European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 30, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday january 30,1993 commentary the stars and stripes b Page 15no easy answer to question 6f Gays in some months ago i gave it As my opinion that the Case for suspending the ban against homosexuals in the military was justified a provided that the suspension was not interpreted As an official repeal of the National moral code. The column brought considerable mail a most interestingly extensive communications from an officer inthe marines one of whose duties is to Monitor the application of the ban against Gays. What he described was what actually a in Nis experience which is extensive a the military has been engaged in pressing its ban ,. He gave several examples of which one is typical Able Seaman John Jones is detected in an act of sodomy with a fellow Sailor. They Are both brought in to the investigative officer and pressed to reveal who else in the base engages in such activity. Under the threat of a dishonourable discharge they divulge the names of 10 other men. These Are in turn brought in. Some of them confess to acts of homosexuality some deny the allegations. Investigations Are pursued and ensuing sentences vary from time in military prison for those who engaged in proscribed activity lied about it or lied to incriminate others unjustly to dishonourable discharges to general discharges to honorable discharges to exoneration. The Clinton plan is to use executive authority to do two things. The first is to discontinue asking a recruit whether be or she is homosexual. The second is to go ahead and prosecute Able Seaman John Jones and his partner for violating the anti sodomy act on military premises a a president Clinton does not have the authority to waive the Law a but to go no further than merely to act against them. In other words do not pay from them information about the activity of others or their partners. The executive has the authority the lawyers Call Nolle pro Sequi a Quot i shall not  it is one Means of making a dead letter out of a Law. Then six months or so having gone by during which period America and Congress will be reassured that the initial changes have not affected the military the president would sign an executive order giving quasi judicial status to the suspension of prosecutor Al activity against Gays a except once again those caught in Fia Grante committing acts of sodomy. Sodomy is technically unlawful even when engaged in by heterosexual married couples in their own Home or by strangers. Meeting in the letters columns of Penthouse Magazine now the Challenge before Clinton and before Congress is to draw the utilitarian line. If the Public understands the president to be asking it in effect to accept homosexual practices As Normal As ethically Neutral a the Public is going to fight against what it considers to be an erosion of its profound commitment to heterosexuality. If the Public is asked merely to accept the viability of a healthy and effective military within which Gays Are permitted the same rights As heterosexuals then the opposition will be manageable. It is certainly obvious that Gays in there lost can serve in the military and have done so in Many cases with distinction without causing disruption. And whereas for Many years homosexuals were banned in t i a William f. Buckley the Cia because they were thought of As especially vulnerable targets to blackmail that exclusion no longer obtains. Rep. Dave Mccurdy former chairman of the House permanent select committee on intelligence reveals that research establishes that Quot in the past 15 years of espionage cases not a single Issue of homosexuality Quot was involved. The question of viability within the military of self Clarid homosexuals is the que Cal most engages the general staff of the military and other spokesmen who simply deny that it could work out. Idiana tells iry declared homosexuals is the question that with reason nost engages the Gen spokesmen who Simi sen. Dan coat of Indiana tells us that his opposition is based on Quot very practical  Quot for example As the a paraphrases him the military docs not allow men and women to share quarters because of potential problems of a sexual nature. Senator Coats asked whether it would be appropriate to separate homosexuals from heterosexuals if inc ban was  what the Gay lobby wishes probably More than merely to effect Access to the military of self proclaimed Gays is to take a step Forward in absolute normalization of the Gay culture. They have their complements working for Gay ministries lawyers who work for a matrimonial rights for Gay couples politicians who decide that a Parade is illegal unless it gives equal Access to Gay exhibitors. That is the lobby against which the majority of americans arc mobilized. Clinton will need to demonstrate that the objective he is seeking to serve is purely instrumental Ana of course the question remains whether he is in a position to document his Faith in the workability of such a military. C Universal prow Syndicate s Over deadline president Clinton is going to try to keep his Campaign commitment to put a lot of social programs and an economic package on Congress s plate within his promised 100-Day deadline. But it is going to take some doing. Forget the transition. Clearly Clinton and his advisers have not got the foggiest idea what the final package to go to Congress on health care and stimulating the Economy will contain. They stress no decisions have been made. But Clinton has put his wife Hillary in charge of a crash program to develop a univer Sal health care program within the time line and has Complete Faith that she can bring the warring factions together and synthesize a program that he can sell to Congress. The president made it Clear that he feels passionate about his commitment to produce a health care plan that has been a Tang time in coming to meet the needs of �4. Helen Thomas g the people As a whole. In announcing that he would put his wife in charge of the health care task Force he said that every where he went on the Campaign Trail he was struck by tragic stories that so Many of the constituents told him about the tack of availability of medical care. He also heard Over and Over again How so Many persons hold on to jobs simply to keep the health benefits for their families. There must be a better Way and he has asked the first lady to probe the Best minds on the subject along with his cab inet level advisers and to Quot take the heat Quot from the lobbies and special interests in the medical Field who Are bound to oppose some of the proposals. Clinton has said he does not Excel to propose a perfect solution. He Hen his package gets to Capitol i be subjected to thorough scr tie lawmakers who also will be under siege by the special interests. But he is going to give it a try. Medicare was first proposed by president Truman and did not become Law until it was e nows w Hill it i tiny by t pushed by president Johnson. Considering the Public support it is not expected to take that Long for a health care program to be approved. On the economic Side Clinton is beset with the problem of creating jobs and reducing the $400 billion deficit. That will take some doing. None of the White House insiders will say. Which problem has top priority. Labor Secretary Robert Reich is plugging for spreading around More jobs through Public spending which he would expect to stimulate the Economy and increase revenues. But others led by Ross Perot who Isnit in the administration but is keeping the heat on believe the deficit is the number one problem and should be at tacked first. Any attempt to slash the deficit will demand cuts in government programs or higher taxes or both. Treasury Secretary Lloyd n. Bentsen has already suggested higher consumption taxes on alcohol and tobacco. A gasoline tax increase which would be a hardship on the poor also is being proposed to fatten the Treasury the entitlements Are also on the table for cutbacks along with possibly higher medicare costs. Clinton avoided the Pitfalls of any pledge concerning taxes except to advocate High taxes for the Rich always a popular stand with the less fortunate. President Bush paid a heavy political Price for his memorable 1988 Campaign vow Quot read my lips a no new  everything was downhill after he reneged on that Promise. The president is supremely confident that he can propose higher taxes and at the same time win Public support by calling for sacrifice. Lie May succeed if he can prove that there is indeed fairness across the Board in his proposals. But it is not going to be easy. He has indicated he wants to move quickly in the tradition of president Reagan and strike while the Iron is hot on the question of taxes. But the difference is that Reagan wanted to reduce them and Clinton wants to raise them having already reneged on a Middle class lax Cut. C United toss