Anyone else cynical over the same sex benefits announcement from the WH? (a rant)

[thom1102]

I worked really hard to get Obama elected and was thrilled on election day. Recently, I have begun to get discouraged with Obama's "fierce advocacy" on GLBT issues. Especially the brief supporting DOMA from a President who promised to repeal DOMA, and a complete lack of action on DADT from a President who promised to end DADT. It seems to me that this President is only interested in doing things for GLBT community when they threaten to take their ball (or bank cards) and go home. That is not "fierce advocacy," that is at best tepid and reluctant coercion. Am I alone on this? Are we all so enthralled with this democratic administration that we can't be critical about their actions and motives? Thoughts?

[Name removed]

1. Deleted sub-thread

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[sandnsea]

2. I'd hate for it to be like the abortion gag rule

Where Presidents repeal the rule and put it back in every 4-8 years. I think it'll be far better when gay rights goes through Congress and to the Supreme Court.

[thom1102]

3. But it has to start somewhere, and this is what he promised nt

[mkultra]

9. i think he promoted repeal.

which is legislative. five months in is still very early.

[readmoreoften]

13. It starts with him having a backbone or it ends with us withdrawing our support.

Throwing a bone to a few federal workers--ones who aren't tied to the military, I assume--is not justice. There's something in labor parlance called "good faith." If this is him extending a bone to us to *negotiate* after McClurkin, Warren, the Incest-Pedophilia DOJ briefing, and the DADT fiasco than his low-ball offer is an insult.

Or in consumerist lingo: We paid with our vote. We want what we bought. We never expected the promised ponies, but don't send us a box with a turd, a greeting card, and a coupon.

[thom1102]

14. I agree n/t

[stray cat]

4. No I expected everybody to piss on it

[Deja Q]

5. And people tell me I am happy about nothing in life... This is all bullshit.

How about a link, for one thing, as to when you claim he promised to repeal DOMA?

BTW: If the ratio was the same between California and the whole nation, remember: California has 36 million people, of which contain only 18000 partnered homosexual couples - out of a theoretical 3.6 million GLBT people (10% of the general populace).

Our votes really don't add up to a hill of beans in the grand scheme of things. One way or the other.

Consider that.

[thom1102]

8. Here is a link, (google's a wonderful thing)

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/6/14/742411/-Obamas-Choice-on-DOMA

Your comparison of California is fatally flawed. The fact that only 18000 homosexual couples in California chose to marry in the six month window that marriage was available to them is somehow correlative to the number of homosexuals in California total is like saying that because there are 6.5 million married couples in California means that there are only 13 million straight people in CA.

The fact that our votes don't add up to a significantly large number doesn't mean that there isn't a moral obligation to work against discrimination.

[readmoreoften]

15. Agreed. The whole "too much a minority to get representation" attitude sickens me.

Especially when it is dismissed with righteous gestures. I mean, left-handed Ecuadoreans aren't a majority in the US, but if they're denied the right to marry, visit loved ones--including children--in the hospital, if they're taxed more, and authorities dismiss the people who beat/rape/murder/decapitate them as beneath the hate crimes that would be charged if the crime was committed on larger minority segments, well guess what: yes, you still have an obligation to work against the discrimination...

Where do these people get the idea that if you're not a member of an ethic or sexual majority than you have no right to demand representation.

[Toasterlad]

16. "Our" Votes?

[QC]

20. I think he's gay again. Or maybe bi. Or something. Until tomorrow or next week. n/t

[Forkboy]

6. Totally understandable to me.

[realitythink]

7. Sounds like they're throwing a bone to me

And for you Obama can do no wrong crowd out there, this is not one of the promises.

[readmoreoften]

12. Cool, you work for the federal government? I don't. So it doesn't do shit for me.

I don't know anyone who works for the federal government, either. Unless their in the military and that doesn't count.

SO! Postal workers and diplomats get partner benefits now. Great. Will they let them naturalize their girlfriend from Canada or Mexico? No. Will they let them visit their partner in the hospital? No.

This doesn't do SHIT for 99.99% of LGBT folks in America. It's a bone--and a temporary one at that.

[readmoreoften]

10. "Pres, you need to do something about the gays. They're pissed about their little marriage thing."

"Do what? I was briefed that the Christian environmentalists would cancel out the demographic."
"Yeah but that was if they were just normal pissed. They seem really pissed. It's probably nothing but we should manage it nonetheless."
"Come up with something then."
"We already did. Get this: benefits for gays who work for the federal government, but who, of course, aren't in the military. It's fairly inexpensive."
"I don't know. What will the faith community think about this?"
"Here's the brilliant part: the edict will only last while you're in office! So the cons can just reverse it. It's not law, it's just your *opinion*."
"It's not a law. Great. I like that. Handle it for me, Joe."
"Yes, Mr. President."


That's my guess.

[Mari333]

11. anyone who defends Obama on this thread already has 'theirs'

they have 1400 plus benefits available to them thru LEGAL marriage that are denied to gay citizens in the United States. why should they concern themselves with your civil rights when they already have theirs? thats what it boils down to. they want you to shut up and behave and accept the occassional bone the Obama admin throws at you.
just to make him 'look good'.
what a load of shite.

[Toasterlad]

17. This Is Not Progress. This Is An Insult.

It's no more than this: "Look at the shiny thing! Now forgot all about my lying about repealing DADT and DOMA and basically every other promise I made to you! Please give me money! PLEASE!"

Sorry, Barack. We're just not that into you.

[thom1102]

18. exactly right.

[LWolf]

19. Yes. For this reason:

While the Obama juggernaut continues on it's corporate, right-of-center way, a few bones get tossed here and there to keep those left of center pacified.

This is one of those. He's not going to commit to supporting equal marriage rights, but he'll toss a bone.