Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Obama signs extension for some Gay/Lesbian rights

A weak olive branch.

President Barack Obama signaled to gay rights activists Wednesday that he's listening to their priorities by extending some benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. But he didn't give them even close to everything they want, bringing growing anger against the president to the surface.

The president signed a memo giving the same-sex partners some benefits, but not not health care.

Obama aides urged gays and lesbians to have patience with the new White House's slow-and-steady approach to the politically charged topic. But his critics — and there were many — saw Wednesday's incremental move to expand gay rights as little more than pandering to a reliably Democratic voting bloc, with the primary aim not of making policy more fair but of cutting short a fundraising boycott. read more here...

I don't know who is advising Barack Obama on GLBT issues, but they needed to be fired, yesterday.

Obama's remarks, transcript