A spokesperson for Rep. Nancy Pelosi has stated that the House’s Minority Leader supports the inclusion of pro-marriage-equality language on the 2012 national Democratic Party Platform.
We’ve always loved Nancy Pelosi‘s tireless championing of gay rights, and we’re proud to say she’s finally bringing what has been a teeth-grinding state-by-state battle to the federal level. That’s pretty huge.
The language comes from prominent gay-rights organization Freedom to Marry, which proposed the following plank:
“We support the full inclusion of all families in the life of our nation, with equal respect, responsibilities, and protections under the law, including the freedom to marry. Government has no business putting barriers in the path of people seeking to care for their family members, particularly in challenging economic times. We support the Respect for Marriage Act and the overturning of the federal so-called Defense of Marriage Act, and oppose discriminatory constitutional amendments and other attempts to deny the freedom to marry to loving and committed same-sex couples.”
Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill tells Metro Weekly, “Leader Pelosi supports this language.”
Freedom to Marry president Evan Wolfson lauded Pelosi’s decision. Said Wolfson:
“A strong majority of Democrats and Independents support the freedom to marry, and standing up for all families is not just the right thing to do morally, it’s also right to do politically. I hope more people will quickly join Leader Pelosi by signing Freedom to Marry’s Democrats: Say I Do petition so together we can get the party, and the country, where the majority of Americans already are.”
This could put Pelosi at odds with Obama, who did not support marriage equality in his 2008 campaign. In 2010, he said his position on the matter was “evolving,” and recent White House press conferences have reiterated that he still is not ready to embrace it fully.
One minor quibble: It’s great that Nancy’s spokesperson has confirmed her unequivocal support of our agenda, but we want to see the queen embracing gay rights herself—and asking her party to follow her in doing so—in her own words!
Photo via House of Representatives
Cam
Ok, so this is about the time when the apologists come in here to lie and say that there are no differences between the Dems and GOP on gay issues.
Both McCain, the last GOP candidate and Romney and Santorum, the two frontrunners for this GOP’s presidential candidacy have said not only that they are against marriage, but that they would fight to overturn the DADT repeal.
Now you have the most powerful Dem in the house, the same one who pushed the DADT repeal, pushing to have gay marriage included in the actual party plank.
Rather than gay issues causing the Dems harm as some hanky waving pearl clutchers feared, it has exposed the many of the Tea Party candidates as flat out bigots and turned off independent voters.
Sorry but there is a difference between the two parties on our civil rights.
WillBFair
@Cam: I agree. There’s a total difference between the parties.
But I disagree about us causing harm to our allies. We’ve been used successfully as a wedge issue for thirty years, and I think it’s far too soon to know if that strategy is still working. Certainly, the GOP is still trying it, as shown by Frothy’s trip to WA.
Until we have conclusive evidence either way, I think we should be laying low during the campaign. So I think this move by Nancy is a strategic mistake.
I also notice how quickly the rationalizations come for pushing for our rights no matter the consequences. And don’t you say another word against my pearls. They are charming and delicious and I adore them.
Chuck
All anyone has to do is read both party platforms. There is a HUGE and blatant difference when it comes to LGBT rights. One is for us, one is against us. Black and white. Full Stop. And of course Nancy Pelosi has been a tireless LGBT advocate since first crusading for AIDS when she first got to DC. Didn’t they even keep GOProud out of CPAC this year? Gay Republicans are worse than Jews for Hitler, they’re pathetic.
Friend of Christie
@Cam: Could you please cite where you got your information that Romney wants to reinstate DADT? I follow politics closely and have never heard this come from him or any of his people. If he has in fact said this, I’d like to see/hear it for myself.
Thanks
Expat - Queer Supremacist
So sad an issue like this should be such a partisan issue – gay men (would) make great Republicans.
Too bad though that the Democrats will never actually have the balls to do something like this.
Chuck
Gotta say, of all the sites I read, I encounter the most Republicans BY FAR on Queerty. Kinda explains everything, don’t ya think?
tjr101
@Chuck: Exactly! There are a lot of GOP apologists on this web site that figure a tax cut is more important than their dignity. You will hear them grasp at straws to rationalize voting Repub.
Cam
@Friend of Christie:
Hey there, sorry, I may have slightly mispoken. What I got when I reread was that Romney said he would not have repealed it.
“http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2011/06/13/244431/five-gop-presidential-candidates-would-reinstate-dont-ask-dont-tell/?mobile=nc”
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#2 WillbeFair you said…
“But I disagree about us causing harm to our allies. We’ve been used successfully as a wedge issue for thirty years, and I think it’s far too soon to know if that strategy is still working. Certainly, the GOP is still trying it, as shown by Frothy’s trip to WA.”
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I get what you are saying but I believe we DO have conclusive evidence. In the past two decades acceptance of gay marriage hadn’t really moved, yet in just the last few years…after gay issues became more public and the old HRC strategy of hiding and hoping that people magically liked us was superseded by the loudmouth grass roots folks…public acceptance of gay marriage increased by around 15%.
That is a significant jump. I get your caution, but I don’t totally agree with you that it is the right strategy anymore. Forcing the Tea Party to look like foaming at the mouth bigots by bringing up gay issues is not hurting the Dems. Independent support for Obama has jumped in the last few months and dropped for the GOP since the culture war campaign started in earnest. But just my opinion.
Friend of Christie
@Cam: Thanks for clarifying that. I’ve never known Romney to speak negatively about us publicly or politically (his personal feelings might be different due to his Mormonism, but it’s his policies that I care about, not his feelings), so I was somewhat shocked to see that in your statement. You and I might disagree on political issues or agendas, but I think we can agree that Romney, unlike his opponent Santorum, doesn’t have a hateful bone in his body. And if elected, he won’t turn the clock back.
@tjr101: Silly liberal. I don’t have to rationalize who I vote for, because I always vote for the most qualified candidate (hell, I voted for Clinton in ’96, not because of his party affiliation, but because I thought he was more qualified than Dole)). Ya see, I’m not so concerned with how our president handles gay rights as I am with how the president handles the country. I know, I know, I can be picky like that, but it’s just a value I happen to believe in. I’m not the only gay man out there who feels this way, so please understand that just because it doesn’t jibe with your beliefs doesn’t mean it’s wrong.
christopher di spirito
Too bad Pelosi didn’t do more to help Obama get DOMA repealed when she was Speaker.
But alas, Nancy (and husband Paul) were too busy profiteering from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to exert the needed energy to help the LGBT community.
Now Pelosi is no longer Speaker, she can make safe declarations about “party platforms” that don’t amount to a hill of beans.
WillBFair
I still disagree.
You say:
public acceptance of gay marriage increased by around 15%.
That’s the only hard evidence you site, but I can list a ton of evidence.
Many more states have actually banned gay marraige.
Anti gay hate groups are invited regularly on news tv.
The corporations are still pouring millions into these hate groups, in order to distract attention from real corruption.
W. used us to get elected to his second term.
And the GOP is still playing the gay card.
Your one statistic doesn’t invalidate the bulk of evidence. And this election is too critical to make a mistake. But of course, I’m just singing in the wind. Our community will come up with a thousand rationalizations to do what they want, regardless of the effect on our allies.
B
No. 4 · Friend of Christie wrote, “@Cam: Could you please cite where you got your information that Romney wants to reinstate DADT?”
Cam was most likely confused about DADT, but Romney and most of the others (Ron Paul is/was apparently an exception) stated they were in favor of a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages.
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/bachmann-pawlenty-romney-gingrich-santorum-marriage-amendment-not-cain-or-paul describes their positions on an amendment.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/10/1044041/-Mitt-Romney-is-apparently-okay-with-DADT-repeal indicates that Romney would not try to repeal the repeal of DADT.
Both URLs are for fairly recent articles, but the “flipflop” rate is high enough that something could have changed since then. You can expect Romney to sound more and more reactionary until he squashes Santorum (and maybe Gingrich if the primary turns into a remake of “The Night of the Living Dead”). As soon as the path is cleared, he’ll start sprinting in the opposite direction in the hopes of winning the election.
the crustybastard
Put it on the Democratic Party platform? Oh dear god, no!
They haven’t finished talking in vague generalities about how goddam supportive they are, and how they believe so strongly in equal rights.
Except for the equal part. And the rights. But they have gay friends!
You’d think it’s still fucking 1992.
CJ
I’m stuck in a state where we have Democrats voting AGAINST same-sex marriage and Republicans crossing the aisle to vote FOR same-sex marriage!
tjr101
@Friend of Christie: Clinton in 96? Hmm, ok so you’ve either not voted since or have voted Repub. ” most qualified,” after the disastrous Bush years it’s obvious you’re in fact not very picky after all.
jeff4justice
Alternative liberal and libertarian parties are far more progressive than the Democrats.
Green Party:
The Green Party firmly believes that same-sex couples should have all of the same rights that heterosexual couples do and that the “Defense of Marriage Act” is a violation of civil rights.
http://www.gp.org/issue/marriageequality.pdf
Peace and Freedom Party
The right to gay marriage and partners’ benefits.
http://www.peaceandfreedom.org/home/about-us/platform
Libertarian Party
http://www.lp.org/news/press-releases/libertarians-say-marriage-equality-only-one-step-toward-ending-legal-discriminat
Joe stratford
Why not? 53% of the country is now pro gay marriage and is growing really fast. In just a year we have 4 new states for civil unions and gay marriage. That’s a 50% jump.
Soon MD will be added to the list. And NJ will vote for gay marriage. Oregon is not far behind and Pennsy anis too.
Realistically, talking about putting it in the platform now means it will be in there by the nxt presidential election. So yes, now is the time to raise the issue if adding a plank. In 5 more years, gay marriage will be a wedge that works for Democrats, the way that it worked for the GOP in getting homophobes to vote for them.
Joe stratford
And Colorado. After that the Midwest will have IA, IL and CO. MN and
S won’t be too far behind. If PA is in, OH Is not far either. So yes, itwill be a winning strategy.
In the meantime, floating the idea now will be a benefit (As long as it doesn’t end into the platform yet.) maybe strat with “Not repealing DADT”. That’s 80% of all Americans who agree with it.
Cam
@WillBFair: said…
“I still disagree.
You say:
public acceptance of gay marriage increased by around 15%.
That’s the only hard evidence you site, but I can list a ton of evidence.
Many more states have actually banned gay marraige.”
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Yes, and many more have approved it. They didn’t need to ban it before because nobody ever thought it would happen. You don’t need to ban something that nobody thinks will ever be done. Having gays be quiet and disappear is what KEPT us from getting rights for hundreds of years. Women didn’t get the vote until people were chaining themselves to buildings. Blacks were marching on Washington and yet gays are supposed to get ours by being quiet. I just don’t accept that line of reasoning.
As for a 15% increase in support for gay marriage being “My ONLY Evidence” I would say that a 15% shift in the countries attitude is profound.
Robert in NYC
No. 1, I so agree! There are indeed stark differences between the two parties. The Democrats by a majority, no longer support discrimination but full equality. The republicans play the gay card to divide people, usually with negative comments and actions such as vetoing same-sex marriage legislation and supporting mob rule to overturn it. The democrats don’t.
No. 12….in regard to Ron Paul, a lot of people are unaware that he recently stated that his party supports both DOMA and same-sex marriage if states so legislate. He can’t have it both ways. I’ve yet to hear him personally make a statement supporting same-sex marriage. He’ll always defer to the party platform, never involve himself personally.
No. 7, exactly. During Bush’s 8 years, he lowered taxes several times and created only 4 million jobs and left the country with the highest deficit in history. Flash back to the Clinton years when taxes were far higher, 22 million plus jobs created and a net surplus of $267 billion dollars, all squandered on lowering taxes for the rich and out of control spending, but nary a peep out of the GOP, except when an African-American is the president. They also forget that Bush first instituted the stimulus package before he left office, again, not a peep out of the GOP and get this, he supported bailing out the auto industry such as GM, and again, not a peep out of the GOP. Obama bails them out and look what happened. A complete recovery and now the largest auto manufacturer in the world and paying it’s government loan back to the treasury. Even Romney now is trying to take credit for that. What does that say about them? So transparent.
Expat - Queer Supremacist
Can’t believe people are STILL discussing Ron Paul as a viable alternative, the man is vile.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2012/jan/06/ron-paul-useful-idiots-on-the-left
WillBFair
@Cam: Though I shouldn’t spend time arguing over self serving rationlizations, these are full of the usual holes.
15% is profound? Please.
Comparing us to women? Really. They’re 50% of the population. We’re 3%, and we have millions who hate us with a burning hatred. Women also have the sex power over men, by which they can get pretty much anything they damn well please.
Comparing us to black folk? They recognized brains and character in choosing their leaders. We prefer looks and bodies, and our leaders are busy feathering their own nests. They were living in a prosperous time. We’re teetering on a depression.
I’m not saying we should be quiet forever, just now during the campaign. It’s called strategy, something the Rev. Dr. King used when firing Bayard Rustin.
Tough choices often have to be made. And sometimes, horror of horrors, they can be a bit comlicated, with things like public opinion and timing and the needs of allies and the skill of leadership and the strength of arguments and just the luck of circumstance.
There’s also plenty that we as adults should be doing for our own community. I won’t list them because I’ve learned from these blogs that the community are hopelessly immature, not interested in taking responsibility for each other, but expecting a big daddy authority figure to fix the world in three minutes.
Jason
“…standing up for all families is not just the right thing to do morally, it’s also right to do politically.”
I don’t know if this was mentioned already or not, but it’s hilarious that Wolfson made the distinction between moral and political obligations as if their exclusivity is inherent!!
Queer Supremacist
@WillBFair: There’s also plenty that we as adults should be doing for our own community. I won’t list them because I’ve learned from these blogs that the community are hopelessly immature, not interested in taking responsibility for each other, but expecting a big daddy authority figure to fix the world in three minutes.
This blog is like a production of The Boys in the Band where everyone is Michael, the asshole host who chews everyone out and expects to remain their friend.
@Expat – Queer Supremacist: Fred Karger and Gary Johnson were the only candidates who deserved to live, let alone get the nomination. But the political machine shut them out totally. I could have told you those leftie Paultards only supported him for his vile anti-war, anti-Israel bile. The backlash against the Iraq War was a convenient cover for the real intentions of the “isolationists.”