Don't worry Dan, we have Ken "Superman" Mehlman looking after our rights now!

that 19% are probably military, retired military, or parents of military. the DoD sources most of its cannon fodder from america's hinterlands; bastions of ignorance, intolerance, and judgement.

It is getting harder and harder to support them dems. It seems to me that the only thing making any advances in civil rights are the court cases... and even then its just as likely that the champions of equality were placed by republican administrations... the whole process of fund-raising has destroyed our chances of making any (decent) advancements via the legislative process... ENDA, DOMA, and DADT will not move for many years to come. I have lost faith in anyone in Washington sticking their necks out in a substantial way for the gehs. We are a hated minority and we get in the way of their money... thats it... we are EASY PEASY to throw under the bus... you can get in trouble for supporting us but you cant make friends nationally by supporting us... yeah... im feeling pretty fucking bleak about this... but why should ANYONE in politics stick their neck out for us when the president, who's parents marriage would have been illegal had SCOTUS not intervened and we had waited for the fucking bigot douchebag assholes to ALLOW his parents to marry, doesn't give a crap about our equality... he only seems to care about us as a fund-raising constituency... he has made it clear that he finds us a nuisance that he seems to want to go away...

but then again... civil rights are a tough sell... so i say fuck em...

we will just have to keep shaming them until the rest of the country is at 100% approval of two men having butt sex... because that is ALL this comes down to...

straight men being terrified that SOMEONE might think they want a phallus shoved in their butt...

fuck you
fuck you
fuck you

no one wants to rape your fat saggy ass

but

perhaps now that the repiglicans seem to be trying to decide between the evil mexicans and the other brown people worshipping allah... maybe they will get off our fucking backs... but i doubt it

people just hate us... we make them uncomfortable...
end of story

but yeah... fuck the dems and fuck obama for lying to us and thinking that we are stupid to believe he gives a shit about us just cause he says he does...

i DREAD the possibility of some tea party cunt becoming the next potus and making it WORSE for us but... if they wont lift a finger for us then they should not expect us to do so for them

and on with my friday

1. A potato isn't a fruit. It's a vegetable.

2. Democrats are likely to see majorities reduced but that does not mean loss of control.

@4

You need to have control to lose it, and even with their current majority the Dems let the Republicans run the show.

Don't worry, gays and lesbians will still blindly give their money and support to the same political party that stabs us in the back. And the rest of the liberal base will do the same. There's a word for doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result...

At least the Republicans hate us to our faces; the Democrats just stab us in the back.

VOTE GREEN PARTY!!!

The Democrats are in charge?!?!? Holy shit, I hadn't noticed

@2

Exactly. Thing is, that 75% of Americans were probably never in the military. Most military folks support it. And who's Obama to come in and tell the military how to run the show based on civilians' input? Especially when he himself never even served? Think, Savage, think... Oh, yeah, sorry -- he's not pushing for a repeal 'cause he's a raging bigot. Sorry, I forgot.

@6

Vote Green? Really?

How'd that work out for you in 2000?

Question: Do you think Al Gore would have put anti gay initiatives on the ballot in 2004 to win re-election?

@9

Hey dumbass,

This is a representative democracy and the president is the commander and chief.

If you want to live in some banana republic where the military is in charge, then please go move somewhere else.

First, it's not like congress didn't do anything. Obama has accomplished more in four year for progressives than any politician has for the past 40 years, and more than any Green ever.
That said, it is irritating that the Democrats have only taken baby steps towards ending DADT. However, electing a bunch of Republicans won't help that cause at all. The only way to gain influence is to make pro-gay voters an indispensable and powerful part of the Democratic coalition.

@11

Excellent point. It IS a representative democracy. And the majority of Americans oppose gay marriage too, so it should be banned. Majority rules! Who knew you were a bigot? Thanks for sharing, pencil dick.

Yes, yes. Dems and Repubs are the same. Stabbed in the back. Thrown under a bus. DADT DADT DADT ENDA ENDA ENDA. Green Party, Ralph Nader, Dennis Kucinich. Capitulation, corporatist. blah blah blah.

There are actual differences between the parties and one is definitely better than the other. Of fucking course, they should be infinitely better, but something is better than nothing.

It would be far easier to end up with a truly progressive majority in the House and Senate by keeping what we have and building from there, than once again, "starting over."

But i forgot. If there is one thing Democrats love, it's the circular firing squad.

Hey I'm disappointed in Obama just like everyone else here, but I would never say that there is no difference in the Democratic and Republican parties.

Most Republican elected officials are vying for the religious right vote and so, therefore, they are against granting rights to gay and lesbians, including domestic partnership rights and civil unions. Most Democratic elected officials are at least for granting adoption rights and for civil unions or domestic partnerships. Yes it's a compromise but at least it's a step in the right direction.

In our own state, for instance, it was the work of Democratic elected officials that created our own domestic partnership laws (Sen Ed Murray and Rep Jamie Pedersen especially, with Gov Gregoire supporting and signing the legislation). I don't have the votes in front of me, but I believe that most Republicans in the state legislature voted against.

In CA this year, the Democratic nominees for governor and attorney general are both for gay marriage and both against arguing the Prop 8 case in court. Both the Republican nominees are for arguing the Prop 8 case in court and against gay marriage.

And of course, none of this would have been made possible without the support of former San Francisco Mayor (and current Lieutenant Governor candidate) Gavin Newsom, who, by San Francisco standards, was a conservative Democrat.

Also, in Multnomah County, OR, where I use to live, it was Democrats on the county board of supervisors, who voted to extend marriage rights to gay and lesbians, back in 2004.

Democrats are as useful as a sack of flaccid dicks.

@2 is wrong. People in the military who are against this are mostly either senior officers or old fogies. Most military people think it's stupid too. It's like all the time we spent in the field discussing politics ... as in zero.

The Dems always ignore the left that put them in office thinking it's the middle they need. They end up with neither.

@14

Amen brother.

I have always believed that we get somewhere by starting where we are at and not by starting from scratch.

American Democracy has always been incremental. It's all about building coalitions and slowly working towards a common goal.

That's how it works, like it or not.

PS It is very doubtful that the Democrats lose control of Congress. One thing is the Tea Party movement, which has given Republicans some really crappy candidates, especially in the Senate ( AK, KY, NV, FL).

Another thing is that the Democrats still have a slight fundraising advantage.

http://www.swingstateproject.com/diary/7…

And another thing is that Republicans are just as much disliked and that most people still agree with us on the issues.

Democrats will lose seats, which is historically the norm (mid-term election; president's party loses seats). We may even lose a lot of seats, due to Obama's low popularity. But it is doubtful that we lose control of either chamber.

@13: Wow. Just wow. passionate_jus makes the very excellent point that in this country, the government runs the military, not vice versa. To which you responded by comparing military policy to basic civil rights, and making the bizarre implication that the military is somehow not subject to the orders of its civilian commander, and thus to the will of the people.
The rights and responsibilities of individuals are inborn and cannot be trusted to a vote. Public policy, on the other hand, must be decided by popular sovereignty, or else the government is tyrannical.
(That said, I don't think Obama is a bigot. I think he's being overly pragmatic.)

You're missing the point re: losing control of Congress.

Individual congresspeople mostly don't give a shit about control of the houses or political agendas. They only care about preserving their seats. Since the party leadership - the ones at the top, who set the agenda - already have the advantage of long incumbency, they have absolutely no motivation to do any more than the bare minimum on any given issue, and if the issue doesn't affect their likely reelection bid significantly, they have no motivation to do anything at all.

I'm looking at you, Pelosi. Fuck your shit.

Anyway, there's no payoff to military policy reform for Democratic congresspeople, because the military is such an unpopular, low-priority area for their constituencies. It's easier for them to sit back, do nothing, and let the gay rights battle be fought in the states and the courts.

Fucking cowards.

Do nothing? The House passed repeal of DADT. It's pending in the Senate. That's the first time either house of Congress has voted on this issue since 1993. Getting it through one house is progress. They had to put a fig-leaf on it with the requirement of the Pentagon study and certification by POTUS and SecDef that it won't harm combat readiness - but that's a fig leaf to try to get to a vote on the merits in the Senate, where the obstruction to voting comes from the Republicans.

There is a big difference between the parties. How many years has it been since Matthew Shepard was murdered until we finally got a federal hate crimes bill? And we got it, from the Obama Administration and the Democrats in Congress. We also got quite a few small but significant changes in executive branch policy, and we're getting judges appointed who will be more receptive to our cases.

We are not living in a Democratic paradise, but it makes a HUGE difference to our agenda if the Republicans gain control of either house or increase the size of their minority in the Senate. It does make a difference who we vote for.

@9- Which is why we never integrated the armed forces...

Oh yeah, the President just told them to do it or quit. And then they did it. The fact that Obama never "served" is irrelevant, he's at the top of the org chart.

Here's the part that gets me: "The military is currently undertaking a review of how best to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, which forbids openly gay men and women from serving in the armed forces." What the fuck do they mean "how"? You stop kicking people out when you find out that they're gay. Simple. There's no question of "how." What they're ACTUALLY considering is how to appease homophobic bigots when they stop kicking out-gay-people out. There's a simple answer there, too: don't. They can fucking deal with their issues or quit, and if we actually shut our pointless wars down, the personnel losses won't really matter. We shouldn't be punishing gay people because the ignorant bigots that hate them might get upset if we, say, follow the law and treat everyone equally.

As for the Dems, they may soon realize that it's pointless to try to cooperate with ignorant, bigoted, fundamentalist theocrats who refuse to engage in evidence-based thought processes. If they lose control of Congress and look back to see that all they accomplished was the passage of a few weak, values-compromised formerly-progressive bills (neutered health insurance reform and economic regulation) and a bunch of Republican-written legislation, we may finally be able to get back on track (following another few years of reactionary policy changes and corporate raiding of our public infrastructure). The party leadership also needs to step up and stop letting moderate Republicans like Lieberman or the "Blue Dogs" run on the ticket. And Pelosi needs to go after repeatedly selling us out in an attempt to avoid disfavor from the radical right/FOX News; why do "OUR" guys care what they think at all?

I guess people don't remember how bad Bush was, so much so that they're already shitting on Obama a few months into his term. Well, here's a reminder of how good he's been, and of what he's really accomplished:

There is a rising chorus of impatient progressive bloggers, some on these pages, calling
Obama a failure and a do-nothing president only nine months into his first of four years as
president. SNL's "do-nothing skit" on Obama may well have empowered some on our side to
start playing on the fringes of the Limbaugh sandbox. While the charges and name-calling
are not as vicious as the Limbaugh Lemmings, it has started nonetheless.
So what has our newly-minted asshole president been doing for nine months?
Let's start with what he has not done. He has not found a cure for cancer, reversed climate
change, ended poverty, brought peace to the Middle East, ended all wars, created enough
new jobs, or created a single-payer healthcare system. These are big ticket items that no
president will ever accomplish, so it is a little disingenuous to suggest a standard for Obama
that does not apply to all past presidents or to future presidents. As Princeton economics
professor Alan Blinder says in assessing what Obama has accomplished so far, "If he seems to
have achieved little, it's partly because he set out to do too much." To which I would add, and
we created an unrealistic agenda for what we wanted him to accomplish.
Let's continue with what he has done. First and foremost, none other than the Wall Street
Journal, in an assessment titled, "Democrats Quiet Changes Pile Up", says he has
accomplished more in nine months than George Bush did in his first nine months.
Let's be specific:
1. Significantly, he buried the Imperial Presidency of George Bush and restored the
Constitutional balance of government by respecting the equal standing of the legislative
branch of government. As a former constitutional law professor, this is a major matter of
change of tone and style that he promised during the campaign, and he has delivered. (Not
pretty or necessarily effective given the Reid-less leadership in the Senate, but we are a
constitutional democracy.)
2. Passed and signed the stimulus package, the biggest piece of legislation--ever--in blinding
speed, thus being able to start to stabilize the economy, with GDP now projected to grow at
the rate of 3 percent by the end of the year. Check the comeback of your 401K since Obama
has taken over.
3. Stabilized the top 20 banks without federalizing them.
4. Reduced the rate of foreclosures inherited from the Bush administration.
5. Signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act that makes it easier to sue for wage discrimination,
a dramatic reversal of the bill's fortunes under Bush.
6. Granted regulatory power to the FDA to control tobacco products, another dramatic
reversal of the Bush years that industry has lobbied hard to prevent.
7. Signed the Matthew Shepard Hate Act that expanded federal hate crime protection to
categories of sexual orientation and gender, to the major consternation of the Religious
Right.
8. Killed the F-22 fighter jet program, a popular program with Congress, saving billions of
dollars.
9. With a stroke of a pen, enacted, by executive order, (see correction below in comments, it
was a bill signing) the largest conservation measure in 15 years, spanning the Bush and
Clinton records.
10. Implement an electronic medical record system before any healthcare legislation was
introduced. This new technology will be singularly responsible for saving lives and reducing
the high administrative costs of healthcare, a key element of reform.
11. Extended a $2500 tax credit to 5 million families to help with college tuition.
12. Cooperated with Japan in bringing a $5 billion stabilization package for Pakistan.
13. Engaged the Muslim world in a dialogue, beginning with his unprecedented speech in
Cairo, followed by an interview with Al Arabiya, and face-to-face discussions with Iran, a
total reversal of the Bush years of Muslim baiting and hate.
14. Dramatically reversed the reputation of the United States around the world, with now
most nations looking favorably on the US, and receiving the Nobel Peace Prize as one
consequence.
15. Agreed to plan for bringing the troops home from Iraq, at a slower pace than what he
promised, but based on knowledge that commanders-in-chief, not candidates, have.
16. Brought the White House online, doing for the White House what he had done for political
campaigning. There are now online Q&A's with the administration, and a White House blog.
17. Released the names of all visitors to the White House, a total reversal of the secret Bush
years.
18. Told Mexico that the US is responsible for some of their drug problems, a no small, but
truthful admission.
19. Restored the rights of states to regulate the medical use of marijuana without fear of
federal law enforcement intrusion.
20. Banned the use of torture, and he has begun a complete review of the torture policies
under Bush.
21. Appointed the first Latina to the Supremes: Imagine what would have happened to the
Supreme Court under four more years of radical Republicans. Obama has thus averted a
long-term dramatic swing to the extreme right on the court, and appointed a progressive to
keep matters in check.
In summary, and to those on these pages and elsewhere who see things differently, I say this
feels a little like Waiting for Godot. Let's recall one thing that Samuel Beckett said in the mischievous play:

"The tears of the world are a constant quantity. For each one who begins to weep somewhere else another stops. The same is true of the laugh. Let us not then speak ill of our generation, it is not any unhappier than its predecessors. Let us not speak well of it either. Let us not speak of it at all. It is true the population has increased."

What The "Do Nothing" Obama Has Accompli…

Something for all to think about the next time nonsense like 'Obama hasn't done anything' is said.

So Obama hasn't done enough for us? Well yeah, maybe not- since he's getting unlimited shit for every action and effort he HAS undertaken.
Despite disappointment or dissatisfaction, how is bailing on the Dems helping any of us? Unless you are hot for Palin and share a taste for that mysterious Koolaid the Tea Party is drinking-time to fight back the crazies. Stick it out, support Obama and the Dems & lets see what we CAN get done. Nobody said it was going to be quick and easy...
Yeah, ok- you voted him in... thanks, guess that lever was hard to push, huh?
What have you done for him lately?

What did we expect would happen in the first two years of Obama or Clinton if the latter actually happened?

Either way - the expectations were high but we set those expectations. We saw the impossible as finally becoming the possible. We felt that this was our time to undo all the injustices and crap the GOP and Bush et all had inflicted on this country for the past 30 odd years.

Okay - I felt that way to.

I'm a supporter of President Obama - but admittedly I find myself wanting a bit more. A bit more in his ability to convey passion, a bit more in rhetoric and a bit more full throated support, not just from his WH communications team, but from Democrat talking heads. I respected and supported President Clinton because of his "honesty" and ease at communicating to the "folks". I respected his accomplishments and bravado but especially his retaliatory instinct.

But in retrospect the accomplishments of the Clinton Administration came with a price - one of those being DADT.

Did we as Democrats verbally slay and forsake Clinton when he folded and compromised on a policy with the GOP that ended up being called DADT - no .... Did we rally in opposition to his support of NAFTA that helped dismantle the middle class -- no .... Did we cry bloody murder when his center left ideas moved more to the right and Wall Street deregulation -- no. Did we take a few steps back from him when it was clear his dalliances were destroying the "party" ... no.

But we're ready to castigate Obama because he wont act on policy before the 12 month deadline he gave the military and Congress to repeal DADT. And yah - Senator Ried's idea to put this to a vote now was questionable at best -- but that's a whole other discussion.

So what's this progressives jump on Obama and hurt him and the party harder about...?

R we ready to give a F-U to Dems because they didn't get a pure healthcare bill, or a larger economic stimulus - whatever ... Okay - I'm pissed at the conservadems. But what gets me is that we're ready to expunge and eviscerate a President and as a result a viable party for the next ten years - and if that happens the ability to overturn DADT, improve healthcare etc - is nill .....

So let's get our shit together ....