Mixed reaction to Obama’s SOTU address

[xchrom]

http://www.washingtonblade.com/2012/01/25/mixed-reaction-to-obamas-sotu-address/


***snip

But any reference to LGBT policy issues were absent from the speech. Obama only mentioned “gay” as part of a list of categories of people who could serve in uniform — a reference to ”Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal.

“When you put on that uniform, it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white; Asian or Latino; conservative or liberal; rich or poor; gay or straight,” Obama said.

A mention of LGBT issues wasn’t expected in the speech, although state advocates said an endorsement of marriage equality in the address could help with efforts to pass such legislation in Washington State and Maryland.

The president also faced calls to declare his intent to issue an executive order barring federal dollars from going to companies that lack LGBT-inclusive non-discrimination policies.

John Aravosis, who’s gay and editor of AMERICAblog, said Obama could have gone further in his speech to address LGBT issues.

“I didn’t really expect him to come out for marriage equality or even announce his support for an executive order on ENDA,” Aravosis said. “But at the very least he could have, should have, mentioned ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and recognized the two lesbians invited to sit with the first lady. It was far more understated than I think it should have been.”

The lesbians that Aravosis referenced were two guests that attended the speech in the first lady’s box with Michelle Obama after receiving invitations from the White House. The president made no mention of them in his address.

[MarkCharles]

1. Let's face it. I think the President still has issues..

he needs to resolve in his mind.

He's not as great an advocate as we would like, for sure.

I think that maybe he fears loosing some votes in critical states in the 2012 elections, and thus has kept his comments to a minimum. For Obama, it's a political calculation more than anything, I fear.

But look at the alternative candidates, there simply are none worthy of consideration in 2012.

[vulture socialist]

11. That's the spirit!

Great critical thinking skillz!

[RKP5637]

12. I also think he fears losing some votes too if he came out much in support of LGBT in the SOTU

with all eyes on him. It shouldn't be that way in a country that professes equality, but there are quite a few in this country far short of embracing quality for all types of people. It always amazes me women have a struggle for equality in this country, like WTF.

[MarkCharles]

14. Yeah, he sure does fear losing votes, and we all should fear

someone like Romney or Gingrich getting in there.

Sad as it might seem, we don't have a real choice of what we really want, but at least we can get more results with Obama in the next 4 years than we got in his first four. If we don't we can blame him then, not now. He has to be re-elected, we know. Sorry, but that's the best we can get these days, but it's true.

[RKP5637]

16. My hope is he will be reelected and with another election not lurking in the future he

might be far more progressive. It's such a horrible balancing act he's faced with each day. If one of these fools gets in from the republican camp, I do think the US as once known will be history. I just think it's going to be a dreadful place. ... but somehow those that vote republican just can't see that ... that most vote in the worse possible manner for their future. It's become a very very strange place in many ways.

[MarkCharles]

17. My hope is the same as yours, and would be more well ..

realistic, if we can get both House and Senate as a Dem Majority.

[RKP5637]

18. Definitely!!! That, would be the best of all worlds!

[MarkCharles]

19. Given the ridiculous people running for President on the Republican side, let's

both do what we need to, in order to get the Republican majority out of the House, and keep it in the Senate.

[RKP5637]

21. +1, n/t

[Sera_Bellum]

2. Was there an

active female Col. in the box? I believe there was mention of her in the warm up on MSNBC. Of course, it was Rachel who mentioned it.

[MarkCharles]

20. I remember hearing that from Rachel, she knows all !!!

She's my number one journalistic hero of the world, I so agree with her. Rachel ROCKS!!!

[joeybee12]

3. To do more would be considered bold by Obama...

He doesn't do bold...even allt he stuff about the middle class is pretty tepid when you think about how the repukes have REALLY SCREWED the middle class over the years.

[xchrom]

4. tepid. cautious. etc. it's what dems seem to excell in these days. nt

[joeybee12]

5. Hey, if Bush can steal an election and the Dems don't make a sound...

Can we expect them to speak boldly on anything???

[xchrom]

6. indeed no. and that is sort of the perfect predictor for where we are today

on a range of issues. lgbtiq issues being at the top for us.

[joeybee12]

7. True, and it's very disappointing...

Society is changing much more quickly than Dem members of congress seem to realize, they are following, not leading.

[xchrom]

8. well -- i think we live in post democracy america.

it's newish -- but the vote, institutions, etc -- have failed. i mean really failed -- after katrina & bp/gulf -- this ongoing economic decline -- it's going to be about trying to control just how dysfunctional we become.

[joeybee12]

9. Glad to see your a realist like myself...

I just wonder how bad it will get within our lifetimes and if it can be reversed.

[xchrom]

10. i would be surprised if it goes all survivalist.

but i think there is no real attempt to restore competence in our institutions, no real attempt to give a quality, public education to our children{not talking t the MIC, etc.

so more bad recessions, enduring awful unemployment, stagflation as a feature of our lives -- more of the same but entrenched.

that's what i think a dystopia looks like.

[RKP5637]

15. Democrats IMO are afraid to take the bold progressive actions needed and

therefore walk on this kinda of squishy fence of not trying to offend anyone, and to not interrupt the stream of contributions/potential voters from juxtapositional areas of interest.

The conflicts are horrendous and hence we muddle along.

My thoughts are the next several years are going to be very good or very bad ... I think we're really now at the tipping point one way or the other.

[RKP5637]

13. That, sums it up quite well IMO. We live in a post democracy america struggling to

stay afloat, struggling to not slide into a truly dysfunctional and dystopic society. I think we walk on the edge ... everyday with tepid at best resiliency ...