Here's a nice easy one. Get POTUS to drop his challenge to DOMA unconstitutionality.
On Jan 7, 11:43 am, Tommy News <[email protected]> wrote: > LGBT Groups Scale Back Goals In 2011, Search For Smaller Victories > With New Congress > > WASHINGTON -- Facing an emboldened Republican House unlikely to > consider significant gay rights legislation in 2011, the nation's > leading LGBT advocacy organizations are aiming to push for measures > that advance pro-equality causes but are a far cry from historic bills > like the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. > > A new analysis by the Human Rights Campaign, the country's largest > LGBT advocacy group, argues that the 112th Congress will have 53 more > lawmakers unlikely to vote on behalf of advancing gay rights than in > the previous session; the Senate will have five more, bringing the > total of such members in the new Congress to 265: > > "There will be some opportunities that will be presented to us," said > Allison Herwitt, legislative director at HRC. "I think that going into > the 112th Congress, generally, we'll be looking at, what are the > bigger bills that will be moving that we can put pieces of > pro-equality -- either amendments or provisions -- into those larger > moving bills?" > > She said the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education > Act might provide opportunities to include measures addressing > bullying and harassment. The Older Americans Act could allow advocates > to push for provisions that benefit older LGBT Americans. A piece of > free-standing legislation, the Tax Equity for Health Plan > Beneficiaries Act, would equalize tax treatment for employer-provided > health coverage for domestic partners and other non-spouse, > non-dependent beneficiaries. > > HRC will still work on larger pieces of legislation, like the > Employment Non-Discrimination Act and the Defense of Marriage Act, > pushing to introduce the bills, educating lawmakers and holding > hearings on the issues. > > R. Clarke Cooper, executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans, > also acknowledges that major measures are unlikely to go anywhere but > said there are opportunities to marry the fiscal concerns of the > Republican Party with pro-equality legislation. Like Herwitt, he > pointed to inequalities in the tax code. > > Currently under federal law, employers who offer health benefits for > the domestic partners of their employees face unequal treatment: both > the employers and employees are taxed at a higher rate and > essentially, employers are rewarded for discriminating. > > We have drafted a tax reform bill that would address a 'donut hole' -- > people call it different things -- there is currently a problem with > the way the federal tax code is written that is punitive to employers, > and employees who may have a same-sex partner," said Cooper, noting it > would be LCR's first piece of legislation this Congress. "We figure, > with the current appetite in Congress for tax reform, and the current > appetite for economic growth and limiting the federal budget and > balancing the budget, this may be an opportunity for a successful > piece of legislation that could be introduced and sponsored by > Republicans, with bipartisan support from Democrats." > > He is less pessimistic that Republicans will try to take away LGBT > rights, pointing to 11 of LCR's endorsed candidates -- including five > new members -- who will be in the 112th Congress. He also noted that > on Dec. 15, the Republican Study Committee, run by the socially > conservative Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), convened a meeting with > conservative and Republican auxiliary organizations -- including the > Heritage Foundation, National Rifle Association, and LCR -- and made > clear the party will be focused on fiscal issues. > > "What Chairman Jordan shared with us is that all the priorities for > this Congress are fiscal-related," said Cooper. "One could interpret > it as there have been lessons learned either at a pragmatic or > principled level by certain Republicans on social issues, that they're > not good for the party; they are divisive. And frankly, in many > respects, from a true definition of conservatism, social issues don't > have a role in the government." > > The three priorities identified by Jordan, according to Cooper, were: > 1) a rescission package that would eliminate previously approved > spending; 2) balancing the federal budget; and 3) federal welfare > reform. > > Herwitt is less optimistic. She said that LGBT advocates will have to > look closely at budget numbers Republicans put out and where they > decide to cut spending. Will they go after funding for HIV/AIDS > programs? Hate crimes enforcement? > > Additionally, as the 2012 elections heat up, she said Republicans > might bring social issues to the table again. > > "I think they're going to have to give some red meat to their base, > and I assume it's either going to be anti-gay, anti-choice, or > anti-immigrant, or all of the above," said Herwitt. "So I just think > that when you have someone like Jeb Hensarling, who is chairman of the > House Republican Conference, he's extremely connected and close to a > lot the right-wing religious groups, so there's going to be pressure > on the leadership to deliver on some of these issues." > > One branch of government that could hold major victories (or upsets) > for the LGBT community: the judicial system. There currently are two > major cases making their way through the courts, one challenging the > constitutionality of DOMA, the other the constitutionality of > California's same-sex marriage ban. Either could end up at the Supreme > Court. > > There will also be action at the state level, with Maryland, New York > and Rhode Island looking to advance marriage equality bills, and > states like Tennessee, Arizona and Florida likely considering > legislation to restrict adoption rights for same-sex parents. > > More:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/05/lgbt-groups-goals-2011-victo... > -- > 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.
