These are familiar words related to political power in the U.S.: incumbency (and its power); partisanship (party over policy); and though perhaps a bit less familiar, corporate dominated systems (the Corporate Duopoly / Legacy Parties; or as I still think makes sense, the Two Party Front for the Oligarchy). I came across two reports that [...]
Tag Archives | Obama
Queer Talk: Seneca, Selma and Stonewall
Widely quoted on LGBT blogs, and at least for me, by a lot of Facebook friends, is this line from President Obama’s Inauguration Day / Martin Luther King Day speech (via AmericaBlogGay: We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths – that all of us are created equal – is the star [...]
Queer Talk: Holiday Wish List and Reality Check
Actually, this is just a holiday spin on an existing Queer Wish List, and it’s a truncated version only, with only a couple of items in current DC thinking and happenings. I think my overall wish, related to our Electeds, is simple: they will all miraculously begin acting like responsible, thoughtful, caring adults in powerful [...]
The New Found Interest in Mental Health Care
For the many people who have worked for decades (and thanks and power to every person doing that) to get even sort of adequate funding for mental health care, this moment (related, of course, to the Sandy Hook murders) must be a mixture of “opportunity to educate” and “where the hell where all you people [...]
We Can Use Torture Because We’re Exceptionally Special
You remember the George W. Bush administration word play which turned “torture” into “enhanced interrogation.” Not that Bush was the first, or the last, to do such things, of course. Two things happened yesterday, related to this. The European Court of Human Rights ruled that the CIA’s rendition program employed “torture,” and the Senate Intelligence [...]
Scalia Defends Anti-Gay Comments in Response to Student Question
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear Prop 8 and DOMA cases. Obviously no one knows the outcome, but Justice Antonin Scalia provided yet another indication about his perspective on LGBTs, and they remain decidedly in the anti-LGBT side of things. At an appearance at Princeton University, freshman Duncan Hosie questioned Scalia about his dissenting opinion [...]
‘Long-Term’ Unemployed In U.S. is at 5 Million: Will Congress Extend Unemployment Insurance?
One of the many considerations in whatever kind of “bargain” Congress and the White House agree upon – grand, grim, greasy – are benefits for the unemployed. In terms of having the ability to meet basic expenses, those benefits are crucial for millions. Greg Kaufmann, writing at The Nation, includes a focus on unemployment benefits [...]
‘Sham’ Climate Summit Ends: No New CO2 Cuts, No New Funding
This isn’t a surprise, but it’s certainly yet another indication of government priorities related to climate change. There are, of course, exceptions. But in general, and with the U.S. firmly in the “general,” not the “exception” category, postpone, delay, and keep the petroleum industries happy are key. Via TruthOut: (emphasis added throughout post) The United [...]
Support for Major Medicaid Cuts Dropped by Obama
The Hill is reporting that today Obama … backed away … from roughly $100 billion in Medicaid savings it had proposed during deficit-reduction talks earlier this year. The move comes as liberals have pressed the White House to take Medicaid off the table in negotiations surrounding the ‘fiscal cliff’ — and it will make any [...]
Queer Talk: FBI 2011 Hate Crimes Statistics Show Increase in Sexual Orientation Based Hate Crimes
The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program focuses on hate crimes. The 2011 report revealed that hate crimes based on sexual orientation rose, and for the first time, were second behind the leading factor of race. The number of reported hate crimes committed against gay men and lesbians increased from 1,277 in 2010 to 1,293 in [...]
Queer Talk: George Will, Mary Matalin See ‘Consensus’ and ‘Common Sense’ in Support of Marriage Equality (VIDEO)
Yesterday two conservative “pundits” made statements about “same-sex marriage” that were in themselves signs of the growing support for marriage equality. George Will and Mary Matalin made their comments on ABC’s “This Week.” The discussion occurred related to the Supreme Court’s decision to hear Prop 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act cases, and came [...]
An Obama Push on Immigration Reform Coming in January
The LA Times reports that Obama plans push for immigration reform. Remember the conversation about the huge voter data base that is so attractive to those thinking ahead to 2014 and 2016? Politico wrote: Instead, Obamaworld — in an effort similar to the post-2008 campaign period — is attempting to leverage its campaign data to [...]
Compromising with Medicare and the Top Tax Rate
Yesterday Ezra Klein, at the Washington Post, wrote a piece that’s gotten a lot of attention. (emphasis added throughout post) The fiscal cliff deal comes clearer: a 37% top tax rate and a higher Medicare eligibility age Right now, the fiscal cliff negotiations are proceeding on two tracks. One track includes the press releases, public [...]
Queer Talk: Holiday Traditions – ‘War on Christmas’ and Salvation Army Vouchers
You know the “holidays” are drawing near when the American Family Association begins the annual “war on Christmas” warnings, and when you see the vouchers (to be dropped into the kettle) protesting the Salvation Army’s anti-LGBT position. First, the mythical “war” story, beginning with AFA warning: Scrooge Alert: Boycott Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic [...]
Charlie Crist Changes Party Affiliation to Democratic
The Tampa Bay Times reports that Charlie Crist, former Republican governor of Florida, “signed papers changing his party from independent to Democrat.” The Times described the move as “highly anticipated,” and Crist certainly chose a “media” moment to make the change, on Friday evening. He did so during a Christmas reception at the White House, [...]
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