UPDATE:Obama won't issue executive order, won't include health benefits

details details!!!

by John Aravosis

Ah, those pesky details.

As you may have heard, President Obama tomorrow will be signing a presidential directive, not an executive order, providing "some" benefits to gay and lesbian employees. Well, the details, murky that they are, are coming. And they aren't great.

First off, Chuck Todd on MSNBC said that because this is only a "memorandum," as he called it, it will expire when Obama leaves office. Lovely. Second, health benefits for federal employees won't be covered. Why? Because of DOMA, so says the Advocate.

http://www.americablog.com/2009/06/obama-wont-issue-executive-order-wont.html

fumes from under the bus bothering anyone yet?

On pretty much every issue of importance to this country.

Hopefully this isnt what we see for the next 8 years.

just great

But if Obama is thinking that this will calm down the debate, instead of just fuel it, he's mistaken.

It's just going to provide an immediate close at hand of the division between what straight people get and what LGBT people get, and how much different it would be if he kept his promise to end DOMA.

And now we know that's not so good for the GLBT community.

when I was called a racist over and over. The view from under the bus is getting smoggy.

ps.. I can't think of anyone who more richly deserves to be disapointed and p'd off than the folks are americablog. It is all my gay and lesbian friends I feel bad for.

Though I'm sure it will feature more prominantly as well. I hope that all those who pulled out of the fundraiser that seemed to prompt this, tell Obama that he needs to do better.

I mean, I can understand some of where he's coming from. He doesn't want to repeal DADT by executive order, because not enforcing laws is not a good thing to do, but if that's the way he wants to play it, then he needs to prod congress into action. Come out with a strong stance that this NEEDS to be repealed, and start kicking some ass until it is.

The same with DOMA, it's not something he can order out of existance, but he can set the tone for dealing with it. As long as he's being wishy-washy on this issue, others who do have the power to act, will feel safe to be so as well.

His administration (him) sent someone to defend DOMA to the SCOTUS.

then even if the most important actions need to be taken by the congress, he still has an obligation to be setting the tone and kicking some congressional butt. To the extent that this isn't happening, then Obama needs to have his own butt kicked a bit.

The only way something can't be changed like that is through Congressional Legislation signed by a President.

in terms of political capital. Over 70% of people agree with us on this issue.

No matter what you want to call it. Executive order or memorandum. They both can be overturned by the next President until Congress acts

has he issued any pleas to Congress to get on the stick? Harry Reid says hes waiting for Obama to act, and there is no one right now who wants to take on this issue
so far all I see is a lot of bipartisan pandering and a few well chewed bones being thrown to the LGBT community in hopes that they will shut up about their civil rights.
they wont.
and I wont.

I would prefer an executive order for the reason I said but the lack of health care and retirement benefits are way bigger problems.

In the meantime, decent men and women are having their careers destroyed for no reason. None of you apologists have ever been able to provide a decent excuse for Obama not to issue an immediate suspension of DADT.

Yes, DADT should be repealed by Congress, and Obama should be pressuring them to do so. He can start by sending the message that he SUPPORTS having gay servicemembers by suspending DADT.

There is NO justification for his continued cowardice and/or bigotry*.

*I used to think he was just a coward, but it's looking more and more like he's really just a flat-out homophobe.

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

Are you saying that anyone who posts regularly in GD-P is a homophobe? I certainly HOPE that isn't what you MEANT to say.

lol. no. from some of the responses Ive seen on the LGBT forums on facebook, this just makes it worse...condescending, patronizing, trying to keep teh gays in check..

Friday, June 12, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Obama defends DOMA in federal court. Says banning gay marriage is good for the federal budget. Invokes incest and marrying children.
by John Aravosis (DC) on 6/12/2009 09:44:00 AM
UPDATE: Show Obama you mean business, donate to AMERICAblog.

<snip>

"Holy cow. Obama invoked incest and people marrying children."
http://www.americablog.com/2009/06/obama-justice-department-defends-doma.html

And just because you don't understand it doesn't mean he didn't do it.

Science & Technology

Underfunded Scientists Force Lipstick-Covered Rat With Cancer To Run Through Maze

June 12, 2009 | Issue 45•24






http://www.theonion.com/content/news/underfunded_scientists_force?utm_source=most_pop_dugg

The Onion story is social satire, and the DoJ brief is homophobic garbage.

He CANNOT include health care benefits. Yes, it's because of DOMA, and yes, DOMA must be repealed. But for now, sickening as it is, it IS the law. Now, I don't know about you, but I'd much prefer that we have a president who goes about things in a legal way, including working to get DOMA overturned.

How angry were we all (or most of us) at what the Bush administration did? And now, because it's our issues we're talking about, it should suddenly be okay for the president to just thumb his nose at the law like Bush did?