I admit it, I didn't think I would this time, but I did.

[NorthCarolina]

In response to Obama standing up for the LGBT community I made a donation today to his reelection campaign. I was pretty adamant that I would not be donating this time around after disappointments during the health care reform debate in which he would not permit discussion/consideration of single payer or public option. This sentiment was further reinforced by his offering up Medicare and Social Security to the Republicans for reform during budget negotiations, and his refusal to prosecute Wall Street criminals after the economy collapsed. I am still quite upset by these factors, BUT (yes, I know everyone always has a big but), what the President did in advocating for fairness and equality simply cannot go unrewarded...at least I feel this way, and I hope that many of my LGBT brothers and sisters out there will consider the significance of this single action on behalf of the gay community. The ball is rolling now, and cannot be stopped.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Good for you!

I agree with all your points.

Greatest Page for you!

[grantcart]

2. Thanks and good for you.

Here is the reality.

If May turns out to be the greatest month in new donors in the history of campaigns and millions of people add up to $ 50 million new donatinos it will send a shockwave through the political landscape.

I have been waiting to pay off a few pressing bills but I know that if I start giving now that it will be interpreted as support for this position.

Anyone who makes their first Obama donation for this cycle will become a statistic, a very important statistic.

[Hissyspit]

3. Were your ears burning? We were talking about you a few minutes ago:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1016&pid=27968

[NorthCarolina]

5. Heh...THANKS for the acknowledgement.

I recall posting that long, long ago and it didn't get much traction here on DU back then. Although I had missed this most recent posting by another DUer, I hope that it will fare much better this go-round. I found it to be quite interesting AND enlightening. Thanks again for your mention, and thanks for stopping by here and commenting on this post.

[DevonRex]

4. Love you.

And I'm volunteering for PFLAG. I figured that it's time I put my time and money and effort to good use. I'm also volunteering for OFA and maybe I can coordinate the 2 somehow after the election.

We have REALLY got to get to work on getting some court cases going. I've realized now that just like Prop 8 in California, we have to get some other state cases going. We need precedents like overturning Prop 8, so that when a Supreme Court case comes up, there'll be plenty of judicial opinion (decided our way) on the books already.

I'm thinking North Carolina and California would be GREAT places to start. I need to talk to some LGBT attorneys and maybe some married LGBT servicemen and women. I think they just MIGHT be the key in all this.

[NorthCarolina]

6. LGBT military personnel is a great place to start.

Hard to justify that they can fight and give their lives to secure freedoms at home that they themselves cannot have access to. Love you back. Now lets do this thing.

[MisterP]

7. that's the whole point--he can punt it to the states (as he has for 3 years),

but wallets that were closed are now opened

[NorthCarolina]

8. You cannot put a price on the value of the discussions ongoing in the media

as a result of the Presidents position on the side of equal rights for all. It severly diminishes the arguments of the anti-gay camp, and shines a bright light on their intolerance and bigotry. Is this everything I ever wanted or hoped for? Not by a long shot, but the ball IS rolling now and there will be no stopping it. Surely THAT is worth something. If corporations can fund politicians to get the legislation they seek, they I figure I can kick in a few dollars here and there when advancements in the direction of my way of thinking arise.

[MisterP]

10. oh, this cynic will certainly grant all that! (except the "no stopping it," unfortunately)

[NorthCarolina]

14. You may ultimately prove right as the media may lose interest after a short while,

but maybe, just maybe, it won't. The gay community has never had as high level advocate as the President before, surely that accounts for something.

[DevonRex]

9. Kick

[WheelWalker]

11. Kick

[thesquanderer]

12. Obama did not (necessarily) rule out the public option

"Obama never secretly killed the public option" article at the WP...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/obama-never-secretly-killed-the-public-option-its-a-myth/2011/11/17/gIQAZQt0UN_blog.html

[NorthCarolina]

13. Not fighting or even publicly advocating FOR it

is, in my view, as good as killing it. But, be that as it may, I am nevertheless grateful for the discussions now ongoing in the media in response to Obama coming out publicly in favor of equal rights for all citizens. I am not forgetting those issues where I feel he fell far short of grand campaign promises and basic good governing, but I will take the good and continue to fight the bad.

[awoke_in_2003]

18. I don't think he and the legislative democrats...

ruled out the public option, but they started negotiations at the wrong point. In this country, PO is the closest we will ever get to single payer. Single payer should have been the starting point, to leave negotiating room to PO.

[Scurrilous]

15. Thanks.

K & R

[veganlush]

16. you

have a big but..

[mbuch64]

17. yeah, I did too

I wasn't going to being unemployed and having limited funds. But after yesterday's news, I felt I had to give something.

[NorthCarolina]

19. The news coverage is what turned the tide for me as well. nt