Let's hypothesize. What's the most clever, chessy reason for Obama expanding gay partner rights?

[Aloha Spirit]

I have something in mind that relates to creating pressure to undo DADT.
I mean, this is an opening move.
Am I right?
Or is it just a token.
Please help me understand.

[lindisfarne]

1. Expand? How about make equal in every way? If Iowa can do it, so can the federal govt.n/t

[Aloha Spirit]

2. I'm confused, how does that address my post?

[Celeborn Skywalker]

3. None.

He is afraid to do it, for reasons I don't understand. I hope and pray it will get accomplished by the end of his term.

[DURHAM D]

4. Attendance at the DNC/LGBT fundraiser?

just sayin' - its pretty damn obvious

[billyoc]

5. The DNC fundraiser is about to be cancelled, quick, write a memo.

Checkers, at best. :eyes:

[LostinVA]

6. He isn't expanding gay "partnership rights (whatever that means)

[sniffa]

7. Q-c7

[rug]

12. That's a clever opening move.

[stray cat]

8. If it is so offensive Federal employees should in mass refuse the benefits

[ecstatic]

9. Wait and see

:shrug: Why get upset before finding out the facts?

[Political Tiger]

10. Progress has to start somewhere; This is a starting point! n/t

[QC]

11. To keep the fundraiser on track. n/t

[Dawgs]

13. Unfortunately, I think this is just a token. DADT will addressed next year, but it should be now.

:(

[Diamonique]

14. I agree with you. I think he's putting pressure on Congress...

... to undo DOMA.

An executive order is just a temporary thing that can be undone easily and quickly by the next President. So... he makes some noise about extending benefits for federal employees with same-sex partners, but he knows that it doesn't go far enough. So Congress has to step in and make the bigger changes.

I'm glad he's willing to take all the political flack for this, because ultimately it's really not in his power to just dump DOMA. Congress has to do it. And the reason Obama wants Congress to do it is because it will have a hell of a lot more staying power than an executive order.

That's what I'm hoping he's doing anyway. Remember, this guy always thinks ahead. He doesn't do things for the short term. Any action he takes is always a few moves ahead of everybody else.

ETA: And I'm VERY glad that he's not going the route of GWB, i.e. the "unitary executive" who can change laws whenever he wants with EO's and signing statements.

[Doctor_J]

15. to cleverly hide the fact that he's anti-gay

heh

[dionysus]

16. because it's the right thing to do?

[donco6]

17. He likes money?

I mean, that's pretty much what he admitted to already.

http://www.americablog.com/2009/06/white-house-admits-o...

A rather blockbuster NYT story in tomorrow's paper about Obama's ploy to win back the gays by offering some federal employees some benefits (but not all, including no health coverage).

The White House actually admitted to the NYT that they were offering the benefits to help contain the "growing furor among gay rights groups." How about doing it because it's the right thing to do? How about doing it because you were already planning to do it to help our community, because you recognize us as human beings? We kept being told, fret not, we have a secret plan for your civil rights - now it seems, not so much:

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

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[karynnj]

19. How about "It's the right thing to do"

[Starry Messenger]

20. It's a token to save the PR disaster their fundraiser has become.

HRC pulled out yesterday. I have family affected by this and they are fucking pissed.