Obama admin's (lame) fed partner benefits plan designed to stop DNC fundraiser disaster.

[Starry Messenger]

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/11509/nyt-obama-admins-lame-fed-partner-benefits-plan-designed-to-stop-dnc-fundraiser-disaster

This administration, the Congress and the DNC need to see the LGBT ATM shut down. NOW. That June 26 LGBT DNC fundraiser is toast. No one is buying a partner benefit plan that doesn't include health insurance, for god's sake. Will he announce an effort to send Congress something to act on? Uh, keep dreaming - his DOJ just wrote up a brief that uses defenses against incest and underage marriage to claim our relationships are unworthy of equal treatment under the law. They can't unring that bell.

Mr. Obama will be weighing in for the first time on one of the most delicate social and political issues of the day: whether the government must provide benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. While he will announce a list of benefits, officials said, they are not expected to include broad health insurance coverage, which could require legislation to achieve.

"...But administration officials said the timing of the announcement was intended to help contain the growing furor among gay rights groups. Several gay donors withdrew their sponsorship of a Democratic National Committee fund-raising event next week, where Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. is scheduled to speak."

[Skittles]

1. it's a bone toss

very lame one indeed

[Starry Messenger]

2. Very inept.

And divisive too. It can't sit well with the federal employees to be used as cover in this manner.

[orleans]

13. interesting perspective. i hadn't thought of that aspect.

you might be right--i wonder how they're gonna feel being in the middle of this?

[Bluenorthwest]

20. They will feel like the 'still marrieds' in CA

Worse than those who got nothing.

[ronnykmarshall]

43. As one of the still married in CA

we still feel like we have nothing.

God forbid if one of us were sick and in a hospital outside of LA or SF.

[IndianaGreen]

3. No money until they treat us as equals!

FRAK the whole lot of them.

Bernie Sanders is the one that rocks, and that's because he is a SOCIALIST!

[Skittles]

12. there's no empathy there, no understanding whatsoever, IG

they're just going through the motions - very badly indeed

[hulklogan]

4. It sounds like the White House has already lost the spin on this one,

especially since we're now seeing that health care and retirement cannot be included because of DOMA. The LGBT blogosphere is already riled up about the memorandum and it's only been a few hours since the signing was announced.

[Starry Messenger]

5. Exactly.

I think the momentum is unstoppable now. This isn't going to go away. It sounds like protests are in the works for this fundraiser, too.

[LooseWilly]

6. It's not just the LGBT ATM... there're lots of us sympathetic straight folk who want no part

... of this sell out.

And no health insurance?... Isn't that the big deal being worked on now?... Is the new plan not gonna cover same sex married couples like it will hetero couples??? The bad just keeps compounding...

Is credit card debt the only right that same sex married couples are going to get under the changes of this administration?...

[jgraz]

7. It's the first time we've seen the Obama White House in full-on panic mode

Not a pretty sight.

[Rowdyboy]

8. I really don't think this will work...Obama is smart but he has misjudged....

(or more likely not worried about) GLBT support. Without health care and retirement protections just what the hell is improved by this move. I'm sure its very nice but it should have been done long ago.

[QC]

11. Enough misjudgments and it starts to look like a pattern. n/t

[Rowdyboy]

14. Ya think?

Well put.... :thumbsup:

[QC]

17. Yeah. I think we just saw the biggest bait 'n switch scam in history.

But what do I know--I'm just one of those "insufferable ingrates."

[Starry Messenger]

19. I've seen a few posters in GDP say that "they gave Bush 2 years"!!11

I'm beginning to think we've been overrun with actual conservatives who just switched teams recently. No wonder it's like banging your head against a fucking wall to get anyone to listen. I never gave George Bush 5 seconds. Anyone who gave George Bush any serious consideration as a President is someone who runs counter to the spirit of this website, IMO. It's ridiculous.

[QC]

21. I think that's it as well.

It's the only possible, or at least likely, explanation for the radical shift this site has undergone in such a short time.

[jonnyblitz]

36. I saw that , also. nt

[ronnykmarshall]

44. What a load of shit.

GDP has become a fucking gay bashing forum.

If I see "he just upholding the current law" by a certain person named after a candy bar in the United States I'll fucking puke.

[Starry Messenger]

46. If GDP were an actual workplace

several people would be fired for their behavior in there today. At least at places where I have worked. I wish we had the same standards here. It's horrible today.

[LostinVA]

47. Know what? That's actually an excellent code of conduct for the Admins to have

I mean that (and, am including myself in this).

[Starry Messenger]

49. I don't know why they don't.

I'm including myself as well. There's a reason businesses have those rules: so the workplace is fair and not toxic to people. GDP needs a sensitivity training and a large dose of valium, stat.

[indigo32]

50. 'I never gave George Bush 5 seconds'

I MIGHTA given him that... but not more than that. As he might say 'I looked into his eyes', oh and listened to a bit of what he had to say on the campaign trail and instantly disliked him LOL.

[sui generis]

58. well, take no prisoners. We were here first, not going anywhere. /nt

[ronnykmarshall]

45. We're PAPS: Perpetually Angry People

That was one of the gems thrown at us.

[QC]

51. I rather like "insufferable ingrates." One of the head cheerleaders

threw that one at us yesterday.

Love the alliteration!

[ronnykmarshall]

66. The i i's or aye-aye's for fun!

[Chovexani]

75. Gay only like two thing.

;)

[ronnykmarshall]

82. ASS and Judy Garland!!!

[David Zephyr]

9. Crumbs.

It is a "lame" plan. And it's insulting if this was his big June announcement.

[Starry Messenger]

10. Pam's update via AmericaBlog:

White House admits Obama "benefits" speech simply political ploy, plan still being created after it was already announced


by John Aravosis (DC) on 6/17/2009 12:48:00 AM

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:

But administration officials said the timing of the announcement was intended to help contain the growing furor among gay rights groups. Several gay donors withdrew their sponsorship of a Democratic National Committee fund-raising event next week, where Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. is scheduled to speak.

Just as bad, it seems they came up with this proposal on the fly. In spite of the fact that for a while they've been hinting that they'd do this, the NYT discovered that the details of the "plan" haven't even been decided, yet the White House is already announcing it publicly.

http://www.americablog.com/2009/06/white-house-admits-obama-benefits.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/us/politics/17gays.html?_r=2 (go to bugmenot.com if you don't have a subscription).

[Rowdyboy]

15. This shit just smells worse and worse and worse....

I can't imagine Obama's crew being so tone deaf and ignorant of the gay community to expect this crap sandwich to be appetizing. They really must be clueless.

[dgibby]

16. Rachel and Chuck Todd pretty much said the same thing.

[donco6]

24. So, they came up with this "on the fly."

They had to *huddle* to come up with this dusty bone? But I thought Obama had this grand plan for teh gay? Couldn't he have implemented Stage 1 or something? Or maybe . . . could it be? . . . that <gasp> there ISN'T a plan?!!

[indigo32]

52. He has sent private assurances

From NYT article...
'He has sent private assurances, several activists have said, that he intends to do more in coming years.'

Fuck that. The whole point is to stand up, be a leader. More in the coming years means absolutely NOTHING.

[AntiFascist]

60. Ridiculous, obviously he is too embarassed to make public assurances. n/t

[Autumn]

77. Private assurances my ass. I have decided

I sure wouldn't buy a used car from him.

[NorthCarolina]

18. Obama to announce

that all Federal employees who receive the annual Thanksgiving Day turkey may now legally share said turkey with their same sex partner, and the pet may now legally have any scraps that remain.

[QC]

22. Ouch! n/t

[Bluenorthwest]

23. Even those who throw the dogs a bone

usually leave a bit of meat on it. This is like throwing the dogs a stick and yelling 'fetch!'
Just so insulting. It is as if Obama thinks this is 1990 or something.

[Cherchez la Femme]

80. Throwing a stick & saying

Mangia!

:puke:

[jonnyblitz]

25. k & r, this needs to go to the greatest page because the

apologists believe this empty gesture should be enough to shut us the fuck up.

[Starry Messenger]

26. Thanks jonnyblitz.

I know people don't like to "recommend" bad news. I wish they'd change that button to "must read" or something. I went into GDP for 5 minutes this morning and almost barfed.

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

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

[QC]

29. Steal their pom poms.

That'll show 'em!

[jonnyblitz]

32. somebody implied i might not really be gay, just a provocateur

in a thread. jesus christ. :rofl:

[QC]

33. Of course, I have often thought the same of the relentless apologists

who suddenly reveal their gaiety in the midst of their passionate defenses of obama's face-slaps to our community.

Seems like a lot of them also have lesbian cousins, come to think of it.

[jonnyblitz]

35. "why i just talked to my gay cousin on the phone and he sees no

with Warren giving the inaugauration invocation" :crazy: :crazy:

[QC]

39. And my lesbian third cousin twice removed says DADT is no big deal! n/t

[LostinVA]

40. Well, duh

That keeps happening to me, too.

:pals:

[QC]

41. After a lifetime of vigorous heterosexuality, I turned homo just last week

purely so that I could say unkind things about Obama.

Was it worth it? Probably not, as I surrendered quite a few legal rights when I made the transition. But is any price too high to pay when it comes to opposing He Who Represents All That Is Good In The World?

I think not.

[jonnyblitz]

63. they need to look at the thread with your wedding pic then

:hi: :hug:

[donco6]

30. Working themselves into a lather as we speak

It's kinda fascinating to watch actually. Like bears with birthday cake.

[QC]

34. Yes, today is going to be a day for enthusiastic worship,

and this crowd's great sacrament is fagbashing.

Should be interesting.

[theHandpuppet]

62. Good grief!

I usually avoid GDP because it makes me feel as if I've entered some kind of Obamaland theme park, but I took a peek over there this afternoon. What has happened to that forum? The stepford atmosphere totally creeps me out -- and I also think it is DANGEROUS when any group of people ceases to question and quashes all dissent. If I wanted to live like that I'd move to North Korea but I wouldn't fool myself into calling that "democracy".

Scanning through the thread topics I see they're now even clamoring for Rachel Maddow's head since she dared question Obama's commitment to GLBT civil rights. What the hell is wrong with these folks? Not to say that I'm surprised... DU has always had an undercurrent of homophobic poison running through its veins, though many keep/kept hoping this was not the case. I believe it's all too evident any time the GLBT community here dares to speak out. Oh, we're fine and dandy as long as we're all nice and polite and QUIET, just shoveling our money and efforts into DNC coffers. But boy, insist on a seat at the front of the bus and all that poison comes spewing forth. It's so predictable but it surely tells us where we really stand, doesn't it? Those who weren't convinced during the McClurkin wars should surely be convinced now -- unless suffering from a chronic case of denial.

[Starry Messenger]

64. I put about 10 more people on ignore today.

Everyone who cares, cares already. I've tried to win hearts and minds in there and they just don't give a fuck. I was once one of Obama's cheerleaders and I've been called a freeper, a racist, a PUMA, etc. for dissenting on anything. I'm not even gay, I just think people should have a heart and listen to the community that knows its own concerns best. It's ridiculous in there. Skinner needs to pour bleach on that forum. I usually stick to GD or else huddle in here. The homophobia in there is just way too disturbing.

[donco6]

69. It's a sideshow.

Like a carnival, only scarier.

[nikkos_71]

85. I can honestly say

that I was one of those apologists a few days ago. I kept sticking up for him and kept thinking maybe, just maybe he is going another route. But when I read the DOJ brief, I was mortified and vowed right then to stop sticking MY neck out for someone too chicken shit to do the same. He COULD have just remained silent until a more thought out plan was devised. He could have used language not so inflammatory. But he came out with both guns. I am just sick reading all the updates and what not. Did we really have the hope that this politician would be better than the rest?

[Starry Messenger]

86. Hey nikkos.

I almost missed you in here. A belated welcome to DU :hi: Yeah, that brief was terrible. I just read an article with Gibbs basically confirming that Obama approved of the brief. Sick.

[bluedawg12]

88. You're right about that.

The language was so over the top in that brief it was shocking and disheartening for many.

Welcome to DU, BTW! :hi:

[QC]

89. Welcome to DU! n/t

[donco6]

91. Yes. I know exactly how you feel.

Welcome.

[QC]

28. Proud to be fifth rec. n/t

[GodlessBiker]

31. I think this makes things worse. Bigots can now say that LGBT fed employees get some benefits...

even as health insurance and retirement are excluded, as they continue to fight against the repeal of DOMA.

[bluedawg12]

37. here's your token

now get under the bus.

[TheWraith]

38. Funny that this got started LONG BEFORE that fundraiser was planned, then.

Or does everybody forget that they started extending federal benefits with the State department, many weeks ago?

[bluedawg12]

42. I recall all of the people who said Sec. State Clinton had no such authority

yes, I remember all of the well wishers here very well. :evilgrin:

[LostinVA]

48. Kudos to The Wraith for praisng SOS Clinton's actions

That's a big thing for him to do!

:thumbsup:

[donco6]

70. You've got a point. And the thumbs up - I need a screenshot of that.

[indigo32]

53. Where and when

is this fundraiser? I hope it is protested.

[Starry Messenger]

55. It's this Thursday night, Indigo32.

https://www.democrats.org/page/contribute/dc261

Several people who had pledged to attend have pulled out now in light of the DOJ brief including John Aravois, Towle of Towleroad, The Human Rights Campaign--
http://www.towleroad.com/2009/06/david-mixner-drops-out-of-next-weeks-dnc-fundraiser-in-dc.html

I haven't seen any news on a march or anything yet. Some people have mentioned it as a good idea at PHB.

[indigo32]

56. oh puke

I had heard HRC pulled out. Very proud of them for doing so. I hope many others do. I just cannot show up in DC to express my opinion in person, but it would be a wonderful way to start pride weekend.

[LostinVA]

54. And somehow, it's now Barney Frank's fault DOMA repeal isn't in the Senate

'Cause he's gay and all.

[ronnykmarshall]

67. Yeah that's the latest from the pom-pom group.

Again, I think I'm more pissed off at them than I am at Barrack.

[donco6]

73. They've got the I Want Ponies thing going full-bore.

They're starting to scare me.

[donco6]

71. And YOURS for NOT CALLING YOUR CONGRESSPERSON!

So Stop Bothering Brittney!

[sui generis]

57. Effective immediately

gay partners of gay U.S. employees will be allowed to continue referring to themselves using their first name and surname. See, I support Teh Gays!

The longer I see this man's mind in action the more deeply I'm convinced he's not much smarter than Dubya; just has more attention span.

[sisters6]

59. Contact the hosts of next week’s 10th Annual LGBT Leadership Council Dinner and ask them HOW DARE

Contact the hosts of next week’s 10th Annual LGBT Leadership Council Dinner and ask them HOW DARE THEY ask the LGBT community to CONTRIBUTE MORE MONEY to a Party and an Administration which has treated them with utter contempt from the beginning??

Tom Petrillo, Chair
LGBT Leadership Council
tel. [phone]

Rep. Barney Frank:
tel: [phone]
fax: [phone]

Rep. Tammy Baldwin:
tel. [phone]
fax. [phone]

Rep. Jared Polis:
tel. [phone]
fax. [phone]

WRITE AN EMAIL



[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Email and Fax a letter like this:

Dear Mr. Petrillo,

How dare the DNC and the Obama Administration ask the LGBT Community for donations?


...............

I will not only NOT CONTRIBUTE ONE PENNY to the DNC until this administration stops treating our community with contempt, I am asking everyone I know to join me in BOYCOTTING YOUR FUNDRAISER and calling attention to the HYPOCRISY of the current Democratic Party Leaders.

Sincerely,
Your Name

[AntiFascist]

61. K&R! n/t

[mitchtv]

65. How dare they indeed

K&R

[Hell Hath No Fury]

68. I am going to puke --

if I read one more rationalization for what has been a pattern for first candidate, now President Obama. :mad:

DU is certainly turning into something right out of the Twilight Zone. :scared:

You will eat the crumbs and LOVE IT, dammit! :crazy:

[Starry Messenger]

72. I keep thinking of a tshirt I saw in Hawaii.

There are certain people I'm never going to see in the same light ever again. I can't believe what this place has turned into.

[Chovexani]

76. That was a sign in the occult shop I worked at.

Along with "Shoplifters will be possessed" and "Unattended children will be sold to starving artists for food".

[Starry Messenger]

79. Too bad the text would shrink if I tried to make it my avatar.

I'm tempted, but the effect would probably be lost.

[bluedawg12]

78. !

:rofl:

But, it ain't gonna work.

[David Zephyr]

84. LOL.

Excellent.

[Chovexani]

74. This was a complete joke

Jesus, health insurance is what MOST of us need partner benefits for in the first place. And most of us aren't gov't employees anyway.

What a crock of shit, and how insulting that anyone thinks we will fall for this (though I'm sure the Aunt Lizas among us are clapping for the table scraps from the grown folks table).

[ronnykmarshall]

81. Aunt Lizas!!!!

I love it!

And you are so right. Benefits are the #1 thing on my list.

I can't even put my husband (we are "legally" married in CA) on my insurance w/o my employer lowering my salary for the cost of adding him.

Equal my ass!

[mitchtv]

87. I owe taxes on my hub's medical benefits

pisses me off

[bluedawg12]

90. OMG. The real stories

some like to gloss over and pretend there aren't real people affected.

I'm so sorry.

[Dragonfli]

83. K&R