Newsweek Prediction for 2010: Obama Does Nada on Gay Rights

[FreeState]

http://2010.newsweek.com/top-10/politics-predictions/obama-does-nada-on-gay-rights.html

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.

Not that this is news to any GLBT American thats been paying attention.

[Raster]

1. "I'll be a fierce advocate for giving a good speech."

Y'all Gay folks are on your own!

[racaulk]

2. Probably right.

We have to worry about midterm elections and keeping Congressional majorities, dontchaknow.

[bluestateguy]

3. I just think they are wrong

The DADT will be repealed in the 2011 defense authorization bill (to be passed in 2010).

[FLAprogressive]

5. You assume that Democrats will control congress then.

[TheWraith]

8. Uh, yeah. Unless a meteor hits congress first.

You know that 2010 is, like, next year, right?

[tekisui]

18. I am not so sure they control Congress now.

[Toasterlad]

26. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!

[Zodiak]

4. Doesn't matter

At this point, they have sold out so many of their original voters that they will lose 2010 in a landslide.

The GLBT people just have the fine distinction of being the first sold out in favor of conservatism and corporatism.

[QC]

10. We were the canary in the coal mine.

Looks like labor, environmentalists, peace advocates, teachers, and pretty much every other Democratic constituency are all honorary homosexuals now.

[Sapphocrat]

21. It would be satisfying if it weren't so tragic, wouldn't it?

Now they know exactly how we've been feeling all along -- even if they don't recognize it.

Goddamn shame it took their respective oxen being gored before it hit 'em, eh?

P.S. Labor excluded. Labor has always gotten it, always understood, always done the right thing. I'd throw down my life for the unions.

[QC]

22. This is a case when I would rather be wrong. n/t

[Sapphocrat]

25. If I had a nickel...

...for every time I begged to be proven wrong about this, I've be on the Gay A-List in no time.

[Bluebear]

33. Tweet. Chirp.

Flatline.

[Bluebear]

42. and kick

[LooseWilly]

34. Environmentalists? I thought they were scheduled to be sold out next year...

You know, when the climate change bill comes up... for sale. (I do have to admit some appreciation for the skill with which peace activists and teachers were both made honorary homosexuals even while the HCR battle was raging... to find the time to take care of that, even while... well, while Congress was busy with Health Care Reform... still... I guess that took priority over twisting arms of the likes of Landrieu, Nelson, or, well... any Congress people.)

[QC]

36. Never fear--there is room for all under the Hopemobile! n/t

[ProgressIn2008]

41. This is very, very true. nt

[Fumesucker]

37. Rick Warren and Donnie McClurkin were a strong "tell" as to what Obama was going to do..

I really don't understand how so many people got fooled by Obama, I've been just about completely unsurprised by anything he's done.

Better than bushie, better than McCain/Palin but that's putting the bar below ground level.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[FLAprogressive]

7. Just like 2009. Big whup he signed the hate crimes bill. It really does nothing to further the cause

[QC]

9. Oh come now, he's a fierce advocate!

Fierce, I tell you! Fierce!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

11. Not to worry. The apologists will tell you that someday..maybe...after some compromises..

he might do something..if the conditions are right.

[Marr]

12. I actually think he may do something on this before the elections.

This is something that won't cost his Wall Street owners any money, and might help pick up a few of those "irrelevant" liberal votes.

[closeupready]

13. No, absolutely not surprising. I fully expect this prediction to be accurate.

n/t

[Starry Messenger]

14. A "pragmatist" would see that giving people their rights

is the right thing to do. It would lead to immediate realistic benefits. That would be practical. Yanking the promises away from voters like Lucy with the football and thinking that you are going to get those voters back is an airy and fanciful dream. Not pragmatic.

[Lance_Boyle]

15. Take away those last three words and it's just as accurate. n/t

[CBR]

16. Well thanks all knowing Newsweek -- who a few weeks ago

had an article about Dick Cheney in 2012.

[Major Hogwash]

28. They said the recession was over in June.

Quite a surprise as more people were laid off after that issue came out.

[mitchtv]

17. I agree

we are nothing to him

[donheld]

19. Big Surprise

:grr:

[Sapphocrat]

20. "Many activists believe that in his heart Obama supports their flagship issues"

Not this activist. Never did, no matter how many "reasssurances" of 15-dimensional invisible Stark Trek chess I heard. He's Mister Finger in the Wind. Always was, always will be. You folks who believed otherwise have my pity.

And a big "Duh!" to the piece (my wife says: "Hell, even a dead Nostradamus could have predicted that one") -- even though it's nice to see the MSM finally recognizing Obama's appalling duplicity.

[mddem9850]

23. it sure seems that way

[Toasterlad]

24. Such a Fine Line Between "Pragmatism" and "Homophobia".

I expect nothing from this total failure, who surprised me by being even MORE ineffectual than I could have possibly imagined.

[Forkboy]

27. I'd like to say they're wrong.

I'd like to, but I can't.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Major Hogwash]

30. The biggest difference between Newseek and the Globe are the shiny pictures.

Sorry, it's the damned truth.

[QC]

38. Newsweek is probably right on this one, though.

Of course, predicting that Obama will do nothing on LGBT issues is much like predicting that the sun will set this evening.

[Bluebear]

40. Indeedy.

[QC]

44. PUMA!1!!!11!! n/t

[Major Hogwash]

46. The Air Force is going to court martial Lt Col Victor Fehrenbach sometime in the next few months

After serving honorably for 18 years.
9 Air Medals for distinguished service!!

He was the one on Rachel Maddow's program, and they are going to screw him.

Administration officials insisted they are working to overturn the policy. The reassurances mean little to Fehrenbach, who has flown on missions in Afghanistan and Iraq and is about to lose the only way of life he's known two years before he would be eligible to retire.

He stands to lose the $46,000 a year in retirement benefits, plus medical benefits, he would receive for the rest of his life.

Under the honorable discharge he is facing, he would receive $80,000 in separation pay.

Fehrenbach, 39, is the son of Air Force veterans; his father was a lieutenant colonel who died when he was 9 and his mother is a former military nurse who lives in Ohio. Last May he told his relatives he is gay, was being discharged from the Air Force and was going on national television to talk about it.

[Bluebear]

47. Total disgrace. Thank you, "fierce advocate". nt

[Major Hogwash]

45. Hahaha, yeah but the Globe had the story first. Newsweek has better pictures tho.

And even if they did pass some measure giving gays any rights in this fucked up homophobic gawd damned country, they'd probably put a sunshine clause in it so they could reverse their decision in a few years and claim "the grand experiment" is now over.

McCain is up for reelection next year.
I hate that racist, homophobic, warmongering piece of shit.
I'm spending all my extra bucks next spring supporting anyone who will run against him.

[joeybee12]

43. No, Newsweek has gotten better in the past few years, Time has

gone downhill...I know Newsweek is criticizing your do-nothing hero, but try to back up your comments.

[Ildem09]

31. Gee surprsise surprise

I find it very very ironic that one minority would turn on another. I mean there has always been tension between the GLBT community goals and the goals of the AA community as AA community is generally socially conservative by and large. Seeing how this president has sold every constituency down the river so far I have no reason to doubt my community will be different. GOd forbid I can go see my boyfriend if he is sick or you know propose to him like a friggin human being

[LooseWilly]

32. Doing nothing about Gay Rights is just the WH repeating their winning strategy on HCR!

Anyone who doesn't realize that Newsweek is lauding the President for once again strategically taking a "hands off" approach to getting his priorities made into concrete policy simply isn't acknowledging the resounding success of his chessmaster approach to Health Care Reform.

A public option so affordable, and of such high quality that mandates won't be required to increase the pool of participants and thereby reduce costs to the Universe at large. Need I say more?

Likewise, by remaining aloof the White House is strategically keeping the rabid right wing distracted... so that they won't notice when the Congress passes a veritable bevy of Gay Rights legislation, as sweeping as the Health Care Reform, while the right wing is distracted talking about how socialist the White House is for giving Bo a union card.

The brilliance is so breath taking that I'm wheezing just thinking about it.

If you can't see the brilliant strategy, you leftbaggers are really just rightbaggers intent on peeing on the white house lawn before you pull your pants up...

I don't know what else to say.
:shrug:

[dsc]

35. anyone who thinks 2010 would be better for gays legislatively than 2009 was bonkers

That said, I think we might get ENDA, probably without transgender protection, if we decide that tradeoff is worth it. I don't think we will get anything else in 2010 since it is an election year as has repeatedly been stated.

[joeybee12]

39. Newsweek gets the 2009 award for the obvious...just look at what he

did with healthcare...Obama stands for nothing...get ready for more progressive, common sense ideas to be thrown under the bus.

[Neecy]

48. He'll do nothing...

And we'll lose the Congress next year, and then our best chance in two decades for any meaningful progress will be over.

That isn't being pragmatic. That's simply lying to a community for their money, votes and manpower.

If you aren't a banker, Wall Street huckster or insurance industry executive you're an 'interest group' and your 'interests' won't be represented by Mr Hope 'n Change. If you're lucky, he might joke about you.