But Lisa Brown says it could’ve been worse! Barack Obama‘s staff secretary said the Department of Justice’s lawsuit response to DOMA was “an awful lot better that the brief that was written in the Bush administration,” adding, “There’s no question–personal statement–that there were some cites in there that should not—that should not have been in there…They were trying to…essentially eliminate arguments that the Bush Administration had made.”
Speaking at a panel discussion for the American Constitution Society, Brown’s words were joined by Vice President Joe Biden‘s chief of staff Ron Klain, who noted: “I understand why people are impatient with the pace of progress. We have only been here 125 days, and in those 125 days have many irons in the fire. … I hope that next year when we have this conference and that question gets asked it doesn’t elicit the same kind of applause that it elicited this time.”
Amusingly(?), notes Politico‘s Josh Gerstein: “However, when a former Bush appointee suggested that Obama could take unilateral action to reverse the don’t ask don’t tell policy, the Obama appointees on the panel stood mute.”
Meanwhile, the Justice Department is planning a closed door meeting with gay rights leaders. Invitees reportedly include GLAD and Lambda Legal. The DoJ only confirmed the meeting when asked by a reporter.
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.
Fitz
Oh Good– a closed door meeting should fix the problem of me not trusting them.
Tony
IT could have been worse Barrack Hussein O(s)bama could have suggested concentration camps or lynching, but he just compared us to pedophiles and incest lovers. Obama = lying homophobic douchebag.
Rudy
@Tony: You’ve been watching too much Glen Beck.
SM
@Tony:
Tony…Stop making blanket statements that are not true. You can tell what news stations people watch in this country by the way they react to the spin.
But this Presidential Memorandum is just a start. Unfortunately, my Administration is not authorized by existing Federal law to provide same-sex couples with the full range of benefits enjoyed by heterosexual married couples. That’s why I stand by my long-standing commitment to work with Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. It’s discriminatory, it interferes with States’ rights, and it’s time we overturned it…Presdient Barack Obama
BrianZ
@Fitz: Rather what I was thinking, Fitz. So nice that the bar is set at “Better than Bush.” Fucking hypocrites. Not satisfied with the pace of progress? WTF, I would love to see the concrete details of this progress they speak of.
And the bullshit of “we’ve only been in office x days” is wearing thin. He’s had time to travel the globe, deliver speeches in many countries, put forth a budget and stimulus package that we’ll likely never be able to afford, put his foot in healthcare, have numerous photo ops, and my personal favorite he had time to suggest that congress revisit the the disparity in sentencing laws between crack and powder cocaine, oh and don’t forget fundraising! Yes, by God we have time to fundraise! Yet he can’t manage a single “Congratulations” to the gay citizens of the states that have won the legal right to wed since he’s taken office, much less start to rectify the wrongs in gays civil rights.
No more dollars, no more work, no more anything until I get concrete, substantive results.
Tony
Obama has screwed us royally, and I will use every method to attack him. Dick Cheney supports our rights far more than Obama. I am an attorney. I read the DOJ brief. His admin did exactly what I said within the text of the brief.
Oh, his middle name is Hussein. Sorry, and his last name does rhyme with Osama. Just having a little word fun with the prez who makes gay jokes and says that “God is in da mix…” when he attacks LGBT people and their relationships.
FUCK HIM. (Nevermind, he has sagging breasts and a wife with man arms)
InExile
@Tony: He promised to work on repealing DOMA so lets give him that much.
We need to write, write, write to our Congressmen and Senators and tell them no money or support from us or our friends and family until we see legislation and legislation passed on DOMA, DADT, ENDA, Hate Crimes, and Civil Unions with full Federal benefits period. They will find a way, $ and votes talk, it is all they understand.
Address these people with respect as you would like to be addressed. They have screwed up enough, there is plenty of ammunition other than using peoples “middle names” to make your point!
TANK
Let’s give him time to work to repeal DOMA. Let’s give him all of this administration and, black baby jesus willing, the next one, too. And after that is completed without doma repeal, let’s all at least recognize that he worked to repeal it.
Tony
InExile,
With the way Obama keeps his promises to the gays, I am not holding my breath, but I wish he would hold his for about six minutes.
BrianZ
@TANK: Mmmmmm, tasty sarcasm, and cooked to perfection.
Careful, you know Afrocrazy is on the loose again. ;o)
InExile
@Tony: I look at it like this, he made promises so lets hold him and Congress to them. We have a job here, to hold them all accountable, and to make lots of noise until the promises are done!
shea
@InExile:
How much time does this administration need? During the debates he called DOMA and DADT “abhorrent” policies and said all the right things to convince the LGBT community that he supported our claim to equal protection under the law and equal access to our civil RIGHTS. This is not something that we should have to “wait around” for…we should ALREADY have them. If this administration truly believed that DOMA and DADT were “abhorrent” policies, then they would’ve been repealed as quickly as Gitmo was “closed down” by Obama’s decree. Gitmo is also something he referred to as “abhorrent” during his campaign. So why the double standard?
Lets face it. The man took our money, our votes, and our support on Election Day. He’s had more than enough time to pay back that debt. I have also pulled all vocal support I had for Obama and will not give it back to him until I see the acronyms DOMA and DADT no longer in existence.
TomEM
So that headline pic was *not* meant for the “Cross Dressing Criminals” article?
InExile
@shea: I agree with you so please hear me out on this. Promises made is power in our hands, we need to use it! We need to write our congressman and senators and demand our equality, and insist they draft the legislation. We need to turn up the volume on the pressure and demonstrate or whatever we can do as a community to bring us to full equality.
Nothing is off the table!
WillBFair
Time out from all the tantrums. Are you people ten years old? Obama is our freind. He has a lot on his plate, and he’s trying to schmooze the fundys who hate us. Get over it.
Instead of blaming others for everything, try looking at our own lack of strategy. Ignoring polls that show the public support domestic partnership. Bypassing a quick and easy victory, then demanding marraige in a hick State like california. Scheduling a party in DC and calling it activism. Please. This isn’t the circuit.
Reality check. Politicians aren’t saints. They don’t waste political capital on folks who regularly shoot themselves in the foots. And after a performance like that, we’re lucky to get a meeting with the local dog cathcer.
shea
@InExile:
In politics, actions speak far louder than words. Granted, the promises have been made. This administration promised to advance LGBT rights once and for all, and to strike down the ridiculous second-class citizenship that we currently enjoy. Obama promised to rid this country of DOMA and DADT (which, I may point out, was only possible thanks to the same political party that Obama is a member of). Administration staffers have been scrambling to contain the fallout over this Justice Department memo and have promised to make it right.
Well the damage has already been done. The talk was certainly there. The action? Non-existant. Ironically, one of the few actions taken with respect to the LGBT community has actually been counter productive to our cause! Politicians make promises. True leaders take productive action. This administration has certainly performed the former admirably…not so much with the latter.
So again? How long do we wait? How long is too long? DOMA and DADT have been in existence for almost 13 years. 8 of those years were under Bush, which leaves nearly 5 under two major Democrats. How long do we rely on major political parties who are both guilty of ignoring LGBT rights? Write our congress people, eh? And then what? What happens when they continue to preserve the status quo as they have for the last 13 years in the case of DOMA and DADT?
rick
an administration that admits mistakes. ethel! get me my heart pills!
JohnVisser
To all those that advocate for waiting and giving this Administration and Congress more time, I say the window of opportunity is closing. The 2010 campaigns will be beginning soon and then the 2012 election season will begin (which starts nearly two years before the actual election date. Anything that is not done by the end of this summer is likely not to happen for another 4 years. In my opinion, the Dems are trying to stall for a year so they can start saying (again) not during an election year.
And I agree with the poster above who says he’d like to see some proof of the “alleged” work this administration has been doing toward advancing equality.
Fitz
Look- First off, I for one never expected him to get everything done in his first week of office. HOWEVER… he could have gone/ go a very long way to making me feel safe with him (because ‘unsafe with him’ is at the root, I think, of our group anger) with loud public statements.
I live in CA, and when the robo calls featuring his voice saying “Marriage should be between a man and a woman, because G_d is in the mix” he should have been making loud public angry statements that he never authorized that usage… he should have worked to keep this from being a “Gay Vs. Black” thing, from the start.
Secondly, this “he can’t or wont spend the political capital on the gays” argument is absurd. Political Capital isn’t powder in a jar, that you have to carefully meeter out before you run out. It is momentum. It grows with use. He was tremendously successful at exciting a huge number of people who felt slighted by both the last 8 years and the whole system in general….. for him to say “and the gays too” would not use up that momentum, it would add to it.
Believe it or not, I am still willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but he needs to ASAP explain to me AND THE HETEROSEXUALS that he believes in equality.
Finally, and sorry for the long post: I am so proud of my GLBT brothers and sisters (and inbetweeners) who have gotten angry with him, and taken him to task– because the DNC has for so long assumed that they could count on us, even when we couldn’t count on them. I don’t do one-sided relationships at home or in my politics.
shea
@Fitz:
“he could have gone/ go a very long way to making me feel safe with him (because ‘unsafe with him’ is at the root, I think, of our group anger) with loud public statements.”
+1
I think that is a good way to characterize it. We just don’t know anymore. A high-profile Democrat ascended to the Presidency amidst much fanfare and rejoicing by those in the electorate who were scared to death of the GOP. As another comment I read somewhere else on this site said, “we’ve been down this road before.” That road *ended* in the passage of DOMA and DADT. And worse, it crash-coursed into an 8 year hiatus full of Rick Santorum and the Federal Marriage “Amendment”.
We don’t want to believe it, but we know what’s coming if we continue to “wait” and be silent. We’re not a population that should be used to advance a party’s (or candidate’s) political interests. And if that’s your only interest in us, then you’ll be wasting a lot of “political capital” to shut us up! Because we’re not content with that.
DuttyBarb
Hmmmm.. my dear people whats up?
Queerty has been really boring these days.
Anyhoo…this looks promising. A sit-down with top gay bodies? Smells like a load of bull to me. This will keep on happening if you pple don’t calm down and stop being reactive.
Grow up..LGBT and contribute funds to finding out how to solve the madness that is transgenderism.
Just saying…
Movement Guy
@DuttBarb:
“contribute funds to finding out how to solve the madness that is transgenderism.”
What the fuck does that mean?
Fitz
@Movement Guy: Please don’t feed the trolls.
SM
Obama’s Presidency will probably be made or broken in the next few months between Health Care and the Economy.
Instead of thinking of yourselves as political capital to Democrats for not pushing your whole agenda at once, think of how much political capital you will GAIN if the Democrats can push through strong Health Care reform etc. Politics are nasty and it involves timing. It’s not personal.
Obama did not run his campaign promises knowing the economy was going to go down the toilet in the last 2 months.
If the Democrats can push through strong Health Care legislation and turn the economy around after the GOP says “NO” and stomps their feet…you all are home free.
If Democrats can’t and Republicans win..good luck.
Support and bash who you want.
InExile
@shea: I am with you but we need to execute a plan to get us from point A to point B. What should be our plan? I am sick of waiting also!!!
TANK
If Democrats can’t and Republicans win..good luck.
There’s that threat again. If nothing actually changes and the open hostility is replaced by silence, then it doesn’t really matter which party is in power with respect to lgbt rights.
Have you seen the joke healthcare “alternative” obama’s touting? He is a company man–“Ruthless pragmatist”=corporate shill, apparently.
SM
@TANK:
It’s the honest truth. It’s not a threat. It’s reality. They cannot even find Republican support for DADT and are looking.
The Democratic Party is a joke because Democratic voters are only after their agendas. Their issues. For some, its the environment, some health care, some LBGT full equality. Republicans are united to the death.
Hey..I have never told anyone how to vote..If you want to vote Republican. I’m not stopping you.
Just don’t bash the Democratic Party when you don’t support the whole party and don’t expect them to put your issues first.
TANK
It is a threat, because the reality is that the democrats are responsible for DADT and as far as I can tell, it’s no more near to being overturned than when Bush was in office.
TANK
Fear mongering is unbecoming when it comes from a self described obama supporter or democrat. I mean, I thought that was just a tactic used by the right wing to stir up their base…at least that’s what nancy pelosi said! Heavens no, not the democrats, too.
SM
@TANK:
It’s not fear mongering at all. You all are just clueless.
I still think I will fall over when I see the day you LGBT people realize they should be going after Pelosi. She is from San Francisco for God’s sake. She has more influence than Obama.
Learn politics. Maybe you all can win.
TANK
And you don’t think she’s being targeted for her inactivity, either? Or her claim that it is a state by state issue (Cheney’s position)? You’re suffering from a delusion that the DNC is a “grass roots” party–and that congressional leaders are somehow immune to executive pressures. And, that the republican party is top down leadership. The only difference, thus far, is cosmetic.
SM
@TANK:
I never see her targeted in a big way. Even my straight friends wonder why you all keep letting Pelosi get away with it.
Obama cannot MAKE Congress start writing legislation for you. He cannot write it himself.
Pelosi and Reid should find much more of a spine than Obama needs to. Pelosi is POWERFUL.
Tony
@WillBFair
You are the classic Obamabot retard. Learn how to spell and stop being such a bird brained parrot.
LOL.
damon459
He’s not even for gay marriage he’s never has been he’s for “separate but equal” I love it when I get to here a black man tell me why thats better then full equality and before you jump in me thinking I’m a prejudice white guy think again I’m a native american and I tell you the gov still gives up separate but equal B/S he also made promises to my people but we’re smart enough to know you don’t trust a wolf in sheep’s clothing, you voted for you him you get what you deserve next time don’t just jump on a bandwagon because it’s the lesser of two evils unless your willing to except what you asked for.
TANK
The unprecedented extension of executive privilege and power during the bush administration is now had by Obama, and he’s not going out of his way to insure that it gets reversed. Obama has far greater ability to make demands on congress because of it. Yet we have lackeys like Frank who were “helpless” to stop the abuses throughout the Bush administration, DEFENDING this one (re: doma doj brief) based upon “principle”–of reigning in the actual “abuses”. It would be a shame if, instead of the “abuses” of the executive, this expansion of privilege were used to do the right thing…it would be downright terrible if for once, that power could be used to do something productive and good. Pathetic.
TANK
@SM:
There’s an infinite gulf between what you don’t see and what is actually the case.
TANK
And he could start by ignoring the servile and effete clamourings of our own “representatives” (e.g., SLDN), and, by executive order (not an expansion of any right the executive didn’t have before bush assumed office) suspend the DADT dismissals and demand that congress move on this shameful policy. MOST people in this country are opposed to the policy, so to use the clinton era defense now is pure propaganda.
SM
@TANK:
Funny…LBGT told me the same thing about Prop 8 and I was right.
It seems like so many LBGT know so much..and yet you never seem to win many battles.
I’ve never heard a straight Democratic voter say we are “using” the LBGT for their money and votes. NEVER. It’s kind of a pain in the ass to fight the Religious Right all the time. Why the heck would Democrats do that?
It’s too bad you all are so angry. The LBGT equality fight is in the works. Doesn’t seem like you all can find a voice, a leader, someone who can COMMUNICATE with your President and the American people in a productive way about your issues.
TANK
You can’t compare prop 8 to DADT. You don’t know what you’re talking about as usual. Go away, fool. Of course you haven’t heard that from a straight democratic voter. THe average straight democratic is all but oblivious to our existence.
TANK
It’s too bad you all are so angry.
That anger is good. Look at the response we’re getting.
Fitz
@TANK: That is exactly right. What does it mean that the country is SO opposed to DADT, we are loosing people in our military during a war, and we are spending money on prosecutions when we are in economic tumel, and Barak won’t issue a stop-loss order to hold things off until there is legislation? What does it mean that he extended sick time and long-term care to DP’s as a memo instead of as an order? (It means it will expire the second he is not president, BTW). What does it mean that he gave Mathew Sheppard’s mother the bum’s rush? What does it mean that he had 2 GLBT candidates for his Administration, and neither was put forward? What does it mean that he had 2 GLBT candidates for supreme court that he didn’t put forward? And most importantly, what does it mean that he hasn’t spoken to country (including AAs, and heterosexuals) about his belief in equality?
What does all his lack of support mean? Is he a coy strategist, or another ‘phobe? Or worst case scenario: a progressive male who THINKS he is “ok with the gays as long as they don’t push it in your face?”, but really wishes we would shut the hell up and leave. This is why he is, in a way, worse than Bush. When we had Bush, we had the progressive and intellectual community with us– now they want us to shut the hell up and give the group rim job to their hero.
schlukitz
LOL@BrianZ:
Ja. Verrry tasty. Und mit sauerkraut too!
Wink@TANK:
All Points Bulletin:
Not only is Afrocrazy on the loose, NuttyBarb escaped from her cage at the zoo as well. Her tongue is armed and she should be considered as dangerous.
schlukitz
@InExile:
Promises made is power in our hands, we need to use it!
Excellent point!
SM
@TANK:
Anger is good. You all just look like you are freaking out and are not focused. You don’t ever look like you have a leader and an agenda.
Hell, Conservatives crashed the phone lines in DC once years back over immigration. They know how to rally the troops and call.
LBGT issues in this country are a wedge issue. Its not a slam, its a FACT. They are dangerous wedge issues that cost us votes and states in elections. You all are sure thankful Democrats will even take them on in the first place. We do it because we believe it.
So..hey thanks for all the SLAMS!
Rudy
Well, being everyone is totally viscous here, I’ll toss this in no politician can look at our movement and think we know what we’re doing:
(1) ENDA, the most important piece of gay legislation as it empowers ALL gay people across the country and could be passed with pressure
(2) Repeal of DADT – polls show that is doable
(3) Civil Unions with equal benefits – the polls would indicate a struggle, but it’s still around 50 percent
But what are we focused on? Marriage Equality – doing battle over a damned WORD. 30 states have outlawed it, 6 have granted it. We have chosen for ourselves the most uphill battle and expect politicians to get on board with the issue least likely to win them friends.
I really do hope I’m wrong. I pray that there’s some brilliant strategy I don’t understand about putting all our eggs in the marriage basket.
But right now, I’m less concerned with Obama than who hijacked our movement so that we’re passing on important issues to ALL gay people where we can win decisively.
TANK
LBGT issues are dangerous wedge issues that cost us votes and states in elections.
I think this is a part of the threat that democrats you use. You aren’t allies. Allies don’t weigh the cost of civil rights against the votes they allegedly cost. And I think it’s highly exaggerrated. It depends on the region that the politician is running in and who that politician is appealing to, and there are antigay democrats. Overall, the vast majority of those who base their vote on exclusively on lgbt “issues” (and are antigay) are also anti choice; and no democrat really has a shot in hell of attracting that constituency.
So take this “dangerous wedge issue” and shove it. It’s a ruse, to make the democrats seem “long suffering” and sacrificing. THey are sacrificing nothing, and gaining everything (money and support). The poor democrats “standing up for what’s right” excuse is bullshit, as they don’t do anything about it–and are cashing in on the lgbt and lgbt-ally vote–and even then, not all of the time depending on the district and state the politician represents.
TANK
Well, being everyone is totally viscous here
Yeah…drink more water, then.
Fitz
@Rudy: I think you have to remember that “gay marriage” isn’t just for the coupled, monogamous (or supposedly monogamous).. it’s the concept of being treated equally. But I agree that too much energy gets spent on this word. All I care about are the civil, medical, and economic inequalities.
All these issues which are important to us require leadership and political will. Clearly both are lacking right now.
I am very happy that the democrats are really getting it that they will have to earn our support. The big question is if they will decide that the faggots aren’t worth the effort or not.
strumpetwindsock
@Rudy:
I hear what you’re saying, and I disagree.
Marriage equality is much more than just a word; it’s equal access under the law.
Plus none of this is an either/or scenario. It is something that can and should be fought on all fronts. And the marriage debate is already on the table. Opting for “civil unions” or some other ridiculous compromise to try and mollify the bigots will only forestall the inevitable.
SM
@TANK:
If it was in my power, I would have killed Prop 8. Don’t blame the Democrats for how Supreme Courts ruled.
I personally don’t think civil rights should be up for popular vote. But if that’s the only way you all can make progress, what choice do you have.
Once again TANK, you prove you are a professional victim.
Hell, I’m more inspired by the women in Iran who stood up for themselves and they have it BAD.
TANK
Well now that the canadian hippie has weighed in, the matter is settled. Goddamn hippies.
TANK
@SM:
This is just bad propaganda. Really bad. Once I disprove one pathetic ruse, you come up with empty rhetoric. There’s no bite here. And then you blame the lgbt community entirely for all of its losses, and claim that it’s not concerned about equality because of no on 8 and your “amazing activism” which wouldn’t have occurred if it weren’t for gay orgs anyway…LOL! Yeah, if you were the strategy, then you should take credit for the defeat. Vacuous bullshit like this is why you earn scorn.
TANK
Hell, I’m more inspired by the women in Iran who stood up for themselves and they have it BAD
One red herring nonsequitur after another…LOL! How about all of those gays in iran who get stoned? They dont have it “real bad”. And now the game of comparing oppresions is afoot. Get lost already…adults talking.
SM
@strumpetwindsock:
Marriage Equality and Full Equality for LGBT in the United States is not far away. Now that Iowa and other states have it, its a done deal.
Civil rights issues always move forward. People may try to stop it, but it has NEVER worked in history.
Right now a lot of people are acting selfish because of the economy and it just sucks.
LBGT should come, find a leader, find their voice, find a plan for their agenda. Sit back and enjoy the arrival LGBT equality in the United States. None of you realize how close you are~
TANK
Marriage Equality and Full Equality for LGBT in the United States is not far away.
LIes and distortion. Delusional thinking like this encourages complacency.
strumpetwindsock
@SM:
Well it’s going to come; I think you’re right there.
It could be sooner, or it could be later and much harder, especially if your supreme court rules AGAINST marriage equality.
And you have more states with legislation forbidding equality than those in favour.
One thing that is for sure is that this is no time to sit back on any of these issues. History may be on our side, but nothing will be one – things will move against us – if we think it is a done deal.
SM
@TANK:
Tank…you just want to be a baby. After a quick stroll around the blogging sites, people are getting irritated by how you all constantly attack Obama when….
ITS UP TO CONGRESS TO CHANGE THE LAWS!
TANK
@SM:
This addresses nothing. You have long since stopped having anything of relevance to say. Ignore time.
Fitz
@SM: It UP TO THE PRESIDENT TO SET THE AGENDA FOR HIS PARTY. And when there is an almost-unheard of same party in control of the congress and senate, IT’S UP TO THE PRESIDENT TO SET THE AGENDA. And when you have a popular president ITS UP TO THE PRESIDENT TO TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES, AND CALL IT OUT. Gee, this yelling thing is really fun. It makes me think that I am saying something important!
Chiboi Ty
I’m certainly not surprised at Lisa’s comments. She’s going to protect the hand that feeds her. If Biden’s cronies want to wait until next time this year that’s fine. However, the majority of them are straight and aren’t affected by ANY of this; therefore, why not wait until next year or ten years from now. . .who cares?
SM
@Fitz:
HE HAS BEEN IN OFFICE SIX MONTHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He has done many things to set the agenda for LGBT rights..YOU ALL ARE JUST FUCKING CRYBABIES!
SM
Here is a tip for all the Obama haters here.
The Democrats are having a hell of a time coming up with good health care legislation. You all don’t think Republicans are not trying to destroy it in committees or lie about it to ruin hard work.
Let’s just piss of these Republicans more by having Obama jump on a DANGEROUS WEDGE ISSUE FOR OUR PARTY…nothing is at stake, except someones right to chemo or something.
Start caring about other issues. There have been many steps laying out the groundwork for your equality issues in the meantime. The latest chip in the DOMA armour is having you counted in the Federal Census for same sex marriages. Stop acting like there is no agenda or plan, even if Obama cannot be as vocal as you want RIGHT NOW.
If it makes you feel any better, he had to put himself through the same thing as the African American Candidate for President. He NEVER touched that social issue or played the race card.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/21/graham-open-to-dems-healt_n_218535.html
TANK
@SM:
So that wipes clean that hateful doj doma brief or his silence on gay marriage victories in iowa and maine? I don’t think so. That wipes clean the well over 200 people dismissed under DADT on his watch? No. As I said, this is baseless apologism from you. You don’t know what you’re talking about.
TANK
You’d like us to be completely docile about lgbt issues. We do care about other issues, but we’re not going to let those silence legitimate criticism as you and your idiotic ilk would prefer. It’s not either or, regardless of your spin. Why don’t you keep your tips and opinions to yourself? You don’t understand politics, the issues, or the lgbt community. Your suggestions have no purchase in reality other than to serve an entirely vacuous apologist agenda. That’s your goal here. Well it’s not going to happen. Your attempts at framing the debate and CHANGING THE TOPIC aren’t going to work on a gay site.
And the current healthcare proposals are a joke. This token “proposal” has been eviscerated by people like Paul Krugman. I suppose you’ll now label him an agent of the right. Empty headed screeds such as yours are fun to demolish.
TANK
Let’s just piss of these Republicans more by having Obama jump on a DANGEROUS WEDGE ISSUE FOR OUR PARTYM
And now you’re just repeating the lies that have been soundly refuted.
SM
@TANK:
Wrong TANK..LBGT have been throwing fits over EVERY SINGLE THING OBAMA DOES. You all act like children. IT STARTED BEFORE HE EVEN TOOK OFFICE. IT STARTED BEFORE CHRISTMAS!
Learn to say THANK YOU…or shut up.
Ian
I agree with SM – you’re all just crybabies for expecting your agenda to be realized in LESS THAN SIX MONTHS. Unrealistic expectations + immature reactions = crybabies!
And thank god Tony disappeared with his asinine Obama/Osama nameplay – stupid, stupid, stupid…
Steve
I am willing to give him time, but ONLY if he demonstrates good faith. So far, Obama has attacked gays at every opportunity. Last week, he threw us one little bone, with no meat on it, and already chewed. Then one hour later, his press secretary attacked us again. That is not my idea of “good faith”.
Obama needs to fire the attorney who wrote that DOMA brief. Then, send an amended brief to that court for that case. The amended brief should say, in no uncertain terms, that DOMA is unconstitutional and should be struck down.
That would be the first actual demonstration of good faith from this administration.
DuttyBarb
No really u guys…i know this is off point but why are you people not helping transgendered folk?
Why the hell is this not being discussed? A man born as a man has decided he is meant to be a woman….Jesus that is 100 types of crazy right there.
Help the trannies get mental help
getreal
Transgender people deserve the same respect that you do. Your comments were ignorant and offensive.
timncguy
@SM: A republican win would make it worse FOR YOU, not for us.
If it frightens you and the others so much, then maybe you should start putting some pressure on the politicains to do something to make us happy!
Stop expecting the gays to always take the crap in order to save the rest of the country from republicans.
timncguy
@Rudy: where do you get the idea that all we are focused on is marriage equality. DOMA is NOT about marriage equality. IT is about giving the federal benefits of marriage to those gay couples who are already LEGALLY MARRIED.
And, DOMA is not the only thing we’ve been so angry about. Have you missed all the complaints about DADT? It has NOTHING to do with marriage equality.
DOMA is at the top of the list right now because of the DOJ brief. If that brief had been about any other of our issues, that issue would be at the top of the list.
You’re just way off base.
timncguy
@SM: and, it’s up to Obama to be the fierce advocate and use the bully pulpit to get congress to do their job.
And, of course, Obama has the power all by himslef to suspend DADT with one stroke of his pen while he then pushes congress to repeal it.
timncguy
@SM: Obama never played the race card???? WTF now we all have the proof , you are on drugs.
timncguy
@Ian: at what point did you EVER hear anyone say they expected our entire agenda to be relized in 6 months? You’re just either misinformed or lying.
What we expected was positive action on ANY of our issues.
What we got was a DOJ brief that attacked us and set us back.
Prior to that all we got was gay jokes out of the mouth of Obama.
The only reason we are demanding MORE now than we would have expected earlier is because of the DOJ brief.
And, what has Obama response been? He’s been trying to buy us off with crumbs that were NEVER a part of hsi original promises made to us. Those crumbs, which would have be hailed as progress (prior to the DOMA brief) are now seen as nothing but pathetic attempts to buy us off with anything BUT what we were promised.
timncguy
@DuttyBarb: you’re the one that needs mental help.
Fitz
I am not going to be fear based in my support (through votes, money, or conversations with friends. I reject the notion that I should take what i can get, and be glad that the republicans aren’t in power. I am not a DV victim, and I refuse to think like one.
mark
NO APOLOGY, and until they fire the Mormon Bush holdover lawyer that wrote that heinous brief….don’t even bother LGBT leaders.
Robert, NYC
@damon459:
The sad part of all this marriage equality debate is that there are many LGBT people who don’t want the right to marry and some would prefer civil unions. Some even supported passage of Prop. 8 believe it or not, yes, our own people. They and the right wing christo fascists haven’t learned to separate their personal beliefs from the political. Do we as a voting bloc go around canvassing for the removal of tax exempt status of every cult that supports discrimination against us? NO! Do we support referenda to disallow religious marriages contingent on a secular state issued marriage license? NO! We could, just to demonstrate how hateful and discriminatory referenda are when it comes to full equal rights and protections.
Bill Perdue
People who voted for Obama or McCain bungled.
The rest of us are paying the price.
And now we hear that although the Obots still support the inherent bigotry of Clinton’s DOMA, they’re concerned about their image and don’t want to appear to be too Bush like. Too late. Supporting DOMA was enough.
DOMA = Obama = Bush = the Clintons.
Bill Perdue
@mark: You’re partly right, Mark. You just don’t go far enough. All religious bigots should be disqualified from holding any government job. They’re not to be trusted. But it wasn’t just a question of which flavor of bigot wrote it, or how many times he called us fag pedophiles that make it intolerable.
Writing it in the first place is bigotry pure and simple. Obama is a bigot pure and simple as were Bush and the Clintons.
schlukitz
DuttyBarb. The Joseph Mengele of America.
schlukitz
@Robert, NYC:
We could, just to demonstrate how hateful and discriminatory referenda are when it comes to full equal rights and protections.
The sad part is, the bigots and haters are comfortable in the knowledge that we won’t. We are only too willing to be “gentlemen” and fight by their rules (one hand tied behind our backs)
And even if we were to do so, there are many among us who would say “See, you no better than them! You don’t deserve any rights!”
Guess they never heard of fighting fire with fire.
Cam
“”That’s why I stand by my long-standing commitment to work with Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. It’s discriminatory, it interferes with States’ rights, and it’s time we overturned it…Presdient Barack Obama””
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So…it doesn’t interfere with CIVIL rights, or HUMAN rights…just states rights. Well we can’t have THAT now can we???