So reports the New York Times News Service. Yes, I know, it’s pressure from the anti-gay social conservatives that dominate the GOP that keeps Obama from banning anti-gay discrimination or supporting marriage equality—and it’s the reason why the Democrats failed to move forward with the Employee Non-Discrimination Act, which never left committee when they controlled both houses of Congress for the first two years of Obama’s presidency, and why the Democratic leadership dragged its feet on repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell” until the Log Cabin Republicans’ lawsuit (and an uproar from LGBT bloggers) forced a last-minute move.
But if that is the case, then really, wouldn’t it make sense to shift the focus to supporting, and electing, pro-gay Republicans, whereas the national strategy of making the major LGBT lobbies into fundraising arms of the Democratic Party is likely to produce just more of the same?
More. From the Washington Blade: “U.S. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) expressed little interest Wednesday in advancing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the wake of an announcement from the White House last week that the Obama administration won’t take action against LGBT workplace discrimination at this time.” And why would he?
8 Comments for “No Anti-Gay Bias Ban on Federal Contractors”
posted by No Anti-Gay Bias Ban on Federal Contractors | QClick Radar on
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posted by Houndentenor on
There’s a little problem with your plan. A Republican majority will mean that no pro-gay bill will even come up for a vote, much less pass. Pro-gay Republicans only help in a narrow Democratic majority. Or at the state level (in moderate to liberal states) where the Republican leadership isn’t so vehemently anti-gay.
posted by Jorge on
Replace “leadership” with “rank and file” and I’d agree more with you.
Nancy Pelosi is considered very liberal, but as much as I knock her for that on her role in Obamacare, she does compromise or retreat when she has to, and she presents a vision and public face that adequately represents the Democratic party.
It’s simply that the task of changing the Republican party is less tactical and more strategic. Shifting the left alone isn’t enough.
posted by TomJeffersonIII on
{sigh} How many times does it need to be said? OK, one more time. Please pay attention, OK? Federal gay rights legislation faces two major hurdles; the conservative wing of Republican Party and conservative Democrats.
The conservative-theocratic wing pretty much controls the party at the Federal level. It is very hard to be a pro-gay rights Republican and get elected to the U.S. House or Senate. It is a bit easier to do so as a Democrat, depending on the State or District involved.
Conservative Democrats in certain States or Districts are going to be leery about backing gay rights laws if it is going to play badly back home (“Blue Dog Democrat voted for the Godless, Gay Agenda”)
What can be done about all of this? Well, certainly look at trying to get more pro-gay rights candidates elected in the House and the Senate, but that is generally easier said then done.
It requires actually finding ‘electable’ Democrats and Republicans who are willing to run for office and support gay rights legislation in States or Districts that tend to have very right-wing views on homosexuality and their “Godless, anti-family, life-style choice-agenda”.
I have often suggested that GLBT conservatives might want to consider actually running in GOP party primaries. I made this suggestion with the transgender community when they were upset over the ENDA bill.
But if that is the case, then really, wouldn’t it make sense to shift the focus to supporting, and electing, pro-gay Republicans, whereas the national strategy of making the major LGBT lobbies into fundraising arms of the Democratic Party is likely to produce just more of the same?
posted by Tom Scharbach on
… wouldn’t it make sense to shift the focus to supporting, and electing, pro-gay Republicans [instead of Democrats]…
Well, if we did that, we could certainly focus our efforts to a very few key races this November.
It makes sense for gays and lesbians to support pro-equality Republican politicians. It does not make sense for gays and lesbians to abandon support for pro-equality Democratic politicians.
posted by Mark on
Stephen,
“… wouldn’t it make sense to shift the focus to supporting, and electing, pro-gay Republicans [instead of Democrats].”
Absolutely, it would. But since you write about this topic frequently, could you provide more specific guidance for readers? For instance, in the ten most competitive Senate races this year (MT, NV, MO, NM, WI, VA, ND, ME, MA, OH), could you let readers know in which of these 10 races gay-rights advocates would be better off with the Republican nominee prevailing? As far as I can tell, in nine of these states the nominee or likely nominee is virulently anti-gay; and in MA, we have a Republican who can’t even bring himself to support marriage equality (and continues to support discrimination against his own state’s married gay couples at the federal level) nearly a decade after the state let gays and lesbians marry. Where are these “pro-gay Republicans” running for the Senate?
I’ve donated to the campaigns of both Roy McDonald and Mark Grisanti in the New York state Senate. But in competitive races for federal office, apart from Richard Tisei in MA-6, exactly where are these pro-gay Republicans you’re urging us to support?
posted by Houndentenor on
One other point. Some of us live in states or districts where the winner is going to be a Republican. It would behoove us to vote for the candidate who, if not pro-gay is at least the least anti-gay of the primary challengers. I’m just now starting to decide which of the Texas Senate candidates vying to replace Kay Bailey Hutchison is the least heinous of the bunch.
posted by Houndentenor on
Also, anyone interested in supporting pro-gay Republicans should donate to the campaigns of the GOP state legislators in NY who voted for marriage equality. Some of them will be facing primary challengers and will need your support. It would send a bad message to other Republicans if voting for gay rights means losing your seat.