Leef Eirik Sawyer discusses the President’s political approach to gay rights.
I sometimes wonder if two sides of an issue can both be correct. The recent decision by President Obama not to sign an executive order requiring federal contractors to avoid discrimination on the basis of gender or sexual identity is a case in point.
Political realities often do not align neatly with moral imperatives. Washington Post columnist Greg Sargent accuses the Obama administration of playing it “too cute” with gay rights issues. But the political reality is that,in an election year in which similar issues for the gay community have been showcased repeatedly, Obama is playing his hand with all the cunning of a dispassionate poker player. If his strategy wins, that will be the bottom line.
What is that strategy? As a lay person, I can only speculate. But consider that within the past few months, Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum has gone so far as to say he would effectively annul same sex marriages and reinstitute Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in the military. Through constitutional amendment and executive decree, the former candidate would have rolled back rights that currently exist already for these Americans. Santorum’s views come from his own sense of morals and religious doctrine; despite his proclaimed alignment with the essential Republican principle of less intrusion in our private lives by the federal government, the moral scaffolding he promotes would override state choices in the matter of marriage. On a more fundamental level, however, his suggestions smack of proclamation.
Obama knows that. He’s not playing it cute – he’s playing it cool. Perhaps he knows that the fundamental strength in promoting social rights lies with congressional approval rather than executive order. Yet I still applaud those who cry out against the existing injustice, urging him to take more decisive action, because therein lies the passion.
For those of us who are members of the gay community, the tension between the two sides perhaps creates a synergy propelling this from a political wish to an accomplished reality.
Photo by: ep_jhu
How would we expect him to ACTUALLY follow through on ANY promise for the lgbt community. It took GAY REPUBLICANS filing suit to end “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. At least with the Republican party, we know where we stand and where we need to start the discussion. The Dems just get the “official” nod from our community with no questions asked. I am not a totally Rep or Dem, and finding myself more and more not in line with EITHER side. I also feel REALLY bothered that the Reps feel it OK to go so totally to the right to… Read more »
“Social rights”????
What exactly are they? How are they asserted?
Or is the term just a euphemism for something else?
Obama’s abandoning and abusing the gays because he can afford to and it benefits him politically. It’s not like gay Americans have anywhere else to turn, and both he and they know it. I think hoping that Obama will suddenly start delivering on his rhetoric if only he can get RE-elected is wildly optimistic. He had a huge mandate when he first came into office, and he never lifted a finger to deliver on most of those promises; only after losing a powerful Congressional majority has his administration offered the tired old excuse of “those darn Republicans won’t let me.”… Read more »
I’ve seen your other posts and I know you’re a lgbt supporter…but the term “the gays” is grating. It’s like “the blacks.” 🙂
Anyway, when I say that I hope Obama will start delivering…I really do just mean start. I’m hoping it won’t be quite so luke-warm, is all. I’m not expecting him to suddenly pressure Congress to introduce a same-sex marriage bill or anything. It isn’t until politicians are completely 100% our of the politics game that they start to actually back lgbt rights unconditionally. (Go team…sarcastically).
Typically, when a voter group feels that they have no place else to go, most of them just stay home.
Democrats have been pretending otherwise for my entire lifetime, but it has never once worked out well for them. ‘This time it will be different!’ should be their motto at this point.
Good point. It’s a lesson both parties keep failing to learn.
This was one of those stories that pissed me off, but didn’t surprise me in the least. (Not your article about it, just Obama’s actions). And it’s true…with the way the Republican party is so vocally against lgbt rights, really all Obama and the other Democrats have to do to get the votes of lgbt people is play it cool. They can point out how they aren’t going to provide a defence for DOMA in the Supreme Court, while simultaneously ensure they don’t alienate potential voters by doing anything so divisive as signing an executive order like the one from… Read more »