Suze Orman summed up the problem for gays without full equality. It costs us hundreds of thousands of dollars in life, and after the death of a partner, without benefit of the "marital deduction" and other tax benefits, the survivor may find herself/himself in the position of having a forced sale of the business or home or both that the couple owned, just to pay the taxes due at death. Also, we are collecting our rightful social security or federal and state pension benefits from our partners. A dear lesbian friend of mine died suddenly of heart trouble a few years ago, and her partner was audited by IRS after the death, and assessed huge "gift taxes" for the money contributed by the deceased partner for their joint residence of many years. The repeal of DOMA is hugely needed, along with new legislation recognizing couples, whether married or not, since so few states recognize marriage. There needs to be a federal recognition of "couplehood" available to everyone, if this is the way that our screwy tax system is set-up.
When Bush lost the poplular vote in 2000, he roared in with Cheny and they acted like they had an 80% mandate. We keep getting Christmas cards but no presents from the Obama administration. WE NEED CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN !!!!!.

I think the correct word for all of this is "Trumpted". In case people have not been listening over the past month to right and left wind radio, the talking heads on their TV's, media outlets and eveything coming out of the White House,then they are missing the big enchilada that gets the whole Obama Administration on the map, and it's not any one or combination of all GLBT issues.

It's Health Care!!!!!

I mean really. If Health Care legislation can put the economy, the war and every known issue in the world in second place and beyond, what the heck do you think it is doing to GLBT issues. I think that our issues have dropped to a level someplace lower than whale shit in the bottom of the ocean if you ask me. If we can't agree to take the prolonged fight of marriage rights that is years away from winning of the table and put the emphasis where it belongs on Hate Crimes and ENDA, I doubt that Obama will do anything, except take advantage of the discord and lack of unity and take his own sweet time to set the agenda instead of waiting for us to do it.

Is it right? Of course not. But who cares in the White House. The establishment of the "Obama Legacy" must affect all Americans fist, for it to be evewn called a legacy anytime in the future that can be measured against other great reform packages like the New Deal, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. With the money thrown at the economy issue, the reawakening of the Conservation Corp and rebuilding of America's infrastructure has become a part of his legacy. Now on to bigger and better things like Health Care and a further cemenitng -of the Obama Legacy Package.

It speaks volumes for the GLBT community that after less than 150 days into the Obama administration, GLBT people are screeming like banshees about issues that they thought were important, but are actually considered about as important as last years news to this administration. First thing first is their attitude right now and when you really look at the mess that was left by Bush, is it any surprise that our issues are remaining at the bottom of the list, when our alternative to begin with was between Obama/Biden or McPain/Pailin? They aren't worried at all abut our vote and where it's going.

It gives me no pleasure at all to ask how it feels to be GLBT and to have your life put on hold after having had it done to the Trans community with ENDA. But what goes around, comes around and two years ago Trans people were screeming at the top of their lungs that if GLB people put us at the bottom of their list, what kind of example is that giving everyone else about their issues and the extent that we are organized to care about each other? After that fiasco, is it any wonder that Obama and his people have adopted the word incrementalism when it comes to GLBT issues and are now telling us all to stand in line and wait until they become so famous that they can do anything they want and therefore lessen the danger of not being elected for a second term.

If we are very lucky, GLBT issues may rise to the top of the list under two conditions. The first is if we make them important by being almost as rash and obnoxious as the right wing radicals and some of us die in the process. The second is if Obama wins a second term in office and has solved enough of the worlds problems that he can now find the time to worry about our issues and not have to worry about the blowback after he has left office. In other words, I'll care about you when it doesn't stand the chance of costing me anything.

The Christian Radical Right's mission is to turn this country to a Theocracy, with rule by Bible instead of Constitution. They're imbedded in all major positions of government (a mormon wrote the brief defending DOMA) many of them Bush carry overs. They control the military, the media, the schools, the justice dept. and will stealth fight to defeat gays, women's rights, stem cell, etc. They are strong, wealthy (mormons and catholics and evangelicals)and were money behind Prop.8. We need to expose their control of the so called Culture War, Religion as a valid science, and fight like hell for our equal rights. They're not insurmountable, but they are formidable, dedicated to earsing us, and VERY DANGEROUS.

Just read something rather scary; in the state of
California 50% of the money (20 million dollars)
spend to pass Prop. 8 came from the Mormans.
Yet Mormans are a small % of the total population
of the state of California.