As expected, President Obama broke no new ground on LGBT issues during his HRC speech tonight. It was basically the same old "Oh how I love you gay people". Then, sure enough, he dangled the Hate Crime Bill bone, earning applauses from the well-dressed audience.
And his gay best friend and future Secretary-of-HUD-to-be Barney Frank continued his assault on the grassroots, trashing the National Equality March interview after interview.
Oh Barney, your future boss thinks you're likable enough already, don't you think you're trying a little bit too hard to kiss up to him?
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Public opinion on Homosexuality
Not immigration/DOMA related but very interesting read: Basically support for Civil Union has grown ever so slightly (57% support, 37% oppose), whereas support for gay marriage continues on an up and down trend (53% oppose, 39% support), with little significant change over the past 6 years.
President Obama has stated that he wants to establish Federal Civil Union so gay and lesbian couples can enjoy all the federal rights. Since taking office though, he has said very little on the issue. The problem is that Federal Civil Union would very likely piss off the left as much as it would the right. Those who favor marriage would see this as an insult to the community, and that President Obama just wanted to throw us a bone and get us out of his way. The Right wouldn't be happy either because to them anything remotely resembling marriage is an abomination.
So I guess that proposal is permanently off the table now.
President Obama has stated that he wants to establish Federal Civil Union so gay and lesbian couples can enjoy all the federal rights. Since taking office though, he has said very little on the issue. The problem is that Federal Civil Union would very likely piss off the left as much as it would the right. Those who favor marriage would see this as an insult to the community, and that President Obama just wanted to throw us a bone and get us out of his way. The Right wouldn't be happy either because to them anything remotely resembling marriage is an abomination.
So I guess that proposal is permanently off the table now.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Barney Frank is mad as hell
...at other gay people?
First he made it clear that he will not co-sponsor the Respect for Marriage Act because it's destined to fail, now he's saying the National Equality March is useless:
Many seem puzzled by his vocal opposition to causes dear to the community, although few has expressed the same level of outrage when Rep. Frank excluded transgender people from the EDNA.
But the reason behind all of this might be simple: As reported by the book Barney Frank: The Story of America's Only Left-Handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman , Frank is looking to cap his political career by becoming the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which would make him the first openly gay cabinet member. It's unlikely that Frank would make his ambition public unless he was 100% sure he'd get the job, which means the Obama Administration probably has assured him that the job will be his.
And there are signs that Rep. Frank is "in" with the White House too. President Obama recently singled him out for praise at an event, probably because Rep. Frank has been very protective of his administration, to the point of defending the indefensible DOMA Brief filed by the Justice Department.
We should have known then that he is no longer interested in being our advocate, if he ever was one.
First he made it clear that he will not co-sponsor the Respect for Marriage Act because it's destined to fail, now he's saying the National Equality March is useless:
Barney Frank believes the march this weekend and rally on the mall are "useless" and don't put pressure on the White House. "I literally don't understand how this will do anything," he said. "People are kidding themselves. I don't want people patting themselves on the back for doing something that is useless." Besides, he says, "Barack Obama does not need pressure." He says we should model ourselves as lobbyists on "the National Rifle Association." He says people should not come to Washington and should stay home and lobby their members of Congress. "Nobody in Congress even knows they're there, he says, and he is not attending the March: He is going to California to raise money for himself and other Democrats.
Many seem puzzled by his vocal opposition to causes dear to the community, although few has expressed the same level of outrage when Rep. Frank excluded transgender people from the EDNA.
But the reason behind all of this might be simple: As reported by the book Barney Frank: The Story of America's Only Left-Handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman , Frank is looking to cap his political career by becoming the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which would make him the first openly gay cabinet member. It's unlikely that Frank would make his ambition public unless he was 100% sure he'd get the job, which means the Obama Administration probably has assured him that the job will be his.
And there are signs that Rep. Frank is "in" with the White House too. President Obama recently singled him out for praise at an event, probably because Rep. Frank has been very protective of his administration, to the point of defending the indefensible DOMA Brief filed by the Justice Department.
We should have known then that he is no longer interested in being our advocate, if he ever was one.
Another gloomy assessment of RFM from a gay Dem operative
Steve Hildebrand, former deputy campaign manager for President Obama and recent critic of the Administration's handling of LGBT issues, does not think Congress would ever have the guts to repeal DOMA:
"I don't believe Congress will ever have the courage to repeal DOMA," said Hildebrand, who himself is gay and advising gay San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty on his 2011 mayoral bid.
Asked by the Bay Area Reporter about Frank's opposition to the bill, Hildebrand acknowledged that without the powerful lawmaker's support the bill's prospects are dim.
"I don't pretend to understand everything that goes on in Congressman Frank's head. He is a wickedly smart guy but he has a lot on his plate with the banking crisis," said Hildebrand. "He is a leader who inspires many gay Americans and we need to have him be one of our best advocates. He has a lot of clout in that Democratic caucus.
"Even if an issue like repeal of DOMA doesn't have all the votes, it doesn't mean we shouldn't fight like hell to get it passed," added Hildebrand.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
House Comprehensive Immigration Bill
Rep. Luis Gutierrez has announced that he will introduce a comprehensive immigration reform bill on Oct. 13th. Windy City Times reported that LGBT groups are lobbying him to include in his bill languages similar to the Uniting American Families Act.
Rep. Gutierrez is a member of the House Judiciary Committee and sits on the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law. He's also a co-sponsor of the UAFA.
However, aside from not knowing if UAFA would be included in his CIR bill, what's also unclear is whether Rep. Gutierrez has the backing of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who had stated in the past that she would not start on comprehensive immigration reform unless the Senate first acts on it. It appears that Rep. Gutierrez is acting on his own without the blessing of Speaker Pelosi, much like Rep. Jerry Nadler and others introducing the Defense of Marriage Act Repeal despite knowing it's not on Pelosi's priority list.
It'd be nice if Rep. Gutierrez could include UAFA in his CIR bill, but ultimately, the fate of Comprehensive Immigration Reform lies in the hands of the Senate, as it has been always. Senator Chuck Schumer is expected to introduce the senate version of the CIR bill, which is where I think we should focus our energy on.
Rep. Gutierrez is a member of the House Judiciary Committee and sits on the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law. He's also a co-sponsor of the UAFA.
However, aside from not knowing if UAFA would be included in his CIR bill, what's also unclear is whether Rep. Gutierrez has the backing of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who had stated in the past that she would not start on comprehensive immigration reform unless the Senate first acts on it. It appears that Rep. Gutierrez is acting on his own without the blessing of Speaker Pelosi, much like Rep. Jerry Nadler and others introducing the Defense of Marriage Act Repeal despite knowing it's not on Pelosi's priority list.
It'd be nice if Rep. Gutierrez could include UAFA in his CIR bill, but ultimately, the fate of Comprehensive Immigration Reform lies in the hands of the Senate, as it has been always. Senator Chuck Schumer is expected to introduce the senate version of the CIR bill, which is where I think we should focus our energy on.
Monday, October 5, 2009
A Great Game of Kickball
This post from Daily Kos does a really good job of summing up how dysfunctional the democrats are when it comes to gay rights:
At least they're talking about DADT. The President has yet to acknowledge the Respect for Marriage Act, despite repeatedly saying that he wants to see DOMA repealed. His unofficial LGBT spokespersons (aka John Berry, Barney Frank) have kicked the ball to another long-shot receiver-the Supreme Court.
Whatever the rhetorics, action (or lack of) always speaks much louder.
And so the game of kickball continues -- Robert Gates said they were going to "push that one down the road a little bit," Dick Durbin claimed they're just too busy in the Senate (doing what, he didn't say), while Harry Reid has gone from saying they're working on it to crying for help, and now another "too busy."
They're like a bunch of drunks arguing over who's going to be the designated driver.
At least they're talking about DADT. The President has yet to acknowledge the Respect for Marriage Act, despite repeatedly saying that he wants to see DOMA repealed. His unofficial LGBT spokespersons (aka John Berry, Barney Frank) have kicked the ball to another long-shot receiver-the Supreme Court.
Whatever the rhetorics, action (or lack of) always speaks much louder.
President Obama to give keynote address at HRC dinner
On the eve of the National Equality March, high-profile democrats finally start to take notice. First, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid sent a letter to the steering committee announcing his support. Then came the news today that President Obama will be addressing the audience at the HRC dinner on Saturday, a day before the march is to take place.
It's certainly a nice gesture, but I'm not holding out hope the President would be breaking any new ground in his speech. Yes, we'd probably hear the same I-am-your-fierce-advocate type of rhetoric, but that's about it.
It's certainly a nice gesture, but I'm not holding out hope the President would be breaking any new ground in his speech. Yes, we'd probably hear the same I-am-your-fierce-advocate type of rhetoric, but that's about it.
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