Center for American Progress re Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Americans

[jody]

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Americans

The new administration will ultimately have to yield to states on many important family issues. Family law—specifically legal issues of marriage and adoption—fall under the pur¬view of the states. What the new president can do is set the tone for the nation’s agenda, as well as individual party priorities. The new president should exercise his megaphone to heal the divisiveness of the last eight years over GLBT issues by making strong statements in support of equal rights and protections for all families, and stating opposition to any law that would single out gay Americans or any other person deemed a suitable parent by a local or state adoption agency. This will be key to setting a new tone for all Americans.

Soros-Funded Democratic Idea Factory Becomes Obama Policy Font

Thanks in part to funding from benefactors such as billionaire George Soros, the Center for American Progress has become in just five years an intellectual wellspring for Democratic policy proposals, including many that are shaping the agenda of the new Obama administration.

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CAP's president and founder, John Podesta, 59, former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, is one of three people running the transition team for president-elect Barack Obama, 47. A squadron of CAP experts is working with them.

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Just eight days after the Nov. 4 election, CAP released a 300,000-word volume called ``Change for America: A Progressive Blueprint for the 44th President'' that offers advice on issues such as economic revival and fixing the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Work on the book began almost a year ago.

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Yet CAP may be the most influential. In addition to Podesta, at least 10 other CAP experts are advising the incoming administration, including Melody Barnes, the center's executive vice president for policy who co-chairs the agency-review working group and Cassandra Butts, the senior vice president for domestic policy, who is now a senior transition staffer.

[bluedawg12]

1. Never underestiamte the power of the bully pulpit!

I remain optimistic after eight years of hideous darkness and gay baiting.

That stops now.