FRACTALISED FRAGMENTED THERAPEUTIC BLOGGING: United States

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Thursday, 29 October 2009

Center for LGBT Homeless Youth Gifted $300K by Bea Arthur Estate - Towleroad, More than gay news. More gay men

Center for LGBT Homeless Youth Gifted $300K by Bea Arthur Estate - Towleroad, More than gay news. More gay men . . . . . . ___________________________________________________

Now this is the kind of help and facility of which the GLBTQ community is deserving. May she rest in peace!

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Tuesday, 20 October 2009

White House Tidbits re: Health Care issues

CHICAGO TRIBUNE has a guide to the White House health-reform players: Rahm Emanuel, Jim Messina, Nancy-Ann DeParle, Phil Schiliro, Peter Orszag and Dan Pfeiffer. (The Trib needs to get a Pfeiffer file photo!)

TOP TALKER -- DEMS TRY TO BOX OUTCHAMBER -- POLITICO's Lisa Lerer: 'The White House and congressional Democrats are working to marginalize the Chamber of Commerce ... by going around the group and dealing directly with the CEOs of major U.S. corporations. Since June, senior White House officials have met directly with executives from more than 55 companies, including Chamber members Pfizer, Eastman Kodak and IBM. 'We prefer the approach - particularly in this climate - where the actual people who are on the front lines, running businesses, trying to create jobs, come and advise us on policy,' senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett told POLITICO ...

'Chamber officials say the White House is scapegoating the Chamber and other trade associations as a way of dividing the business community, a move that could help the administration made headway on health care reform, climate change legislation and regulatory reform. 'It's happening with the deliberate hope and attention to weaken the influence of this institute and the business community in town,' said Bruce Josten, executive vice president for government affairs at the Chamber. 'When they launch a frontal assault against free enterprise and the Chamber of Commerce, I can guarantee it is not lost on any trade association executives or staff in this town.' ... Executives from a huge swath of companies have attended breakfasts, lunches, dinners and coffees with Jarrett, Obama, chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and senior economic adviser Larry Summers in recent months. On June 25, for example, Obama and Jarrett ate lunch with the CEOs of Honeywell, PepsiCo, Avon, IBM, Pfizer and Aon. Six days later, they sat down with executives from Verizon, Nucor, Starbucks and Wal-Mart. And last week, they met with CEOs from Amazon.com, FPL Group, Eastman Kodak and Kraft.'

'A ROADMAP TO HEALTH-CARE OVERHAUL BY CHRISTMAS' -- Commentary by Bloomberg's Albert R. Hunt: 'Republican Senator Olympia Snowe remains the single most important member of Congress on this issue. Democrats might be able to pass a bill without her; it will be hard. Rahm Emanuel will be a central figure in crafting any Senate-approved measure and the final bill. The White House chief of staff may have to delegate much of the Afghanistan account and any plans for a stealth stimulus, spending most of his time on health-care deliberations. ... For all the focus on the public option, ultimately the issue of affordability and how to pay for the overhaul will be more important. ... Veteran observers have no doubt there will be several doomsday moments and dismiss the notion that everything will be approved and reconciled by Thanksgiving, the target deadline. The odds are a measure will pass -- assuming Snowe stays on board -- with Christmas lights and music in the background when Obama signs it.'

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WH Clarifies Obama Positions Regarding Same-Sex Ballot Measures - Towleroad, More than gay news. More gay men

WH Clarifies Obama Positions Regarding Same-Sex Ballot Measures - Towleroad, More than gay news. More gay men . . . . So this is the 16th of October's explanation and standing as per the White House for the Obama. What will their position be for each and every day hereafter? It would seem to me that the Obama will hold to a specific stand only after he is painted into a corner.

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Monday, 12 October 2009

President Barack Obama's speech at the HRC dinner | The Bilerico Project

President Barack Obama's speech at the HRC dinner The Bilerico Project . . . There are many opinions, views and perspectives to this age, this political setup in D.C., this POTUS, these issues which many hold dear. Therefore, I am going to present the verbatim verbiage of Mr. Obama and forego opinionising today. The message is too important for me to just present my opinion, when each one's individual opinion(s) is just as sacred, just as important as the next.

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Sunday, 27 September 2009

Washington's R-71 updates. Posted: 23 September 2009

Polling, the 50's that neither lived nor died, and everyone's a victim

New poll! According to internal polling released yesterday by the Approve R-71 (the pro-gay side), they're up 51-45. That's a whole lot closer than earlier polling that suggested domestic partnerships were favored 66-33. The Seattle P-I speculated that the discrepancy is caused by the fact that the more recent polling screened for likely voters, which, in off-off-year elections (like Nov. 2009), is a smaller, more conservative pool. A big part of this election is going to come down to voter turnout, so if you live in Washington make sure everyone you know votes. Volunteer to take their mail-in ballots to the post office yourself if you have to.

I've heard of perpetual adolescents, but this is ridiculous. The homophobes aren't even being subtle about the fact that they base their politics on returning America to an Eisenhower Era that exists only in their fantasies:

Continue reading "Washington's R-71 updates: Polling, the 50's that neither lived nor died, and everyone's a victim"...

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Taking Health Care Courtship Up Another Notch

By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG

White House officials say they have begun an aggressive campaign to line up votes for a health care bill.

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Thursday, 24 September 2009

Senator Tries to Allay Fears on Health Overhaul

Image via CrunchBase

Senator Tries to Allay Fears on Health Overhaul

By ROBERT PEAR

Published: September 23, 2009

WASHINGTON — Senator Bill Nelson of Florida desperately wants to expand health insurance coverage because one in five Floridians is uninsured. As a former state insurance commissioner, he wants to crack down on insurers. And as a member of the Senate Finance Committee, he can shape legislation to achieve both goals.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/24/health/policy/24medicare.html?th&emc=th

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Tuesday, 22 September 2009

Universal health care is still an LGBT issue

The following has been clipped from The Bilerico Project Report dated 19 September 2009.

I have barely posted anything about health care now that the "debate" (if you will) is in full-swing all over the country. It's partly because I figure that an issue that's being covered everywhere doesn't need any help from me now, but also because all the news has been so damn depressing on this front. The bill keeps on getting compromised, so much so that the bill that just came out of the Senate Finance Committee is just one big love letter to the insurance industry. So I'm just waiting to see what actually passes, if the CPC holds the caucus line, what happens to the bill in conference, and if Obama's technocratic claim to support "what works" actually means anything.

But it's still the big LGBT issue. Tammy Baldwin explains how:

Continue reading "Universal health care is still an LGBT issue"...

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Ohio, Eddie Izzard, eating disorders, and homeless LGBT youth

The following has been clipped from The Bilerico Project Report dated 18 September 2009.
_____________________________

What nuggets happened this week that Projectors should know about but none of the contributors got around to blogging? Why funny you should ask...

 Gay and bisexual teens are more vulnerable to eating disorders (Hat tip to Barbara)

 Following up on Toni Broaddus, Kip Williams and Robin McGehee's response editorials, frequent guest blogger Adam Bink has his own thought on the federal vs state strategy for LGBT rights.

 The Ohio House of Representatives passed House Bill 176, the Equal Housing and Employment Act. State Representative and Republican candidate for Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, previously an LGBT ally, flipped positions and voted against the legislation.

 After President Obama extended the National Emergency for one year last Thursday, experts noted that the move allows him additional time to sign an executive order suspending Don't Ask, Don't Tell. So far it doesn't look like he will. (Hat tip to Indra)

 Across the United States, thousands of kids are kicked out of their homes each year for being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

 Comedian and actor Eddie Izzard, a "47-year-old cross-dresser with no sporting inclination," completed 43 marathons in 52 days, a feat of jogging that covered 1,100 miles. (Hat tip to Robin)

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Maybe an individual mandate is a tax cut

Image by SavaTheAggie via Flickr

OF INTEREST . . .

George Stephanopoulos tried to argue today that by requiring all Americans to get health insurance, President Obama was imposing a tax increase on those Americans who don't have insurance - because he's requiring them to pay money for something (an odd argument, since by that definition, shopping for food, or buying a CD, is a tax increase).

OF NOTE . . . . . . .

But in any case, if one wants to argue that making someone pay a monthly fee for insurance is a tax increase, then lowering the monthly premiums for the rest of us - which supposedly Obama's plan is going to do - would be a tax cut for the rest of us. And considering more of us are insured than uninsured, that would mean most of the country would be getting a pretty large tax cut. So there.

OF COURSE . . . .

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Sunday, 20 September 2009

What a difference 23 years makes.

On September 18, 1986, I woke up and thought I would try this new "one day at a time" thing I had been hearing about in meetings. Earlier that year, I had racked up my second DUI and was looking at spending time in jail for it.

Today I can say that the "one day at a time thing" has worked for 23 years. Some days have been easy, some were as painful as surgery without anesthesia.

I have watched friends die, lost my beloved lhasa apso, lost the house we got married in, got married, and helped get LGBT legislation passed in New Mexico. As my friend Julia would say, "It's a very long list."

That is what happens when one stays alive for 54 years, seeing many things, many people and places, in short, experiencing life. There is sadness and joy, moments that are just about taking a breath, and moments that are breathtaking.

Considering where I was headed, I am grateful today to be taking many breaths.

As a Latina lesbian honoring Hispanic Heritage month, I am making a big deal out of 23 years of sobriety. I am proud to have Latino blood flowing in my veins and that for today, I am sober.

Thanks to all the folks who have held my hand during these 23 years. The road has been bumpy but I am grateful to share the road with such loving, compassionate people.

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More Polling in Maine

The following has been clipped from The Bilerico Project Report dated 18 September 2009.
Here's the most recent polling in Maine from Research 2000 by DailyKos:

The numbers aren't too bad right now; this could go either way. The break-down is what we've seen in all these campaigns before: women, younger people, Democrats, and urban areas are more likely to be OK with same-sex marriage.

The LGBT side of the question is already doing a better job with the ads and framing of the debate. Now they want more volunteers to show up and do more than phone bank:

Continue reading "More polling in Maine"...

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Friday, 18 September 2009

Obama announces intent to disobey law governing State Dept meetings, while enforcing anti-gay laws

I think our community deserves an answer to a very important question.

Why is the Obama administration repeatedly refusing to obey laws on a variety of matters, but when it comes to anti-gay laws such as DOMA and Don't Ask Don't Tell, or the HIV travel ban, not only does the Obama administration refuse to disobey them, they actively defend DOMA and DADT in court. What's worse, the administration, with the help of Barney Frank, has argued that if they didn't defend DOMA in court, if they didn't keep kicking two US soldiers a day out of the military, then they'd be somehow undercutting the law just like the Bush administration did, and that would be wrong.

But that's exactly what the Obama administration is doing in countless non-gay cases that we've document over the past several months.

This is why Joe and I have been so critical of the administration lately. Something is going on. They're backing off of their promises to our community, and giving these phony excuses for why they're doing it, and then Barney Frank jumps in and defends them, using the same phony excuse. Then we catch them in the lie.

Perhaps it's time that our lead groups, beyond just SLDN, started holding the administration's feet to the fire on their promises to our community (I know, they would risk those White House cocktail invites). And perhaps it's time that Tammy Baldwin grew a pair, and that Barney Frank got over this post-gay phase he seems to be going through.

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DADT repeal in 2010

Image via Wikipedia

The following has been clipped from The Bilerico Project Report dated 16 September 2009

They're setting a time line for DADT repeal in 2010:

Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.) said he expects the House to hold hearings on a bill to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in winter or spring of 2010.

Murphy, speaking to the Blade at a Wednesday event sponsored by the Raben Group, a D.C.-based public affairs firm, also said he has 166 co-sponsors lined up for the measure and commitments from another 10 lawmakers to vote for the bill but not sponsor it.

Again, the Senate's going to be a stumbling block, but they're working on getting votes.

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Thursday, 17 September 2009

DOMA Repeal Legislation Introduced

{{w|Jerrold Nadler}}, member of the United Sta...

Image via Wikipedia

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) had a press conference today to announce the introduction of the "Respect for Marriage Act." The legislation would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act that passed Congress and was signed into law by President Clinton in 1996. Interestingly enough, Clinton sent a statement to be read at the presser.

"Today, we celebrate the first step toward overturning the Defense of Marriage Act and sending that ugly law into the history books where it belongs," said Nadler, adding that the new RMA bill has 91 original cosponsors.

Nadler later read a statement from former President Bill Clinton thanking Reps. Nadler, Baldwin, Polis, John Conyers of Michigan, John Lewis of Georgia, Nydia Velazquez of New York and Barbara Lee of California, for introducing the legislation. Clinton signed DOMA into law in 1996.

"Throughout my life I have opposed discrimination of any kind," Clinton said in the statement. "When the Defense of Marriage Act was passed, gay couples could not marry anywhere in the United States or the world for that matter. Thirteen years later, the fabric of our country has changed, and so should this policy." 91 original co-sponsors is a big deal; I never would have thought they'd get that many.

Image via Wikipedia

Rep Barney Frank is not a co-sponsor.

The LGBT orgs pumped out statements right after the press conference; they're after the jump.

Continue reading "DOMA repeal legislation introduced"...

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Joan Walsh @ Salon: The Blackening of the President

The following has been clipped from Salon via The Bilerico Project Report dated 16 September 2009.

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There's a portion of America that has insisted, despite ample evidence to the contrary, that the nomination and election of the first black president was proof that we've reached a post-racial society. The President's status as a biracial man largely raised in the Midwest was seen as a "safe" black man -- not of the traditional civil rights leadership often seen as an ornery bunch mucking in society by many. He was not the descendant of West African slaves, an origin that made many American blacks of that extraction suspicious of his racial fidelity.

But as the campaign wore on, we saw display after sad display of outright racism and bigotry (documented in dozens of Blend posts) emerge, stoked by the McCain/Palin campaign and the noisemakers on the right. But the vile behavior seemed to come from a demographic we all knew was below the surface -- people who would never vote for a black man under any circumstance. It all died down for a millisecond -- a period of calm after the inauguration, but the full-out attack was cooking as the anger at the reality that Barack Obama is President sunk in when he started affecting policy and approach to governing.

Continue reading "Joan Walsh @ Salon: The Blackening of the president"...

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The Dawn of LGBT Equality

Sometimes I wonder if we'll miss the moment when the LGBT revolution really does arrive. Many, myself included, have always expected that moment to come with cheers and back slapping as equal rights legislation finally becomes law. Others may be looking for the election of the first gay president or the installation of the first lesbian member of the U.S. Supreme Court.

I have a funny feeling, though, that I just saw the revolution dawn, and it didn't happen in Washington, D.C. The revolution arrived this past Saturday in Lawrence, Kan., inside the home of the senior pastor of the oldest church in the state.

I was in Linda Luckey and the Rev. Peter Luckey's living room, and I was surrounded by a group of largely heterosexual couples, ranging in age from 40 to their late 70s. We were all staring raptly at a DVD playing on a small TV.

Continue reading "The Dawn of LGBT Equality"...

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Tuesday, 15 September 2009

The Morality of Health Care Reform: Competing Voices

Image by seiuhealthcare775nw via Flickr

The following has been clipped from The Bilerico Project Report posted 14 September 2009.

____________________________

During Take Back America 2008, I spent part of a day running around with a camera and a microphone asking people which issue was most important to them in the upcoming election. Just when I thought I was done, the camera turned to me and I was faced with the same question.

My answer came quickly and easily: health care reform. When I explained why, the argument that came out of my mouth was based more in morality than economics.

“In a country as wealthy as this one,” I said, “It’s criminal that a single child lacks coverage and does without health care.” I was thinking of my own two kids -- particularly Dylan, who was less than a year old, and had regular well-baby checkups. But I was also thinking about children like Deamonte Driver, whose death from complications due to lack of access to dental care and a resulting abscessed tooth made headlines a couple of years ago.

It wasn’t because the cost of providing coverage and care to children was less than the cost of not doing so. (Though an $80 tooth extraction would have spared Deamonte the need for brain surgery and $250,000 worth of medical care because of the spreading infection.) It was because of a core belief that, as a country, we have moral imperative to make sure everyone has access to quality health care.

Continue reading "The Morality of Health Care Reform: Competing Voices"...

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Wednesday, 9 September 2009

The following has been clipped from the New York Times published 09 September 2009.
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By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG and ROBERT PEAR

With President Obama speaking tonight on health care reform, Senator Max Baucus said his committee would vote on the bill within two weeks with or without Republicans.

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Monday, 7 September 2009

Well We All Need Someone We Can Lean On

Legality of Euthanasia throughout the world

Image via Wikipedia

The following has been clipped from The Sunday New York Times published 7 September 2009

OF INTEREST . . .

A More Perfect Death by ROSS DOUTHAT

Our move toward physician-assisted suicide springs from the same quest that leads us to spend nearly twice as much on health care as any other developed nation.

OF NOTE . . . . . . .

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/07/opinion/07douthat.html?th&emc=th

OF COURSE . . . .

Time will tell!

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Thursday, 29 October 2009

Center for LGBT Homeless Youth Gifted $300K by Bea Arthur Estate - Towleroad, More than gay news. More gay men

Tuesday, 20 October 2009

White House Tidbits re: Health Care issues

WH Clarifies Obama Positions Regarding Same-Sex Ballot Measures - Towleroad, More than gay news. More gay men

Monday, 12 October 2009

President Barack Obama's speech at the HRC dinner | The Bilerico Project

Sunday, 27 September 2009

Washington's R-71 updates. Posted: 23 September 2009

Taking Health Care Courtship Up Another Notch

Thursday, 24 September 2009

Senator Tries to Allay Fears on Health Overhaul

Tuesday, 22 September 2009

Universal health care is still an LGBT issue

Ohio, Eddie Izzard, eating disorders, and homeless LGBT youth

Maybe an individual mandate is a tax cut

Sunday, 20 September 2009

What a difference 23 years makes.

More Polling in Maine

Friday, 18 September 2009

DADT repeal in 2010

Thursday, 17 September 2009

DOMA Repeal Legislation Introduced

Joan Walsh @ Salon: The Blackening of the President

The Dawn of LGBT Equality

Tuesday, 15 September 2009

The Morality of Health Care Reform: Competing Voices

Wednesday, 9 September 2009

Monday, 7 September 2009

Well We All Need Someone We Can Lean On

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