Obama Tactics Put Key Constituencies At Risk

In follow up to my last post concerning David Mixner's call to turn off the LGBT ATM for unsupportive Congressional Democrats, Roll Call has a story that looks at the fall out from President Obama's - and Congressional Democrat's - failure to deliver as promised to key constituencies within the Democrat Party. Frankly, I believe a good portion of the lagging campaign of Creigh Deeds here in Virginia flows directly from voter funk with Obama and the Democrat controlled Congress to make good to date on promises. Taking votes from the LGBT, black, Hispanic and other minority communities for granted is NOT a wise move. Yet so far, no one seems to be taking the likely fall out seriously, including the White House. Here are some story highlights:

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President Barack Obama is playing a perilous political game with some of his core constituencies, pursuing policies that threaten to diminish the enthusiasm of groups that helped put him into office.

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In his first nine months, Obama has followed an agenda that raised concerns among unions, Jews, gays and Latinos — groups that backed him overwhelmingly and without which he cannot be re-elected. The complaints for now are mostly muted, and any damage done can be reversed. But all have high expectations for the president, and a few — particularly labor leaders and gays — view his presidency as the first, and perhaps the last chance for some time, to achieve long-coveted goals.

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Obama has promised much to the gay community, and the pressure for him to deliver — as well as the growing frustration that he has not — is palpable. His agenda includes an end to the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, legislation to bar discrimination against gays in the workplace and a repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, which limits how federal and local governments can recognize domestic partnerships and allow benefits. Obama may soon sign legislation that would make assaults on gays hate crimes. . . . Critics have focused on the lack of a timeline for fulfilling many of his promises. “The expectations were very high,” wrote Joe Sudbay, a prominent gay blogger. “The president spoke for approximately 25 minutes. And, tonight, he did not deliver anything new or exciting. He did not assuage our concerns.”

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Failure to make a sincere stab at immigration reform would hurt him with Hispanic voters, according to Brett Wilkes, executive director of the League of United Latin American Citizens. About two-thirds of Hispanic voters cast their ballots for Obama in 2008.