Let’s just say that a little leaked email proves LGBTs are seen as the easy gAyTM to the DNC that can be manipulated, ignored, and pickpocketed as mob rule strips us of civil rights without a finger being lifted to help at the eleventh hour. It’s worse — stripping resources at the time of need. I won’t chronicle what John and Adam have detailed quite well, but if you had any reservations about the intentions versus the reality of how games are played with our community, this should clear it up.
I spoke with another DNC official today after my piece on the OFA’s fuckups/refusals to help, and that official told me “Some Mainers inadvertently got the email, but it was not sent to our Maine list.” I was also told that this was a “glitch”, and the quote above confirms that. Okay, one might think, a glitch is your system has a few people with the wrong zip codes in them, so they get a blast meant for someone else. Whoops. Fine. That’s not actually what happened. What happened, per Tobias’ e-mail, is the DNC did a large e-mail blast on this, and wanted to make sure Mainers didn’t get that e-mail, for fear that the gays might find out and ask, how come we didn’t get this kind of help?
It’s kind of like being forwarded a party invite the host doesn’t want you to come to, and when you show up, everyone gets silent and it’s a-w-k-w-a-r-d. The party, in this case, was electoral help, and OFA wanted to make sure people didn’t find out it was being grossly insensitive by not extending an invitation to the gays in Maine. Awesome.
I don’t know about you, but at the very least, it’s a peek at the kind the two-timing that goes on in national politics with constituencies they find “troublesome” or a perceived “liability” (save the $$$, of course). The difference is that the peek inside makes you realize how easily you’ve been had. In the case of LGBTs, it’s a screw job over and over. They don’t mind lying flat out, but catching them with their pants down usually hits a raw nerve.
[T]he DNC has concerns about getting involved in local ballot initiatives? Why? They did it last year under Howard Dean, when they donated $25,000 to the coalition fighting Prop 8′s repeal of gay marriage. President Jimmy Carter did it in 1978, when he came out against the Briggs Initiative, that would have banned gays and lesbians from being teachers in California. But regardless, why does the DNC (and the White House) have a problem getting involved when a core Democratic constituency is having its civil rights taken away by the far-right base of the Republican party? We were promised that this administration would be our fierce advocate. Now all we get are excuses.
Shut the gAyTM down; only give directly to candidates and organizations you believe are truly working in your best interest. Not a penny to the DNC; it’s the only leverage you have as an average citizen. The big donors in our community have to take a stand on this kind of nonsense, otherwise, they are enabling this kind of treatment of our community. It’s party-building at our expense each and every time, as we watch windows of opportunity close. The thought of a halt to the cash flow will stop this BS pronto, if only to make them listen for a goddamn minute before stepping on the gas to run over us again.
Related:
* 2010 panic: kiss our issues goodbye now…



57 Comments





Why the hell do think they should be the only ones without RAW nerves?Keep hitting those nerves Pam, the less they like it the more truth we’re getting.
Tim Kaine doesn’t want to get in my general vicinity anytime soon. The silence of PROGRESSIVE heroes of mine, was also unsettling on Maine.
Straight politicians are going to have an up hill climb to get in my pockets. LGBT politicians will need to prove what they’ve done for us lately too.
The GAYTM has a LOGO =HRC has continuously endorsed candidates like Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe who are refusing to tell us how they voted on 1 in Maine, and who are stalling true health care reform.
As we stop donating to candidates, we also have to stop donating to organizations like HRC who do not speak for us. Stophrc.com.
2 votes either way wouldn’t have won MaineFor a republican announcing gay friendly votes buys them a hard Reich challenger like Dede in NY 23rd. My guess is neither Susan or Olympia would be swayed by the amatuerish Haters in Maine, but we’ll never know.
Andrew Tobias jumped into the frayin the comments on John Aravosis’ article and got pummeled bad – really bad.
Go and read all the comments on AmericaBlog/Gay. It’s very enlightening!
http://gay.americablog.com/200…
Good to know who is with us and who is against us!Organizing For America is President Obama’s website. Guess it is clear now where he really stands.
Sorry to say it but we wouldn’t be having all these various problems with Hillary in the White House.
Count me as one of the “Some Mainers” who got itIt was in my “real life” email box, which I didn’t check most of this week. Here it is, dated November 2:
Indeed they are.I backed away slowly… wow.
And we know from Californiathat a state can turn out heavily, go for Obama, and still not care about civil rights, especially if their deemed as civil rights for someone else.
My Response to Andrew TobiasI posted a response to Tobias in the Americablog thread. I would like to share it here as well.
Hello Andy,
I’ve been a fan of yours for a very long time since back in the days of your Managing Your Money software. It was a sad day for me when that product was retired.
I want to say that I am in full support of witholding blanket contributions to the DNC because it has become obvious over the years that is not the best choice of investment in our future.
I do agree with you that in terms of our issues in general, voting for Democrats is better than voting for Republicans. In my view, that is not what this is all about. This is about investing in our future. It is time for us to invest wisely rather than just throw money in the general direction of people who stink less than Republicans stink. It is time for us to invest in those who smell good. There are plenty of Democrats willing to work at providing a good return for our investment, and we need to invest in them individually. Investing in smelly Democrats simply facilitates perpetuation of the stink.
For decades now we have seen the Democrats in general come to us for money and votes only to be insulted and ignored by them when it comes to our issues. We will no longer accept or support that behavior. You claim that witholding generalized funding of the DNC somehow fails to help strengthen the administration. I disagree. The president is supposedly a “fierce advocate” for us. By supporting only those who support our “fierce advocate” in our issues, we are strengthening him in that area.
I must say, however, that I am not convinced that Obama is a true friend of our community, particularly since he announced during the campaign that he does not support marriage equality because of his religious beliefs. And then came his unwillingness to order a stop to the DADT firings until Congress repeals the unjust law as well as the other things I need not repeat to you or the readers here.
What we want to do is strengthen our true friends, Andy, not the ones who want us to think they are friends in the hopes of accessing the GayTM. Sure, we’ll probably vote for the Stinkers with Ds, but it is a foolish waste of our time and resources to do anything to strengthen them.
If you make any further comments regarding this issue, either in this place or elsewhere, please stop trying to characterize this as a “DNC boycott.” That is nothing but a red herring. I know you understanding the distinction between investing in something with a good return versus a poor return versus a negative return. That’s what we’re talking about, investing only where there’s a good return. Maybe you can even help create a situation in which the overall DNC can produce a good return on investment as opposed to its rather marginal return recently and in past decades.
Check out the list of co-sponsors of Rep. Nadler’s Respect of Marriage bill for a good start on where to find an investments with a good potential returns. And do take note of the glaring absences.
Mike
Of course their support would have been nicebut we still would have lost. The rural/urban divide killed us. The former simply overwhelmed the latter.
There are two times to open the wallets1 – when an openly LGBT person runs for office — give generously, and work hard for them. Any office.
2 – when someone not only supports all the varied priorities of the community, but makes a point of talking about it all the freaking time.
Voting is separate — you vote for the least damaging choice, and there is always a least damaging choice.
The problem, I thinkis that while the Ds would love our money (probably load it into the bathtub and bathe in it if they could), they’re completely happy taking our votes for granted. It’s the votes that get them into office. Once we start letting them know that we won’t be giving our votes blindly to Ds who are not working for us–that includes ballot initiatives that favor other groups who claim that we haven’t done “enough” outreach–then we will get ignored.
The Republicans are decaying to the root. They’re down to two constituencies–the damned greedy and the damned hateful. The Democrats are looking at the coalition now, and the coalition is built before and during the primary process. Right now, they think that we can be taken for granted. Until we can prove them otherwise, they will continue to take us for granted.
Cthulhu 2012! Why vote for the lesser of two evils?
Mammon 2012! Keep funneling from the lower 99% to the upper 1%!
As long as the politicians know thatThey’ll continue to carve “Third Way” positions that leave us out in the cold.
“The dinner left me so optimistic.”Really?
Don’t Blame the DNCCivil rights have no place on the ballot. If gay activists are serious about expanding the definition of “marriage” to include same-sex couples, the only sure fire way to make this a reality is to challenge the issue as a Federal constitutional matter before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Is such a move fraught with risks?
Of course but as it stands, antigay marriage advocates are 0-for-31. Gay marriage equality is too important to be left up to individual states.
It’s easy to blame the DNC or the HRC but the issue must go before the Supreme Court. This is where we will find relief and yes, I am willing to take that chance.
I see you’ve heard of Chellie Pingree!Absolutely think the world of her… didn’t get to talk to her the other night, but did see her daughter Hannah (we’re FB friends) afterwards. Gave her a hug and asked her to thank her mom for me…
Hannah (Maine’s Speaker of the House) is so supportive and vocal as well; she helped tremendously with the campaign- we’ve got many Dems here in Maine on the local level who simply know how to say and do the right thing regarding supporting the LGBT community not for political gain, but because they believe in full inclusive equality. Because they know it is right, fair, and LONG overdue.
Those are the Dems who will get my support. The rest? They can go fly for all I care.
I’m no fan of HRC, Snowe or Collinsbut you’re being completely unreasonable if your expect Snowe or Collins to tell us how they voted.
It is reasonable to expect them to publicly support us if they want the endorsement of our community.
But I don’t know enough about either of their records to weigh in whether HRC’s endorsement is appropriate or not.
Have you missed a few memos?The Democratic POTUS has had his lawyers file briefs to SCOTUS defending DOMA not once, but TWICE now.
And it’s not just about marriage. It’s EVERYTHING. It’s the lack of vocal support for UAFA, whether alone or in the context of immigration reform. It’s the talk from Dems on the Hill about shelving DADT repeal until…well, forever. It’s the fact that until Washington Rep. Jim McDermott harassed DHS and HHS, and 23 AIDS activists got arrested in the Capitol rotunda, the Administration was perfectly content with leaving the HIV travel ban and the ban on federal funding for Safe Needle Exchange Programs in place. It’s the complete lack of support for our community when our civil rights go up for a popular vote. We are the only minority in America where that has happened.
The DNC is the money machine for the Democratic party. Self-respecting LGBT people have no business funneling cash into that black hole, or in voting for straight Democrats who are not vocally, on record, with proven actions to back it up, ready to fight for our full, not separate-but-equal, equality under the law.
So…you have no other interests beyond narrow LGBT rights questions?
Good luck with the insistance on ideological purity. Its working so well for the GOP its bound to work for you.
Speaking for myself, no my interests aren’tnarrow but some of them are non-negotiatiable. LGBT rights questions are one of them.
Geek, do you know who you just responded to?LOL! While I think dyssonance may actually agree with you to an extent, dude, prepare to be schooled! (It may not happen but I’m just sayin’…
Ehhh,,,if you only have narrow intereststhat concern you, then it makes perfect sense to be a single issue voter. At this point, many people here sound just like the idealogues who vote solely based on a person’s opposition to abortion.
I say, good luck with that. I would not count on the other memebers of the Democratic coalition following your tantrum. I don’t forsee this as gaining much support from the ethnic/religious minority communities or unions that make up the backbone of the coalition. They are not crazy enough to risk their initiatives on something that the American public has CLEARLY and REPEATEDLY opposed.
As I said, take your proverbial ball and go home. As I’ve said before, the only thing this tantrum accomplishes is that it ensures that instead of slow progress on your agenda, you’ll get no progress at all.
But…Given that the Dem Party takes the time, votes, and money from the community (which overlaps with several of those minority communities) I expect better than this from the Party. Period.
It is also, in part, the responsibility of the Party to educate their more homophobic members of said Dem coalition.
For example…health carefrom what I have seen, the GLBT community is paying a lot of attention to the health care debate; both of Chicago’s “fag rags” have run cover stories about health care (as it pertains to the community) and Pam’s and Joe. My.God have really, really covered it.
Now “our organizations” have not and you know the reason why…fear of a right wing backlash and lies that could sink it.
So don’t say that the community’s interests are narrow… I don’t think they are at all…
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
You’re confusing two separate issuesI agree with you, and have thought for a long time, that we should be seeking a federal court ruling that constitutional rights should not be put up to a vote. And I think we’d have a fair chance of winning such a ruling.
That doesn’t change the fact that Obama and the DNC are not only not fierce advocates for us, but they work actively against us much more often than not. The Maine email is only the latest example of that. Continuing to support them, when they behave exactly the same as others who we do not support, makes no conceivable sense.
I just wanna see a…uh…well…LOL.
I need to stop this instigating…
Narrrow interests?How much more narrow could someone’s interests be than mindlessly defending Obama and the DNC all the time and ignoring or denying the existence of any facts that reflect badly on them? Interests don’t come much narrower. Still again, you’re putting me to sleep. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ…
Just as long as you don’t snore, honey!
Spend the night with meand find out.
Did someone say something?SciFi Geek is, as usual, full of the DNC’s horseshit talking points. “Oh, you can’t actually expect us to advocate for your full citizenship rights! Then we’ll LOSE! To REPUBLICANS! Ooga booga ooga booga!”
The facts say something much different.
It’s actually worseBecause the defenses of DOMA and DADT not only declare these policies as Constitutional, they make arguments that undermine the very foundation of LGBT equality – up to and including discrimination in public accommodations, employment, housing, etc.
Even worse, the defenses of DOMA and DADT, plus the silence on all three fights – WA, ME and Kalamazoo – indicates that the administration has a very troubling attitude toward LGBT citizens. It appears, to me at least, that Obama et. al., do not regard our equality as a given, because we are both humans and American citizens, but rather our equality is a gift handed to us by the majority. Nothing could be more offensive to American ideals.
Obama, Biden, Tim KaineSince none of you seem to have any f*ckin idea of what FIERCE means…you can see the tattered yet defiant remnants of it weeping on the streets of Maine.
Thanks for NOTHING.
WE have to cope with the attacks our enemies throw in our wayWe didn’t have a motherf*ckin choice about bigots putting same sex marriage as a question in Maine. Allies don’t just have your back when times are good,and it’s easy and risk free,(and while they are back there PICK YOUR POCKET.) Allies are in the trenches shoulder to shoulder, or they aren’t allies. DNC showed they aren’t MY ALLY….period.
They will be treated as an aquaintance, never a friend …again.
n/c
The best comment on the americablog thread
I would add that perhaps some of those Obama voters are on the anti-equality side.
Which is OK, I guess, but don’t come slithering over to the GLBT community for money, votes, and support. That is disgraceful.
Actually that…is a really lame quote. It ignores a fundamental reality about elections in the country PERIOD. Presidential elections always draw more voters than local elections in off years.
Just because someone votes for Obama (WHO IS AGAINST GAY MARRIAGE anyway) does not mean that they have to support his position on LGBT issues. They may like him for other positions of importance to them, and hold their nose on LGBT issues.
It is entirely possible that many people who voted for Obama do not support gay marriage. In fact they may hold the exact same position as Obama and most of the Democratic leadership…that they support civil unions but not marriage. In that scenario, their apathy makes sense. they didn’t support marriage but they also did not feel strongly enough about the matter to vote against the initiative.
I hate being treated as if I am stupidOf course I know that.
And of course, turnouts are always higher in Presidential election years.
But this was a high turnout election for an off-year election in Maine. But if the Democratic Party can’t support us when our rights are up for a vote, then we don’t need to be giving our votes, money, and time to the Party.
We shouldn’t have done it in 1996 and we shouldn’t do it now especially since it seems that, if anything, Obama turns out an anti-gay vote as well.
Wow, I am so offended that you would thinkI was so stupid as to not to know that fact about elections in Presidential years having higher turnout.
That’s a personal issue with me…gotta work on that
And here you are with your billshit lies
Didn’t you attempt to throw us a bone a few weeks ago that asked do you really believe that Obama (or Hillary Clinton, for that matter) are against gay marriage. That they are really for it…somebody needs to go and hunt that quote down.
Dude, you need to keep your billshit straight.
DNCIt seems the right hand doesn’t talk to the left hand! I would agree there is a problem that really must be addressed within the DNC.
First, the Maine Democratic Party folks worked very positively with our folks in Maine. No question at all there!
Gov Tim Kaine specifically talked about Maine as a loss for Democrats and the victory in Washington State as a win!
If the DNC needs a message, I would hope our community would, besides complaining which it needs to do, also make a concerted effort to get in the door at all levels, local, state and national, so that such an oversight would be unthinkable as it would be for other constituencies.
We need to bitch and raise hell, but we cannot cut off our noses! We need some consistent heavy lifting as well! Consider the alternative.
Yeah, I meanthe computer I used in Maine was from the Maine Democratic Party, volunteers from the Maine democratic Party worked our tables at street fests (in fact we shared space). No shade at the Maine Democratic Party…I need to make that very clear.
Not only that.Geek is perfectly correct in saying that Obama is on the record as being against gay marriage. But President Fierce has said repeatedly that he favors full equality in civil unions. So where was his statement in support of CUs in Washington? Oh, that’s right–there wasn’t one. That bully pulpit he promised to use for us has turned out to be a cone of silence.
Now I suppose Geek will try to claim, still again, that supporting our issues would hurt President Bush-lite at the polls. Well, it didn’t hurt him in the election, so we’re still waiting for Geek to explain why it would hurt his messiah now.
Oversight?!?!?!?!?You really think this was all just an oversight? Come, now.
excellent!
Oh, like healthcare reformin which we will be FORCED to buy insurance or get fined when we do not have equal access as dependents on our spouse’s/partner’s plan.
Yeah, that’s REALLY important to me to help enact legislation that will add one more layer of oppression.
Say what?SciFiGeek: “As I said, take your proverbial ball and go home. As I’ve said before, the only thing this tantrum accomplishes is that it ensures that instead of slow progress on your agenda, you’ll get no progress at all.”
I think that is exactly what we are saying to the DNC and Democratic Party – that we are taking our ball and going home.
Defending and supporting lukewarm support and watered down action guarantees that you will continue to get more of the same.
Love It
When?“Gov Tim Kaine specifically talked about Maine as a loss for Democrats and the victory in Washington State as a win!”
When did he say this – after they refused to help and it was too late to do anything?
Tell me, SFGIs it that great a pain that you’ve surrendered your ability to avoid leaping to conclusions?

Do I have other interests beyond LGBT rights questions?
Hmm, let me think on that one a sec, dear
I’m a straight gal who has lived for three years without a job and mostly without health insurance who’s involvement in the LGBT prior to transition was I voted for marriage equality.
I’m an ex republican.
Um, yes, hon. It’s very easy for me to have interests, politically, outside the realm of LGBT specific issues. This is probably why I’m running for office in 2012. Because only a fool would run for office on a narrow platform of dealing with just the extremely small and apparently politically impotent LGBT rights stuff.
OF course, the fact I’m on a blog, that, contextually, deals primarily in issues of LGBT rights and social issues would not color my statement in any way, and your straw man is of course a just effigy.
And, actually, when it comes to money, ideological purity has worked relatively well for me. I keep more of my money and I’m less affected.
Well, as a trans galyou can bet your ass I support health care reform.
Then again, I’m aware that it won’t be a matter of “buy or be fined”, but hey, I’m a politician myself now, I guess.
That’s the pointLGBT issues are an extremely small part of my overall concerns.
FOrtunately, I’m well aware that there’s no issue that doesn’t directly impact LGBT people.
So for me, rights issues are, indeed, non-negotiable.
Funny that when I suggest creating what is, in effect, a third party, I get told how unrealistic I am. Then when I say use the system in place, I get told I’m unrealistic.
OR too narrowly focused, when I didn’t mention a focus.
At least now we can see why the groups like the HRC think they know the right way, and operate without much response to the grass roots.
THe grassroots is suffering from despair, and has given up.
ActuallyI completely agree with you. As long as we let the Democrats treat us like step-children they will continue to treat us like step-children. We must demonstrate our political clout in order to be taken seriously. I say vote for a third party candidate – or even better vote GOP and double the impact of your vote. (note to everyone – don’t bother telling me I am insane – I’ve already been told).
The Democrats have an incentive to continue delaying our causes – cash and votes. And they will be complicit in delaying our causes until we demonstrate we will no longer vote for lukewarm support and low-hanging fruit legislation.
It’s called politics and you have to be willing to play the game, not just buy tickets to watch it.
Twice the WH has given us the WORST lying excuses for their cowardiceNow HRC is telling we shouldn’t be questioning the DNC leaders and WH with what “IF’s”, and telling LGBTs what WE CAN’T DO.
OH F*CK NO!
Joe go directly to HELL, don’t pass go and don’t collect $200.
We should not turn our backs on all Democratic Party’sIt appears some Democratic Party’s across this nation are doing things for the LGBT Community.
I must admit that I am proud of the work the Ohio Democratic Party seems to doing. I found this blog post today.
http://lesbiansinblogs.blogspo…
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2009
Ohio welcomes 10 LGBT public officials
Ohio has a lot to celebrate after this election. Not only will casinos finally be built in the Buckeye State, but 10 LGBT candidates were elected to office. Maybe the conservative tide in Ohio is turning.
Below is the welcomed list of new public officials:
Amanda Armstrong: Medina Educational Service Center Governing Board
Kevin Johnson: Portsmouth City Council Ward 1
Nickie Antonio: Lakewood City Council
Joe Lacey: Dayton City School Board
Mark Tumeo: Cleveland Heights City Council
Eric Resnick: Canton City School Board
Carol Fey: Bexley City School Board
Sandra Kurt: Akron City Council Ward 8
Jerry Larson: Akron Municipal Court
Jim Sands: Athens City Council
“The Ohio Democratic Party is proud to have recruited and groomed candidates across Ohio who reflect the great diversity of our Party and our state,” Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern said in a statement.
Those elected were mostly from the more northern areas, with Akron receiving a double queering.
“Democrats helped elect candidates young and old, male and female, gay and straight, from all geographical areas and of diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds,” said Redfern. “Ohio Democrats fielded an unprecedented number of openly-gay and lesbian candidates this year and achieved historic success by electing ten of these candidates to office. We celebrate that success.”
Via
POSTED BY DEANACHAVEZ987 AT 5:54 PM
I know you are advocating…….……that we donate to candidates that support our rights; however, I have a problem with this plan as well. Remember that most politicians fund-raising is done through their PACs. Why is this important? Because they can transfer money from the PACs to other candidates. So if I give to a candidate that I like, they can transfer some, if not all of that money to a candidate that does not support our rights. If there were a way that I could make sure that the money I donate to a candidate will not be given to someone else, I would go along with it, but that is not the way our system is currently set up.
LOLPetey,
I just love your snarkiness.
Right after the election in an e-mail to membersI see you quote from Steven, what about those 211 LGBT laws that were passed … all with Democrats in the lead and control. He gave Dick Codey money, but Dick was stabbed in the back by Sweeney and others and Christie took control