media (any of them) to be the final word on whatever. Remember, it is only an opinion until you can back it up by facts that either prove your side, or disprove the other.
Don't let someone else talk you out of your dreams. How can we have dreams come true, if we have no dreams?
Katrina Gayle "Stormy" Storm
Very funny thing is...
TG people of Russia are fighting for the ban on drafting TG into army... And there are cries of outrage almost every time when openly TG person have to serve in the army for 1 year...
On the other hand, don't think there is anything legally preventing TG person in Russia from being an army NCO or officer (if there are no other issues like clinical depression or suicidal tendencies).
A contrasting BBC article the same day...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40733701
Once you have read it two quick thoughts.
Persephone
Non sum qualis eram
No Transgender Policy Changes Until Trump Clarifies Tweets
From Joint Chiefs. http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/joint-chie...