The proposed reform of Social Security puts a bright light on the battle lines within the gay community. Last week, the liberal Human Rights Campaign flirted with endorsing personal Social Security accounts (which gay partners could bequeath to one another). But having ignited the wrath of the gay left, HRC quickly retreated, proclaiming it actually has "no position" on the issue, reports the Washington Blade. That didn't protected it from attacks by left groups such as the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force and its allies, which again condemned HRC for merely considering working with Republicans on a GOP initiative.
Nevertheless, the Blade notes that openly gay Congressman Jim
Kolbe (R-Ariz.) is a leading backer of personal Social Security
accounts. And the paper reports that reform is being supported by
the Log Cabin Republicans:
"Social Security reform is and continues to be a significant part of Log Cabin's legislative agenda," said LCR spokesperson Christopher Barron. "Most Americans support allowing gays and lesbians to share in Social Security reform," Barron said. "We will be engaged in this debate because the reality is the Congress is going to have a dialogue on this important issue."
This declaration of support is certainly welcome, though you'd be hard pressed to find evidence of that position, or support for any GOP initiative, on the LCR's website.
Finally, the Blade also has the good sense to quote IGF
contributing author David Boaz of the Cato Institute:
Boaz said the current Social Security system was designed in the 1930s for married couples with wives who did not work. Single mothers or same-sex couples were not contemplated by the creators of a system that now fails to meet the needs of a changed society, Boaz said.
"Social Security reform and choice will help gays," he said. Added Boaz, "You can say that gay groups should stay out of issues like Iraq or Social Security. But gays should not oppose something just because a grand coalition of the left opposes it."
But the gay left remains adamant in demagoging against reform. Note to NGLTF: the present system will go bankrupt; there is nothing in Al Gore's "lock box" but a mountain of slips marked "I.O.U." that future taxpayers will be forced to pay (and pay...and pay....). And because they won't want to pay the lion's share of their earned salaries to support the elderly, the future of tomorrow's seniors will be bleak indeed without personal accounts that the government can't raid at will.
Nevertheless, the gay left continues to treat any attempt to
think outside the traditional liberal-left box as heresy that must
be stomped out quickly and completely.