Friday, December 18, 2009

Newsweek's Predictions for 2010: Obama Does Nothing on Gay Rights

It's always nice to know that one is not the only person who feels that the LGBT community has been thrown totally under the bus by Barack Obama and the Congressional Democrats. Now, in addition to numerous LGBT bloggers, Newsweek likewise predicts that Obama will do "nada" on gay rights issues in 2010. Our votes and money were sought when he wanted to get elected. Now, we are an inconvenience that he wants to ignore. Hopefully, in November, 2010, the LGBT community will give back to the Democrats what we have received in 2009 - nothing of real substance that impacts us in our daily lives. Here is Newsweek's prediction:
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Patience became the 2009 mantra of the gay rights movement, which generally supports Democrats. Many activists believe that in his heart Obama supports their flagship issues: the ability to serve openly in the armed forces, to be protected from employment in the workplace, and the right to marry (even though he’s on record as favoring civil unions over marriage). But they’ve received almost nothing for their troubles. What the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered community has learned this year is that the president is ultimately a pragmatist. Although his very presence in the White House is the stuff of culture wars, Obama himself is reluctant to wade into one. Moreover, if socially divisive policies have the potential to compromise his legislative agenda, Obama has proven that he simply won’t pursue them. Expect this tension to become more acute as the 2010 elections loom—and for gay rights to be shunted aside again. The last thing this pragmatist president will do is hand election-year ammunition to an already energized conservative base that’s venomously opposed to gay marriage.
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The LGBT community needs to cease all support for Democrats altogether except for specific candidates that actively and openly support our cause.

2 comments:

Stephen said...

Though I'm witholding any further support, I'm hoping that repealing DADT will be attached to a military approprition bill.

Lightning Baltimore said...

I don't think for one minute that "Obama supports [our] flagship issues."

The only actions he's taken have been self-aggrandizing photo ops.

Ooooh, he had a (dinner?) party for LGBT people. That does so much to help our community.

Ooooh, he signed the hate crimes bill that'd been passed by Congress after a decade of work by other people.

My prediction:

• nothing in 2010 (too soon!)
• nothing in 2011 (be patient!)
• nothing in 2012 (sorry, election year)
• Obama not relected
• next president: Republican (who will also do nothing for us)

With nearly each passing day, I'm glad I did not vote for Obama, as I didn't believe his promises to us and he's made good on showing us they were lies.

Not that I voted for McCain, either. As bad as Obama's been for us, McCain would probably up and die and leave Palin in charge and she thinks we have too many rights already.

I did vote, of course; just not for either major party candidate.