On DOMA, I fully agree with him. It was a different time and there was a real threat of something much worse being passed against us. Doma was a defensive measure and I think Clinton thought in his heart of hearts that the provision was most likely unconstitutional and would be thrown out on its ass a few years down the line.

Democracy is a HORRENDOUS form of government that causes crap like this to happen. It causes infinite numbers of games to played and allows for the “concerns” of absolute loons to be considered when forming public policy!

As for DADT, let’s remember that before the drive to get DADT, the status quo in the army was even WORSE. Let’s also remember that Bill was groundbreaking in even talking about us as a community to be concerned about. He really put his neck out. This was YEARS before Ellen, Will&Grace, Logo, etc. existed. This was back when Rush not ONLY had a radio show, but a freaking T.V. show as well!

Gay was not talked about in the media, accept in negative tones.

It amazes me how immature so many gay folks are about our political system. They whine as if the Pres were a benevolent dictator! He’s NOT!

No one is going to treat us fairly because it’s the “right thing to do”. When GOPers can raise millions of dollars and votes, ON OUR BACKS, we need to understand the political reality that exist.

It is OUR RESPONSIBILITY to raise MILLIONS more dollars and votes for the opposition.

Whining about fair, and nice, and right is a waste of time. Democracy is a wretched popularity contest where groups smaller than others are totally expendable. It’s not about doing the “right” thing, or anything at all. It’s ALL about getting a seat and then, preserving that nice cushy seat at ALL costs!

We are not nearly ruthless enough. We NEED to play the game as nasty as the other players.

FOR ONE, we NEED to start dealing more regularly in black mail, outrageous allegations and the politics of personal destruction in a ruthless and calculated manner!

Remember how LARRY FLYNT ENDED the impeachment proceedings against Clinton! It was Blackmail and it worked. Just ask Rep. Livingston from LA.

Stop being so pure folks! Democracy is a SEWER, so it’s time to get our hands dirty and start throwing that poo with the best of em’.

Blame him for a lot of stuff, but not this. Get it right and then open the discussion.

Some of us probably were inspired to read the article because of the title. Many of us don’t agree with the title’s blame. I’m not so amazed how we can have opposite perspectives about the same historical subject. I am amazed how we can be dumb enough to demonize those who are more friend than enemy.

Notice how Obama’s health program ideas are being attacked by false and misleading statements. Some by the well meaning but ignorant and others by public relations firms hired by corporations and lobbies for special interests. Obama may want a one payer system but in this climate of anti-taxation, accusations of socialism, and fear of creating a system of mediocre med-care he’s facing a similar situation as Clinton faced when attempting to change the policy of gays in the military. Repealing DADT Obama will sign but getting there is a minefield and he wants the congress to clear the way.

Will we look back at Obama and blame him for compromising and not trying hard enough to get what we should really have? Of course we will. The question this article seems to be asking is: are WE doing enough to pressure our reps to get what WE want or are WE leaving it up to some assumed others that we think know more than we do about the topic and will do the real work for us? Do we really want Obama to have only one term? Then fail to appreciate what he is offering and blame him for your inaction. In which case the title may really be true….

I suggest that the editor-in-chief of 365 have a link to all the state congress and senate office holders for easy access by you and me so WE can take some of this well meaning chatter to our reps besides squabbling with each other. Then have a counter attached so WE have feedback to see if we are walking instead of just talking.

1. The jerk screwed us. If we let him off then we are setting up a future where politicians can get away with items like DADT or DOMA and say “look you forgave Clinton give me a chance. This is beginning to sound like a set up that Obama will use. Take 10 steps back and one step forward.

2. I would be happy forgetting Clinton (both) if they would stay down in Arkansas and shut the F**K up.

4. You can trust the Clintons to do two things find a way to screw you and make you feel happy about it and then blame it on others.

5. Don’t give Clinton an INCH.

“There would never have been a constitutional amendment. Everyone knew that and there was basically no talk of such. The entire talk was of what Clinton was trying to “do” to the military. In essence, he was trying to do nothing. It was simple pandering to the gay voters. It was simply attempting to utilize the money of the gay community and follow through with nothing.”

I don’t agree with a single word of that. Conservative Democrats lead the fight against this as they knew it would harm their chances at re-election with their very conservative constituency. They and the Republicans were planning on an amendment and it was in the news every night until DADT was negotiated. When Clinton replied to this man the other day that there would have been an amendment, he is correct.

At the time, Barney Frank wrote an editorial defending Clinton for that very reason.

Both Hillary and Al Gore advised President Clinton to go ahead and lift the ban and let the chips fall where they may. They felt he had made the promise and needed to follow through. Others in his administration convinced him it would harm us more than DADT, and they were right. It would be codified law at this point. It’s nearly impossible to reverse amendments. I think only Prohibition has been squashed.

Anyway, in 96 I refused to vote for Clinton over DOMA, and instead voted for Ralph Nadar. At that time I called the Green Party, which now endorses marriage equality, but whoever I spoke to said they did not then due to religious reasons, so I chose Nadar as he did support marriage equality.

And in 93 I found myself in Orrin Hatch’s office in Salt Lake City pounding my fist on his desk and demanding he vote against DADT as it was unconstitutional. He was not there, but his chief of staff suffered through it patiently and told me he’d be sure to convey my words to him. LOL.. Like that ever happened..

Like some others have stated, I often wonder when I read people attacking Bill how well they truly understand what the times were like then.

Just having the President state that he thought gay people deserved to be treated equally by the military (and society) was arguably the greatest public success the LGBT community had ever had, and an unhoped for step forward.

Before Bill Clinton, anyone could simply ignore the LGBT community (and remember that Reagan pursposefully did so even while people were dying) as crazy perverts. In fact, it was better for pols to publicly ignore our community. To make sure that everyone saw that they found queer people distasteful (even when they were privately accepting).

Even if ultimately unsatisfying compromises were the result, Mr. Clinton’s actions are to be applauded. I do not believe we would be where we are now without his willingness to try to do the right thing then. I believe, taking the times into account, that he has shown more political bravery than any major figure before or since.

Why don’t we let go of the past and focus on the present agenda? Stop publishing misleading headlines about things that happened over a decade ago. Clinton’s right–the times have changed, and now’s the time to work as a team and make the final push to full equality.

There would never have been a constitutional amendment. Everyone knew that and there was basically no talk of such. The entire talk was of what Clinton was trying to “do” to the military. In essence, he was trying to do nothing. It was simple pandering to the gay voters. It was simply attempting to utilize the money of the gay community and follow through with nothing.

It’s funny that people are able glamorize the past. I’m always amazed that people are able to glamorize the Reagan years and talk about what a “great President” he was. I know certainly that anyone saying Reagan was a great President simply does not remember the Administration.

This site should be ashamed.