I appreciate the thought you've put in to making your decisions. Personally, I always insist on including at least one local group or charity, either as a volunteer or a donor, because the community grassroots groups do so much to support those larger goals, but have a much harder time supporting themselves.

Frankly, I have to put the priority on local and state elections, then on Congress, then on the Presidency, and only then on California marriage.

Why?

I live in Kentucky. A couple may travel from KY to CA to marry, but they cease to be married, as far as the rights and obligations of marriage are concerned, as soon as they get off the plane at Standiford Field. Under the Kentucky Constitution, gay marriages and civil unions are banned and those consummated elsewhere are not recognized in any official form. The ability to marry in California doesn't do anyone any good here, until we are able to get rid of the odious 2004 amendment. That will be the work of years, but is possible.

That, my friends, requires good local and state candidates - we also need them to maintain our existing local protections, as well as passing state ENDA-type laws. Electing and re-electing them is Job 1, and I expect it's Job 1 in most Bible-belt states.

We fully appreciate the comments above and as our report indicates each donor needs to give and volunteer according to his or her own needs and priorities.

This said, we still believe in the importance of the presidency for our rights, even in Bible-belt states. In many of these states, it will take long time until we can pass ENDA or Hate Crimes. Half of our states do not provide any of the basic protections (for your state see: http://www.equalitygiving.org/States-of-Equality-and-Gay-Rights-Scorecard ). The fastest way to provide these protections is through federal legislation. We will have a Congress that will pass the required legislation. We need a president who will not veto it.

Why is California important even to residents of states with DOMAs? If we win in California, we send an important message to politicians and judges throughout the country: people can support civil marriage equality (and our commitment to fight for our rights). Then, very soon, you will see other states offering marriage equality and a significant proportion of the population covered with marriage. These married couples travel, and naturally, want to be treated as a married couple everywhere they go. This will bring the case to the US Supreme Court. So, we are in full circle... we need to win in California and we need the presidency so that we have the proper Supreme Court that will treat us as equal under the law and will rule that like with interracial marriage, all states need to provide marriage equality.

I would recommend that everyone who possibly can support the fight against both the California and Arizona amendments. A double victory would cast the efforts of the extreme Religious Right into the same role as the final screeches and wailings of the die-hard segregationalists of ages ago and re-frame the public mindset after the string of voctories by the Right in 2004. It would have a huge symbolic impact as a "turning of the tide"

Those are pretty good priorities, you two! They're both causes that need time and money devoted to them.

But while I can respect your choice to support those causes above all others, I do think that this post also serves as a response to those who argue that marriage drains resources from the LGBT community and has put other, more important fights on the back-burner.

Maura.....Please remember that Florida also has a marriage amendment in the November election. That being said please allow me to alter your statement.

"A TRIPLE victory would cast the efforts of the extreme Religious Right into the same role as the final screeches and wailings of the die-hard segregationalists of ages ago and re-frame the public mindset after the string of victories by the Right in 2004. It would have a huge symbolic impact as a "turning of the tide."