There are two great posts up on Pam's House Blend - one by Pam Spaulding and the other by Autumn Sandeen, both of whom I got to know at the December 2008 LGBT Blogger Summit. Neither post holds its punches and combined they are an indictment of both Barack Obama and the current Democrat leadership as well as "Gay, Inc." and our purported leaders within the so-called pink beltway. Pam correctly describes Gay,Inc.'s view of the "accomplishments" of the Obama administration an alternate universe when contrasted with reality. Indeed, Gay, Inc. comes across as nearly as delusional as the Christo-fascist base of the Republican Party. How anyone who isn't on mind altering drugs can talk about "accomplishments" in the plural when the only legislation enacted since 2008 is the Hate Crimes Bill defies belief. Oh yes, there have been changes in executive branch policies, but these are as fleeting as the moods and holder of the Presidency. These are NOT accomplishments. Especially, since they do NOTHING for LGBT Americans all across the USA. *
Those within Gay, Inc., who would praise the do nothing Obama administration seem to be only concerned about making it look like they are doing something for those they claim to represent when, truth be told, they are not. The rest of us have gained nothing from invites for cocktails at the White House and other photo ops for Obama or Joe Solmonese being named among Washington's best dressed. . Thus, in my view, besides turning off all contributions to Democrats, the LGBT community needs to turn off all contributions to Gay, Inc., until THEY deliver true accomplishments. First some highlights from Pam's post:
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But if you look at what is being circulated and tabulated inside the Beltway as "accomplishments," it's pretty obvious there is some grasping at straws to justify the foot-dragging by this administration regarding the big ticket items the community asked for action on -- ENDA, DADT, UAFA, DOMA, etc. These have languished despite speech after tired speech by the President about supporting action, but decidedly less fierce follow through -- like LBJ-style arm-twisting on the Hill. Actions have spoken louder than words.
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Is there a political problem in transparency regarding what was asked of this administration and what has been accomplished? These administrative changes do not go unnoticed. They are political maneuvers that only give you, the readers, voters and donors, additional reasons not to fully trust the motives of the organizations supposedly holding our fierce advocate's feet to the fire. Any good steward of the original list, since it was so carefully crafted, would indeed want to check off those boxes and show people the work left to be done.
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It's called goal-setting, marking milestones and acknowledging where matters fall short, people.
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Autumn is equally peeved at the non-action by our "fierce advocate" and the gutless wonders within the Congressional Democrats - a group that includes my spineless Senator Jim Webb who lacks the courage to support DADT repeal even when polls show that 56% of REPUBLICANS support repeal. Give me a freaking break Mr. Webb. Here are a few of Autumn's comments:
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Voting a record number of Democrats in the House and Senate in 2006 and 2008, and voting in a Democratic President who described himself to us as a "fierce advocate" for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community has brought us to this reality; contributing all those gAyTM campaign dollars has bought us this reality: Democrats now appear not to be promising anything on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) this congress, and that passage of ENDA may take as many as five years to accomplish.
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I've got a dumb question here: Why do we, as the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, keep doing the same thing over and over again and hope for different results?
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It will be interesting to see how our national LGBT civil rights organizations spin this bit of "reality" from Congresswoman Speier. My guess is that they'll probably ask us for more money, just like the politicians will -- our LGBT civil rights organizations will likely just say though that they need the money for lobbying. Again, expecting we in the LGBT community to do the same thing over and over again while hoping we won't notice that we're not getting any different results.
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But if you look at what is being circulated and tabulated inside the Beltway as "accomplishments," it's pretty obvious there is some grasping at straws to justify the foot-dragging by this administration regarding the big ticket items the community asked for action on -- ENDA, DADT, UAFA, DOMA, etc. These have languished despite speech after tired speech by the President about supporting action, but decidedly less fierce follow through -- like LBJ-style arm-twisting on the Hill. Actions have spoken louder than words.
*
Is there a political problem in transparency regarding what was asked of this administration and what has been accomplished? These administrative changes do not go unnoticed. They are political maneuvers that only give you, the readers, voters and donors, additional reasons not to fully trust the motives of the organizations supposedly holding our fierce advocate's feet to the fire. Any good steward of the original list, since it was so carefully crafted, would indeed want to check off those boxes and show people the work left to be done.
*
It's called goal-setting, marking milestones and acknowledging where matters fall short, people.
*
Autumn is equally peeved at the non-action by our "fierce advocate" and the gutless wonders within the Congressional Democrats - a group that includes my spineless Senator Jim Webb who lacks the courage to support DADT repeal even when polls show that 56% of REPUBLICANS support repeal. Give me a freaking break Mr. Webb. Here are a few of Autumn's comments:
*
Voting a record number of Democrats in the House and Senate in 2006 and 2008, and voting in a Democratic President who described himself to us as a "fierce advocate" for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community has brought us to this reality; contributing all those gAyTM campaign dollars has bought us this reality: Democrats now appear not to be promising anything on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) this congress, and that passage of ENDA may take as many as five years to accomplish.
*
I've got a dumb question here: Why do we, as the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, keep doing the same thing over and over again and hope for different results?
*
It will be interesting to see how our national LGBT civil rights organizations spin this bit of "reality" from Congresswoman Speier. My guess is that they'll probably ask us for more money, just like the politicians will -- our LGBT civil rights organizations will likely just say though that they need the money for lobbying. Again, expecting we in the LGBT community to do the same thing over and over again while hoping we won't notice that we're not getting any different results.
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My advice, no more money for Democrats and Gay, Inc., and possibly no votes for Democrats in November unless some promises start being kept. Enough with the meaningless - and disingenuous - speeches.
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