Comments | labyris: Not Enough

labyris

Not Enough

Jun 17, 2009 20:41

As a federal employee myself, I know that these benefits are insignificant in that they are generally already available. I can only hope that his representation that he supports the repeal of DOMA and DADT is true and that he will be the fierce advocate he promised to be during the election.

Comments 9

liveonearth June 18 2009, 04:54:26 UTC

I am certain that Obama's heart is in the right place, and that he will do all he can when he can. I am also sure that he is absolutely BESIEGED with things that he must do right now, and that he is having to prioritize. Between setting things right with Muslims in the world, and with gays here in the US, he chose the Muslims. Between figuring out healthcare for all of us, and setting up new marriage rights for some of us, he chose to focus on healthcare for all of us. Rest assured, we are not forgotten. Look at the pictures of Obama in the news the last few days!! He is starting to look tired, angry, beaten down. We do not need to beat him down too! I am hoping that you will see and feel the same thing I do, that he has our best interests at heart and that he is working like a dog to do the most good for the most people in the least amount of time. It's a triage situation, with a lot at stake on many fronts. If I were in his shoes, I might prioritize similarly. Please give him a chance! He's not done yet. =-]

mehitabelmmoss June 18 2009, 05:12:05 UTC

Which other chances should we give him? He has defended the Bushies on FISA and wiretapping and even torture, given comfort to Banksters, not done enough to end bad wars, and some of his appointments were craven. Healthcare reform is also looking bad. This is not the only issue where he has betrayed us.
We have no choice but to give more chances - he is the President. But that does not mean we cannot be critical and hold him to his promises. He would love to be able to forget us. He has shown a talent for multitasking. He can do it. Civil rights are not optional. So he needs to feel a lot of pressure because really, he's not all that into us.

liveonearth June 18 2009, 14:59:16 UTC

I understand that you are upset that your most important issue hasn't made the top of the list yet. You can be critical as you like....

I simply hope that gays recognize that Obama is our strongest ally yet in that seat. He is up against the same resistance that stopped Clinton in his tracks. Our support and diplomacy will do him and us more good than constant harping negativity. Want things to change faster? Keep working toward love and tolerance in your little corner of the world. We all have a part to play.

mehitabelmmoss June 18 2009, 20:36:56 UTC

This is not 1995, it is 2009. We can marry in 6 states and Civil Union in several others. 70% of the country including most republicans think DADT should be ended. I'll support him in his work on the people's behalf. Clinton met recently with some progrssive bloggers and told them they needed to be squeaky wheels and hold feet to fire and demand a move to the left. Ther right has certainly not gotten quieter. And Obama responds to squeaky wheels. Clinton said he wished the left had pushed his administration more ( ... )

Thread 6

serenity_valley June 18 2009, 05:09:52 UTC

I am bitterly disappointed with this. I get that he has a lot of other things on his plate, that Bush left things in such a state that it's a matter of trying to put out a forest fire with a glass of water, and trying to figure out where to start first. But with the anti-gay memo that was leaked last week and now this signing of "benefits" that aren't much of a change from the status quo being dressed up as something more than it is, I'm not inclined to give him a lot of leeway on this. He has a monumental job of trying to save this country from total destruction, it's true, but civil rights for my GLBT brothers and sisters is just as critical as any other issue. I believe in Obama, but that won't stop me from voicing/acting on my displeasure when he's not doing what he was elected to do, including repealing DOMA and DADT and more, pushing for equal rights and protections for GLBT citizens.

liveonearth June 18 2009, 15:01:49 UTC

The only reason that Obama released this token reassurance for gays at this time is because someone in the bureacracy released a statement supporting DOMA that he completely disagreed with. The token benefits for same sex partners in the fed employ is a "secret message" to let us know that he does not agree with DOMA and it will fall in due time.

serenity_valley June 18 2009, 16:25:36 UTC

I hope you're right. I hope that this is just some brilliant power play on his part that's the opening move of a political chess match, that he's the Bobby Fischer of political maneuvering. I've heard similar arguments made about Obama and his reasons for upholding the Bush Administration's decisions on the torture photos, continuing the wars, the bank bailout, etc. etc., and while I think that Obama's savvier than most when it comes to political machinations and has a real talent for it, I think there's a tendency to project almost god-like powers onto him that no human politician has. No, not even Obama. It's entirely possible this really is a Sekrit Plan to dupe opponents of GLBT rights and that All Will Be Revealed Later. It's also entirely possible that he's failed to live up to a very important promise and that he's less committed to to this issue than we thought/hoped. Which would make him...a politician. And which means that WE need to remind him just who voted for him and what our expectations are, as we would with any other ( ... )