Subscribe to Breaking News
Loading ...Obama: More benefits for gay workers only one step
06.18.2009 7:58am EDT
(Washington) President Barack Obama signaled to gay-rights activists Wednesday that he’s listening to their desire for greater equality in “a more perfect union.” But he didn’t give them even close to everything they want, bringing to the surface an anger that’s been growing against the president.
“We all have to acknowledge this is only one step,” Obama said in the Oval Office, where he signed a memorandum extending some benefits, such as visitation or dependent-care rights, to the same-sex partners of gay federal employees.But the president’s critics – and there were many – saw the incremental move to expand gay rights as little more than pandering to a reliably Democratic voting bloc, with the primary aim not of making policy more fair but of cutting short a fundraising boycott.
“When a president tells you he’s going to be different, you believe him,” said John Aravosis, a Washington-based gay activist. “It’s not that he didn’t follow through on his promises, he stabbed us in the back.”
Obama has refused to take any concrete steps toward a repeal of a policy that bans gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military, even though as a candidate he pledged to scrap the Clinton-era rules. He similarly has refused to step in and block the dismissal of gays and lesbians who face courts-martial for disclosing their sexual orientation, arguing that the only lasting ways would be for Congress to act.
Obama said he wants to see the Defense of Marriage Act repealed and in its place a law that would give the partners of gay and lesbian federal employees health insurance and survivor benefits, among other things.
“I believe it’s discriminatory, I think it interferes with states’ rights, and we will work with Congress to overturn it,” Obama pledged, flanked by lawmakers and advocates at his Oval Office desk.
Without that repeal, Obama’s ultimate goal of extending health benefits would have to wait. Even those who joined Obama at the signing recognized it was only a first step to achieve what they were promised.
“The community has been growing frustrated and the administration has been working on this since Day One,” said Joe Solmonese, the president of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay-rights group.
Facing fierce anger, Obama approved small changes in benefits available to same-sex couples. For instance, employees’ domestic partners can be added to a government insurance program that pays for long-term conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease. They also can take sick leave to care for a sick partner or non-biological child.
Even before Obama signed the memorandum, some agencies had voluntarily offered the benefits Obama guaranteed with his signature.
But health care benefits – the ultimate goal for many gay activists – remained forbidden by Congress.
“People feel they’re owed an apology,” said Richard Socarides, a New York lawyer who advised President Bill Clinton on gay issues. “People in the gay community feel he over-promised and under-delivered. Now, with over 250 discharges from the military on his watch … the grace period is over.”
Obama sought to paint his memo as a measure that “paves the way for long-overdue progress in our nation’s pursuit of equality.”
“Many of our government’s hardworking and dedicated, patriotic public servants have been denied basic rights that their colleagues enjoy, for one simple reason: The people that they love are of the same sex,” Obama said.
Several powerful gay fundraisers withdrew their support from a Democratic National Committee event scheduled for June 25 where Vice President Joe Biden is expected to speak.
“Latinos matter for numbers; gays matter for money,” Aravosis said.
The leaders’ withdrawal from the fundraiser comes after a handful of public missteps that White House officials concede were not handled with the best eye on public relations.
The breaking point came last week, when the administration defended the Defense of Marriage Act, which allows states to reject another state’s legalized gay marriages and blocks federal Washington from recognizing those state-based unions. Overturning it is a top legislative target for gay activists. But Justice Department lawyers used incest as a reason to support the law.
Critics saw the Justice memo as evidence of Obama saying one thing and doing another.
“I was profoundly disappointed by this action, particularly coming from this administration,” said Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., the first openly gay non-incumbent to win election to Congress. “I still take President Obama at his word that he is committed to the repeal … I also recognize that he cannot do it alone.”
Obama on Wednesday again said he was committed to repealing that law but needed lawmakers’ help.
“We’ve got more work to do to ensure that government treats all its citizens equally, to fight injustice and intolerance in all its forms, and to bring about that more perfect union,” he said.
John Berry, head of the Office of Personnel Management and the highest-ranking gay official in the administration, said the president is doing the best he can while waiting for Congress to act.
“This is a first step,” said Berry. “Not a final step.”
Sessy – tell that to people who have to pay hundreds of extra dollars a month for health care, becuase they cannot get married, the people who are denyed access to the side of a dying loved one, who are being fired and losing their income because they are gay.
Obama has such a full plate he can take time to deal with Ronald Reagan’s centennial birthday.
Undoubtably, the LGBT communcity will be left out of Obama health care reform, after all, according to his DOJ, our relationships are equal to incest and pedophilia, and that the goverment’s intrest to to deny us equal rights to save money. When did Obama’s DOJ start using Michael Steele talking points?
Response to Sesst: You may feel that the President has more important things to do for the Country but there is nothing more important than securing a citizens equal rights. I dont understand your comment about those of us that want Obama and Congress to act now in repealing DOMA and DADT and full access to all Federal benefits for legally civil-married nd civil union same-sex couples, but for me, its a matter of Justice and equlity guaranteed by the US Constitution. I am one of the 18,000 legally married couples in California and I have been in a committed relationship with my Husband for 35 years. Why shouldnt I want to make sure my spouse gets survivor benefts from Social Security, or survivor benefits from my work pension and retiree healthcare?
Look what happened to us in California where other citizens voted away our rights? This is no different situation than existed in Nazi germany, when Jews and fellow Germans either hoped things would get better or looked the other way. There is nothing more precious in a Democracy than your freedom and the freedom a nd civil rights of gay Americans are seriously diminished in this country. Within the last two months 3 young school age Gay teens have killed themselves after suffering abuse from fellow students and their school-districts just stood by, thinking it was not important enough to get involved. How about the college -grad gay who is starting out in life and about to face the institutionalized disrimination that exists in Corporate America. How often will that young Gay college grad have to hide the fact that he/she is dating someone of the same sex or that they are Ga for fear of not getting the promotion?
No we cannot be patient anymore nor say there are other things more important for the President and Congress to work at.
I urge every gay American to write an email (often and regularly) to the President, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, harry reid, Senate Majority Leader and your Federal Senators and House representative, demanding that they repeal DOMA, DADT and full access to all federal benefits for legally civil-married and civil union same sex couples.
Since Obama has ben elected, my Husband and i have shifted over $2000 in donations from the Democratic Party to LAMBDA and we will not again donate to the Democratic Party until the above legislation is passed and signed by the President.
The President and Democrats need to realize that gay Americans have turned a corner and we will never go back to listening to promises at election time. Keep your vote, your support and financial donations to yourself until this Democratically controlled Congress and President give us equal liberty and civil rights. the same rights that all other citizens enjoy. We wont be second class any more.
Unless we get something besides tokenism from this democrat congress and president I will sit out future elections.
Unless we get something besides tokenism from this democrat congress and president, I will sit out future elections.
Obama puts a bad taste in my mouth. Why are all of the white folks on here, still comparing this to “interracial marriage”?
I am a single guy who supports interracial relationships. Being in many interracial relationships myself. I was an Obama supporter, but as I repeat, he leaves a bad taste in my mouth, (no pun intended). Don’t promise to change the country, and then forget about us. A memorandum is a slap to the face. So when most of you don’t vote for him again, our memorandum is just dust in the wind.
No $ for Democrats until they repeal DADT and DOMA.
When they ask for contributions, just say I have too much on my plate to write a check.
I still support the president but I am annoyed. I get that in order for real change to happen he must have congress on board. We want laws on the books and official policy changes that he can not do alone.
I also support boycotting the DNC event and pouring our money into our causes; while turning up the heat on our civil rights agenda.
Oh, It’s nice. But I like girl more. Maybe I’m a little lesbian. For most of lesbians, they don’t know where to find out their partner or lover. But it is very easy. The reason is simple. There are a lot of lesbian site in the world, just like pinksingles.com, femmemingle.com and so on. I like those professional sites. Good luck! Babes.
Sessey, the outcome of these other issues do not matter to a group of people, the LGBT Community, if they are not full citizens with the same rights and responsibilities of other citizens. If you are not a full citizen you can be denied any benefit at any time and it is “legal”. Federal employees get the benefit of Obama’s memo. Military personnel are Federal employees. Because of DADT, they CANNOT access the Obama crumbs. Stop setteling for crap. Insist on full human and civil right now!
I hope no one is buying this load of bovine excrement. This isn’t even a token response. Its an insult and pure propganda. He4 acts like he did something when Bill Clinton put these things in place years ago and its been going on since then. All I can say is refuse to give them moeny and boycott heir fundraisers. Pull the financial support and you get action.
I’m a GAY BLACK MALE and I knew Obama was lying when he promised (on the campaign trail) to extend gay rights in America. Obama is a coward. Under President Clinton we got DADT. At least he tried in his first term. He is a Weak Half Black Man. This is why the Black community had its reservations about him. If you haven’t been through the civil rights movement or got over alot because you are half-white, You don’t truelly understand discrimination. What it’s like to be marginalized, treated as being invisible. My GOD,his own parents could not marry because of discrimination. Even A die Hard full Black president that despised the Gay life styles, would promote equality because they would understand the implications of unequality. Don’t be fooled, The black community will take what it can get, but when a lot of us look at OBAMA we don’t see our reflection. OBAMA’s Black Father was not around so he did not get the “FIRE” that blacks have inside. He’s a Wuss and always has to have a consensus before moving ahead. He just wants to be pretty, cross his legs, and be on TV. He doesn’t want to be President. All style no substance. I hate that people call him African American. and by the way, NELSON MANDELA IS Pro GAY MARRIAGE. A BLACK MAN THAT KNOWs INjustice and discrimination. Desmond TUTU is PRO GAY MARRIAGE.. A BLACK MAN THAT knows discrimination. AS FAR AS the BLACK vote on PROP 8.. THe BlaCK Community was attacked by the church just before it was time to vote. More outreach needs to be done by the gay community to the black community. BARACk is a user. He used his church to get to the senate. Used his pastors speech for the key note adderss in 2004. Used gays money for fundraising. And after he got what he wanted, threw us all under the bus. Used Jessie Jackson, then threw him under the bus. He is so afraid of loosing his AA black christian base. If he was a real AA he would know the the Black community honors courage and integrity over any type of religion. Church in the AA ommunity is a meeting place for politics, organizing, fashion, and networking. We believe what we want to believe and put what we want in the collection plate. We know christianity was used to oppress us but we use it to our benefit. OBAMA does not know this because he did not grow up in a Black Family……BARACK is a loser.
Ashawan,
“If you haven’t been through the civil rights movement or got over alot because you are half-white, You don’t truelly understand discrimination. What it’s like to be marginalized, treated as being invisible.”
You want to dog out Obama? Please go at it. You’ll find tons of friends here, but this racialist/racist drivel serves no purpose. And isn’t even connected to history.
Sincerely,
James
Sessy, what is more important than EQUALITY? Or do you know what EQUALITY is?
Only two things need to be done. (1) Tell the Christian Taliban go to reproduce themselves and pass a very simple law the invalidates DOMA. (2) Tell the Generals and Admirals to go reproduce themselves along with the Christian Taliban and pass a law the invalidates DADT. Two simple one sentence laws. No staff work, no committee meetings, no phony bovine fecal matter discussions – just two simple acts. Won’t take any time away from all the other monumental projects like health care, financial rules, etc. Then, Sessy, you can join the White House and piss and moan about all the other problems that poor Opuke is confronting.
I hope this democratic fundraiser completely falls apart. I urge anyone who was thinking of going to pull out. Time to put our money where our mouth is.
Don’t give money, and they listen, it’s that plain and simple…we are not getting what we need, and want and deserve…so we don’t need to give them what they need, which is money. Just that easy! It’s politics, and it is money based — get used to it!