Friday, June 19, 2009

Why I get grumpy

John Aravosis, bless him, has been all over this like white on rice.
Again, let me reiterate. Top gay lawyers simply wanted to talk with the Obama administration's representatives at the Department of Justice and the Office of Personnel Management (which is not only run by an openly gay man, but has an openly gay general counsel). The gay lawyers wanted to know the details of the administration's reasoning that DOMA precluded health care benefits, among other benefits, to the partners of gay employees. The Obama administration refused.

If the Obama administration were truly interested in helping the gay community get these benefits, they would gladly tell their gay friends what the details of the legal problem is, in hopes that we can all figure out a legal way around it.

But there was no such interest from Team Obama. Either the argument that DOMA precludes these benefits is a lie. Or it's true and for some reason the Obama administration doesn't want to give us these benefits.
[Emphasis mine]

I can understand there being all manner of legal and political obstacles to moving forward. That is the nature of things. It's being treated like shit in the process the that infuriates me.

Mr. President, you can do better.

And we expect you to.

Crumbs and photo-ops and sound bytes are not going to do it.

--the BB

1 comment:

Göran Koch-Swahne said...

It's incredible the tarrying and stumbling...