Last night the HRC endorsed Barack Obama’s re-election campaign even though Election Day is still a year and a half away. Immediately, gay bloggers began criticizing the HRC for “throwing away a bargaining chip” that could have been used to pressure Obama into publicly supporting marriage equality. But is that claim overstated?
Here’s Pam Spauling from Pam’s Premium Blend:
[The endorsement] just seems odd for an allegedly non partisan org. The reaction from Jimmy LaSalvia of GOProud, the release titled HRC Officially Ends Charade of “Bipartisanship” with Pre-emptive Obama Endorsement: “Today, the Human Rights Campaign chose to endorse Barack Obama’s re-election even though the field running for President in 2012 isn’t even set yet. This pre-emptive endorsement ends HRC’s charade of bipartisanship.”
No current Republican presidential contender supports marriage equality (except for possibly Fred Karger), but let’s be honest: an openly-gay man has no chance of becoming the next Republican Presidential Nominee—a snowball in Hell would last longer.
Obama knows he has the gays in his pocket. Who are you gonna vote for? Newt Gingrich? Sarah Palin? Tim Pawlenty? Puh-leaze. Gonna stay home on Election Night? We so so at our peril. But before we discuss, here’s John Avarosis from AmericaBlog:
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
“[This] pretty much leaves the President no reason to do anything that he perceives as controversial for us at least until 2013, if he gets re-elected… While an eventual endorsement of Obama by HRC is inevitable, expected, and fine, there’s a dance that’s expected where both sides get something… now that HRC has already given the President the prize he seeks, what incentive does the President, who claims he’s “evolving” on marriage, evolve before the election? He has no need to.
“HRC clearly hasn’t learned the lessons of the first two years of the Obama presidency. You don’t get anything for being nice to the man (well, anything of substance – I’m sure that HRC dinner invite is now locked in). If anything, he looks down on people who are nice to him. The only thing this President respects are people who stand up to him. The President didn’t finally start moving on DADT, and finally stop defending DOMA, because HRC was nice to him. He did it because this blog, GetEqual, Dan Choi, the larger Gay Netroots, and a very few organizations like Servicemembers United and SLDN stood up to the man. (Had HRC had its way, we’d still be debating the DADT repeal legislation in the Congress today
God, HRC! Didn’t your mother teach you anything about flirting?! Don’t put out before the courtship even begins. Wait a little, make eyes, blow kisses, feign disinterest, drop your hanky and wave your fan. Make him earn the golden ticket.
Avarosis is right: because the HRC has endorsed Obama so early, he’s a lot less likely to mention gay rights in his campaign speeches. But his campaign still relies heavily on LGBT funds and he knows that young voters, a demographic he badly needs, care about equality issues too. So he still has good reason to invoke marriage equality and non-discrimination on the campaign trail even though the HRC has bungled yet another good opportunity.
And as Avarosis already said, even if the HRC had waited and Obama did make some campaign promises to the gays, we’d still have to chain ourselves to the White House fence just to get him moving.
Cam
HRC has given amunition to every songle person or group who says that they are nothing but shills fro the Democrats. If you don’t even know who the GOP candidate is, how can you endorse somebody against them.
At every single opportunity they never fail to do the wrong thing for the community in favor of the right thing for ensuring they still get their lunch invitations.
Could we PLEASE hire some ACTUAL lobbyists who know how to get things done rather than giving money to these artless fools?
disco lives
Gays have never been a reliable voting bloc for Obama or any other Democratic nominee for president.
Anti-gay John McCain got a surprisingly high 28 percent of the gay vote…and George W. (yes, him) Bush got a whopping 25 percent…even after his campaign for a bigoted constitutional amendment.
Black people, on the other hand, typically give around 90 percent of their vote to any Democratic nominee. That’s a reliable voting block (if they show up to the polls)
By the way, Obama won the ’08 election with a comfortable 53 percent, so it’s possible that he would have still won even without a single gay vote.
Luke
I”m not saying I expect them to endorse anyone else. But we don’t even know who he is running against yet! Yes, it was totally stupid for HRC to endorse this early.
SteveC
Who cares what HRC think? They should have disbanded years ago due to their complete uselessness and irrelevance.
If Barack Obama believes that the HRC endorsement means that the gay community will support him unequivocally, then he is very much mistaken.
I will be voting for a Green candidate.
I’m not voting for the lesser of 2 evils ever again.
TMikel
Why must we be in such a hurry in the country – that attitude brought us George W. Bush after “the people” decided we could not wait for a proper recount of the election and the Supreme Court decided who was president. Endorsing Obama now does indeed limit our bargaining power – and there was absolutely no need to act so precipitously. Mr. Obama has not been a good supporter of LGBT causes and endorsing him now gives him no incentive to change that. Shame on the HRC!
Joetx
The HRC doing something stupid that makes them out as useless to the vast majority of gay people? No way! *sarcasm*
TGC
The gay left are his bitch and you’ll gladly bite on a pillow while he’s screwing you over. Again.
“Anti-gay John McCain got a surprisingly high 28 percent of the gay vote”
Let’s see, Obama surrounded himself with bigot homophobes and never talked to the gay press, like McCain did. Gay liberals shrugged it off because the party comes first. Obama hires Jim Messina and throws a gay supportive country under the bus in favor of a group of terrorists that kills gays and the gay left barely blinks.
Tony
Go ahead and vote Republican and get your balls handed to you. Don’t be stupid.
TGC
@TMikel: There was no hurry. To keep recounting until Algore won was illegal.
Alex
“Has the HRC Screwed Us?” Articles like this make me wonder just how hopelessly detached from reality our community is.
robert in NYC
I despise what HRC has just done! They’ve given Obama an excuse to sit on his hands and do nothing. On the other hand, look what 28% of gays did in 2010, they gave control of the House to the Republicans and now look where we are.
Though I’m a Green, I’ll vote for a Democrat to stop that House ever getting control of the senate, then we’re truly fucked. I understand the frustration many of us had last year with the Democrats, but please, keep your cool, do we really want the antigay republican party running the show? Do we want a Mitt Romney, a Tim Pawlenty (an extreme right wing candidate) in the White House? Both play to the religious right and in Pawlenty’s case, the Tea Party scum, not that Obama didn’t exactly ignore them. I’d vote for Obama reluctantly, the least of the two evils since a Green or an Independent has NO chance of winning. Staying home or voting for someone who has no chance of winning is giving the Republicans total control and they’ll make sure that if Ruth Bader Ginsberg dies, she will be replaced with yet another right wing diehard republican. Its bad enough we already have 5 stacked against us for life.
Jim Hlavac
Gary Johnson is running for the Republican nomination. He stands a chance, for he’s a 8 year former governor of New Mexico, and he’s a rather successful business man — and he is for gay marriage.
As for the HRC — they surely don’t speak for me. I haven’t voted for a Democrat ever, and I don’t plan on starting now.
And Obama still hasn’t called in Ruben “gays are worthy of death” Diaz of NY for a beer with a gay guy, nor the HRC, to make peace — and in fact, Obama hasn’t said a word about such language. Doesn’t want to upset his base. And given the Black animosity to gays, and their overwhelming support for Democrats, that’s not voting in my interests to vote for people who publicly proclaim they hate me. Ditto the Catholic Hierarchy — all Democrat lovin’ and gay hatin’. Other than that (well, no, there’s a lot more,) the Democrats are “for” us. Sure, yah.
And the Republican Religious freaks are more like Black Baptists than Republicans, so maybe those two should get together in an anti-gay party. There’s actually more debate on the place of gays in the Republican party than there is among the Democrats who are deemed to be “for” us, after giving us DADT and DOMA — and Clinton didn’t even bother a symbolic veto if he thought Congress would overrule the veto. Thanks Bill.
shle896
This endorsement is simply a formality. I mean, c’mon, like any self-respecting gay organization is going to endorse a Republican? Never in a million years. The GOP is so far out of touch with not only the gay community, but anybody under the age of 65. I trust our president will continue to work on our behalf.
It may not be politically correct to say so, but there is a time and a place to pick your battles and I think President Obama will endorse marriage equality when the time is right – and that time is getting ever-closer.
Joe
LOLz
Yeah, the HRC should have waited a year to urge its supporters to support a candidate. After all, the republicans may nominate a pro-gay hero.
Don’t make me f’n laugh.
HRC made an educated decision to give early support to a candidate we desperately need to re-elect. The candidate, btw happens to be a president who in a few years has:
Ended DADT
Signed the Hate Crimes Bill
Stopped defending DOMA
Hired more LGBT than any prevous prez
and a lot more.
Do you really think we had some sort of leverage over Obama because of a potential HRC endorsement? LOL Which is it? HRC is ineffectual, or they have sway over the POTUS.
So many people get bent out of shape because he didn’t wave his magic wand and make it happen overnight. I am happy that he methodically put his pieces in place so he could get so much done within two years of his inauguration. Do you all think politics is easy and instant? It’s not.
Stop complaining that we don’t have instant gratification after one election. In America, progress takes time. But it’s usually permanent.
Get in the real game of what is going on. Politics is a messy and ugly game. But unless we REALLY play it, we will never win.
robert in NYC
Jim, the Catholic hierarchy in my state is definitely not “gay loving”, quite the opposite when it donates more than $500,000 to defeat marriage equality in our state in December 2009.
The bulk of the GOP supports a ban on same-sex marriage. Karger I’m sorry to inform you won’t get the nod as the presidential candidate. You’re looking at probably a Romney/Pawlenty ticket, one a Mormom wacko cultist and the other a religious right wing Tea Party extremist. If the GOP is so “pro-gay” or gay supportive, why aren’t the Log Cabiners or GOProud allowed a place on the platform to address the conventions? Who in the republican party currently in the House has declared strong support for marriage equality and the enactment of ENDA? Who? Where is the evidence? Don’t give me the bullshit about Civil Libertarian, Ron Paul either or any others. They’re all bull-shiters and going nowhere. When push comes to shove, they all vote republican in the final analysis and in doing so, support its agenda to keep us as second class citizens. Don’t tell me they weren’t in lockstep with McCain or the GOP agenda.
Do you really think the a majority of the 32 republicans in my state’s legislature are going to vote for marriage equality? I’m not that delusional to think they will. At least a majority of the democrats will this time around even though it won’t be 32. Not one of your bunch voted for it in 2009, not one! Explain why,if we stand a better chance with them in the White House? Provide the evidence.
robert in NYC
Jim, the Catholic hierarchy in my state is definitely not “gay loving”, quite the opposite when it donates more than $500,000 to defeat marriage equality in our state in December 2009.
The bulk of the GOP supports a ban on same-sex marriage. Karger I’m sorry to inform you won’t get the nod as the presidential candidate. You’re looking at probably a Romney/Pawlenty ticket, one a Mormom wacko cultist and the other a religious right wing Tea Party extremist. If the GOP is so “pro-gay” or gay supportive, why aren’t the Log Cabiners or GOProud allowed a place on the platform to address the conventions? Who in the republican party currently in the House has declared strong support for marriage equality and the enactment of ENDA? Who? Where is the evidence? Don’t give me the bullshit about Civil Libertarian, Ron Paul either or any others. They’re all bull-shiters and going nowhere. When push comes to shove, they all vote republican in the final analysis and in doing so, support its agenda to keep us as second class citizens. Don’t tell me they weren’t in lockstep with McCain or the GOP agenda.
Do you really think the majority of the 32 republicans in my state’s legislature are going to vote for marriage equality? I’m not that delusional to think they will. At least a larger majority of the democrats will this time around even though it won’t be 32. Not one of your bunch voted for it in 2009, not one! Explain why,if we stand a better chance with them in the White House? Provide the evidence.
Elloreigh
Two things:
HRC basically is a shill for the DNC. I’m frankly surprised this is news to anyone.
As for the controversy surrounding this too early endorsement, I’m inclined to say that it’s little more than an acknowledgment of the reality that being pro-gay is the kiss of death for any would-be GOP presidential candidate. It’s ridiculous and pointless to pretend that moderates have any chance of taking the Republican party back from the religious right.
And as for GOProud criticizing HRC for it’s failure to be non-partisan, do they seriously not see the irony? It doesn’t get more partisan than GOProud and the LCR, so they should probably shut up instead of digging their hole deeper.
robert in NYC
No. 17, Elloreigh, I was reading an article in the Advocate by Michelangelosignorile concerning GOProud. Here’s what it said…. Chris Barron (GOProud’s leader) left the Log Cabin as “former political director, claiming that the Log Cabin wasn’t conservative enough. It slowly moved in the direction of NOT taking any pro-gay positions, all in an attempt to be included in the Republican Party, even though Barron oddly once tweeted that GOProud is “a gay organization, we only work on gay issues”.
Further….”GOProud is opposed to the proposed ENDA Act and the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which is not law. And fearing being cut out of the annual Conservative Political Action Conferend..which for 2012 has BANNED groups that support any pro-gay legislation..Barron told the blog Red State last February…”Considering we don’t support gay marriage and DADT isn’t part of our 2011 legislative agenda [I’m] not sure how this affects us at all.”
“Barron and GOProud now also support House speaker John Boehner defending section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act in federal appeals court after President Obama announced he believed the law is unconstitutional..though Barron himself is LEGALLY MARRIED TO A MAN in Washington, DC. Barron’s husband, to whom he refers a lot in his tweets, is a DC teacher who wrote a piece in MetroWeekly about how kids learn to be bullies from adults who bully one another. But there couldn’t possibly be a better example of an adult bullying other adults than Barron tweeting this: “The gay left = the American Taliban. Hateful, angry and dumb as shit.” He’s also tweeted that Andrew Sullivan is “fat,” “pathetic”, and “self-important” and that Meghan McCain is “intensely stupid”.
I don’t know what better demonstrates self-loathing among gay republicans when Barron makes such disgusting statements about marriage equality and DADT when he himself is the recipient of a same-sex marriage. Its beyond hypocrisy and absolutely appalling. Who in their right mind would want to be associated with the GOP, least of all gays? Its sick.
Matt
In the end they probably would have endorsed the President, no matter what but I would have preferred them waiting until the general election to endorse. There is one mainstream Republican Presidential candidate that gives Obama a run for his money on gay rights and that is Jon Hunstman, who supported civil unions and fought for workplace and civil protections for the LGBT community in Utah, where 70%+ oppose. He has also written vaguely in support of totally equality in 2009, “Let’s hope that someday–all people are seen as equal under the laws of our land.”
Overall Jon Hunstman is just a supportive of Gay Rights as this President and we should welcome and encourage the opportunity of having both Presidential candidates in a general election that support legal recognition of Gay couples and are overall friendly of gay rights.
If our agenda is to get anywhere we can put all our bets on one Party, The Black community has done that since the 1960 and look where it has got them. Name one major piece of Urban Legislation, Criminal Justice Reform, etc. that has been signed into law. The Black agenda has been in neutral since 1970. We have to have both parties fighting for our votes and wanting to progress our agenda.
Justin N. in Oaklawn, Dallas, TX
Article says: “No current Republican presidential contender supports marriage equality…”
Guess what? The current President, an illustrious DEMOCRAT of the first degree, has a well-known, well-stated opposition to marriage equality.
I have been a Democrat, so this isn’t about Democrat-bashing as such. It’s just that this is one you can’t pin on the Republicans as much as we’d all like to. There’s a Democrat in the White House, and it’s once more a Democrat who opposes marriage equality. (The most egregious law on the books in this regard was championed by Mr. Clinton, who I voted for, and who PROTECTED HIS MARRIAGE from the filthy likes of scum like me.)
Politically Incorrect Thug
The real news would have been if they HADN’T put their support behind the Democratic candidate and were backing a Republican, or better yet, a Libertarian.
TGC
@shle896: “The GOP is so far out of touch with not only the gay community, but anybody under the age of 65.”
I have to wonder by what measure that ASSumption is based on. The majority of the American people are opposed to pretty much all the liberal destruction that’s been forced on us. Porkulus, Government Motors, ObamaCareless, fiscal irresponsibility, inflation etc. Yassir Obama won’t run on any of that and can’t point to anything and count it as an accomplishment to be proud of. The fear mongering and hatred that liberals are campaigning on now isn’t going to be very popular either.
I think you’ll find that most sensible gays are more concerned with jobs and keeping more of the money they earn.
robert in NYC
So, TGC, can you please tell us which equality bills the GOP is going to endorse, author or co-sponsor? How about marriage equality if the Democrats are so bad? How about getting ENDA enacted which the majority of Republicans oppose? How about repealing DOMA? None of that is going to happen with a republican in the White House either. To think otherwise, is delusional and Civil Libertarians are going nowhere fast who end up voting for a republican anyway which is what they really are at heart.
I find it hypocritical of extreme right wing religious contenders like Pawlenty who took stimulus money for his state and nobody in the GOP chides him, not even his Tea Party scumbags. Why did he take it if he and the party are against bailouts, damn hypocrite that he is.
How about Eric Cantor claiming that no state experiencing a natural disaster should receive government help if they can’t afford to make cuts in other areas to offset aid? I hope a destructive Tornado or flood hits his house and his constituents and see who cries for help first. Selfish bastards!
Caliban
You’re supposed to make Pols WORK for that endorsement, dumbshits! But this has about as much meaning as a trichinosis worm detaching itself from a pig’s intestine long enough to announce it supports ham.
Not that I’m calling Obama a pig or anything, just pointing out the rather parasitic relationship the HRC has with him. He more than anyone has validated them as The Official Voice Of Teh Gay™ and their job is to moon over him like a Twilight fan-girl spotting Robert Pattison, as they’ve done here.
TGC
@robert in NYC: So, Robert, can you please tell us how ENDA puts ever more expensive food on the table or how DOMA provides jobs to the millions unemployed? Who gives a rat’s ass, really?
Selfish bastards? Check into how many requests for federal disaster aid have been rejected by Chairman Obama. It’ll be hard because the State-run media has barely mentioned it, but it’s out there.
jeff4justice
@Jim Hlavac: Amen.
jeff4justice
If we can attain marriage equality in a few states and elect a black President, it’s time we get rid of the 2 party system.
The only Democrats who supported full equality for LGBT folk in 2008 were Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel. The only 2 party system candidates I’d ever vote for are Kucinich, Gravel or libertarian Republicans Ron Paul or Gary Johnson. Otherwise, I’ll likely vote for a Green or Libertarian.
Voting two party is only throwing away your vote if you allow it to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. When Gavin Newsome got the ball rolling in 2004, a lot of gays were saying we’d never achieve equality and we should compromise for domestic partnerships. It’s the same limited thinking towards toppling the 2party system.
alex
This is a genuinely serious question: Why exactly is the “Human Rights Campaign” about homosexuality? Aren’t there a ton of human rights abuses out there that have nothing to do with gay v. straight? I thought human rights were universal, not contingent on your preference of genitals. By endorsing Obama, your organization is supporting a war criminal who is blowing up little babies all over the world, just like his cousin dick cheney, while pretending to be a ‘liberal’ by throwing a few insignificant bones like ‘repeal DADT’ to his slavish followers to make himself seem sooo enlightened and so TOTALLY different from those mean old republicans who don’t even LIKE gay people. I understand the sort of bullying that people who are the least bit outside of the TV mindset parameters endure, and it is absolutely heartbreaking that teenagers are killing themselves or doing bad drugs because their family and friends shun them, but there are many many more pressing issues that affect everyone now immediately…
Aaron
At best, HRC has demonstrated poor reasoning, giving the appearance of playing partisan politics vs. nonpartisan lobbying. At worst, they’ve betrayed LGBT Americans who support them. Interestingly, there are actually 3 GOP presidential hopefuls who support civil unions and who could possibly outdo Obama’s shallow efforts on equality legislation (Gary Johnson, Fred Karger, and Ron Paul), so this was certainly a premature miscalculation on HRC’s part. At the least, they should’ve practice enough restraint to see who the GOP candidate would be.
shle896
@Justin N. in Oaklawn, Dallas, TX: While it’s true that Obama hasn’t yet endorsed gay marriage, he has recently suggested that his beliefs are changing, and besides, he does and has supported civil unions.
shle896
@TGC: Dude, you watch way too much Fox News.
ldfrmc
Wayne Besen, Huffington Post:
“The GOP field is shaping up to be a disaster of epic proportions. Other than openly gay long shot Fred Karger, the rest of this motley crew is virulently anti-gay, or pretending to be in an effort to kiss-up to social conservatives in Iowa and South Carolina. This sorry batch of embarrassing contenders will only degenerate further if Sarah Palin gets into the race — as it seems like she is likely to do.
In terms of the GOP field, there is no silver lining, no hope, and no pro-LGBT Republican savior. This is the truth and it is reality for those who choose to embrace it.
It is clear that Barack Obama is the obvious choice for the Human Rights Campaign, the LGBT community’s national lobby. Their early endorsement is wise because it sends a strong signal that the community will organize and mobilize to reelect the most LGBT supportive contender in the race — one with a fairly good record on LGBT rights. While far from perfect, Obama did work to repeal Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and used his bully pulpit effectively, even making an “It Get’s Better” video. Whatever his shortcomings (No ENDA or DOMA repeal etc.), he is light years ahead of his Republican counterparts. Anyone who argues otherwise is naive, obtuse, or in denial…”
Sure was a logical and timely endorsement. When people get their heads out of their behinds, talk and work on Congressional and state officeholders – their track record, their endorsement, their stance on issues – then whining about a President who is not the “perfectly supportive” will sound reasonable.
Heavy lifting ahead. You can continue to bitch-fight among yourselves or do some work. That isn’t blogging about what you think any Presidential candidate should do for you. Talk is cheap. Promises, worthless.
Out of the heels for a while, girls. Heavy lifting ahead.
TGC
@shle896: Dude! Nice ASSumption you got there. Haven’t watched Fox or any other news in many years. And I sure as hell wouldn’t watch the angry white bigots on the MSDNC propaganda machine.
TGC
@shle896: And anyways, what does Fox News have to do with ENDA and DOMA which doesn’t do a damn bit of good to address the major concerns of most Americans?
Or were you referring to what I said about denials for disaster aid? That’s not Fox News that I’m aware of, sweetheart. To whit:
State disaster aid rejected
http://www.ctpost.com/default/article/State-disaster-aid-rejected-695876.php
FEMA rejects Va. request for tornado disaster aid
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/may/08/tdmet01-fema-rejects-va-request-for-tornado-disast-ar-1024154/
Illinois Denied Disaster Aid for Tornadoes
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Illinois-Denied-Federal-Disaster-Aid-After-June-5-Tornadoes-97770809.html
State may appeal disaster aid denial
http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?s=45199
Shall I go on, because there’s several more examples of how much liberals “care” about people in disaster areas. But all will be forgotten, I guess, after Chairman Obama finally takes time out of making an ass of himself in Europe and deign to visit Joplin.
robert in NYC
TGC….who gives a rat’s ass? Really? Well, that’s why you can’t provide me with anything the GOP intends to do for LGBT rights (full equality), not even the Civil Libertarians, republicans at heart, have anything on the table. Voting for either is also throwing away your vote because they, like the Greens of which I’m a member, aren’t going anywhere and you know it. Why aren’t your beloved Libertarians taking on the GOP publicly on the issue of equality, scared they’ll alienate their fellow republicans who they end up voting for when it comes to the presidency once they see they’re going nowhere? Fox doesn’t mention them much if at all. If Ron Paul is seeking the presidency, has he prepared any legislation giving LGBT FULL equality, among other things? If not, why not? Anyway, go ahead, give him your vote, you know he’s never going to win.
Jeff4Justice, I believe Mike Gravel’s Libertarian career ended in 2008 if I’m not mistaken.
Ted B. (Charging Rhino)
The HRC is such a satellite of the Democratic Natl Committee that they should just change their name to the “Big Gay Lobby That Doesn’t Hold the Party Accountable”, or “…Just Throw Us Under the Bus When Expedient” for short. Their claims of being non-partisan are a joke.
With Obama not being challenged for the re-nomination in 2012, it doesn’t surprise me that Joe punched his Beltway cocktail-circuit ticket early.
christopher di spirito
@Justin N. in Oaklawn, Dallas, TX: Except New Mexico GOP presidential Gary Johnson. He’s also for the decriminalization of pot. He’s an interest guy. I don’t think he has a chance in hell of winning the Republican primary but, he is a heretic in a field of loons and oddities.
Adman
@disco lives: Our problem is that 62% of AA’s are a proven reactionary voting block, guaranteed to vote social conservative while staying mostly Dem if it kills them. (or the gays…or is it us killing them? So confusing) The Dems are about as far left as Richard Nixon thanks to minority voters doing what the rightward white moderate plebes have done for 40 years, watch spooky stories about boogy men coming to git their “amercun riiites”. Looks like teh ghey white vote will follow suit. Thanks for this cultural moment where every one watches the AA’s lose any and all moral authority for the churchy churcher black psycho vote, I guess this means the rest of us can all be cool, right?
stophrc.com
Let’s remember HRC has a long history of endorsing republicans, conservatives, pro-lifers, pro-war, anti-labor, candidates. They are the gay rights organization for those who appreciate corporate power and big business.
James C.
No, you screwed us by reporting that gays want to “recruit chlidren.” Your ignorant, destructive verbal diarrhea will be highlighted in anti-gay ads throughout 2012’s gay marriage ballot initiatives to cut gay people off at the knees.
Obama, meanwhile, brought us the end of DADT and the abandonment of defending DOMA, and in return, HRC gave its endorsement. If HRC didn’t honor its word by supporting those who support us, there would be no political incentive to support us.
shle896
@James C.: I totally agree with you James C. Obviously the “recruit children” means we want to educate children to accept diversity, but to use it in an inflammatory headline is ridiculous and counterproductive, and it will be used in anti-gay hate speech and out-of-context brochures for years to come.
TGC
@shle896: Well how do gays teach “diversity” when they don’t even practice it themselves?
@James “If HRC didn’t honor its word by supporting those who support us, there would be no political incentive to support us.”
Huh? Am I to understand that no other liberals will be running in opposition to The Won? Wasn’t this a shot, fired by Joe Dirtyknees, as a warning for other libs to stay out of the race? I can only conclude, by the hysteria above, that there won’t be any challengers for the DNC nomination. Pity since Chairman Obama has no record to run on that the American people support.
TGC
@robert in NYC: “Well, that’s why you can’t provide me with anything the GOP intends to do for LGBT rights (full equality), not even the Civil Libertarians,”
That’s fine because you can’t show how the gay liberals are in touch with the American people. You can’t (or won’t) demonstrate how ENDA or DADT helps lower food and gas costs nor how it provides jobs to the millions unemployed. I daresay it won’t bring down the debt either. These are what’s important to the majority of the American people and liberals giving them the finger at every turn, for the past two years, won’t translate into votes in their favor.
As for the rest, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m not a Libertarian, I think Paul’s a nut and his followers are even nuttier. I have no idea where you get “your beloved Libertarians” from. It’s another ASSumption, I suppose.
shle896
@TGC: So, you’re a gay Republican? LOL, that’s like being a Jewish Nazi. It doesn’t bother you that your party wants NOTHING to do with you? Talk about self-hatred.
TGC
@shle896: Thanks for proving my point re: “diversity”. You demonstrate who whole “LGBTWXYZ Community” and the rainbow are nothing but BS propaganda.
And no, I’m not a Republican either. Cheers!
shle896
So, I should be more about diversity and accept the GOP who wants nothing but the worst for me as a gay man? Are you kidding me? They’ve proven time and again what they are about and I have absolutely no patience with their antiquated, bigoted beliefs. We’re talking about MY civil rights. I simply want to be treated the same as every other American, but if the GOP had their way, it would be 1955 all over again.
Obama has done more for gays than any other president and I believe he intends to do more, but he has to pick his battles and pursue things when the time is appropriate.
You may think he’s an awful president, but I think he walked into two wars and a near Depression and he is working as hard as he can to fix what is broken, but as fucked up as the Republicans left this country, I wouldn’t expect things to be completely turned around in just three years time.
So, if you’re not a Libertarian or a Republican, what are you? I mean no offense to you. I love a good political debate! 🙂 At least you feel strongly about something.. nothing worse than a person who has no opinion because they don’t follow what is going on around them!
Adman
@TGC: You’re a teabagger, which is the worst of the lot. You’d like for someone to argue for a broken system so you can get your rocks off refuting them with zero ideas of your own, let alone anyone to truly represent you. (Outside of the Koch Bros. hosing your cage down every morning and tossing you some fruitloops to eat before they get on with fucking us all harder all day).
You hate the system so much your reactionary “thoughts” only support it’s status quo more than it’s beneficiaries ever could. What a loser. Troll elsewhere, you’ve given up the ghost in this thread. Even if you turn out to be a think tank wanker, you need to do some work and earn that check for a change, fucktard.
TGC
@shle896: “So, I should be more about diversity and accept the GOP who wants nothing but the worst for me as a gay man?”
Well then “diversity” is not the word you want, is it? Last I checked that doesn’t mean “only people I like”. The words that the gay left wants “uniformity” and “conformity”, but I suppose that wouldn’t do well in a focus group.
“We’re talking about MY civil rights. I simply want to be treated the same as every other American,”
I don’t know your story, but I have MY civil rights and I am treated the same as every other American.
“but if the GOP had their way, it would be 1955 all over again. ”
You mean when democreeps were fighting to maintain segregation, opposing Civil Rights Acts and their militant wing (the Klan) had so much power? I think not. But I’ll go back to what you said earlier:
“It doesn’t bother you that your party wants NOTHING to do with you? Talk about self-hatred.”
Actually, I deal with Republicans all the time and they don’t care that I’m gay. Liberals, on the other hand, show their hatred and bigotry if you tell them you’re a Republican. Your retort will probably be “Republicans are only nice to your face.” If that’s true, at least they have the decency to do so.
“Obama has done more for gays than any other president and I believe he intends to do more…”
Doesn’t mean squat to me or a lot of other people. We still have a massive debt, inflation and even more regulation (taxes in disguise) being driven higher by irresponsible liberal children in Washington. Let me know when he does more for the American people instead of a selfish (relatively) few whiners.
“You may think he’s an awful president, but I think he walked into two wars”
He could’ve easily pulled the plug on both. Let’s not forget that he’s started a third without the consent of Congress with no clear objective. Remember that was the oft vomitted complaint about Bush?
“and a near Depression and he is working as hard as he can to fix what is broken,”
He could’ve turned it around long ago if he’d wanted to. Laundering tax payer money through the unions and eeeeeevil “Big Business”, putting private industries in the control of the State was far more important. Removing capital and incentives to hire and work doesn’t fix a damn thing.
“but as fucked up as the Republicans left this country,”
Still baffles me how mortgages for those who couldn’t afford them and strong opposition to reigning in the GSE Bawney Fwank’s boyfriend was running had absolutely nothing to do with it. But then I’m not clever enough to understand how Pelosi can call a $146 billion (and falling) deficit “record deficits”, but a $1.37 trillion deficit is not.
“So, if you’re not a Libertarian or a Republican, what are you?”
Conservative.
“I mean no offense to you. I love a good political debate! 🙂 At least you feel strongly about something.. nothing worse than a person who has no opinion because they don’t follow what is going on around them!”
Now THAT whole statement I will agree with.
TGC
@Adman: “blahblahblahblah yakity smakity fucktard.”
Your mother. Have a good’un.
Adman
@TGC: “Your mother”
She turned you out in public too? Way to go Ma!
TGC
@Adman: Nope. Never met a woman of “ill repute”.
Adman
@TGC: Never met a woman of “ill repute”.
Now it’s your mother, this isn’t fun. Are you really this stupid? Mother jokes among queers? Do you really think that Queerty readers actually might think your gay given your ideas and perspective? It’s possible you’re a stockholm syndrome style Goproudbot, but if it’s true, don’t you know that your boss will audit your propaganda trail? You’re supposed to be subversive here, so relax on the ineffective clowning and subvert something, moron.
This is a perfect example of the general weakness of con think-tank monkey shines. Bring the false statistics, liable some public figures, pull some more entertaining lies out of you ass now please. all of your talking points are ours to ridicule eventually anyway, “conservative”.
TGC
@Adman: “It’s possible you’re a stockholm syndrome style Goproudbot,”
I should think that would be more descriptive of the liberals and gays who support the Palestinians, Iranians, Islamo-fascists etc. who execute gays for fun. You know, the gays who REALLY don’t have “civil rights”. But I know liberals have a knack for bastardizing words like “racist”. Why not throw in terms like “Stockholm Syndrome”. Sounds really cool. You have no idea what the hell it means, but you read it somewhere.
“all of your talking points are ours to ridicule eventually anyway,”
Well of course. I expect nothing else. Sure as shit wouldn’t expect you to disprove it or demonstrate what’s so wonderful about liberalism. Nah, heckuva lot easier to “ridicule”. Doesn’t require any testicular fortitude or even thought.
Typical.
tjr101
Gay conservatives are self-hating deluded beings that are in fact the greatest threat to achieving equal rights in America. They vote with their wallets and tow the GOP deficit inducing mantra of tax cuts for the rich while funneling monies to anti-gay candidates. Their rants about fiscal responsibility is a big lie given Republicans haven’t been able to leave office with a balanced budget and a surplus in decades.
Who else would HRC endorse? Obama is not going to be challenged by anyone with a flying chance to the left of him in the primaries. As for a Republican? Puhlezze!
Adman
“But I know liberals have a knack for bastardizing words like “racist”. Why not throw in terms like “Stockholm Syndrome”.”
Blah Blah Blah, to quote an unwise man who was too stupid to see the hammer swing down. Bipartisan tactics from a con are so yesterday, you throw endless amount of shit in a time or word limited debate, and stand back admiring your poisoned well. But now it’s stench that’s in your house, and never forget, Mr. “testicular fortitude” you are the death to meritocracy that invited this political landscape into our polity, because we won’t forget.
Somebody’s going to take that propaganda whore title from you, because you’re the shittiest I’ve ever seen on this site. You’re even dumber than Jason, which is a really tough thing to fathom, but there you go. DO YOUR JOB, LOSER!! I care about a cons definition of racism he doesn’t even believe exists? Fucktarding for a paycheck? It’s like welfare for dogs and dogfood for people, good luck with that plan, Goproud moron.
TGC
@Adman: And thanks to you and tjr101 for proving me right on another point I made.
Do NOT doubt me.
shle896
@TGC: You’re more Republican than I am gay, dude. Don’t pretend the Tea Party is a third political party. Please. LOL, better luck to you then, with Sarah Palin or Michelle Bachman! Those two brain surgeons just loves the gays, right?
You are ignorant and naive and full of venom and self-hatred.. typical Teabagger.
robert in NYC
TGC…”We still have a massive debt, inflation and even more regulation (taxes in disguise) being driven higher by irresponsible liberal children in Washington. Let me know when he does more for the American people instead of a selfish (relatively) few whiners.”
Yeah, right….typical Tea Party/Republican mindset, no thanks to your darling George Bush et al. Where was all the job creation in the 8 years under that moron? I know where….China, India, 48,000 factories shut down, manufacturing base shipped overseas and corporations paying only 15% coporate taxes on the backs of the middle class and they want yet another tax cut for themselves while the rest of us pay more? We’ve seen the worst economic meltdown on Wall Street since the Depression and elsewhere, no thanks to those tax cuts that only trickled down to Wall Street, AIG, Goldman Sachs, Bear Stearns, Lehmann Brothers (went belly up), JP Morgan Chase and the foreclosure debacle. Almost all of the financial institutions had record multi million dollar bonuses for their CEOs in 2010 and most of them recipients of the stimulus which I remind you was started by George Bush. GM was saved along with thousands of jobs. Its doing that well that its paying back its stimulus package to the tax payers 6 years ahead of time and your party said it wouldn’t work. The problem with your party is that it thinks tax cuts for the wealthy solve everything. It doesn’t and its been debunked. Voodoo economics never worked under Reagan and it never worked under Bush 41 or 43. Your party hasn’t even come up with a plan for jobs. Where is it? Oh yes, tax cuts for the wealthy. Good luck with that nonsense! Try selling it to the voters who are unemployed.
As for your claim that you have your civil rights, really? Why can’t we marry in 45 states, sponsor our foreign born spouses? Why can’t we file joint federal tax returns, why don’t we have access to the 1138 federal rights of marriage? Republicans don’t care that you’re gay, sure they don’t just like they don’t care that you should be treated as a second class citizen which is what you are. Deny it all you want, that’s what republican gays do best. Obama isn’t perfect, nobody is, but at least he’s “evolving” on marriage equality, in his words, “wrestling” with it, a lot better than someone saying NO which is what your party is all about. You won’t see Pawlenty, Romney, Palin or Giuliani doing it, ever. Just because you may not want to marry doeesn’t mean that the rest of us shouldn’t have that choice.
So, since your party doesn’t care if you’re gay, when are we going to see the Log Cabin or GOProuders given a voice at the next convention? How many GOP politicians have addressed equality on their campaigns, a party that claims it’s inclusive? How many intend to do just that, jobs and the economy aside? Even if we weren’t in this economic mess, full equality would still not be an important issue to your or your party as a whole.
The Tea Party is naive and stupid. It claims it wants less government if any involved in their lives but some of them accept unemployment benefits, use the police and fire departments when needed, cry for help when there’s a natural disaster and expect the government to come to their aid. They have a choice, refuse it. Ditto the GOP politicians who enjoy a federally funded health care package and government pension for life after they retire from public office. Nothing but a bunch of hypocrites.
Adman
@TGC: Oh, I trust you to fail every time. That’s an abiding trust, like I trust that rain is wet.
FunMe
Stupid, stupid, stupid! But then again, it’s the HRC who cares more about their freaking “champagne & caviar” parties with the President than with actually DOING something to advance equality for GLBTs.
The fact that DADT was signed was because of others in the GLBT community who pressured the President to do something (e.g., Dan Choi, GetEqual, GLBT blogs, etc.)
If we had relied on HRC the gay Uncle Toms of today, we would have NOTHING. Now with their endorsement, do we really believe things will get done?
I totally agree with many who say that if Obama thinks this will get us to vote for him again, he is mistaken.
I was fooled once be that DINO (Democrat In Name Only), and I will not be fooled again by Obama who is running as a Democrat but acts like a republiCON.
I’m not voting for the lesser of 2 evils again because I don’t believe in evil.
Green or anyone else that has not D or R next to their name will have my vote.
TGC
@robert in NYC: YAWN!! [Citation Needed]
Might want to double check your ThinkPropaganda lying points though. But this one’s fun:
“GM was saved along with thousands of jobs.”
Millions of people lost their jobs and thousands of employers had to close up shop. But, BY DAMN, the liberals drug their favored money laundering machine out of the sewer and into the toilet. Lot’s of folks out there who can’t even get unemployment, but the f*cking unionistas are still getting their $90/hr. to build cars under the influence of alcohol and weed. But your beloved Token in Chief’s gettin’ his cash. Who gives a shit about the rest of the country? He went to play golf, AGAIN, for the ninth weekend in a row.
How’s that “laser like focus” (pew, pew!!) working out? Is that inconvenient budget hidden at the 19th hole or something?
Whatever, robert.
robert in NYC
TGC, you’re more of the psycho talker than I gave you credit for. In regard to the questions I and others put to you regarding equality and what your Tea party (not even a party) republican scum are doing for equality, you change the subject because you have no answers. You’re an idiot with a devolved brain not much bigger than a grain of dust just like your heroines of the Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin ilk. I’m done arguing with ignorance. You’re a classic example that devolution exists, the Tea party republican wackos are proof.
TGC
@robert in NYC: “I’m done arguing with ignorance.”
See, at the bottom of your lying points list, where it says “[repeat]”? That means you’re supposed to start over and run through them again.
Adman
@TGC: “Millions of people lost their jobs and thousands of employers had to close up shop. But, BY DAMN, the liberals drug their favored money laundering machine out of the sewer and into the toilet. Lot’s of folks out there who can’t even get unemployment, but the f*cking unionistas are still getting their $90/hr.”
These are the outcomes of trickle-down economics and and their attendant social policies, engineered by Republicans for the last forty years. Point blank, try to weasel out of it, I’d love to see you try!
You’ll try to move the goalposts, (speaking of getting to the end of your rhetoric and starting the vicious circle from the beginning) to stick it to the left, but you can’t. That’s because you’re every negative thing your critics in this thread have pointed out and then some. It’s in your character to start out as a liar, then move on to cowardice, then cynicism. If you want a “debate” full of false equivalence, and “everyone’s a winner” Special Olympics style FOX media logic for the Oatmeal Cookie award, I’m sure I could whip up a batch.
TGC
@Adman: “These are the outcomes of trickle-down economics and and their attendant social policies, engineered by Republicans for the last forty years.”
Except that it isn’t and declaring it thus in a piss poor attempt to shut me up is beyond moronic. Typical, but moronic.
robert in NYC
Adman, exactly! Actually, the myth that republicans are more fiscally responsible has been debunked by many of the world’s economists. In fact, every republican administration since Nixon has raised the deficit and the debt. Bush 43 incurred more debt during his administration than all of the previous administrations combined without one shrill objection from the radical right in their party. One of the largest net surpluses happened under the Clinton administration at the time he left office. Its been downhill ever since. Their policies have failed over and over. Reaganomics is a recipe for disaster.
TGC
@robert in NYC: Except that the “record deficits” Nancy Botox decries were on their way to being eliminated until liberals took over Congress. That “record deficit” shrank from just north of $400 billion to $162 billion in just two years. And yet somehow a $1.37 TRILLION deficit is not considered “record deficits”. Now we have Chairman Obama’s Trickle-up Poverty.
“by many of the world’s economists”
Name each one of them.
Adman
@TGC: Except that you provide no citations, and that makes you a moron, liar, impossible to countenance lazy uneducated bum. Hope you have fun with that Goproud propagandist welfare check, maybe you can buy the substance and smarts it takes to provide due diligence along with the ball bearing numb nuts claims you make, loser.
Adman
@TGC: Love the timeline in your propaganda points riddled argument toward RNYC. Cite earlier repub propaganda statistic (lies for plebians, of wich you are one), Then newer “revalatory” number tailored to damn the “librul”, (of wich The Admin aren’t at all) then go with the accusation that this is the “librul” (read Regan Democrat, not a liberal president) scapegoat’s original plan. How crazy are you to argue an epistemically impossible position and call that something useful? The Dems are playing along with Repukes, since the R party successfully dragged the debate that far rightward. Everybody in the real world has a problem with it, EXCEPT you, so lets get the record straight.
So much for your “protestations”, you looooove huge deficits, your party wouldn’t have threatened to close down the government if you and they didn’t. Your stupidity is total, son. Take a break or something, seriously.
TGC
@robert in NYC: “the myth that republicans are more fiscally responsible has been debunked”
Riiiiight. You’re forgetting WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, and IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.
TGC
@Adman: “So much for your “protestations”, you looooove huge deficits, your party wouldn’t have threatened to close down the government if you and they didn’t. Your stupidity is total, son.”
Well if you had an IQ higher than that of a turd fly, you’d see the idiocy in whining about and campaigning against an old $400 billion deficit, shrugging off a $1.3 trillion while pointing at Reagan as a distraction.
Goebbles would be proud.
TGC
@Adman: “Except that you provide no citations, and that makes you a moron, liar, impossible to countenance lazy uneducated bum.”
Here ya go: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2009/03/21/GR2009032100104.html
and here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/10/AR2006071001330.html
Current deficit: http://www.usdebtclock.org/
Shall I go on?
Adman
Deficits for whom? The repuke constituencies who highjacked the gov in the first place, that’s who. Wall Street, military, con agra, GE, shall I go on? You conflate Liberal with democrat on a gay web site, then you post WASHINGTON POST propaganda tracts, then you cry distraction? You’re exactly what I said you are, a propagandist, a person full of stupidity, self delusion and probably a few motives you don’t want to share with “queers”, because chances you are you’re not gay anyway.
I told you you would try to act as if the LGBT demo wants to defend a broken government, it’s what the liars who taught you how to the keyboard thingy taught you to do last week, remember? I wonder what else I should tell my lowbrow friend to do here next people? Do you like to display your homophobia openly when you lose? Most “brave cons” like yourself can’t resist. What am I again?
If you and people like you had the ability of every other sentient adult to occasionally think for yourselves, I bet you’d only be dangerous anyway. But that’s OK, because you are all cowards and parasites at the end of the day.
The Washington Post, that’s pretty funny. How’s that trickle down, dummy?
TGC
@Adman: “because chances you are you’re not gay anyway.”
I’ll be sure to tell my partner you think so.
“What am I again?”
Moonbatshitcrazy, obviously. David Koresh made better sense then whatever the hell that is you wrote.
Adman
@TGC: “Riiiiight. You’re forgetting WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, and IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.” Now you’re coming around, so all you have to do is check who is playing the Orwellian games to the best effect, and what gave then the place in American politics that they currently enjoy. I’ll give you a hint, it rhymes with neocon. You’re ideas about Economics are lies. “trickle down, laffer curve, fed conspiracies, the list is too long
You’ll never get anything like quality or surpluses out of the American Right wing, and it’s directly the fault of you, and the “little innocents’, that is shit stupid “southern strategy” voters who fell for the bullshit from jump and now can’t help themselves. Being wrong, and forcing everyone to play by the wrong rules in your perverse games is your way of life. See religious apologetics of late, and how they are subverting the very purpose of inquiry and intelligent pursuits so no one can do anything but pray to jeebus or go to jail eventually. How’s your “GPA” at the bible college BTW? Did you take witchcraft rhetoric 101 yet? I hear it’s interesting.
You’re an automaton, and LGBT’s don’t agree with you, and all of your sleight of hand bs (that you don’t even understand yourself) won’t change that. Have fun screwing each other during this election runup scooter. I’m stocking up on popcorn. Again, since you’re leading this circular convo, I’ll just go ahead and repeat myself. You are the worst propagandist this site has ever seen. And that’s saying something.