A Note to Disenfranchised Gay Democrats
This is not a GOTV cheerleading session. I believe it's everyone's civic duty to vote, but I don't believe it's anyone else's business if you choose not to (from time to time, anyway). So I'm not going to try to fire up the crowds or offer to bus everyone I can to the polling stations.
No, this post is limited to one simple point: not voting for the Democrats in this election because they haven't yet given you everything you wanted when you worked so hard to get them elected in 2008 is the quintessential example of cutting off your nose to spite your face.
In particular, let me note to my fellow gay Americans, who, as MSNBC reports are particularly dissatisfied with the democrats:
And if you simply opt out this round because you haven't yet gotten everything you wanted, the choice in New York will still be between Cuomo and this man. And in the Deleware Senate race between Coons and this woman. And in the Nevada Senate race between Reid and this woman. And in the Governor race in California between Brown and this woman.
In other words, in race after race after race across the country, if the Republicans win (because you're just too unsatisfied with the Democrats' lack of progress on the issues important to us), it's not like the only outcome will be that those two-faced politicians are going to learn their lessons and then next time around work harder to keep their promises to us. The next time around they'll be struggling just to legislate us right back to where we stand today. The Republicans you'll be letting into office aren't going to just freeze the progress we've made on equality issues; they're going to rewind the clock as best they can.
Maybe your disgust with the current crop of spineless sloths in office is so great you're willing to let their opponents drag us back again just to teach them a lesson. I, for one, am not willing. The Democrats may not be doing enough, fast enough, but they're not working round the clock to unravel all the progress we've made.
The choice is crystal clear.
No, this post is limited to one simple point: not voting for the Democrats in this election because they haven't yet given you everything you wanted when you worked so hard to get them elected in 2008 is the quintessential example of cutting off your nose to spite your face.
In particular, let me note to my fellow gay Americans, who, as MSNBC reports are particularly dissatisfied with the democrats:
Across the country, activists say gay voters are angry — at the lack of progress on issues from eliminating employment discrimination to uncertainty over serving in the military to the economy — and some are choosing to sit out this election or look for other candidates.that the choice in 2008 wasn't between Obama and some super liberal, pro-gay-marriage candidate who had repealing DADT at the tippy top of his domestic agenda. The choice was between Obama and this man.
And if you simply opt out this round because you haven't yet gotten everything you wanted, the choice in New York will still be between Cuomo and this man. And in the Deleware Senate race between Coons and this woman. And in the Nevada Senate race between Reid and this woman. And in the Governor race in California between Brown and this woman.
In other words, in race after race after race across the country, if the Republicans win (because you're just too unsatisfied with the Democrats' lack of progress on the issues important to us), it's not like the only outcome will be that those two-faced politicians are going to learn their lessons and then next time around work harder to keep their promises to us. The next time around they'll be struggling just to legislate us right back to where we stand today. The Republicans you'll be letting into office aren't going to just freeze the progress we've made on equality issues; they're going to rewind the clock as best they can.
Maybe your disgust with the current crop of spineless sloths in office is so great you're willing to let their opponents drag us back again just to teach them a lesson. I, for one, am not willing. The Democrats may not be doing enough, fast enough, but they're not working round the clock to unravel all the progress we've made.
The choice is crystal clear.
Labels: gay politics, politics
posted by Edward_ at
10:18 AM
11 Comments:
Beautifully said Ed! All I can think about is that if we lost in 2008, instead of Obama we'd have McCain and Palin running this country further into the ditch (and with a few more Supreme Court picks too, I shudder at the thought).
---ondine nyc
I also totally agree. We have entered another push-comes-to-shove time when no one can afford to stay on the sidelines. Every vote not cast for a Democrat is a vote cast for a Republican, and the less of them the better. The two parties are not alike. One of them is much worse – Koch Brothers worse.
This illustrates _why_ Democratic politicians don't do anything beyond occasional lip service for gay rights. Why should they, when the suckers will vote for them anyway? I see the same things with gun owners and Republicans.
If you want to vote for someone who you've convinced yourself is the lesser of two evils, go right ahead--but you're still knowingly voting for evil.
Ken, if the choice was between an all-powerful Democrat who didn't need to negotiate with the other elected officials and work within the system our fore fathers intentionally made move at a glacial pace when it came to cultural changes and one of these mere humans actually on the ballots, I'd happily vote for the former instead.
Problem is, this being reality, none of the former are in the race.
I'm getting all kinds of behind-the-scenes emails about how both sides are bad and therefore it's naive to favor one over the other, but I'll tell you what: the first Republicans who go so far as to even pay lip service to gay rights issues, I'll consider voting for them (because that will be progress). As it stands, the Republicans are widely running on anti-gay platforms. To equate the two is idiotic.
LOL, putting the pee in 'partisan politics'
Pissed off? don't vote and give the Tea Party bragging rights, and the Republicans an edge in congress.
No matter? This recovery is dangerously close to imploding and the Republicans are willing to give it a hard push towards calamity -- just so they can retake both houses and the presidency in 2012.
Go ahead make their day ;-(
Here is a link that speaks volumes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DRkUU-qhjk&feature=player_embedded
-----ondine nyc
I'm pissed off, too, but I'm going to vote my butt off for the Democratic ticket. While the choices aren't great, I'd rather have in office a Democratic politician who pays lip service and does nothing than a repugnican who actively tries to take my crumbs away.
Women's rights are at stake here, too. Everyone has a friend, sister, cousin, niece or daughter whose right to choose is at stake. And once the right to abortion is yanked, you know they're going to come after our crumbs.
And since I am pissed off and on a roll, how about this one: Do tell, don't serve. Fuck 'em if they don't want good soldiers.
Right on, Ed. I can't understand why people are considering not voting. Politics is almost always the lesser of two not great choices.
Well said, Mr. Winkleman.
I was just venting yesterday with my hubbie about how we, as voters, get to choose (usually) between two candidates. One who was chosen by the Dem faithful and the other by the GOP faithful. It's like having 40 flavors of ice cream but only being allowed to choose from 2 of them. From those two, we have to decide who will meet our needs/wants better and not necessarily who will do exactly what we want. Clearly, the Dems are the better candidates this year in regards to civil, gay, and women's rights (not to mention realistic financial management, war, veteran's issues, and the general future well being of our nation).
It's my hope that with all the press that has been happening with the gay community that momentum will continue to build for equal marriage, equal protection, and eliminating don't ask. I've seen folks realize how stupid these things are and change their stance on these issues. We just need a few more. Keep on truckin'! Don't let the GOP take back what has been fought for.
Despite what the Greens insist, there is a tremendous difference between Democrats and Republicans-and when it comes to exercising our limited power, we'd better get out there and vote for the candidates whose ideals and goals are closest to our visions of what America should be. It's not the politicians themselves who are the problem; it's the system that's obsolete, but we still have to operate within it. In the meantime, we can vote every single day: by being thoughtful consumers and keeping as much money out of the hands of businesses that support war, inequality, and hate as possible.
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