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Donald Hitchcock, writing at Act on Principles, asks national LGBT leadership a pointed question: what went wrong with the Obama Administration? We had such high hopes — are we supposed to be content with only the Byrd/Shepard Hate Crimes Law?
As an LGBT community we were so hopeful in the Obama Administration. We were going to get ENDA passed, DADT repealed, and even our relationships recognized with the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Many in our community were part of the Obama Transition team, and many met to provide resources, advice, and support to the new Administration.
Now we are seeing our legislative priorities (in no particular order) including ENDA, DADT repeal, Uniting American Families Act (UAFA), and DOMA repeal slip beyond the midterms….
Recalling those hopeful days of the Obama/Biden Transition, Hitchcock kindly re-posts a message from Greg Varnum, Executive Director of the National Youth Advocacy Coalition. From the December 2008 meeting, Greg wrote:
A number of things about the meeting left me feeling very optimistic about the developing relationship between Obama’s Administration and the LGBTQ community. For starters, The Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute’s excellent leadership on the Presidential Appointments Project has resulted in a collaborative effort our community can certainly be proud of. The transition team cited it as a model for how constituency groups should approach the appointments process. Kudos to Chuck Wolfe and Mark Perriello for their vision and leadership on this project.
Leaders such as Rea Carey from The Task Force, and Joe Solmonese from the Human Rights Campaign, spoke about some of our top concerns. Chuck Wolfe from The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, shared his comments on our community’s expectations during the remainder of the transition process. Ben DeGuzman of the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA), Mara Keisling of the National Center for Transgender Equality, Leonard Hirsch of the Federal GLOBE and I all spoke to the intersections of our community over many other constituency groups and the need to address the many constituencies within the LGBTQ community. Rebecca Haag from the AIDS Action Council and H. Alexander Robinson from the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) brought up a number of important points about the AIDS epidemic which continues to plague our community. Others spoke very eloquently about many vital issues.
In fact, Greg published a list of all in-person and by-phone attendees.
Leaders Joining in Person
in alphabetical order1. U.S. Representative Tammy Baldwin (Wisconsin)
2. Elizabeth Birch, Former President of the Human Rights Campaign
3. Jeremy Bishop, AFL-CIO Pride at Work
4. Brian Bond, Former National Constituency Director at Obama for America
5. Mark Bromley, Council for Global Equality
6. Rea Carey, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF)
7. Mandy Carter, Co-Chair of Obama PRIDE
8. Kevin Cathcart, Lambda Legal
9. Jamie Citron, Former Deputy LGBT Vote Director at Obama for America
10. Ben DeGuzman, National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)
11. U.S. Representative Barney Frank (Massachusetts)
12. Joan Garry, Co-Chair of Obama for America LGBT National Finance Council
13. Rebecca Haag, AIDS Action Council
14. Leonard Hirsch, Federal GLOBE
15. Jon Hoadley, National Stonewall Democrats (NSD)
16. Jody Huckaby, Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
17. Mara Keisling, National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE)
18. Justin Nelson, National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
19. Dave Noble, Former LGBT Vote Director at Obama for America
20. Matt Nosanchuk, Convener of the LGBT Policy Committee, Obama for America
21. Mark Perriello, Presidential Appointments Project (coalition of 12 national LGBT groups)
22. U.S. Representative-Elect Jared Polis (Colorado)
23. H. Alexander Robinson, National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC)
24. Aubrey Sarvis, Service Members Legal Defense Network (SLDN)
25. Joe Solmonese, Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
26. Campbell Spencer, Co-Chair of Obama PRIDE
27. Winnie Stachelberg, Senior Vice President a the Center for American Progress
28. Greg Varnum, National Youth Advocacy Coalition (NYAC)
29. Chuck Wolfe, Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund and Leadership InstituteLeaders Joining By Phone
in alphabetical order1. Marsha Botzer, Co-Chair of Obama PRIDE
2. Dr. Eliza Byard, Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
3. Jorge Cestou, Unid@s
4. Jennifer Chrisler, Family Equality Council
5. Matt Coles, ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and AIDS Project
6. Earl Fowlkes, International Federation of Black Prides (IFBP)
7. Rebecca Fox, National Coalition for LGBT Health
8. Jesse Garcia, Co-Chair of Obama PRIDE
9. Kate Kendell, National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)
10. Carolyn Laub, Gay-Straight Alliance Network (GSAN)
11. Rick Stafford, Chair of the DNC Gay and Lesbian Caucus
12. Eric Stern, Co-Chair of Obama PRIDE
13. Lee Swislow, Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD)
14. Andy Tobias, Treasurer of the DNC
15. Evan Wolfson, Freedom to MarryPresidential Transition Team
in speaking order1. Fred Hochberg, Agency Review Team Lead
2. Mike Strautmanis, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison
3. Dana Singiser, Director of Public Liaison
4. John Podesta, Co-Chair
5. Parag Mehta, Public Liaison
6. Jim Messina, Director of Personnel
7. Elaine Kaplan, Agency Review Team Lead
8. Heather Higginbottom
9. Melody Barnes, Co-Director of Agency Review
10. Roberta Achtenberg, Agency Review Team Leadalso attending from the PTT
11. Tom Perez, Agency Review Team Lead
12. Brad Kiley, Director of Operations
13. John Michael Gonzales, Congressional Affairs
14. Chris Chan, Volunteer
15. Pepin Tuma, Volunteer
16. Alex Wagner, VolunteerAdditional Guests
1. Rufus Gifford
2. Jeremy Bernard
3. Karine Jean Pierre
Donald Hitchcock, quite rightly asks of every single one of these attendees, activists and allies all:
What went wrong my friends, what went wrong?
I wonder if we will ever know the answer to that question, as every single LGBT priority slips away in the upcoming midterms. Congress will touch nothing now. And a new Congress may be unwilling or, even, unable to bring any of our issues to the floor.
What went wrong my friends, what went wrong?
25 Comments
they were either bought off or they abandoned their principles
recommended
There’s a lot to answer for, even in post-accountability America.
Cocktail weenies and quail wings are so attractive when you’re inside the veal pen, but no one’s job is protected, no one’s military career is preserved, no one’s relationship is recognized.
Signing Hate Crimes was important, but is that really all we’re gonna get?
Since Podesta was so willing to speak out about the politicking associated with ‘healthcare’ on PBS’s Frontline last night, let me suggest he be asked.
And BTW, the program sucked.
Let’s have a look; Jim Messina, reports to Rahm, is the LGBT liaison out of the Whitehouse.
Now let your imagination work.
(rec’d)
As always, those are not mutually exclusive options.
And for all those who say “But he still has over half his term left!”, the point is that, just as with the Clintons in 1993, everyone knew that he’d have to get what he wanted done during his first year in office, or forget about ever getting it done.
EFCA? Gone.
Public option? Gone.
A Supreme Court that isn’t moving away from fascism? Gone.
DADT and DOMA repeal? Gone.
Meaningful limits on the imperial presidency? Gone.
Accountability for past and current Executive Branch crimes? Gone.
Gone, gone, gone, likely for good.
Remember George Stephanopoulos talking about the squandered promise of the Clinton Administration? Clinton changed the course of the Democratic Party, ushering in the new era of all corporatism, all the time. There isn’t a Dem alive today, including Obama, with the slightest genuine desire to reorient toward a party that actually works for the people.
Any idea if the LGBT community will rally for Obama in 2012?
My wholly unqualified guess is yes… but with considerably less enthusiasm than before.
That’s a really good question.
Right now, the mid-terms are working out to be pretty clear for me locally, and that’s where my attention is. But rolling around in the back of my mind is ’12. There will be much sharper optics next summer.
I haven’t staked out a 3rd party position, yet. But I very well might. Belch is just disgusted with the whole Obama affair and I’m thinking he might just sit out in ’12. At least that is the noise (among others!) that he’s making right now.
And remember all the discussion about how Transition staff would not be going on to serve in the Administration? Interesting that Director of Personnel, Jim Messina, late of Senator Max Baucus’s office, went right to work under Rahm.
Neither mutually exclusive nor without possible causality, for that matter.
I wonder if in 2012 Team Obama will attempt to sell the idea that if reelected he will implement changes which were considered too risky politically during his first term?
Oh indeed I do remember.
Weirdly, Messina essentially hired Rahm and now reports to him. How does one square that?
And Furman. Grrr, he still bugs me.
seems to be the mindset pervading the Hopey-Changey ranks – he’ll be much more ‘librul’ his second term. yeah. except 4 years from now when nothing gets done, the excuse will be he has to protect ‘the brand’ for the next Democrat blah blah blah – just unbelievable magical thinking
Of COURSE they will!
Obama’s a progressive, dontcha’ know?
The only time there is a slim chance of presidents doing something slightly progressive is when they’re in 8th year legacy mode. Whoops, I forgot, biggest purported improvement in health care delivery since Jesus. Legacy accompli. It’s all downhill from here.
The bankers can’t see a profit in it or it’s derivatives, so there no reason to spend time on it.
If the bankers could make billions, or the MIC could drop it on various nation as a weapon, it would be law tomorrow.
You know, at some point you just have to ask when the job is gonna get done.
wrt DADT, it’s not like 75% of the American people don’t support it.
And with the other items, well, most Americans don’t think it’s right to discriminate against anyone in hiring.
These aren’t actually courageous positions to take, anymore. They are mainstream positions. Why doesn’t the Obama Administration understand that? And why do Obama supporters excuse it?
Why dance around it Teddy?
He doesn’t like or care about us. Period.
If anybody thinks there’s not another Rick Warren or Donny McClurkin episode coming up in ’12, they’re delusional.
Obama Does What He Wants To Do, and Does Not Do What He Doesn’t Want To Do.
That’s it.
Obama is a Blue Dog status quo corporatist. Gays are just one of many parts of the Democratic base that Obama has lied to and whose promises to he has reneged on.
While I respect the “just sit it out” thought, my own point of view is that we should ALL vote — a) for any down-ticket races that might be worth it; and b) to demonstrate that we are out here, we just won’t vote for the Dems.
I hope that by 2012 a strategy will be developed so that we can show we are here, and thus could vote for Dems, but choose not to. Something like “write in Howard Dean.”
Well that’s as good an excuse as any!! Start the list.
Seriously, start it now. It will be so fun when these guys start mouthing this crap to be able to say, “we predicted this back in 2010. Now fuck off you worthless slimeballs.”
Great post Teddy P, and great comments all.
I think Kelly nails it: “He doesn’t care about the LBGT community.”
Gays are like progs to a corporatist lackey.
Use them, but don’t empower them because they can be a threat to the revenue stream.
This country is headed to more and more repression of more and more suppressed minorities.
And progs and rational thought humans are now a minority and are being boxed in and neutralized.
Teddy,
I admire you for keeping the recent past fresh in our minds. Regardless of where one lies on the political spectrum, Washington politics has always relied on strained alliances and unriposted betrayals far more than principles and character. Queers are getting a close-up view of the underside of the Obama bus; yet, we are failing to discipline lawmakers and own our own organizations when our interests are neglected or sold out.
Still, I can’t tar all of the organizational heads–being ED or President of a group, or an elected official, doesn’t make one a “leader”–present at the December appeasement with the same brush, as I feel that several whom I know personally believed in good faith that progress would be made in the then-near future.
Money went wrong, it always does.