Jillian, I almost think you're wasting your time with her. Pelosi was my congressional representative for 14 years and I can honestly say she's a highly ineffective, totally non-responsive machine politician who, because she's a shoo-in for re-election, puts literally no effort to push much of anything. She's a main reason for much of the logjam the demos are having in congress (along with Harry Reid). There have been protests at her SF office almost continually since she's been speaker. Fortunately, I moved to a different neighborhood and now have Jackie Speier as my congresswoman, who is kick ass and feisty but doesn't have seniority.

Widely reported in December, 2009 Speaker Pelosi promised not to introduce anything controversial unless the Senate acted first:

"According to Democrats who have spoken to Pelosi, the Speaker has expanded that promise beyond immigration, informing Democratic lawmakers that the Senate will have to move first on a host of controversial issues before she brings them to the House floor.

“The Speaker has told members in meetings that we’ve done our jobs,” a Democratic leadership aide said. “And that next year the Senate’s going to have to prove what it can accomplish before we go sticking our necks out any further.”

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), the president of the freshman class, said that Pelosi came to last Wednesday’s freshman breakfast to deliver that message, and that it was met with wide spread approval."

Link: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/72461-pelosi-to-shield-vulnerable-members-from-tough-votes

First, the assertion that emails are useless, but "receptionist time is valuable" is silly, but at least we're disposing of the idea that emailing politicians has any value. Last week we disposed of the idea that lobbying was effective. So, we're making some progress.

Second, by asking people to push Pelosi, while the US Senate is a dead end for all LGBT issues, you are asking people to run a race knowing there is a firing squad at the Finish Line. You are providing false hope and ensuring that people will simply become even more frustrated and less likely to participate in our movement. That hurts us all.

If we are honest and objective about tactics and we recognize the very real roadblock called the US Senate, we can instead seek useful, effective ideas to make progress. We can ask people to do something valuable.

If you insist on making calls, call your neighbors, friends, co-workers and even strangers and ask for their help. Because, until we do that, we'll continue wasting time, energy and money on the false hope politics.

Okay, Jillian, I called. Twice.

The first time I was immediately sent to the black hole of voicemail. So, I called back and said I didn't want to leave a message, I wanted an answer to a very simple question. I asked "is the Speaker holding ENDA Legislation because there isn't support in the Senate?" He said, "yes" and "the Senate is a big problem."

He would only identify himself as an "aide," and that he couldn't actually "speak for the speaker." I appreciated that phrasing.

He then asked me if I "would you like to leave a message?"
I replied "why?" and he said "okay."

The rumour is... now covering post-ops only, with the initial position having been post-ops and those with carry letters from medics.

Neither of which covers Intersexed people of course, but they may have recourse under the ADA.

Jillian, any info on this?

These people ( Pelosi & Reid ) cannot steer health care through when they had a super majority and with it being about the number one priority of the Democratic party, what hope do we really have seeing ENDA passed? Frankly they are perhaps the two most ineffective people in Washington. They took a mandate, and wasted it doing almost nothing. I say almost because I suppose they did pass the Hate Crimes Bill, but as I recall they attached that to something else over the protests of the Republicans. I will call, for what good it will do but in all honesty I believe it is as the old saying goes, like water running off a ducks back.

Dr. Weiss, I'm kinda confused. You've said here that:

I do not have any reliable info on this. My feeling is that I will not abandon the effort to get job protections based on rumors. If the language comes out, and it is unjust, I will fight to get it changed. Dr. Jillian T. Weiss | March 12, 2010 10:29 AM

but here you say:

If you all think we have had a problem, just wait until you see the new language in ENDA that separates the transsexuals from the transgenders. Hold on to your hats. Dr. Jillian T. Weiss | March 9, 2010 5:34 AM

Which is it? You seem to be contradicting yourself from three days ago. Three Day Old Weiss seems to have heard the same confirmation I've heard from the Hill concerning the ENDA language.

Can you clarify please? If we wait to question the language until it comes out, all the lobbying done at NCTE's lobby day will support whatever language is in the bill after markup. You can't unlobby a bill. Am I missing something here?