Rich Benjamin, AlterNet: "The Tea Party movement, holding its first convention this weekend, is angling to be the most revolutionary force in American politics in name and in deed, since at least the 1960s counterculture. Only this time, the political insurgents command a party of Flour Power, not flower power. The simmering movement is the whitest phenomenon on the national scene, evident not just in the millions of Caucasians committed to its cause, but in the bedrock beliefs stirring its anti-government contempt."
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Saturday, February 6, 2010
Surge in Women's Employment Brings Unemployment Rate Down to 9.7 Percent
Dean Baker, The Center for Economic and Policy Research: "The unemployment rate fell to 9.7 percent in January, driven by a 0.4 percentage-point drop in the unemployment rate for women to 8.4 percent. The unemployment rate for men fell 0.2 percentage points to 10.8 percent. This drop came in spite of a reported loss of 20,000 jobs in the establishment survey."
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Friday, February 5, 2010
Quote of the Day
We may disagree about gay marriage, but surely we can agree that it is unconscionable to target gays and lesbians for who they are – whether it’s here in the United States, or, as Hillary mentioned, more extremely in odious laws that are being proposed most recently in Uganda.
- President Obama
Thursday, February 4, 2010
From JMG: Obama Criticizes Uganda's "Kill Gays" Bill At National Prayer Breakfast
According to a tweet by CBS reporter Mark Knoller, this morning President Obama criticised Uganda's "kill gays" bill at the National Prayer Breakfast before the very GOP group responsible for backing the proposed law. The New York Times has the complete advance text of the president's planned speech, where no mention of Uganda or gay marriage is found, so it appears that Obama went off-script.UPDATE: Here's the video, which includes Hillary Clinton calling out the Uganda bill. Interestingly, the presidents exact words are "we may disagree on gay marriage." What's this "we" jazz?
Labels: Barack Obama, GOP, marriage equality, National Prayer Breakfast, religion, The Family, Uganda
Saints Linebacker Fujita Tackles Gay Marriage
As New Orleans Saints linebacker Scott Fujita gears up for Super Bowl XLIV, Fujita talks to The Advocate about standing up for gay rights and against inequality, and about Tim Tebow's draft prospects thanks to Focus on the Family.
By Michelle Garcia
Fujita was adopted as a child by his Japanese father and white mother, and he grew up in Southern California. Even though he is not ethnically Japanese, Fujita says he is Japanese in his heart. After a standout student-athlete career in high school, Fujita was recruited by the Ivies but decided to play for the University of California, Berkeley, as a walk-on player.
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Wednesday, February 3, 2010
From JMG: REVERSAL: Colin Powell Joins Call For Repeal Of DADT
In a major reversal, Gen. Colin Powell, who opposed Bill Clinton's attempt to allow gay soldiers to serve openly, has joined the call to repeal DADT. “In the almost 17 years since the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ legislation was passed, attitudes and circumstances have changed,” General Powell said in a statement issued by his office. He added: “I fully support the new approach presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week by Secretary of Defense Gates and Admiral Mullen.” Robert M. Gates, the defense secretary, and Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told lawmakers on Tuesday that they supported President Obama’s proposal to repeal the 1993 law forbidding gay men and women to be open about their sexuality while serving in uniform.Welcome, Gen. Powell.
Labels: Bill Clinton, Colin Powell, DADT, military
Courtesy of JMGFrom JMG: Orrin Hatch: I Might Vote For DADT Repeal
He gave himself a bit of wiggle room, but Sen. Orrin Hatch, of all people, today said that he might be willing to support a repeal of DADT.
Labels: DADT, military, Orrin Hatch, Senate
Another great find from JMGFrom JMG: Alber & Goss: This Is Who We Are
Via The New Gay, singer/songwriters Matt Alber and Tom Goss sing This Is Who We Are, which is in "dedication to any service member that has been discharged for who they are."
Labels: DADT, gay artists, Matt Alber, The New Gay, Tom Goss
lifted from JMGShame on McCain...
"No matter how I look at the issue...I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens...For me, it comes down to integrity -- theirs as individuals and ours as an institution."
-- Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
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In the war over "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the battle lines have been drawn: It's Republicans vs. the military. And John McCain vs. John McCain.
On Tuesday, Admiral Mike Mullen and Defense Secretary Robert Gates gave game-changing testimony to Congress strongly supporting President Obama's effort to repeal DADT. Then, this morning, Colin Powell -- the man who made DADT possible -- announced his opposition to this discriminatory policy, saying that "attitudes and circumstances have changed."
That isn't stopping recalcitrant Republicans like John McCain from flip-flopping on the stance he took in 2006 to follow the lead of our nation's top military brass on DADT.
You can watch the embarrassing blow-by-blow in the "McCain vs. McCain vs. Mullen" video linked below. After you watch, please sign our letter to Senator Carl Levin, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who vocally opposed McCain and other Republicans on Tuesday in support of repealing DADT.
To allow soldiers like Lt. Dan Choi to serve their country, Sen. Levin needs to immediately take the lead on including DADT repeal in the defense budget bill. Please sign our letter to Sen. Levin right now -- and help us get to 500,000 total Courage Campaign letters against DADT:
http://www.couragecampaign.org/DontWait
Here's what John McCain said back in October 2006 on MSNBC's "Hardball":
"I listen to people like General Colin Powell, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and literally every military leader that I know... The day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, Senator, we ought to change the policy, then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it because those leaders in the military are the ones we give the responsibility to."
Seems pretty clear, right? Or did we miss the " * Void if Barack Obama is President" fine print?
Obviously, John McCain and his Republican colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee are not listening to Colin Powell, a man McCain says he admires "as much as any man in the world." Or to Admiral Mullen or Secretary Gates -- both originally appointed by George W. Bush.
Chairman Levin can't let Sen. McCain get away with delaying justice on DADT. Sign our letter to Sen. Levin right now asking him to immediately include DADT repeal in the defense budget bill -- and help us reach 500,000 total Courage Campaign letters against DADT:
http://www.couragecampaign.org/DontWait
Colin Powell gets it. Admiral Mullen gets it. Secretary Gates gets it. Even Cindy McCain and her daughter Meghan get it, having come out strongly in favor of same-sex marriage a few weeks ago.
Help us spread the word by forwarding this email to more people who get it -- so we can save Lt. Choi's job and defeat John McCain's obstruction.
Thanks for helping us bring equality to our armed services, one action at a time.
Eden James
Managing Director, Courage Campaign
Defining the Second Great Depression
If Democrats can't stand up and clearly articulate the nightmare scenario we were saved from, then the economic disaster that Republicans caused may well be the same disaster that helps them surge back into power.
BREAKING: SHOCKING REALITY- Senator Chuck Schumer Is Planning To Exclude Gay And Lesbians From Immigration Reform Bill.
By Melanie Nathan, San Francisco, February 3, 2010
Binationals and activists have been waiting patiently for Senator Chuck Schumer to introduce the enigmatic Immigration reform bill, and the LGBT binational community, whether in exile, living apart or hiding in fear, has been desperate for the answer. Will immigration reform be truly comprehensive; will it include (UAFA) a provision that will allow for LGBT Americans (citizens or lawful residents) to sponsor their spouses (Permanent Partners) for immigration to the USA?
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