View From Washington

Obama has done more for gays than any President in history. The gay community is impatient and expects miracles in the first 18 months. African Americans didn't win equal rights in two years. It took a huge movement and hundreds of lives lost to accomplish equality. You all are being too hard on Pres. Obama! I know it would be BIG mistake to vote for a Republican in any election. They can't stand the gay community. What planet have you all been living on! Wake Up! Your comments sounds a lot like racism!

I think there are two factors playing into the conservatives beginning to "come out" on the side of marriage equality. The first is the intellectual understanding of what it means to allow same sex marriage. It clearly falls on the side of libertarian beliefs and politics. It says, government does not have the right to dictate personal choice in a marriage partner, which is supported by the broad belief in less government is good. On a larger scale, marriage supports more stable relationships; is better for the community; ensures better benefits - financially and otherwise including children being brought up by same sex partners; all of which results in less people on the proverbial "public dole." The second factor, is that social libertarians know that the future of the Republican party is in the youth of the party. Those people that are under the age of 45. There will come a time in the next 20 years where the old conservative Christian crowd will simply have died off.

@pepa - "BTW my party is the only one with a an LGBT plank on its platform." Not so. The GOP’s just doesn't name it as such. But I'd say "we call for a constitutional amendment that fully protects marriage as a union of a man and a woman," "We support the First Amendment right of freedom of association of the Boy Scouts of America and ... we call upon the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reverse its policy of blacklisting religious groups which decline to arrange adoptions by same-sex couples,” and “To protect our servicemen and women..., we affirm ... the incompatibility of homosexuality with military service,” compose the GOP’s LGBT plank. It’s just a really BAD ONE, and everyone whining about Obama and not voting for him again are just making it more likely the GOP’s philosophy to become law. No politician is your saviour, but some ARE your ENEMY.

Pepa, I don't know much about the Libertarian Party but I do know that I heard Ron Paul say that he was FOR a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage. And he openly acknowledged that that position was contrary to all of his other positions of non governmental intrusion into our lives. Now, perhaps he's flip flopped on that. I hope so. But last I heard he was against gay marriage and for the amendment.

What's all this dribble about Woodrow Wilson? The last time I heard mention of Woodie was when I was reading one of the many wonderful books Robert Heinlein gave us. Kerry, your slip is showing, honey! Kennie is the real "Stranger in a Strange Land!" And Obama will be re-elected in 2012. Now, try a different angle, if you feel the need.

It is amazing that Bush can spend this country beyond bankruptcy and nearly destroy the banking industry and, the housing industry and just walk away like nothing happened leaving BO to fit it. Remember the SURPLUS that Clinton left? In a nanosecond Bush, the dumber, spent it all and then gave his fat cat cronies a tax break.

Oh look conservatives are on board too! hurray! too bad it's too late!, they have already set American politics back by 50 years IMO.

@ JOHN M. You pointed out some obvious observations but omitted several. Yes the RNC is basically anti-gay marriage but with Mehlman at the helm I think we will get more republicans independently supporting gay marriage, or at least come to terms with it. That said I do not defend nor support the RNC or the DNC for that matter because just in gay issues alone there is not that much difference, almost all of the DNC leadership are opposed to gay marriage but support civil unions, thinking that civil unions would be a conciliation prize. Lame. For now I am not supporting any dems, only libertarians, and Rand Paul (the only Republican). BTW my party is the only one with a an LGBT plank on its platform: "Sexual orientation, preference, gender, or gender identity should have no impact on the government's treatment of individuals, such as in current marriage, child custody, adoption, immigration or military service laws." (LP Platform 1.3)

@ pepa "you liberal DEMS sure know how to serve up a plate of whackerdodle" Give me a f'ing break. Of course it is easy to point to Republicans who support marriage equality, and for every one of them there are 10 Democrats. What it is IMPOSSIBLE to do is name just three sitting US Republican Senators, or Republican contenders for current US Senate seats, or major Republican presidential contenders, who publicly support marriage equality because they all oppose it. These Republicans even universally oppose civil unions. So open your your eyes pepa, and make comparisons that are valid, not just to score points. In California, Senator Barbara Boxer publicly supports marriage equality and is up against Carly Fiorina, a Republican hack who staunchly opposes marriage equality. And Fiorina may win. So dems stop whining, take a good look at the facts, and vote for the candidates that support your values. Otherwise the Carly Fiorinas will win.

I would not deny that there is much to be challenged regarding OB's progress pertaining to issues of importance to our community including DADT, ENDA, and DOMA. Shamefully, little progress has been made during the attractive window of these past two years with both a democratic administration and Congress. I can't imagine that the next two years are going to be better for our cause. However, only the most blinded partisan would argue that we would have been any better if McCain has been elected president. Certainly, McCain's choices for the Supreme Court would have been draconian. What we are seeing is a decidedly positive shift in public opinion regarding our issues -- particularly in voters under 40. Full equality for our community is an idea whose time has come. I just wish it would come more quickly.