January 3, 2008
Sapph’s message to the Kucinich campaign tonight:
I sent this message when unsubscribing to the Kucinich campaign mailing list — and now I’m sending it to you (whoever fields these messages) in the faint hope that an actual human being might read it:
“HOW COULD YOU endorse Mister ‘Throw the Gays Under the Bus for the Southern Homophobes Vote’ Obama? Dennis, I have supported you unconditionally, and you were getting my primary vote in California. Now, tonight, after the Iowa caucuses, I may not vote at all — in the primary, or in the general election. What’s the point? I haven’t been so disappointed in a candidate (YOU) since Kerry so willingly conceded to Bush in 2004. I have NOTHING to look forward to now… except 1) a gay-hating Republican theocrat, or 2) a gay-hating Democratic neophyte. Thanks a lot, Dennis. Thanks a whole hell of a lot for throwing Iowa Obama’s way. Thanks for NOTHING.”
Addendum: I have been a yellow-dog Democrat since I could first vote, in the late 1970s. After this horrible fiasco in Iowa — for which I lay much of the blame directly at Dennis’s feet — I am finding it extremely difficult to come up with a good reason to ever vote again. The corporate suits are going to do what they want, the American people are going to continue to be blinded by the hype — and the one candidate I truly believed in appears to have succumbed to that same, starstruck blindness.
What’s the use in trying anymore? (Rhetorical question — there is none.)
Posted by: Sapphocrat
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Barack Obama,
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Iowa
November 7, 2007
ENDA Passes House Without Trans Protections
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act but with without protections for trans-workers after more than five hours of debate, wrangling, maneuvering and lobbying. …
. . .
After a brief debate on the [trans-inclusive] amendment in the House on Wednesday [Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.] pulled it before a vote. It allowed Baldwin to speak in favor of trans rights on the record, but without a recorded vote Republicans will not be able to use transgender rights as an election issue in 2008. …
. . .
Democrat Jerrold Nadler (NY) disputed [its sponsor, Rep. Barney Frank]’s assertion that ENDA without trans protections was the best that could be done and said he could not vote for ENDA as long as it failed to include gender identity. …
. . .
Democratic presidential contender Dennis Kucinich also voiced his concern that the Baldwin amendment had been withdrawn without a vote. …
. . .
On Wednesday, following the vote, HRC president Joe Solmonese was all smiles. …
“‘If we do not have the votes to go forward (with the bill including trans-people) do we do away with the bill altogether?’” Frank asked the House.”
Yes, that’s exactly what you should have done, this session!
Notice who (besides Kucinich, of course) gets it right: Jerry Nadler, as usual. The straight congressman from New York’s Upper West Side has been a greater friend to the LGBT community than the spineless gay rep from Massachusetts. (It was Nadler, remember, who introduced the Uniting American Families Act, originally the Permanent Partners Immigration Act, in 2000, and who has re-introduced it every year since.)
And: “Even if a final version is approved by both houses it is likely to be met with a presidential veto.” We KNOW THAT — so if you’re going to push it through this term, why not go for the whole enchilada? It’s GOING to get vetoed, assuming it even passes the Senate.
And: To get ENDA passed in the House, they had to reassure the bigots it wouldn’t touch their precious DoMA:
Two other amendments to specifically address White House concerns were passed.
One would tie religious exemptions to the same wording as currently in the civil rights act. The other would specify that ENDA does not negate any section of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
P.S. Solmonese, we just don’t have the words for you. How can you sleep at night?
See also:
House Wants to Throw Transgenders Under Bus
Lane Hudson Doesn’t Want a Sex Change, And Neither Do We
ENDA: For Straight-Acting Only?
ENDA-Lite: It’s Worse Than You Thought
One Gay Congresscritter With Principle and Honor (No, Not Barney Frank)
So, Exactly How Much Does Barney Frank NOT Care… About ANY of Us?
Barney Frank Flips on ENDA Again, Supports Baldwin Amendment
Posted by: Sapphocrat
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Barney Frank,
Dennis Kucinich,
Employment/ENDA,
LGBT Organizations,
Marriage Equality,
Tammy Baldwin,
Transgender,
U.S. Congress
September 20, 2007
Russell Mokhiber explains:
On Thursday night, AARP will host a debate in Iowa on the issue of health care.
Republicans and Democrats running for President will attend.
Of all of the Democrats and Republicans in the race, guess who is the only one who would put [AARP President Bill Novelli]’s buddies in the health insurance industry out of business?
Guess who is the only candidate among the Democrats and Republicans who would create a Canadian-style single payer, everybody in, nobody out, no deductibles, no co-pays, no in-network, no out-of-network, streamlined system that would save billions of dollars in administrative costs, deliver a higher quality health care system, and cover everyone? …
. . .
And guess who was not invited to confront Novelli’s corporate brotherhood of profit and death?
You guessed it.
Congressman Dennis Kucinich.
Why? …
The answer is at the link.
Discuss this story
Posted by: Sapphocrat
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Business/Economy,
Dennis Kucinich,
Election 2008,
Health & Wellness,
Insurance
