A long overdue act of social justice on behalf of gay men and women in the military

Eugene Robinson's column in today's Washington Post illustrates perfectly what's wrong with our political system and why many people are beginning to take No Labels seriously instead of mocking its founders for daring to think outside of the partisan box.

Robinson's topic was the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, which he apparently supports. But instead of reporting the historic vote by the Senate as a long overdue bipartisan act of social justice on behalf of gay men and women serving in the US military, Robinson describes it as a political victory for the Obama Administration - one that will satisfy the president's so-called progressive critics:

Repeal of the military's bigoted and anachronistic "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays in the military - a campaign promise that seemed to be slipping out of reach - doesn't fully mend the relationship between Obama and the Democratic Party's liberal wing. But it's a pretty terrific start. 

Robinson notes that independent Joe Lieberman and Republican Susan Collins were instrumental in getting DADT repealed, but he's unable to let it go at that - he feels compelled to stab the two a couple of times for not living up to his expectations throughout their political careers.

Some of us have beeen around long enough to appreciate the many times over the years when political leaders like Lieberman, Collins, Snowe, Bayh, et al have succeeded in breaking the gridlock in Washington in order to solve the nation's problems.

Our nation will have reached maturity when its leaders will cease to think of the national political process as a winner-take all athletic contest; the people's welfare be damned. Likewise, we can say the grown ups are in charge when we begin to consistently stress cooperation, rather than competition in relationship to the rest of the world.