Then do it or drop the challenge. How hard is that? It really IS unconstitutional. That didn't bother Clinton, but it should bother you.
On Jan 7, 11:47 am, Tommy News <[email protected]> wrote: > The President has stated that he wants DOMA repealed. > > On 1/7/11, GregfromBoston <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > 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 seehttp://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > > > * Visit our other community athttp://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- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - -- 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.
