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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

You don't have to be gay for this to piss you off
Posted by Jill | 4:50 AM
I've never understood why gay groups even thought Barack Obama was going to be a brave champion of gay rights, any more than I understood why anyone actually thought he was going to end the war and institute single-payer health care. Yes, he talked a good game on the stump, but then, so did John Edwards. And look where that went.

I'm in no position to lecture anyone else about falling for a good line instead of looking at the record, but even on the stump, I never saw Barack Obama as being someone willing to take political risks just to do something that's The Right Thing To Do. For me, Obama had a chance to seriously make a mark on the Senate after the 2004 election, when he was a brand spanking shiny new Senator. Stephanie Tubbs Jones moved to decertify Ohio's electoral college votes after the BushCo shenanigans there, and he sat down and let Barbara Boxer stand up and do it. At the time, people told me "Well, he's new, he can't do it right out of the gate." But I remember thinking what a shandeh it was that this most high-profile black Senator sat on his hands after black voters were denied the chance to vote.

Obama has given a few signals that he's not entirely comfortable with Teh Gay. He's given lip service to all the right things, but his vehemence about not wanting a "girly dog", and similar comments, have been cues to me that this is not a guy who's going to go marching during the Pride parade. At least John Edwards admitted that Teh Gay makes him uncomfortable because of his Southern Baptist upbringing, that it was something he was working on, and that he was happy that his kids didn't carry this baggage. I remember how hurt ModFab was about that remark, and was disinclined to give Edwards brownie points for finding him "icky". I think I said something about "Do you really think Obama is any different? At least Edwards admitted it." Of course now we know that John Edwards has absolutely no moral standing to make any kind of statement about what marriage means, but that's a different issue for a different post. But it's clear now that Barack Obama finds ModFab, and every other gay person in this country, just as "icky" -- and even as the first black president, is perfectly willing to deny rights to an entire group. And that makes this Administration's stand on DOMA and DADT that much more heinous.

I'm sure that the cynical political manipulations of Rahm Emanuel have something to do with this Administration's disgraceful moves over the last few weeks in regard to gay issues, but I don't think Obama is objecting to any of this. Emanuel has a history of deciding that wooing people who will never vote for you no matter what you do is more important than making sure your base turns up. Never forget that in Ohio, Emanuel knocked out a popular candidate, Christine Cegelis, in Illinois' 6th Congressional district in 2006 and instead moved a double amputee Iraq War veteran, Tammy Duckworth, into the district to run instead, believing her to be foolproof because no one would dare attack the patriotism of a veteran who gave limbs in the service of her country. Obviously Emanuel has never heard the name Max Cleland. If you want to read about what a vile, cynical, counterproductive POS Rahm Emanuel is, go spend some time over at DWT. And this is the guy who has Barack Obama's ear.

So combine a cheap political operative like Rahm (who as a former ballet dancer is probably plenty squishy about Teh Gay himself) with a cautious centrist like Obama, give them shovels, and they will not hesitate to throw the entire gay community under the bus (at the same time as they're trying to get money from them).

John Aravosis, who seems to have been foundering a bit since January 20, sitting back and letting Chris Ryan rant over and over and over again about how the baby boomers are to blame for everything, has found his mojo again over this. Six states have legalized gay marriage and not one person in those states has found him or herself divorced the next morning as a result. The world has not come to an end. We have not been visited by seven plagues, except in Bergen County, New Jersey (where gay marriage is STILL not the law), where Monday's hailstorm might have had me wondering for a while. And there's Barack and Rahm, still trying to win over the very same Christofascist Zombie Brigade that's been calling Obama a Muslim and a terrorist and appearing all over Fox Noise to whip gun guys into a frenzy -- and taking one of their most loyal groups of voters and telling them You Do Not Matter.

Nice tin ear there, fellas. And if you think that hastily slapping together a benefits package for gay federal employees that expires when you leave office is going to get you off the hook, guess again.

Note to the President: Jettison Rahm...the sooner the better. Because he is an albatross around your neck. He took credit for Howard Dean's 50-state strategy; a strategy he wanted to see dismantled. He thinks his political instincts are great, but he's just another cheap, glad-handing sack of shit who schmoozes and strongarms and thinks that's what's important. Perhaps you are too. But if you don't want to be thought of this way, get rid of this guy. Because he is going to steer you wrong every damn time.

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4 Comments:
Blogger Jayhawk said...
You might want to see what I think, read the last two paragraphs of this post. Okay, I'll give you a hint. I don't disagree with you.

And the word verification is "outswee" to boot. Oh my.
6/17/09, 10:05 AM  
Anonymous black knight said...
BEING GAY IS A WHITE MANS THING.WHY
SHOULD WE CARE WHAT THEY DO.KNOW WHAT I MEAN
6/17/09, 11:52 AM  
Blogger Gabriel Shanks said...
Ah, being gay is a white thing. Hmmm. Nice crowd you got these days, my old friend.

Am I ashamed of Obama over this? Of course. But as you and I have discussed offline many times, anyone who EVER assumed Obama would be an advocate for the left -- whether that is gays, women, whatever -- simply didn't do their homework before the election. He is a moderate at best, and has an almost pathological bent towards reconciling with those on the other side of the aisle.

Is that healthy? Is that right? Is that moral? These are enormous questions, and it's blithe and reductive for all of us to assume that we can expect him to make from-the-heart-and-hip decisions. That's not who we elected...in fact, that was his predecessor's M.O., and I hated that bastard. So I'm upset, but I'm giving the man the four years he's earned to see what he'll do.
6/17/09, 9:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...
While I never thought Obama was going to usher in the era of perpetual "sunshine, lollipops and rainbows", he is expending a lot of his goodwill and popularity on the economy and international affairs. He can't lead every parade right now.

The left needs to create popular support on various issues without the fragging of potential allies. The President can use his popularity and political influence to provide the decisive final push but others need to provide the real leadership.
6/18/09, 6:38 PM  
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