LGBTs Join Democratic Interest Groups Tossed Under Health Care Reform Bus [View All]

[Better Believe It]

LGBTs Join List Democratic Interest Groups Tossed Under Health Care Reform Bus
By Teddy Partridge
March 19, 2010

Gays get thrown under the bus with women, Hispanics, public option and single-payer supporters, community colleges, and student loan borrowers. I thought it might be possible to enact health care reform without LGBTs having to take one for the team, but no:

Today, the House Rules Committee released the reconciliation bill through which it will vote on the measure that passed the Senate in December. We are deeply disappointed that, after months of lobbying for their inclusion, important measures specifically addressing the needs of LGBT people and people with HIV – ending the unfair taxation of employer-provided domestic partner health benefits, permitting states to offer early HIV treatment under Medicaid, collecting critical health data on LGBT people and addressing discrimination in health care – are not a part of this bill. On a mixed note, this bill restores $50 million to fund failed abstinence-only sex education programs, but also provides $75 million for comprehensive programs that also address the prevention of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. According the House leadership, a vote on this measure is scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

So — on the day when our community members demonstrated coast to coast for our rights to fair employment and military service, isn’t it great to know that LGBTs have also made the sacrifice expected of every left-leaning element of the Democratic coalition?

You like us, you really like us! I was beginning to think we’d been overlooked, but not this time! Kinda crowded under this bus, though….

http://firedoglake.com/