Saturday, October 13, 2007

ENDA UPDATE

Rather than repeat what is being said in various places, good overviews of the latest developments with ENDA can be found at Pam's House Blend (http://www.pamshouseblend.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3274) and America Blog (http://www.americablog.com/2007/10/just-in-pelosi-agrees-to-hold-vote-on.html). In sum, Nancy Pelosi has done the following:
So basically she's promised the trans-inclusive-ENDA-or-nothing crowd a floor vote once they do their homework and get enough votes to pass their bill. (They don't have the votes, Barney Frank has said the trans-inclusive bill will lose by 50 votes.) In the meantime, she's going to move ahead with the GLB ENDA, which does have the votes. This way both 25 million gays and lesbians benefit, as do a hundred thousand trans community members.What remains to be seen is whether the NGLTF and its allies will join James Dobson, Tony Perkins, Lou Sheldon and Pat Robertson in trying to kill ENDA.
While I still support a pragmatic approach and as another resident of fly-over country disagree with Pam Spaulding on this one. I think Pelosi is making the best of a messed up situation that she did not create. However, I do agree with Pam's analysis of (1) how this mess developed and (2) what needs to be done now so that a T-inclusive bill can eventually be advanced.

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