Obama inches toward gay agenda

[TomCADem]

Source: Boston Globe

WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama is chipping away at his long list of promises to gay voters but has yet to earn the full-throated backing of the reliably Democratic voting bloc.

The Obama White House has accomplished more than any other on gay rights, yet has drawn sharp criticism from an unexpected constituency: the same gay activists who backed the president's election campaign. Instead of the sweeping change gays and lesbians had sought, a piece-by-piece approach has been the administration's favored strategy, drawing neither serious fire from conservatives nor lavish praise from activists.

Obama on Tuesday planned to tick through some of the accomplishments at a meeting with grass-roots gay activists at the White House. His administration planned to announce Wednesday that the Labor Department would order businesses to extend unpaid leave for gay workers to care for newborns or loved ones.

The move, coming less than five months before November's congressional elections, seems likely to incite conservatives and Republicans who stood in lockstep against the Obama administration's earlier efforts to repeal a ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military. It also appears likely to be popular with loyal Democrats and organized labor.

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2010/06/22/obama_meeting_with_gay_activists_at_white_house/

[Rhiannon12866]

1. I'll believe it when they repeal DADT.

Until they do that, it's just talk, IMHO. :(

[Not Me]

3. DOMA must fall.

While I support overturning DADT, and surely the time is NOW, the real test will be the fall of DOMA.

[patrice]

10. DOMA is to replace the hypocritical political farce that motivated the War on Iraq: "Pro Life"

[Rhiannon12866]

18. Repealing DADT is so way overdue

We've been losing qualified military for years over this, and Dan Choi had to be a wake up call. There's no excuse now, so it just needs to get done ASAP. As for DOMA, that is pointless beyond words. It was just another distraction from actual issues... x(

[KG]

2. that there is some fierce advocatin'!

[dipsydoodle]

4. What a dreadful title

Obama inches toward gay agenda. The mind boggles.

[Robert DAH Bruce]

11. Yep

My first thought upon seeing it!

[No Elephants]

5. Inches? Full-throated? Is the author snarking?

AFAIR, more members of the GLBT community backed HRC. Or is the author referring to the general election, when the only other realistic choice was "bow down to generals" McCain and "pray against the witches" Palin?

[Jester Messiah]

12. That was my thought.

Naughty, naughty author. :evilgrin:

[xchrom]

6. hmmmmmph. nt

[adamuu]

7. oppose title n/t

[patrice]

8. me too: Prefer > President takes small steps to prevent permanent Gay under-class

[Robb]

9. Interestingly, they appear to have edited it at the newspaper.

Tidied up the "full-throated" nonsense in the lede, too. Hmm.

[Politicub]

13. I am glad he's doing things for the gay community

Of course, I would like things to move faster. But President Obama, I believe, has done more for the gay community or is pushing for positive change, more so than any other President. And I believe we should give him credit where credit is due.

It isn't warranted to only criticize what he is doing. Give him some credit for doing *something* for our community. And it sounds like there is more to come.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

14. I suspect the woman in your avatar --

might think differently.

[Politicub]

17. I can only speak for myself

But thanks for your concern.

[Evasporque]

15. Thanks for the homophobic headline Boston Globe....nt

[Lone_Star_Dem]

16. "Gay agenda"

Nice, really nice. Why not just call it equal rights for gays?

[SunnySong]

19. Because apparently the author was to busy coming up with Bon-Mots

such as "full-throated backing" to even think how his cruel words effect other people.

[Odin2005]

20. "Gay Agenda" is a Christo-Fascist term. Shame on the Boston Globe for using it.