EDITORIAL: Politics dooms progress on key issues

When the Senate couldn't agree to vote on allowing young immigrants to seek legal status and repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, it was a sure sign that partisan, election year paralysis has set in. Kids brought to this country illegally and gay soldiers deserve better.

The measures were attached to a $726-billion military spending bill that ordinarily could have been expected to pass easily. But nothing is ordinary with an election looming. In a fight over a legislative process that barred most amendments, Senate Republicans voted unanimously Tuesday not to take up the bill. They were joined by three Democrats.

The bill was a cynical, last-ditch bid by Democrats to force a vote on some election year priorities. Republicans, loath to give Democrats a useful victory, were poised to burden the bill with dozens of amendments. Gridlock was assured.

Lost in the one-upmanship is that "don't ask, don't tell'' is discriminatory and should be repealed. The DREAM Act - which would allow people brought to the country illegally as kids, with no say in the matter, to apply for legal status after two years of college or military service - should be passed.

There's no way to divorce governing from politics. But it's not too much to ask that elected officials occasionally set partisan interests aside and decide issues on the merits. hN