What’s that you hear? Oh, just silence from the GOP — on Obama’s decision to grant same-sex partners hospital visitation rights. Republicans and faith-based conservatives are keeping their mouths quiet about granting The Gays some piecemeal rights, which is a lovely sound. But don’t expect the GOP to cheerlead the decision. While granting all Americans the right to see their ill family members is “noncontroversial,” Republicans with any hope of re-election are taking their cues from Tea Party mandates, which means instead of being able to gather a few gay voters of their own by applauding the move, they must remain silent. After all, a Republican cannot even give a jock nod to the Obama administration without risking fallout. [NYT]
Mark Cahill
Because they know it’s temporary. Next Republican President will just rescind it. That’s politics.
Cassandra
There was a right-wing spokesperson on the news last night complaining about the issue.
And: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/Lafferty-ENDA-molest-veterans
Keeping in mind that the GOP uses these superficially independent talking heads, and groups like TVC, to spread messages the party doesn’t want to officially dirty its hands over . . .
Matt Munson
Or the Republicans will ban abortions entirely from any hospital recieving federal funds with their executive order in 2013 or 2017. Using executive orders can be very dangerous.
Jon
It is so simple… Glenn Beck and O’Riley both agree that queers should be able to have this right. It is just something that MOST people agree on.
Steve
If this was one of the things that we had asked for, it might be due some gratitude. But, it is less than one one-thousandth of one of the things we had asked for. It is a tiny, little, microscopic, insignificant act for the president.
Still, having been locked out of the room myself during the hours that my first lover died in 1990, I know it will be a great comfort to the people who are directly affected.
By far the more important step would be a directive that hospitals and medical practitioners must give information to, and obey orders given by, same-sex partners who hold durable medical power of attorney. And, that same-sex spouses must be treated as holding that power, even in states that don’t “recognize” those marriages.
Now, if Obama would actually do any of the things that the gay community has actually asked him to do, and that he has actually promised to do. So far, that score is still zero, by my count.
Could these baby steps be calculated to get the right-wingers to gradually realize that gay people deserve to be treated as people, to gradually desensitize them, so they won’t flip out when the larger issues pass?
B
QUEERTY: “just silence from the GOP” … of course. They want to see Obama and the Democrats blamed by gays for lack of progress on repealing DATD and DOMA and don’t want any distractions. Silence is the best strategy – the goal is to pick up as many seats as possible in the next national election.
The culture in Washington these days is to win with no regard for the citizens who may be impacted by political maneuvering, probably more true of the Republicans than the Democrats (who, even if inclined otherwise still have to fight fire with fire to survive).
Z.L.
I don’t understand why the fuck they would object. This mandate can benefit heteros, too; heteros who aren’t married, elderly widows and widowers, people who don’t have any family (I know two such people, both still single and one of them has expressed concerns over what might happen to her in a life and death situation where the decisions are left entirely up to doctors who don’t her from Eve), people who are on such bad terms with their blood relatives that they wouldn’t want them around even if they are on their death bed (I know one such person, and knowing the kind of people his family are, I don’t blame him one bit.)
Anybody who squeals too much over this is an asshole beyond the pale of irrationality–
Oh, wait…we’re talking about tea baggers and conservatives.
Nevermind.
tjr101
It’s all part of the new GOP strategy, those asshats would stay quiet on the issue until they regain power then reverse the policy with a memorandum of their own. Just take a look at the bigot governor of Virginia, he’s doing exactly this. Mc Donnell was completely silent on LGBT issues during the campaign and now in office he’s started a campaign to strip all LGBT rights from the books.
This is why something like DADT can’t be repealed by a stroke of a pen or even a memorandum to halt discharges issued. You can always count on a future bigot Republican to undo it.
Kris
Well, all you Obama haters who still don’t see him progressing. what do you think of that? I know alot of promises have been made by our president Barack Obama. He still has only been president for a little over a year. I do believe he will make his promises true. However Obama is not “god”, and he can’t just sign into effect everything that has come out of his mouth. All of the people that voted him into office, have been very hateful towards him. Our president has taken alot of shit from you. Most, just like the tea partiers, are pissed because an “African American” is in charge of their country. I don’t care how many “black people” you have as friends, that is not an excuse for racism. It doesn’t matter about the people you claim are your friends. You feel betrayed, and lied to. He still has until January 2013 to make these changes he’s promised. Give him the benefit of the doubt that he’s doing his damnedest to please the entire country.
If you are going to treat him like the tea partiers do, then go and join them, because we don’t need any more hate towards him and his policies. You have to fit under one of these categories I’ve mentioned. If you don’t like Obama, go piss off the “right wing, conservative, crazies” and why not just join their hateful little world! We don’t need you.
gaylib
Hey Kris, grow the fuck up and stop crying because you’re “american idol” president isn’t getting the respect you think he deserves. If you are going to treat gay people like second class citizens that don’t have the right to speak up when those that claim to be “fierce advocates” for us turn out to be craven liars, then WE don’t need YOU.
Fitz
The way this was enacted was as an executive order, which means that it goes away as soon as this president does. There is no permanent change. And as to the question posted? Because the overwhelming majority of the public supports this. It’s a safe way for him to try to mend some of the fences he has trampled over.
It’s nice, but it hasn’t changed my assessment of him as an anti gay-marriage, pro offshore oil drilling, pro nuke, pro GTMO Bay illegal prison (and holding people there with no charges, BTW), give tax breaks to business and reduce public benefits president.
tjr101
@Fitz: Are we discussing the same president here? You sound like a Tea partier trolling this site to create divisions with absolutely ridiculous arguments.
He doesn’t favor same-sex marriage (so does the majority of America so this is politic). Because he’s opened some areas up for oil drilling he is suddenly pro-oil drilling? Two weeks ago he signed a treaty to reduce nuclear weapons with Russia, read a bit more. And within days of coming into office he signed a memorandum to close GITMO and has significantly reduced the amount of inmates at the prison. If you know of any country or place where he can transfer them to please let the administration know, maybe your house is an option. How has he reduced public benefits? That one is very vague like all your assertions.
He might just actually be doing quite well when people on both the right and extreme left in America are attacking him.
RS
@Fitz: Executive Orders don’t always automatically expire at the end of a President’s term. Many have to be proactively rescinded by a subsequent order. This is the one issue where even the most homophobic opponents of same sex marriage are generally in agreement with us. And given the reach of this one (it allows anyone, even straight people, to name their significant other, or roommate, best friend, etc.) and its general common-sense approach, I don’t think it will be rescinded.
M
If the Republicans stood to gain politically by hurting gay people and exploiting hatred against our families, they would do so in an instant. Perhaps society has developed to the point where denying medical rights to marginalized minorities is seen as unseemly.