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Loading ...Source: Benefits for govt workers’ gay partners
06.17.2009 8:48am EDT
(Washington) President Barack Obama, whose gay and lesbian supporters have grown frustrated with his slow movement on their priorities, is extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees, a White House official said.
Obama planned to announce his decision Wednesday in the Oval Office, the official said. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because Obama had not signed a presidential memorandum putting his plan into place.The decision is a political nod to a reliably Democratic voting bloc that has become impatient with the White House in recent weeks.
Several powerful gay fundraisers withdrew their support from a Democratic National Committee event June 25 where Vice President Joe Biden is expected to speak. Their exit came in response to a Justice Department brief last week that defended the Defense of Marriage Act, a prime target for gay and lesbian criticism.
Gays and lesbians also fretted as the White House declined to intervene in the cases of enlisted military members facing courts-martial for defying the Clinton-era “don’t ask, don’t tell” policies. Gays and lesbians can serve in the military now if they do not disclose their sexuality or engage in homosexual behavior.
White House officials say they want Congress to repeal the policy as part of a “lasting and durable” solution, instead of intervening on individual cases.
“The president agreed that … the policy wasn’t working for our national interests, that he committed to change that policy, that he’s working with the secretary of defense and the joint chiefs on making that happen,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said last month.
The administration has tried to make small, quiet moves to extend benefits to gays and lesbians. The State Department has promised to give partners of gay and lesbian diplomats many benefits, such as diplomatic passports and language training.
But Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s promises left out financial benefits such as pensions. Obama’s move could make that shift.
Richard Socarides, a New York lawyer and former senior adviser on gay rights issues to President Bill Clinton, was taking a wait-and-see attitude on Obama’s announcement.
“If it doesn’t include health insurance, if he doesn’t talk about the military and about the (Justice Department) brief, I think it will fall short,” Socarides said in an e-mail late Tuesday. “Right now, people are looking for real action.”
John Berry, head of the Office of Personnel Management and the highest-ranking gay official in the administration, told a gay rally last weekend that Obama planned to take action on benefits soon.
It’s nice to see that the Obama administration os at least starting to move towards equality when it comes to the GLBT population. However I am reserving judgement until I see exactly what benefits are being given and what Obama has to say about DADT and DOMA. I am not too encouraged seeing that the time of this signing is at 5:45pm instead of early to mid-afternoon when the news networks would have had time to put together a comprehensive story about the signing.
Crumbs.
We’re supposed to be happy over this, right?
I guess I’m happy, in the sense that gay employees of the federal government will have slightly better lives now.
But 95% of Fortune 500 companies already have this. I suppose I can’t blame Obama for Bush being in office for eight years… But if he was truly passionate about our being equal members of society and not just using us for votes, he would have had the executive order written even before he got into office… And issued it the day he first sat down in the big chair.
Not five months later when his approval in one of his support bases is dwindling because he’s focusing on other priorities than our rights.
Small quiet moves when it comes to extending gay rights, but BIG LOUD MOVES when it comes to drumming up tired old bigoted arguments to defend DOMA!
Yawn. Private industry has been offering this for years. Over half the Fortune 500 companies offer this benefit. While it’s nice and is something the previous administration certainly would never have done, it’s really nothing more than Obama’s attempt to get the LGBT community off his back. This action is NOT leadership. Action/legislation on “Don’t Ask”, DOMA, and marraige equality would be leadership.
A wait-and-see attitude is about all that any of us can do at this point. “Small and quiet”, more like miniscule and lip service- one can only wish that there was quiet silence in place of the administration’s Justice Department DOMA legal brief. Although the president’s quiet silence on this is deafening.
Desert bat said it best… Crumbs. These are things that should be happening in 2003 and not 2009. This is Bush Admin clean up… where are the bold moves? Where is the true change?
More BS from Obama, it is just an executive order, which means that it will end as soon as he´s not in the White House, it doesn´t include survivor´s pension benefits or healthcare….it´s nothing but smoke up our asses.
I saw this late last night and I was angry. Angry that after the DADT and DOMA briefs this is what he throws our way to appease us of the “CHANGE” that he promised? Didn’t Hilary C. extend this already in her department – so once again, we see “our” leader, not really leading but following. Don’t get me wrong, it is the right thing to do, but it is not bold, not progressive as this is standard fare for most companies today, and this doesn’t impact the community as a whole in a large scale. What we need is leadership on DADT, UAFA, repeal of DOMA, equal taxation, hate crimes leg. that includes our trans community etc. etc. etc…what we need is the promised “Change”. Restore this country back to what has been lost, hope, freedom, equality! What we don’t need are breadcrumbs that are suppose to appease us under the guise of leadership and change.
What does he think, that the LGBT Community is his lap dog and it is OK to throw us a bone? I do not know about any one else but I expected some real meat from him. Very, very disappointed. My money and support to have him elected was a waste.
He’s fierce.
NOT!
This is TcHANGE with a big temporary and a minuscule “c”. I guess O may be a leader but from an LGBT standpoint NOT. This was done in the private sector years ago. He should get DOMA repeal and do an immediate executive order on DADTDP. My approval rating of him is now at 50%. Let’s see his next move… or will it only be his next speech…
an executive order can be changed by any president at anytime. So I’m happy for federal employees but who knows if it will stick long term. Bottom line: he knew he had to do something and this is something he is in control of and does not need support by congress. The fact that he is doing something that he is in control of is a good thing. While I am appalled by the recent brief and lack of progress I truly expect we will move our civil rights forward under this president. And fully expect him to address this brief and take action.
I agree with the skeptics here. I want to see which benefits are extended AND WHICH AREN’T. If it doesn’t include health care coverage, it’s just more empty symbolism. I want to see HOW it’s done: formal executive order or something flimsy that expires. And, yeah, this is a long-overdue step that finally catches up with Fortune 500 companies. Most importantly, it DOES NOTHING to address the hideous DOMA brief. That brief tries to write us entirely out of the Constitution. Unless Obama says the Constitution protects us the same as African Americans or women, I say we ramp up the protests against him. The President parading around and saying we have no constitutional rights so detrimental to our movement that it is hardly offset by some benefits to some federal workers. Obama is not just doing nothing anymore; his administration is now affirmatively attacking our movement.
Wow – thanks for the bone.
Haven’t most corporations offered this for years?
Not impressed…