Jared Polis Says ENDA Will Become Law

[Shana A]

Jared Polis Says ENDA Will Become Law
Filed by: Dr. Jillian T. Weiss
March 31, 2010 4:00 PM

http://www.bilerico.com/2010/03/jared_polis_says_enda_will_become_law.php

In Thumbnail image for polis.jpgan interview in LGBT POV, Congressman Jared Polis said that ENDA will pass the House by a "substantial margin" in a few weeks, that President Obama will help shepherd it through the Senate, and that it will be signed into law. His interview is relatively short, but we can learn a lot from it if we read carefully. As I tell my students, you have to read the subtext, not just the text.

Wow, this is a long way from the reports a mere two months ago from inside "mainline LGBT political organizations" and a source "tied to Capitol Hill" in DC Agenda that ENDA was dead: "off the agenda" as they said. Seems that the reports of ENDA's death were greatly exaggerated.

[Jasmine.m]

Let's hope that this congressman is right and that we (finally) get ENDA passed!!

[tekla]

Seems that the reports of ENDA's death were greatly exaggerated.

Just like the reports of Health Care being dead we're kinda off the mark.  Though, had Health Care failed, this would have gone nowhere as the Party of No, would have been HELL NOing this from here to eternity, and it would not have passed, it wouldn't have even been voted on.  But having grown a little vestigial lump (its far too early to call it a spine yet) and having the big momentum running their way the Dems would be idiots (OK, never a reach) not to try to shove the entire agenda through right now.  That includes EDNA, DADT and scrapping DOMA, it also would be nice to see:
Gitmo closed
The wars ended
The war on drugs ended
No Child Left Behind scrapped

They should just pass them as a package.

[Jasmine.m]

the Dems would be idiots not to try to shove the entire agenda through right now.  That includes EDNA, DADT and scrapping DOMA, it also would be nice to see:
Gitmo closed
The wars ended
The war on drugs ended
No Child Left Behind scrapped

They should just pass them as a package.

Since we're day dreaming here... How about some serious alternative energy legislation along with much stricter environmental regulations?!

Seriously. There is *no* reason we can't pass all of the above. With a full House, a packed Senate and Democrat President, what are we waiting for???

[tekla]

Oh we need a 'Manhatten Project' for energy at the very least.

And I don't know why not.  If not now, when?

[Hikari]

Ever since I was a teenager, I had a seething hatred of this country, if they could repeal DOMA, pass ENDA, and makes some reasonable economic decisions then perhaps I could stop fantasizing about leaving for another country. Well, maybe...

[Rock_chick]

I'll keep my little british fingers and toes crossed for you guys...The anti discrimination laws this side of the pond are pretty comprehensive...it almost makes up for gordon brown. lol

[tekla]

Actually it just depends on where you are in the US (and who has been there before you). There are lot of places where people got up off their ass and went to work and changed the law - in many places such protections are DECADES OLD now.  EDNA is a federal law, and is really only going to cover those places that do not already have stuff on the books.  And, in the end, it's not going to make much difference in those places because they lack any sort of enforcement mechanism.

[Jasmine.m]

Actually it just depends on where you are in the US (and who has been there before you). There are lot of places where people got up off their ass and went to work and changed the law - in many places such protections are DECADES OLD now.  EDNA is a federal law, and is really only going to cover those places that do not already have stuff on the books.  And, in the end, it's not going to make much difference in those places because they lack any sort of enforcement mechanism.

Tek,
I disagree. I think the full backing and support by the US government of ideals such as those encompassed by ENDA carries with it a significant amount of weight. While it may not afford much protection, it's still a small amount of protection none-the-less. I'll take whatever we can get, b/c at the moment we have none (at the federal level).

For me, it's not so much about the ability to enforce ENDA as it is about the ideals I want our government to espouse.
~Jas

[tekla]

Back in the old Vietnam days there was an expression about winning 'the hearts and minds' meaning that it didn't matter how many battles you win, if, at the end, they still hate you and don't want what you're selling.

EDNA is going to make scant differences in two kinds of places.  One, its not going to matter where its not needed, like SF, NYC, LA, and two, it's not going to matter a whole lot (at least in the beginning) in places like rural Kansas, or the rural deep South where the culture is still going to be oppressive.

Sure, it's good to see it pass, if only because people can stop carping about it and get to work on issues that mean much more.  But like all discrimination laws, it's going to be easy to skirt, and damn hard to prove.