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In Coming Out for Gay Benefits is the President Stalling for Time?
Late last night news broke that the President would be signing an memorandum to extend many benefits to federally employed same-sex couples. The exact extent of the memorandum remains sketchy as I am writing this piece. And there is the possibility the reason the President is signing this is to avoid these changes from coming into conflict with the Defense of Marriage Act, which the administration chooses to defend in court--despite saying on the campaign that the President would repeal the amendment.
Some gay advocates and observers, who have been able to get their hands on some of the details are already suggesting that the memorandum does not go far enough for same-sex federal employees, implying that some of the benefits will still be denied to them. That remains to be seen. (There is also speculation that there is some legal difference between a "memorandum" and "executive order", which might also impact how influential this move is for advancing queer-rights.)
What are Queer-Americans suppose to make of this? Many have astutely pointed out that this is primarily a political move to appease Queer-Americans again, who have grown increasingly frustrated with the President's silence and in some cases flip-flopping, rather than actual advancing his agenda for Queer-Americans. And if it turns out that this memorandum does not go all the day, and ensures that the DOMA can remain on the books, the President is likely to dig himself further in the whole with the queer and progressive community.
Many believed that repealing DOMA or DADT would have been one of the President earliest achievements once he was in office; however, over the past months it has become painstakingly clear that the administration does not want to touch any queer-rights issues with a ten-foot poll. It has reached the point that several prominent gay fundraisers have decided to opt out of a annual fundraiser for the Democratic Party--which many have seen as a direct correlation to the President making this move.
Looking at the glass as half-full, if the President is serious about advancing gay-rights--and that seems less and less likely as the days go by--he is likely trying to avoid a contentious battle with Republicans on the Hill on gay-rights as a distraction to the economic and other domestic issues the President must face. And then there is also the sad possibility that the President intends to drag his feet on gay rights throughout his first term. The later is becoming a unrealistic expectation.Queer-Rights groups and Queer-Americans have been adamant that the President must live up to his promises made during the campaign or seek support elsewhere.
Hopefully in his speech on extending the benefits, the President will layout his agenda and timeline for Same-Sex couples for the rest of the year, or first term. The administration cannot and should not expect to be able to treat such a devoted demographic the way it has. Throughout the first months of the administration, on policy matters the President has shied away from queer-issues as much as politically possible, while continuing the supportive rhetoric from the campaign trail. These conflicting messages have reached a boiling point in the queer and ally community, and it seems that they have forced Obama's hand.
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That motion to dismiss was truly awful, so awful that I suspect incompetence rather than malevolence.
That said, I have too many gay Californian friends who left their home state (and the Prop 8 fight) in order to volunteer for Obama in places like Nevada ... excuses didn't get Obama elected and my friends deserve better than excuses in return.
If this administration makes no effort during the first term to fulfill the campaign promises that Obama made, there will be some interesting personal choices to be made.
June 17, 2009 11:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
I still think the "gay vote" will be solidly Democratic next cycle--as Republicans seem even less likely to publicly support Queer-rights (unless it is related to gun ownership), but in the lead up to the election is where I think Obama's silence can come back to haunt him. If there is a drop in fundraising and as well as volunteering efforts, it can come back to hurt Democrats going up for re-election. It could also force gay issues to become a big ticket issue during the campaign, which could give Republicans in with social conservatives.
June 17, 2009 12:34 PM | Reply | Permalink