No new news is … good news? Press Secretary Robert Gibbs confirms the White House is looking into including same-sex couples in the 2010 Census. Also: The White House is supposedly looking to get Republicans on board with the repeal of DOMA and DADT. Let’s call it a “coalition,” because that’s what Gibbs called it! Queerty hears the offices of at least three Democratic senators are also working the “crossing the aisle” approach, though it’s unclear which GOP legislators are suspected to be likely candidates to help repeal either of these policies. The bipartisan approach says at least one, or maybe two things: That Obama is still committed to getting Republicans involved in this whole “making law” things; and that equality-supporting Democrats know they can’t count on all Dems in the Senate to hit the necessary 60-vote figure.
aisle crossing
The White House Is Hunting for Republican Support on DOMA, DADT Repeals
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DaveO
Collins, Snowe and Gregg will def support repeal of DADT.
Support for repeal of DOMA will depend on what exactly they’re proposing.
In any case, the Dems should demonstrate that they’re doing all this in good faith and not just to get $$$. Cancel the fundraiser.
Orpheus_lost
This is what happens when we find our voice and demand action – SHIT HAPPENS!
The only question I have is whether this sudden burst of homo-loving is going to be sustained until we see these laws repealed or will priorities again shift come June 27th?
Bruno
It’s too bad the Dems can’t pass something like the repeal of DADT without Republican support, but I suppose they’d at least need a few to prevent a filibuster. I just can’t imagine which Republicans would go for repealing DOMA…even Collins & Snowe aren’t sure their state will have marriage equality just yet.
InExile
We must DEMAND equality, not ask and it might happen! Keep writing your Congressmen and Senators!
SM
If you are pissed, channel your anger into letters, phone calls and make your supporters do the same.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/6/19/744503/-Good-News-on-the-LGBT-front!-(and-what-you-need-to-do-to-help)
JohnVisser
Why do we need 60 votes in the Senate, is it just to get past a filibuster?
SM
It’s easy to call and write the White House as I’m sure many here know. Have your family, friends, and supporters do the same on each of these issues.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Doug
I hope we don’t overreact and blow our chances of equal rights and protections with this new president. Clinton tried to quickly allow gays in the military and blew it. lets hope President Obama knows what he’s doing and lives up to his promises to us. God Bless Obama
Mark in Colorado
Ooooooooooooooo!
The gayATM is displaying a message of INSUFFICIENT FUNDS!
They’re freaked! Fiercy and his brood are fucking freaked!
That in and of itself should say something. He is a fraud, even to himself.
It kills me to say this shit.
Rob
@SM: Good advice. If you haven’t already called your representative and your senators, do it in the coming week.
Mark in Colorado
I did call my Senators. Both Udall and the unknown Bennett. I implored them to vote against single-payer national health insurance. Does that count?
Dennis
Uh, what this means is that Obama’s administration apparently IS serious about getting DADT repealed. If this newfound action is because of recent public pressure, great…whatever works.
In fact, what seems to work is not singling out Obama as some kind of unrepentant hompohobe and villify him as a bigot. Rather, what works in the real world is to apply broad-based pressure against the Obama administration, as well as a wide selection of our democratic-affiliated elected officials…make serious threats to cut off the money and support we deliver, and whad’ya know…they start to get off their asses and actually DO something. Let this be a ‘template’ for us as we continue the fight for our rights.
DaveO
@Dennis: “If this newfound action leak to the media is because of recent public pressure” FIFY
MIchael @ LeonardMatlovich.com
@Doug:
We’re confused how you managed to hear and internalize The Excuse for Doing NOTHING About DADT that Obama Inc. floated out even before he was sworn in, but have somehow managed to miss the many times in the many places in the many ways historians and experts on DADT have disputed it. Most have centered about the release THREE MONTHS AGO of the book “Unfriendly Fire,” THE definitive study of the creation of DADT.
Its author, Nathaniel Frank, has been interviewed by gay media and straight media. On countless TV programs, on radio, in newspapers, in magazines. And has repeatedly shot down the “guns blazing” MYTH shamelessly exploited by the Administration that “Clinton moved too fast.” Below is a link to Rachel Maddow’s interview with Frank in which that is one of the things he addresses.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4wCYrrfs0s
He went into greater detail in this article in “The New Republic” magazine:
“…a reminder of the real lessons for Obama of Clinton’s 1993 fiasco. Some think Clinton’s mistake that year was to move too quickly on this issue, without consulting the military. Indeed, it seems this has become the current White House’s rationale for delay. But this is the wrong lesson. Although Clinton spoke up early about this issue, usually in response to press inquiries, he opted not to issue a quick executive order, instead letting the debate spiral out of his control. Clinton did consult with the military, meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff within weeks of his election; they simply didn’t like what they heard, and their resistance crushed the resolve of the first president in half a century who hadn’t served in uniform. CLINTON’S ERROR WAS NOT MOVING TOO QUICKLY—IT WAS MOVING TOO SLOWLY. Indeed, it was during his proposed six-month “time-out” that religious conservatives hijacked the debate, eroded public support for change, and defeated the president.”
If you genuinely care about DADT repeal, Doug, I’m sure you’ll agree it’s time to tell the truth about what the real mistakes of the past were and not the distorted accounts of it resulting from either ignorance or deviousness.
——
IN MEMORIAM
LEONARD MATLOVICH
July 6, 1943 – June 22, 1988
“When I was in the military they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one.”
NEVER FORGET.
The Gay Numbers
related
“I am firmly committed to repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. To that end, I am working closely with Congressman Murphy and Senator Kennedy’s offices to develop support for repeal legislation and will be among the original co-sponsors of the bill when it’s introduced. In the weeks and months ahead, I plan to work with Lt. Choi to repair the damage that has been done to his career and spare thousands of innocent, brave men and women, from the same injustice.”
http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2009/06/sen-gillibrand-pledges-to-sponsor-dadt.html
Why’s Kennedy? Because despite his strong idealogical credential he’s also known as someone who strongly favors bipartisanship. If this were healthcare I would say ignore bipartisanship,b ut here, it helps immensely for the battle over DADT.
Behind the scenes that is what is occuring. Definitely need to keep the pressure up. It works.
LoveMoby
I’m all for repealing DADT and getting rid of DOMA. PLEASE dont forget about the UAFA bill. Just as important even though it doesnt get as much press as it should.
Call your senators and reps and implore them to support the UAFA bill.
InExile
@LoveMoby: Yes, UAFA (Uniting American Families Act) is very important also so same sex couples can sponsor their partners for green cards. This bill has lots of cosponsors and support and would also acknowledge that “our relationships” exist.
BrianZ
Hmmm, let me think on this for a moment. Our strong allies, the Dems, lead by our fierce advocate President Obama are seeking the support of the Republicans who have for the last 20 some years made a party plank out of villifying homosexuality to further their own political goals. All this so that they can move forward with their campaign promises to finally bring equality for LGBT to light. Yes, it makes perfect sense, I’m sure those slippery Republicans have gotten Meghan McCain’s memo that gays are nice people and deserve the respect of Republicans.
The do-nothing Democrats better hope that the Republican party does not perform an about face on social issues for 2010.
The Gay Numbers
@BrianZ: Actually they are seeking the co-sponsorship of specific Republicans who are on record for wanting to repeal DADT. It must me easy to live in your world. It requires no thinking.
The Gay Numbers
@BrianZ: And by theyw a, for all others who have not figured it out,t hey are doing that to cut off a strictly party line attack by the GOP. By having Republican co-sponsors it makes it difficult for the GOP to say this a Democratic bill. That way the conservatives (some fo whom are Democrats) can not block the bill in COngres, and make it more likely. Unilike healthcare which will happen in concilliation, we need that to win the repeal issue because of the Senate, and its small band of conservadems from Republican leaning states. By bringing in a few libertarian leaning or social moderate Repbulicans who are in favor of repeal with the Democrats who favor this, we change the narrative of the discussion to our favor when it comes to repeal.
MIchael @ LeonardMatlovich.com
@The Gay Numbers:
Bravo for being one of those who looks below the surface.
I have it on good authority that Kennedy would have introduced a Senate DADT repeal long ago but that prevailing wisdom was that there would be less kneejerk reaction from conservatives if at least a moderate Republican was the chief sponsor. Collins who, like Snowe, has verbally supported repeal for some time, was being courted. Why neither of them haven’t at least introduced a bill is something I can’t understand.
As for Dems generally, I realize some of the most vociferous people on the Net were barely in Middle School when DADT was passed but does no one read anymore?
For the record: A DEMOCRAT [abeit rather nominally], Sam Nunn, was the chief architect within the government of DADT. And, looking below the surface, he wasn’t just motivated by his previously exhibited homophobia [he fired two gay attorneys who worked for his Senate Armed Service Committee because they “might be security/blackmail risks”], but because he was furious that fellow Southerner Bill Clinton had beaten him to the White House and then refused to made Nunn Secretary of Defense]. He already hated fags, why not fuck them in order to fuck Clinton and we don’t mean etc etc etc.?
Nunn’s bill, and homophobic rationale, was mirrored in the bill submitted in the House by DEMOCRAT Ike Skelton. Few seem to understand how much power one committee chair in Congress can wield, even against other members of his/her own party, and there’s no greater reason for the DADT repeal bill having stalled in the House than the fact that Skelton is Chair of the House Armed Services Committee. He’s, of course, “open to reviewing DADT,” but as your mamas told you actions speak louder than words and it’s going to take dynamite to blast Skelton into action. And, yes, that could just be the gay and gay ally refusal to give the DNC any more money until there is REAL evidence of REAL effort to repeal DADT, DOMA, etc. KEEP IT UP!
—–
IN MEMORIAM
LEONARD MATLOVICH
July 6, 1943 – June 22, 1988
“When I was in the military they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one.”
NEVER FORGET
The Gay Numbers
@MIchael @ LeonardMatlovich.com: I undersgtand the strategy, but it is flawed in the sense that the “moderate” GOP Senators are not really moderate, and are as likely to turn on their Democratic sponsors. Its a risky one , but one , given conservadems, that is more likely to suceed given the homophobia on both sides of the aisle.
BrianZ
@The Gay Numbers: It is easy to live in my world: Bullshit is bullshit.
Nice personal attack in response to my obvious sarcasm.
It must be rough for you, feeling the weight of defending politicians … but then again you’ve always been one who obviously has something to prove when posting here.
The Gay Numbers
@BrianZ: let me know when you have something substantive to add to the actual strategy. As I said to the other poster, I have my problem with the strategy, but I am not going to pretend there is not one .
Bill Perdue
A very unlikey story.
The ‘strategy’ of working in the Democrat Party is as much a loser’s strategy as the Log Closeteers policy of working in the Republican Party. It’s not plausible to expect them to mount a real effort to repeal Clintons DOMA and DADT. That’d make it difficult for them to pander to religious bigots in the next election and Obama’s proved that he wants no problems in that regard.
Repealing Clintons DOMA and DADT would also be a total break with the history of Democrats, ‘liberal’ and conservative, who overwhelmingly voted for DOMA. That yes vote included a bigot named Biden and Barbara Mikulski, who should have known better. As soon as DOMA passed, it’s champion Bill Clinton immediately began broadcasting this ad on redneck southern religious radio stations:
‘Liberal’ and conservative Democratic (sic) bigots also overwhelmingly for Clinton’s DADT and with quisling Frank to gut ENDA and a month to drop even that gutted version and the hate crimes bill. That was in 2007, just months before the 2008 election campaign which saw Obama out-Rove Rove and grab the bigot vote for himself after saying “gawd’s in the mix.”
Bill Perdue
@BrianZ: The Gay Numbers has always been an apologist for bigots in the Democratic (sic) party especially the Bigot in Chief.
The Gay Numbers
@Bill Perdue: Coming from you , s omeone who is reviled throughout various blogs as a nut job, that’s funny.
Bill Perdue
@The Gay Numbers:
I’m proud to be reviled by losers and bigot-enalbers like you. It means that I’m doing a good job exposing shills like you.
Brian Miller
The clock is ticking to 2010. WILL the Democrats be able to line up the support to make their promises happen… or will they suffer epic defeat as 10% of their campaign budget and 7% of their vote stays home?
Tony
Dennis, stick your micropenis into your blowup Obama doll and pump til’ your heart feels truly contented. LOL.
Dennis
@Tony:
Hey Fuctard, just for the record I’ve never any complaints received about what I’m serving downstairs, but as you have probably never seen a real penis, or been able to convince (pay? use a date rape drug?) an ACTUAL man to hook up with your sorry ass, how would you know what one looks like? sucks to be you, I guess…and, btw, ANY blowup doll is going to get more action, and be waaay more enjoyable to play with than a digusting piece of shit like you…
Jayson
Did Bush/Republican’s hunt for Democrats to support their agenda the past eight years?
This bipartisanship is really getting played out. The Democrats will act all surprised when the party with the 25% approval rating (GOP) takes control again. The Democrats are so weak.
Cam
This is a lie. The white house has finally noticed that gays are upset, now they are laying the groundwork to claim that “Gee, we WOULD have liked to pass these gay rights bills but it was the evil GOP that stopped us”. Obama could halt the military expulsions with the stroke of a pen. he could issue a stop loss order, and then ask Congress to investigate how well Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was working, expulsions would be halted until their report had been returned and examinied. This would stop military expusions for around 3 years.
As for DOMA, he could have told the DOJ not to defend it by issuing a brief comparing gay relationships to Incest.
So again, they are just laying the groundwork to do nothing and claim it’s because republicans wouldn’t work with them. The White houses worst nightmare would be if some republicans DID cross the aisle on this one…then they would have to find another excuse to leave us hanging.
Andrew
If you only count ‘civil unions’ you will still not get an accurate account of all Americans…Obama…you really are a big disappointment…