Half-Assed Positions Are This President's Hallmark

I have deliberately steered away from commenting on the President's half-assed positions on the GZ Mosque and immigrant rights. But THIS is personal. I have a gay son, you see. And I know... first hand.... how important marriage rights were to him, when he lost his partner to a freak accident three years ago. (Thank God they were living in Boston at the time!)

Mr. Obama, you should be ashamed. As an American I ask... why can't you take a stand??


H/T to Tennessee Guerilla Women for the link.

Obama Admin Makes Second Bold Step (After Appeasing the Right to the Point of Losing the Battle on HCR.)

What I am about to write is strictly my own opinion. Because I do not have time for serious research right now.

Here goes....

It is high time that the Obama Administration makes some bold moves like THIS and THIS.

In fact, on the heels of Obama's miserable "bi-partisan" attempt at a HCR bill ... that turned out to be a total sell out to corporate America ... it is refreshing to see ANYTHING at all that looks like an actual Democrat is in the White House.

The resignation of a *second* Liberal judge from the SCOTUS, so hot on the heels of the first, could well be a red flag. Do sensible Liberals expect big losses in November? Is Judge Stevens trying to boost the chances that Obama's second SCOTUS appointment will be at least moderately Liberal??

The months between May and November of 2010 may well be this administration's last chance to affect any of the *change* Obama's followers *hoped* for. What are the chances that, in a grand attempt to be liked by everyone... they will totally screw it up?

Let's just say.... I don't have much hope for any real change.

How about you?

SYD

Yesterday PUMAs Were "Conservatives." Today, We Are "Left Wing Fringe." All Cuz We Happen to Believe the Constitution Protects EVERYONE Equally.

Remember yesterday when so many of us PUMAs were being dismissed as "Closet Republicans" or "Conservatives" or "Right-Wing Nutjobs" and "Racists?" Because we happened to think that our votes for Hillary Clinton *should* have mattered....

Well, those days are OVER my friends. Today we are "Left Wing Fringe." This time because we happened to disagree with The Holy One about how quickly our nation should move forward on GLBT rights. No kidding. That is all it took for the Obamedia to change it's tune about our "disloyal" tendencies.

Here's a little rundown of what I consider to be some of the best of the PUMA reports from/ on yesterday's rally in D.C. Keep in mind that I do not get news from the MSM, except through these filters. So... my opinion may be a bit jaded.

As linked above.... Dissenting Justice. On the phenomena of Obama dissenters who used to be "Conservatives" now being labelled "Left Wing Fringe." Theme also echoed at Tennessee Guerilla Women.

It's an odd thing how stabs in the back like this one seem to irk PUMAs. Especially when they follow high falutin' blow jobs.

There are two days of excellent coverage, from Cynthia Yockey. Be sure to scroll back a few posts to catch them both! BTW, today, the "Newly Conservative Lesbian's" post is a FIRST HAND account and not to be missed. Many excellent video clips there!

Yesterday, Not Your Sweetie covered the schadenfreude over at the Sullivan and Avrosis blogs. Cry us a river, boiz. Wah-wah. And next time you decide to choose a candie date, do a little research into his/her voting (and marching) history.

Many PUMAs reported on the Nobel Peace Prize farce over the weekend. As did the Log Cabin Republicans. Who can blame them? I have a few more things to say about that, myself. Probably tomorrow.

For today tho... I want to recognize the millions of Americans that are being discriminated against because of who they love. I think they deserve our support.... even if some of them did lose our respect during the 2008 Democratic Primaries.

SYD

Still Holding Out A Shred of Hope?: The Advocate

Wow.

Just wow.

The honeymoon, uh... er..., fantasy is really over?

SYD

Grab Yer Willies, Lads n' Lasses: Another Weekend of Hip Deep Obama Love

We have been duly warned by NPR's Juan Williams. The Obama-love is running deep and thick this weekend on ABC and CBS.

Anyone with half a brain is steering clear of the MSM B.S. Storm.

No worries, though. Cuz we don't have to go far from the glare of the kowtowing to "Get Real with Sonja." Check out PJTV. Where Sonja clears up the lies about Letterman's and Playboy's "kewl and edgy", uh, er, *misogynist* comments about Republican women.

Many thanks to Flo Johnson of Team Sarah for linking BOTH of the above stories today. Flo remains one of the best bloggers in her corner of the blogosphere, if only for the wonderful research she does to unearth a real scoop. (PUMA WARNING: Flo is a Conservative blogger, so don't go there if that will freak you out.)

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In other, more PUMA related news... I'll defer to Gary's excellent, and up to the minute, coverage of Gay Politicos as they jump ship on the DNC fundraiser that was supposed to happen this weekend.

And a major H/T to Shtuey for his excellent rant on the situation in Iran. I, personally, have not yet taken a position on the Iran situation. But I am getting closer to understanding ... and blog posts like Shtuey's are helping me find my way through the miasma.

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Happy Father's Day to all of my PUMA and Palinite Friends. There would be no free press without you!

And for that, our founding Fathers would be grateful as well.

High Profile Gay Politicos Jumping Ship As Howard Dean Slams the "Inappropriate Language" of the Obama DOJ

I guess those politicos are tired of the double talk?
Maybe THAT explains the sudden announcement of "benefits" for gay federal workers.


As much as I expected this mess, and am not surprised by it.... I am sorely disappointed. (Not in the gay politicos. They have been patient enough.)

If you want to see what Howard Dean told Rachel Maddow this week... you can see the video at No Quarter. (Yes. They did it. They compared gay marriage to incest and pedophilia.)

Meanwhile, the AP reports that violence against the LGBT community is on the rise.

SYD

H/T to Tennessee Guerilla Women for the links and the photos.

Attacks on Ms. Prejean, Attacks on Ms. McCain: Where's the Outrage?

My thoughts, in response to THIS THREAD at The New Agenda:

Wow! This is really something to read. Gay activists attacking Feminists and vice versa.

Look. This is how white male supremacy is maintained. They divide women against blacks, blacks against gays, gays against women….. and in the end … only THEY can unite. There are many, many more of US than THEM. We need to remember that.

White women (even Carrie Prejean) are not the enemies of blacks or gays. Some of us are a bit misguided, IMO. And we may listen to ... or even parrot ... the patriarchy, thinking that they speak for us. It is confusing… to be sure. But, the fact remains... no "Carrie Prejean" has the power to keep another down. Not until she has the power to break through the glass ceiling herself.

At any rate… I call for women (and men) of all colors and sexual orientations to unite and get a grip. No one is free, when others are oppressed. Even if that “other” is Carrie Prejean.

Oh, and I’ll say one more thing.

Laura Ingraham has an effin’ lotta nerve calling anyone out for attacking a woman’s looks. She is the one that called Meghan McCain fat. I think the exact words were “a plus sized model for the GOP.”

Gotcha, Laura. Meghan is pro-gay, so her body is fair game. Carrie is anti-gay… so hers is sacrosanct??

Give me a break.

Moral of the story: Sexism sells, and both sides are using it.

I am a (social) Liberal, And I am TOTALLY *OK* With This!

Meghan McCain is on the books as being "pro- gay rights!" Not a surprise, really. Because her dad voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment. At a time whe that was quite an unpopular thing for him to do.

In this case, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree I guess? If Ms. McCain is the future of the Republican Party ... I'm interested. Very, very interested!

It is also worth noting that HILLBUZZ is talking about their meeting with Michael Steele this week. And they seem to like him!

These two developments make a fiscal Conservative/ social Liberal like me, feel more and more comfortable that I will have someone to vote for in 2012.

HILLBUZZ is suggesting Sarah Palin or Mark Sanford. I can see where they are going with that. I'm OK with it. How about you?

GLBT Groups Outpacing Other Progressive Minorities in Obama's First 100 Days (Not Because of Obama, Either)

H/T to Dissenting Justice this morning, for his fresh perspective on social change, who seems to be accomplishing it, and why.

"GLBT equality movements have engaged in relatively savvy political and legal action, which has led to their recent victories. No other liberal social movement can claim the rapid success that GLBT organizations are currently experiencing.

Labor groups are struggling to get Democrats in Congress to pass the Employee Free Choice Act. Also, the decision by the Obama administration to push the auto industry into bankruptcy and consolidation -- rather than giving car manufacturers trillions of dollars like banks have received -- will undoubtedly require drastic concessions by labor.

While women's rights groups celebrated the enactment of the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the statute really does not guarantee equal pay at all. Instead, it is simply a procedural measure that reinstates the more flexible statute of limitations rule that most courts applied in employment discrimination cases until 2006, when a divided Supreme Court imposed a more restrictive rule. The Ledbetter legislation is an important advance. Nevertheless, while gender equality advocates gushed over President Obama's ceremonial signing of the law, Congress tabled a more expansive proposal that would have relaxed the extraordinarily tough evidentiary burdens on plaintiffs in pay equity cases."

OK. So I am sad that Women's groups, by and large, are lagging. Not surprised, just sad. And, I agree with Dr. Hutchinson's thesis. The problem with the other groups, likely lies in this observation:

"Unlike GLBT social movements, most liberal groups are not visibly pushing the federal government or engaging in a sustained strategy in other venues. Apparently, they are still "glowing" over the Democratic sweep of Congress and the election of Obama."

At issue is the fact that Obama's popularity with the country, as a whole, is waning. The time for Progressives to take action and make change is now... before the bog-down stops us cold. But, too many of our comrades are still basking in their kool-ade induced dileriums. Time is running out.

High five to the GLBT groups that are on the ball and pushing forward now, in Obama's first 100 days! It's been a remarkable week for them!

The Fourth Face In My "Real Feminism" Series Belongs to....

Johanna Sigurdardottir.

Iceland's new Prime Minister.

Not so much because SHE is a shining example of how women's rights, and gay rights, are really human rights. And not just because she is the first openly gay woman to be named head of state.

What is really remarkable in this situation is that the people of Iceland love and respect her. (Imagine that happening here in the United States!)

A few quotes from THE ASSOCIATED PRESS:

"polling company Capacent Gallup said Sigurdardottir was Iceland's most popular politician in November, with an approval rating of 73 percent.

She was the only minister to see her rating improve on the previous year's score, Capacent Gallup said Wednesday. The poll of 2,000 people had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent.

"It's a question of trust, people believe that she actually cares about people," said Olafur Hardarson, a political scientist at the University of Iceland.

Sigurdardottir is seen by many as a salve to the bubbling tensions in Iceland. Thousands have joined anti-government protests recently. Last week, police used tear gas for the first time in about 50 years to disperse crowds."

Brava to the people of Iceland! For recognizing TALENT to lead.... and not being bogged down in antiquated thinking about WHO can lead!

ADDENDUMS:

Thanks to TGW for the heads up on this fabulous news!

Iceland is among the world's HAPPIEST COUNTRIES. Now we know another reason why!

Don't miss Heidi Li's Excellent Essay about the false Feminist in the White House.