He said it while running for office did you expect anything different.

He said he was opposed to gay marriage.
He said he wanted to go back to the old policy of no gays in the military (repealing DADT).

Why would you expect he would change his spots now?

feckingmorons: He said he wanted to go back to the old policy of no gays in the military (repealing DADT)

Repealing DADT and saying no gays in the military are not the same thing and Obama never said he wants no gays in the military. Do try to be at least a little genuine.

ahhhh, more change we can believe in....

/how's it feel to be suckered by a chicago huckster?

Is the phrase "butthurt" really appropriate in this case?

I'm a little disappointed in his lack of action on this issue, but the "HA HA You've been suckered!" crowd is a bit premature to be selling the "I told ya so" BS. Not even 5 months yet, assholes.

real shaman: ahhhh, more change we can believe in....

/how's it feel to be suckered by a chicago huckster?

Feels pretty good.

real shaman: ahhhh, more change we can believe in....

/how's it feel to be suckered by a chicago huckster?

About the same as it felt to be suckered by a "Texan" born in New England with an East coast Ivy League education who had managed to run every business he'd ever been involved with straight into the ground. Except this time around I'm more ideologically in line with the guy suckering me.

Fark Independents™ new found concern for gay rights is quite touching.

/In a bad touch kinda way.

FTFA: Before today you could argue that the Obama administration was too busy with the economy and the war and health care to focus on making good on his campaign promises to gays and lesbians, that Obama simply didn't have the time to take up our issues. But you can't make that argument anymore.

Oh? All those other things are fixed now? I didn't know.

DamnYankees: Feels pretty good.

Seeing as you are one of the biggest Obama apologists on this site, I don't find you answer in the least bit surprising.

Epsilon: FTFA: Before today you could argue that the Obama administration was too busy with the economy and the war and health care to focus on making good on his campaign promises to gays and lesbians, that Obama simply didn't have the time to take up our issues. But you can't make that argument anymore.

Oh? All those other things are fixed now? I didn't know.

Equal rights for all citizens shouldn't be at the bottom of the list.

Realpolitik420: DamnYankees: Feels pretty good.

Seeing as you are one of the biggest Obama apologists on this site, I don't find you answer in the least bit surprising.

Evidently you missed yesterday's thread.

Lionel Mandrake: Not even 5 months yet, assholes.

Not to be labeled a Fark Independent™ or anything, but when does this line not work anymore?

Not even 6 months yet, assholes
Not even a year yet, assholes
Not even his second term yet, assholes

He's a politician who's running par for the course. I believe he will definitely do much better than the last person in office, but is that really the standard he should be held to?

I just love to see all the butt- hurt conservatives biatching about how Obama didn't fix all the world's problems with a snap of his fingers. You lost. Deal with it.

DamnYankees: Evidently you missed yesterday's thread.

Oh come on, you should know by now that none of us disagree with anything Obama says or does, and those threads that might have statements like that just don't exist.

Dear Fark Independents™;
We knew he was a Jeebus-worshipping moderate when we voted for him. We also knew he would break some campaign promises, just like every single politician in the history of Earth. We supported him because the country was in a mess and his opponents were just as incompetent, stupid and demented as the previous administration. Does any of this compute with you?

Signed,
People With Brains

Gwendolyn: Equal rights for all citizens shouldn't be at the bottom of the list.

I agree, but 5 months into this mess Obama inherited is a bit early to start throwing a hissy fit.

Trajan's Call'Em: I just love to see all the butt- hurt conservatives biatching about how Obama didn't fix all the world's problems with a snap of his fingers. You lost. Deal with it.

You really think it's the conservatives who are complaining that Obama isn't living up to the promises he made concerning gay issues? Seriously?

i'm not exactly pleased with this administration's feet dragging on the issue of gay rights, but i can understand that there might be more pressing issues. and by more pressing, i mean simply issues that actually affect a broader range, and higher number, of people (including the gay people directly affected by the gay rights issues), and that have global implications.

and i'm simply not going to get upset with the department of justice defending a law in court if they feel it is not outright legally defensible. it's their job to defend DOMA, whether they like it or not. as they say, even satan deserves a lawyer.

that said, i also completely understand if gay rights activists part ways with the administration in a big way.

Dan Savage 2016!

_{/amusing factoid: Dan Savage slept on my couch once in 1994}

impishimpi: Trajan's Call'Em: I just love to see all the butt- hurt conservatives biatching about how Obama didn't fix all the world's problems with a snap of his fingers. You lost. Deal with it.

You really think it's the conservatives who are complaining that Obama isn't living up to the promises he made concerning gay issues? Seriously?

He didn't promise anything on gay issues. It was basically I don't believe that homosexuals have the right to get married but he supports civil unions. That's stupid because separate isn't equal.

He's already said he's not going to change Don't Ask Don't Tell.

"White House spokesman Ben LaBolt said the president remains committed to repealing the law "in a sensible way that strengthens our armed forces and our national security" but added: "Until Congress passes legislation repealing the law, the administration will continue to defend the statute when it is challenged in the justice system."

from:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124268952606832391.html

He wasn't strong on gay rights in the campaign though so I have no idea why people are getting their undies in a twist over it now.

Epsilon: FTFA: Before today you could argue that the Obama administration was too busy with the economy and the war and health care to focus on making good on his campaign promises to gays and lesbians, that Obama simply didn't have the time to take up our issues. But you can't make that argument anymore.

Oh? All those other things are fixed now? I didn't know.

It's been 144 days. How long does it take to fix something like a completely screwed economy, two quagmire wars and a totally messed-up health care system?

Epsilon and Gwendolyn, I agree with both of you.

I'm also an avid supporter of equal rights for GLBTs. But I still support Obama, even though I'm not happy on the DOMA & DADT issues.

President Obama, Congress, and the government are working more serious issues than gay marriage and GLBTs in the military. We have two wars, one unnecessary, by the way, where Americans are fighting and dying. Our financial system is a mess. And the health care for 50 million Americans sucks, along with the current medical insurance system.

Additionally, Obama does not have the political support in Congress, the senior military leadership, and across the nation to change the UCMJ to allow for all consensual sex acts between all adults (i.e. sodomy), end DADT, as well as end DOMA and provide federal benefits to same-sex couples.

I'm not a single-issue voter. So I'm not displeased with my 2008 vote for Obama. We all may have to wait a bit longer until more of our countrymen catch up with us on GLBT equality, after we're out of Iraq, the 2010 elections, and the economy is on the upswing.

Gwendolyn: impishimpi: Trajan's Call'Em: I just love to see all the butt- hurt conservatives biatching about how Obama didn't fix all the world's problems with a snap of his fingers. You lost. Deal with it.

You really think it's the conservatives who are complaining that Obama isn't living up to the promises he made concerning gay issues? Seriously?

He didn't promise anything on gay issues. It was basically I don't believe that homosexuals have the right to get married but he supports civil unions. That's stupid because separate isn't equal.

He's already said he's not going to change Don't Ask Don't Tell.

"White House spokesman Ben LaBolt said the president remains committed to repealing the law "in a sensible way that strengthens our armed forces and our national security" but added: "Until Congress passes legislation repealing the law, the administration will continue to defend the statute when it is challenged in the justice system."

from:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124268952606832391.html

He wasn't strong on gay rights in the campaign though so I have no idea why people are getting their undies in a twist over it now.

This might help explain it:

LGBT Legal And Advocacy Groups Decry Obama Administration's Defense of DOMA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 12, 2009

We are very surprised and deeply disappointed in the manner in which the Obama administration has defended the so-called Defense of Marriage Act against Smelt v. United States, a lawsuit brought in federal court in California by a married same-sex couple asking the federal government to treat them equally with respect to federal protections and benefits. The administration is using many of the same flawed legal arguments that the Bush administration used. These arguments rightly have been rejected by several state supreme courts as legally unsound and obviously discriminatory.

We disagree with many of the administration's arguments, for example that DOMA is a valid exercise of Congress's power, is consistent with Equal Protection or Due Process principles, and does not impinge upon rights that are recognized as fundamental.

We are also extremely disturbed by a new and nonsensical argument the administration has advanced suggesting that the federal government needs to be "neutral" with regard to its treatment of married same-sex couples in order to ensure that federal tax money collected from across the country not be used to assist same-sex couples duly married by their home states. There is nothing "neutral" about the federal government's discriminatory denial of fair treatment to married same-sex couples: DOMA wrongly bars the federal government from providing any of the over one thousand federal protections to the many thousands of couples who marry in six states. This notion of "neutrality" ignores the fact that while married same-sex couples pay their full share of income and social security taxes, they are prevented by DOMA from receiving the corresponding same benefits that married heterosexual taxpayers receive. It is the married same-sex couples, not heterosexuals in other parts of the country, who are financially and personally damaged in significant ways by DOMA. For the Obama administration to suggest otherwise simply departs from both mathematical and legal reality.

When President Obama was courting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender voters, he said that he believed that DOMA should be repealed. We ask him to live up to his emphatic campaign promises, to stop making false and damaging legal arguments, and immediately to introduce a bill to repeal DOMA and ensure that every married couple in America has the same access to federal protections.

Signed,

ACLU
GLAD
Lambda Legal
NCLR
HRC
NGLTF

Vanetia: Lionel Mandrake: Not even 5 months yet, assholes.

Not to be labeled a Fark Independent™ or anything, but when does this line not work anymore?

For me? 18 months to 2 years. That's about when enough time has passed to for me to get a general idea of direction/priorities. It's a subjective call, for sure, but I think 5 months is definitely premature to calling Obama a huckster, or those who voted for him suckers.

For some people, Obama was a failure the day after the election.

Lionel Mandrake: For some people, Obama was a failure the day after the election.

You mean he's not???

/Just kidding.

Vanetia: Lionel Mandrake: Not even 5 months yet, assholes.

Not to be labeled a Fark Independent™ or anything, but when does this line not work anymore?

Not even 6 months yet, assholes
Not even a year yet, assholes
Not even his second term yet, assholes

He's a politician who's running par for the course. I believe he will definitely do much better than the last person in office, but is that really the standard he should be held to?

well if 9/11 is clintons fault then he has till 9/12 then its Obama's fault

AirForceVet: Lionel Mandrake: For some people, Obama was a failure the day after the election.

You mean he's not???

/Just kidding.

I think you have to give a president a year before you can really start to judge him. You always need some time in a new job to learn what it is you are supposed to be doing. Being President of the Untied States is no different.

My two points are though that equal rights shouldn't be the thing you address after the entire country is out of problems and Obama didn't seem concerned with gay rights in the campaign.

AirForceVet: President Obama, Congress, and the government are working more serious issues than gay marriage and GLBTs in the military. We have two wars, one unnecessary, by the way, where Americans are fighting and dying. Our financial system is a mess. And the health care for 50 million Americans sucks, along with the current medical insurance system.

You could have said the same thing about Bush when he was President.

AirForceVet: President Obama, Congress, and the government are working more serious issues than gay marriage and GLBTs in the military. We have two wars, one unnecessary, by the way, where Americans are fighting and dying. Our financial system is a mess. And the health care for 50 million Americans sucks, along with the current medical insurance system.

But this doesn't answer why this brief was filed. They still had to take the same amount of time to draft the thing. And its a noxious document.

Gwendolyn:
Equal rights for all citizens shouldn't be at the bottom of the list.

and

Vanetia: He's a politician who's running par for the course. I believe he will definitely do much better than the last person in office, but is that really the standard he should be held to?

Pretty much sum up my view on this. The fact the last administration was not up to par is not adequate reason to be satisfied with what we have now.

It could be worse, but it could also be a lot better. As 'progressives' I would think that you would prefer action, since inaction is not conducive to progress.

burndtdan: i'm not exactly pleased with this administration's feet dragging on the issue of gay rights, but i can understand that there might be more pressing issues. and by more pressing, i mean simply issues that actually affect a broader range, and higher number, of people (including the gay people directly affected by the gay rights issues), and that have global implications.

and i'm simply not going to get upset with the department of justice defending a law in court if they feel it is not outright legally defensible. it's their job to defend DOMA, whether they like it or not. as they say, even satan deserves a lawyer.

that said, i also completely understand if gay rights activists part ways with the administration in a big way.

Sensible thought is discouraged on FARK. You're starving the trolls; torturing them.

/It's torture, I tells ya
//by all means, please continue

"well if 9/11 is clintons fault ..."

I don't remember Mr. Clinton or Mr. Obama being big friends with any Saudi royalty or their militant kin. The Bushes however....

Alien Robot: You could have said the same thing about Bush when he was President.

No. Bush was too busy screwing up the country after the cake walk Clinton left him after his watch back in 2001. Remember that Bush wanted to add an amendment to the US Constitution to ban gay marriage. Something he asked for in two State of the Union addresses ... while we were in two wars, etc.

I think it was pretty clear during the campaign that Obama wasnt going to exactly be a crusader for gay rights. He seemed pretty moderate and mainstream on gay rights, which means that he isnt nearly as gung ho on them as many liberals would like. I really think that many liberals assumed that because Obama was fairly liberal that he would sure their views on a lot of gay rights stuff, but he hasnt really ever gone as far on them as many people expect.

Anyway, hes not going to do much with them until other things get sorted out. Like it or not, the majority of Americans dont want him crusading for gay rights very much. I disagree with the majority of Americans, but thats just the way it is. I mean, CALIFORNIA of all places passed an amendment limiting marriages to heterosexuals. Obama doesnt want to start a war over an issue that he knows he is in the minority on when he has the economy, wars, and health care hanging over his head.

If he gets the economy working well, he is basically untouchable and the Republicans will go away for a very very long time. Then he will start doing the kind of stuff that these people want much more. But not before he does some other things.

who cares about the queers anyway?

_waiting...

Trajan's Call'Em: I just love to see all the butt- hurt conservatives biatching about how Obama didn't fix all the world's problems with a snap of his fingers. You lost. Deal with it.

So you think conservatives consider it a problem if Obama isn't a fan of the gays?

See, this is why I don't want my president to be a TV star: Because TV stars are too worried about being popular -- and too concerned with getting renewed.

Truer words were never spoken. And the reason why Obama WILL NOT do anything about gay rightS. not this year, or the year after that..etc..etc

from this Link (new window)

What I don't think people realize is that there is such a thing as political capitol. Basically the power to make things happen in Washington, calling in favors and getting people to vote with you on issues. Right now Obama is tied up in getting his health care package up and running. It is smart of his administration not to be distracted by another political fight that could disrupt his heal care plans. If his administration stretches itself too thin, tries to do too many things at once, it will ultimately accomplish nothing as things bog down in Congress.

As I see it, gay rights is a second-term issue.

Hender: real shaman: ahhhh, more change we can believe in....

/how's it feel to be suckered by a chicago huckster?

About the same as it felt to be suckered by a "Texan" born in New England with an East coast Ivy League education who had managed to run every business he'd ever been involved with straight into the ground. Except this time around I'm more ideologically in line with the guy suckering me.

You forgot 'never having traveled abroad' prior to being elected.

/including Canada
//even drunk on a bet, you make it to Canada

Krazikarl: Anyway, hes not going to do much with them until other things get sorted out.

Yes and no.

Some things he could change, and do so independent of any branch of the Federal Government. He could deal with gays and lesbians in the military with an executive order (DADT), but he hasn't. Yet. Who knows if he will, but that's within his power to do so. He wants Congress to back him on that though, if I've read enough on this thus far.

For something like DOMA, a law that is said to be largely constitutional, lacks any legal precedent against it, he's stuck upholding it. Congress could simply pass another bill to counter it, or it could be challenged up to SCOTUS to be deemed unconstitutional.

Now the brief was just mean, poorly worded, etc. But there are some things Obama is able to do, and some things he is not able to do.

I've never understood the "he has more important things to do" argument; the executive branch has more than a few people working in it. He could advance the agenda with virtually no expenditure of time. Who wouldn't want to see him appoint a Gay Czar to run everything?

/this was one of the few issues where I thought he'd be great
//can't catch a break

feckingmorons: He said it while running for office did you expect anything different.

He said he was opposed to gay marriage.
He said he wanted to go back to the old policy of no gays in the military (repealing DADT).

Why would you expect he would change his spots now?

Because of Unicorns! And he's really an atheist!

/Total Farkers are rapped up in hero worship.

Haha, you butthurt gheys thought you were gettin' change!

Cinaed: Yes and no.

Some things he could change, and do so independent of any branch of the Federal Government. He could deal with gays and lesbians in the military with an executive order (DADT), but he hasn't. Yet. Who knows if he will, but that's within his power to do so. He wants Congress to back him on that though, if I've read enough on this thus far.

For something like DOMA, a law that is said to be largely constitutional, lacks any legal precedent against it, he's stuck upholding it. Congress could simply pass another bill to counter it, or it could be challenged up to SCOTUS to be deemed unconstitutional.

Now the brief was just mean, poorly worded, etc. But there are some things Obama is able to do, and some things he is not able to do.

I'm not talking about what he can and cant do. I'm talking about what he will and wont do (IMO obviously). Clearly he can do a lot for gay rights. But he wont because the Republicans will have a field day and use that to bog him down on issues like the economy and health care.

I think he probably has to do things in the right order. The economy should be first - that makes the most sense and it was the center of his campaign (while gay rights was definitely not the major point). If he tries to do gay rights then the economy, I dont see him suceeding on either.

Krazikarl: I'm not talking about what he can and cant do. I'm talking about what he will and wont do (IMO obviously). Clearly he can do a lot for gay rights. But he wont because the Republicans will have a field day and use that to bog him down on issues like the economy and health care.

I think he probably has to do things in the right order. The economy should be first - that makes the most sense and it was the center of his campaign (while gay rights was definitely not the major point). If he tries to do gay rights then the economy, I dont see him suceeding on either.

I think Obama can Multi-task. He's a smart guy and remarkably well organized. I have no doubt that gay rights will get some attention by the Obama Administration when and where possible. I'd personally like if the he will do fits within the range of what he can legally do.

Alright, let's take this opportunity to list all the things Obama said he would do, but hasn't.

Revoked state's secrets privelege.
Close Gitmo
Stop extraordinary renditions
Has made no progress eradicating the Patriot Act
In fact, he reaffirmed it
Says we'll leave troops in Iraq for 10 years
Done nothing about gay rights/gays in the military.


Wow. I am AMAZED at his progress. 5 months in, you figure he'd be able to take care of at least one of those.

/i know i know, he's got "so much on his plate"

Krazikarl: If he tries to do gay rights then the economy, I dont see him suceeding on either

Its a good thing he doesn't have to manage two wars, North Korea, Iran, and other domestic issues. Im sorry he criticized Mccain and said that a president needs to be able to handle things at once. To say he's too busy is turning him into Mccain.

Just substitute "states secrets privelege" in for oppressing gay rights. Do it.