Obama to Extend Some Benefits to Gay Federal Workers
How surprising. A leak.
Reacting to a rising tide of anger from gay and lesbian supporters at a series of slights and deferred promises, President Obama will tomorrow sign an executive order extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees.
The move, which mirrors the policy of many large corporations, will have an immediate effect for many workers, but it is a deeply reactive response to a core Democratic group whose concerns have been festering for six months. The executive order — scheduled for signing tomorrow at 5:45 p.m., may in the short term give Joe Biden something positive to say at a June 25 fundraiser that has seen prominent guests drop out, a host sharply attack the administration, and which is expected to be marked by protests.
However, the Defense of Marriage Act prohibits the federal government from extending health and retirement benefits to same-sex couples, so the benefits are more likely to be marginal — like relocation assistance.
Too little, too late?
The leak came after HRC pulled out of the June 25 fundraiser.
MORE LATER: The WaPo says health care, too. Politico updated to say that “health benefits appear not to be among those to be extended.”
Emma Ruby-Sachs, the Civil Lawyer at Huffington Post is unmoved:
Obama has made it clear that he will do only the minimum necessary to avoid a gay revolution. Gay rights are consistently moved to the bottom of the political barrel. He thinks extending benefits to a few federal employees is sufficient.
It’s our job to let him know that is not enough.
11 Responses to “Obama to Extend Some Benefits to Gay Federal Workers”
I'm thinking…and this could just be a random thought, but given the reaction of the nut-job right wingers recently doing their little bombing and shooting of what they see representing the lunatic far left, like gays seeking marriage and pro-lifers…maybe….just maybe…this administration is weighing how necessary it is to fan the flames at this crucial time in our nation's history.
Of course, the certain limited fetish group which unfairly excludes polygamists for example, will cry bloody murder, stamp their feet and threaten “a rising tide of anger”. Screw the United States of America, we want to marry our fetish buddy, or bomb the holocaust museum or shoot an abortion doctor…right now! Even in these troubled times. If not actual treason, it borders on inciting insurrection given the contemporary conditions and potential for widespread national citizen instability. If you think I'm full of it, just watch Iran. All it takes is one extreme preturbing the other beyond tolerance and then it reaches an ignition point.
Political systems work best when the limits of their current elasticity are respected and not stretched beyond the breaking point..
Assuming I am correct about my hunch..
“Bomb the holocaust museum.”
Huh?
Obama has done far more for gays and lesbians than any other president… including Bill Clinton who signed that asinine “Don't ask don't tell” policy.
Everyone in this country has an agenda and wants Obama to do something for them. Personally I feel that Obama's actions with gays and lesbians will come. But I want it to be the right action with the right measured process. It's not as easy as signing a piece of paper or snapping fingers or clicking your heels three times and making wish to get rights, or benefits or be accepted. Part of obtaining acceptance in society is becoming more visible and Obama is helping that process along. Not in a confrontational or combative way, but in a reasonable tone. We've seen in US history how one group after another has had to fight for their rights or acceptance. Just because one may legally enjoy benefits does not mean that all is good.
The Politico quote is the perfect example of what I”m talking about:
“However, the Defense of Marriage Act prohibits the federal government from extending health and retirement benefits to same-sex couples, so the benefits are more likely to be marginal — like relocation assistance.”
Given the problems facing this nation, I encourage Obama to come up with a well thought-out plan, including which asinine policies and laws might need to be rethought, and proceed constructively. This isn't an easy process but patience is better. And patience is easy for me to have with Obama because I know that he supports fairness for all.
I almost want to shout back at the activists who yell out, “We want our rights NOW!” (Or something to that effect.) I feel in the long run they are probably doing more harm than good. But I have mixed feelings on that because I also believe that Obama needs to understand that gays and lesbians will not just sit back… that we do expect action…. so I think part of the activists' thumping is good, too.
Just to be clear though….. if Obama has NOT done anything in a year or two, then I will be more vocal in urging him to get this done. I don't have the patience of a saint.
“Obama has done far more for gays and lesbians than any other president”
Talk about setting a low bar.
@SF: ” or clicking your heels three times and making wish to get rights”
Love the imagery, as any friend of Dorothy would, but disagree with the sentiment. Did it really take more than that to do what Obama did today? Granted, it's not much, but it's an executive order, where Obama the good witch of DC says “give them rights” and signs his name to it. Sure, lasting change, particularly DOMA, is going to take a lot more work and legislation, and acceptance will take even longer, but there are a lot of things (DADT, for example) the consequences of which could be taken away with the flick of his pen.
@Sil: “I'm thinking…”
Sure you are, dear.
Will this include the right of Federal Employee to Sponsor their same sex Non US Partner for Immigration purposes ? (a right that ALL Federal Employees and Citizens enjoy – As long as they are not gay).
What’s that? Fat chance you say.
Right now Families are STILL being torn apart , on a daily basis, via the discriminatory practices of our Administration’s antiquated and unfair immigration system. In 2009 thousands of Tax-paying, Lawful US Citizens are forced to either – live in exile, in the shadows, enter into sham marriages or separate.
The US is the ONLY English speaking country in the free world that does not afford ANY Immigration Rights for qualified Same-sex couples. It’s LONG overdue that the Leader of the Free World step up and join 19 of our closest allies to provide some vehicle for it’s own Citizens. Federal Employees or not, ALL Lawful Americans should be able to use the US immigration system regardless of their sexuality!
Back in March the White House voiced it’s support for the Uniting American Families Act UAFA which would rectify this inequality and recognize ‘Permanent partners’ as part of immigration law. This Legislation FINALLY is getting the support it deserves after nearly a DECADE rumbling around in Congress. It is LONG overdue and the Whitehouse needs to fulfill it’s promise and help to correct this gross injustice. Support the UAFA and the RFA – because it’s the right thing to do!
If you prefer instead to be intelligent about this:
1. How much more expensive is this going to make our federal government? It only acts to make more clear that there will come a date in the years to come when it will be time to reduce or eliminate many government pensions and other retirement benefits, because we can no longer afford them (actually we cannot afford our federal government now, especially in the frighteningly worse position Obama as put it).
2. What's the policy on unmarried hetero benefits? Ideally there should be no unmarried benefits at all, but if there are unmarried hetero benefits, then extending them to gays is logical and fair, and neutrality in government conduct (true fairness and justice) demands this.
3. Some screaming GBLT activists (harkening back to the screaming scum of the 1980s) will no doubt not be satisfied with this. Note that these activists and the rest of the Left, if suspicious of Obama's true motive here, are learning a lesson (if you are capable of learning it) about the oft-hyped Religious Right whom you hate so much more viciously and evilly than they ever have felt about you. Assuming Obama did this to keep you quiet about Don't Ask, Don't Tell and other broken campaign promises, giving you a sop so you'll still turn out and vote in 2010 and 2012, to paraphrase Mike Huckabee:
Now that Obama is driving, how do _you_ like riding in the back of the bus, currently Tolerated at best?
Ha. Surprise! (shouldn't have been)
“Personally I feel that Obama's actions with gays and lesbians will come. But I want it to be the right action with the right measured process. It's not as easy as signing a piece of paper or snapping fingers or clicking your heels three times and making wish to get rights, or benefits or be accepted.”
Ironically, the Obama administration is taking on too much, not only overreaching (federalizing GM, the worst thing it's done to date, the best example) but rushing too quickly (launching strongly into health care being the best example) before the economy improves, and is likely stoking the impatience of the frequently immature leftist activists and special-interest groups (with excessive demands they've long wanted met) even more by their rushing and overreach. Sadly, some people really do seem to believe and to expect that Everything Be Done Instantly. They have no realism, no idea of what's actually to be done, how much time it takes or should reasonably take (rushing brings the risk of a nightmare, as we see currently with Congress's health care monstrosity bill), no realistic expectations, or even a sense of propriety, if they really should want what they want, or be reasonable and expect less, and accept what we frequently see, incrementalism. All these need to be learned by the activists; Obama may be exploiting them, or may simply be offering what he can at this time, because other, more important things need to be addressed than the slate of GBLT activist goals. Ahem: You are not the center of the universe.
I suppose with the disgusting payoff to the UAW (effectively making it an extension of the federal government's shares in GM and Chrysler, or of Dems in Washington, specifically), in addition to the nearly-negligeable extent of union membership where it really counts, the private sector, that is why we haven't heard (yet) from union activists who are dissatisfied with lack of progress (speed) on passage of the Employee Free Choice Act.
[...] Obama to Extend Some Benefits to Gay Federal Workers | The Moderate Voice themoderatevoice.com/35725/obama-to-extend-some-benefits-to-gay-federal-workers – view page – cached How surprising. A leak. Politico: Reacting to a rising tide of anger from gay and lesbian supporters at a series of slights and deferred promises, President — From the page [...]