Gay and trans activists are up in arm over the recently deflated Employment Non-Discrimination Act. While this potential political alienation could cost Democrats gay votes. MSNBC’s Tom Curry, however, reminds readers that ditching the trannies may help win certain votes:
With the 2008 elections in sight, the transgender issue could give House Democrats in conservative-leaning districts something to vote against even as they vote for ENDA for gays and lesbians.
One Democratic freshman in a Republican-leaning district, Rep. Zack Space of Ohio, said he supports the idea of banning workplace discrimination based on sexual preference.
But legal protections for transgender people, he said, is a “more foreign” idea, and he is “not comfortable making a commitment on that.”
It would be great if some conservatives helped the Democrats, but would it be worth the price of exclusion?
Heather_L_James
Wow, so let me get this straight; first us trannies were invisible, then we became fodder for comedy, next curiousities for the porn addicted, and now political pawns. Is this what passes for progress these days? Jesus H. tap dancing Christ, we are PEOPLE!
Paul Raposo
These Dems are fools. FDR said that if voters have a choice between a Republican, or a Democrat disguised as a Republican, they will vote for the real thing. For every vote they gain in dismissing trans people, they will lose one–and more importantly, lose money, which is all they seem to care about now.
Ryan
It’s not the “price of exclusion,” it’s a rebate we’ll be collecting at the figurative end of the month.
shade
Oh yeah – I remember this one – divide and conquer, right?