Don't Ask Don't Tell

Industrialsize

Mythical Member
Gold
Platinum Gold
Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Posts
22,237
Media
213
Likes
31,757
Points
618
Location
Kathmandu (Bagmati Province, Nepal)
Sexuality
100% Gay, 0% Straight
Gender
Male
I was thinking, I am an openly Gay man. The President is the "Commander in Chief" of the armed forces. Ergo, am I, as an openly gay man precluded from being president due to the military's ban on openly gay servicemen? Does this mean that all Gay people are the only naturally born citizens precluded from running for the office of President?
 

Gillette

Sexy Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2006
Posts
6,214
Media
4
Likes
95
Points
268
Age
52
Location
Halifax (Nova Scotia, Canada)
Sexuality
100% Straight, 0% Gay
Gender
Female
Damn, Indy, good question!

I'm sure groups opposing a gay candidate would do their level best to justify it that way. As it is "traditionalist" groups are opposing marriage and the the rights marriage entails to gay couples based on subtle wordings and definitions.

I can certainly see the same groups pulling the same song and dance for this. After all, it would be very difficult to deny the president the right to marry.
 

flame boy

Account Disabled
Joined
Feb 4, 2008
Posts
3,189
Media
0
Likes
188
Points
123
Sexuality
No Response
Hmmm good question! There are openly gay senators though (at least I'm pretty sure there are) but I don't know how that translates into the presidency.
 

Mem

Sexy Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2006
Posts
7,912
Media
0
Likes
54
Points
183
Location
FL
Sexuality
99% Gay, 1% Straight
Gender
Male
I heard Gennifer Flowers say that Bill told her that Hillary has eaten more pussy than he did.
 

Mem

Sexy Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2006
Posts
7,912
Media
0
Likes
54
Points
183
Location
FL
Sexuality
99% Gay, 1% Straight
Gender
Male
Cant we have a real dicussion.......what the FUCK does that have to do with the question I asked.....:mad:.....grow up dude!

It has a lot to do with it. Maybe Hillary is a lesbian.

You know that no where is it stated that a President has to be straight. They just have to be a citizen born in the US and be over 35 years old.
 

D_Kaye Throttlebottom

Experimental Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2008
Posts
1,536
Media
0
Likes
2
Points
123
I wouldn't think so. The office of the President is a civilian, not a military one.

Indy's right the actual title is, "the commander-in-chief-of-the-armed-services"

It's part of the reason that military people were so critical of Clinton's affair w/ Lewinsky, because military people felt if Clinton were a general, he would be discharged for fraternization.

It's an interesting argument, as the only constitutional requirements for president are that you must be 35 and native born of the USA.

Though it's an electoral process that determines the presidency, not military service. You don't have to have served in the military to be president to lead the armed forces and the president is a superior to a general w/ 25-30 years experience.

If you don't have to have served in the military to run for president, it doesn't really matter if you're homosexual and leading the armed forces or not. I like the irony though Indy ;)
 

SpeedoGuy

Sexy Member
Joined
May 18, 2004
Posts
4,166
Media
7
Likes
41
Points
258
Age
60
Location
Pacific Northwest, USA
Sexuality
99% Straight, 1% Gay
Gender
Male
Indy's right the actual title is, "the commander-in-chief-of-the-armed-services"

dong's right. The President is a civilian despite the title of "commander in chief". Presidents never wear any military uniform because they're civilians. And that's as it should be: The US military is always subordinate to elected civilian oversight. God help us the day it isn't.
 

Mem

Sexy Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2006
Posts
7,912
Media
0
Likes
54
Points
183
Location
FL
Sexuality
99% Gay, 1% Straight
Gender
Male
The title "Commander in Chief" comes with the office, and you don't need military experience, or have to qualify for the military to hold the position. That is why a gay person can become President.

Even as the "Commander in Chief" a US President is not able to call out the troop and declare himself a dictator for life.
 

Industrialsize

Mythical Member
Gold
Platinum Gold
Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Posts
22,237
Media
213
Likes
31,757
Points
618
Location
Kathmandu (Bagmati Province, Nepal)
Sexuality
100% Gay, 0% Straight
Gender
Male
The title "Commander in Chief" comes with the office, and you don't need military experience, or have to qualify for the military to hold the position. That is why a gay person can become President.

Even as the "Commander in Chief" a US President is not able to call out the troop and declare himself a dictator for life.
actually:
In the United States, the War Powers Act of 1973 (Pub.L. 93-148), also referred to as the War Powers Resolution, is a resolution of Congress that the President can send troops into action abroad only by authorization of Congress or if American troops are already under attack or serious threat.

It is the last sentence that is somewhat controversial and gives the Preisdent to attack all by "himself". The interpretation of a "serious threat" is very vague and open to interpretation.
 

D_Kaye Throttlebottom

Experimental Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2008
Posts
1,536
Media
0
Likes
2
Points
123
dong's right. The President is a civilian despite the title of "commander in chief". Presidents never wear any military uniform because they're civilians. And that's as it should be: The US military is always subordinate to elected civilian oversight. God help us the day it isn't.

I'm fairly certain I said that it's a electoral process that determines the presidency, not military service. (read the entirety of my post) Though Indy is right about the title of the president:

The power of the executive branch is vested in the President, who also serves as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.

It also means someone who has never served in the military can be president and give orders to a general. If military service is not required for service in the executive branch, the title of "Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces" would not ban an openly homosexual from being president. Powers of the president, acting as commander in chief of the armed forces, are rendered to him via powers of the executive branch, not the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

jesus, we're all saying the same thing.

no Indy, it would not ban you from being president as an openly gay man, because you're leading a homophobic military. poetic justice even.
 

Mem

Sexy Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2006
Posts
7,912
Media
0
Likes
54
Points
183
Location
FL
Sexuality
99% Gay, 1% Straight
Gender
Male
As a "Commander in Chief" a Presidents power is not absolute. We have three different branches of Government to insure this. A president's sexuality (or homosexuality) does not preclude them from holding the office as "Commander in Chief".
 

Industrialsize

Mythical Member
Gold
Platinum Gold
Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Posts
22,237
Media
213
Likes
31,757
Points
618
Location
Kathmandu (Bagmati Province, Nepal)
Sexuality
100% Gay, 0% Straight
Gender
Male
As a "Commander in Chief" a Presidents power is not absolute. We have three different branches of Government to insure this. A president's sexuality (or homosexuality) does not preclude them from holding the office as "Commander in Chief".
are we all so sure?Where's a constitutional scholar when you need one?
 

dong20

Sexy Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2006
Posts
6,058
Media
0
Likes
28
Points
183
Location
The grey country
Sexuality
No Response

kalipygian

Expert Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2005
Posts
1,948
Media
31
Likes
139
Points
193
Age
68
Location
alaska
Sexuality
100% Gay, 0% Straight
Gender
Male
An openly gay person being elected president in this country is entirely beyond the horizon.

I am not aware of any openly gay governors.

I don't think anyone has yet been elected to congress who was openly gay when they first ran.

There have been no cabinet level appointments, either, though there have been two ambassadors, to Letzebuerg, by Clinton, and Romania by w.
 

Mem

Sexy Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2006
Posts
7,912
Media
0
Likes
54
Points
183
Location
FL
Sexuality
99% Gay, 1% Straight
Gender
Male
Some have speculated that Lincoln was gay. Out of over 40 Presidents elected the law of averages may point to us having had a gay President in the past. We many never know. If I were to guess I would think that Nixon was a repressed homosexual.