Do you think Republicans and Fundies treat them better? If so, why and how?
Stop the hate, smear and lies On 10/28/10, dick <[email protected]> wrote: > Maybe the gays are finally waking up to the way the Dems have been > treating them for years, just agreeing with to harvest their votes and > then bye bye until the next election. I don't think the gays here in > NYC have woken up to that yet although maybe some have but it is long > past time when this fairly well educated group does wake up to their > treatment by their erstwhile friends. Maybe they have been treated > this way so long that it sort of a Stockholm psychosis situation. > > On 10/28/2010 07:33 AM, Bruce Majors wrote: >> >> >> >> Gay voters angry at Democrats could sway election >> >> AP >> <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ap/brand/SIG=11f589428/**http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ap.org%2Ftermsandconditions> >> >> >> >> * >> >> >> By TAMMY WEBBER, Associated Press Writer Tammy Webber, Associated >> Press Writer – Sun Oct 24, 2:38 pm ET >> >> CHICAGO – Kate Coatar is seriously considering voting for Green Party >> <http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101024/ap_on_el_ge/us_gay_voters#> >> candidates instead of Democrats, whom she normally supports. James >> Wyatt won't cast a ballot at all because he no longer trusts anyone to >> fight for causes important to him. >> >> If Democratic candidates are counting on long-standing support from >> gay voters to help stave off big losses on Nov. 2, they could be in >> for a surprise. >> >> Across the country, activists say gay voters are angry — at the lack >> of progress on issues from eliminating employment discrimination to >> uncertainty over serving in the military to the economy — and some are >> choosing to sit out this election or look for other candidates. >> >> President Barack Obama's hometown of Chicago, with its large, >> politically and socially active gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender >> community >> <http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101024/ap_on_el_ge/us_gay_voters#>, >> offers a snapshot of what some are calling the "enthusiasm gap" >> between voters who came out strong for Obama and other Democrats in >> 2008 and re-energized Republican base voters, including tea party >> enthusiasts who say they are primed to storm the polls. >> >> It didn't help that the controversy over the military's "don't ask, >> don't tell" policy for gays erupted less than two weeks before the >> election, when a judge overturned it, then Obama's justice department >> decided to fight the judge's decision. On Thursday, the Defense >> Department declared that "don't ask, don't tell" is official policy >> but set up a new system that could make it tougher to get thrown out >> of the military for being openly gay. >> >> "It's all talk and nothing's happening, and I'm just over it," said >> Coatar, 62, a church business manager who said she's as concerned >> about health care and homelessness as about gay issues. "I don't know >> who to vote for and the election is a week away." >> >> Wyatt, 35, a maintenance worker at the Center on Halsted, a community >> center serving Chicago's GLBT community, said politicians only court >> gay voters at election time >> <http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101024/ap_on_el_ge/us_gay_voters#>. >> >> "Once they're elected, they're not fighting for things like civil >> unions or same-sex marriage or ending 'don't ask, don't tell' because >> they're hot-button issues," said Wyatt, who usually supports >> Democrats. "We're just used as a piggyback for them to get into >> office. It's absurd." >> >> Whether or not that's the case, Wyatt isn't the only one who feels >> that way. >> >> And in places like Cook County, Ill., where the gay population >> represents about 7 percent of voters, that could mean the difference >> between victory and defeat in some races, said Rick Garcia, director >> of public policy for Equality Illinois. One of those races is a >> much-watched and close battle for Obama's old Senate seat between >> Democrat Alexi Giannoulias and Republican Mark Kirk >> <http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101024/ap_on_el_ge/us_gay_voters#>. >> >> "If (candidates) can mobilize the gay community and get them out to >> vote, it could make all the difference in the world in some of these >> key races," said Garcia. >> >> <http://news.yahoo.com/politics/> >> Larger version >> <http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=10q989nvm/**http%3A//yhoo.it/bOPBL5> >> Ask America: Learn. Listen. Be heard. >> >> >> Ask America >> <http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=10q989nvm/**http%3A//yhoo.it/bOPBL5> >> >> >> Election forum >> <http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=10qi0g596/**http%3A//yhoo.it/bLMDkC> >> >> >> The Fast Fix >> <http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=10qrrkn2n/**http%3A//yhoo.it/dhbH5a> >> >> >> Map snapshot >> <http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=10qbpgaci/**http%3A//yhoo.it/cXAAkF> >> >> But volunteers who've been calling the 18,000 or so members of >> Equality Illinois to urge them to vote have been getting an earful. >> Many members say they won't vote or will vote against incumbents, >> regardless of their party affiliation or stance on gay issues. >> >> This year's election is a stark contrast to 2008, when the gay >> community turned out in droves to elect Obama and help Democrats >> regain control of Congress. >> >> "People were clamoring and very excited about the change that >> then-candidate Obama promised America," Garcia said. "Now I see >> lethargy at best and disgust at worst." >> >> He said gains won under Obama, including in fighting housing >> discrimination, have not filtered out to many in the gay community >> because "the big issues have not appeared to change at all." >> >> "But change takes time; sometimes it takes a lot of time. A lot of >> folks just don't understand that," said Garcia. "I am older and more >> seasoned, but most people are very disturbed with the administration >> ... and they're the hard ones to get out to vote. >> >> "The message is huge: Don't take us for granted." >> >> Tracy Baim, publisher of Windy City Times, Chicago's oldest and >> largest GLBT newspaper, and author of the new book "Obama and the >> Gays," said disappointment is showing up in another way: Some are >> refusing to donate money to candidates until they see progress, >> although it's difficult to gauge how much that has affected fundraising. >> >> A message left Friday with the Democratic National Committee >> <http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101024/ap_on_el_ge/us_gay_voters#> >> seeking comment was not immediately returned. >> >> But many gay organizations are working hard to get voters to the >> polls, fearing they could face setbacks if Republicans retake control >> of Congress. Baim said Democrats and Obama still enjoy widespread >> support in some parts of the gay community, particularly among >> African-Americans and Latinos, and she believes the majority still >> will vote. >> >> "People are disappointed but understand that this really is the best >> hope for significant change over the next several years," she said. >> "But at the same time, the anger is very real." >> >> Robin McGehee, co-founder and director of the national gay-rights >> organization GetEQUAL calls the mood among gay voters a >> "disappointment canyon" but said they have no choice but to go to the >> polls. >> >> She, however, is refusing to donate to or volunteer for any candidate >> this year. And members of her group are protesting wherever Obama >> appears on the campaign trail >> <http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101024/ap_on_el_ge/us_gay_voters#>. >> >> "We can't not take advantage of the right to vote, but that doesn't >> mean we can't vote smartly," said McGehee, of Fresno, Calif. "If I was >> a leader in the Democratic Party, I would be worried. >> >> "Either we're important enough to fight for our equality or we're >> worth losing," she said. "Right now we're being treated like we're >> worth losing."-- >> >> -- >> Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. >> For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum >> >> * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ >> * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. >> * Read the latest breaking news, and more. > > -- > Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. > For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > > * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ > * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. > * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -- Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time. Have a great day, Tommy -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more.
