January 16th, 2008 by Autumn Sandeen

The View from (ab)Normal Heights

"As y'all might expect, my "deal breaker" issue is the inclusion of transgender people in LGBT civil rights legislation. If a candidate hasn't used the words of "gender identity" or some variant of the term "transgender" in a statement that supports equality for LGBT people, then I'm not going to vote for that candidate in my state's primary. And, I'm scheduled to vote in California's Democratic Primary, which is a "Tsunami Tuesday" (February 5th) primary — so my primary vote actually may mean something this year.

Let me publicly review, then, what the top tier Democratic Party candidates for president have said with regards to my "litmus test" issue."

This will anger some people I am sure, but I am not concerned with what the candidates stances are on the LGBT issues. I do not see any progress happening in the next few years regardless of who ends up in the White House. The issues that I am concerned with are: The war in Iraq, the restoration of the constitution, and the absurdly high energy prices. Once those things are addressed and then concentrate on the LGBT issues.

LGBT is a minor issue. Survival of the country is at stake, environment, economy, war, education, health and world affairs are much more important.

Quote from: lisagurl on January 16, 2008, 10:28:26 AM
LGBT is a minor issue. Survival of the country is at stake, environment, economy, war, education, health and world affairs are much more important.

Seconded

I am concerned about the candidates positions on the war, health care, economy and GLBT issues. All of these have an effect on my life.

y2g

I'm surprised you're so concerned, Karen.  As a Californian you already have all the protections offered by both ENDA and the Hate Crimes bill.  There are so many more pressing issues.

Health care is my deal breaker.  My rank ordering of the candidates on this issue is John Edwards, Hillary Clinton and then Barak Obama.  Oddly Edwards, the rich white guy, is more progressive on most of the issues than either of her opponents.  I'm voting absentee and I'm having a hard time deciding between Hillary and John.  Health care was what eliminated Obama.  Hell, if the Shrub proposed a single payer system I'd even give him consideration!

What is your favourite teletubby. If they say Dipsy, forget 'em. Lala is obviously the best.

Nah, I wouldn't ask questions. You don't know what a person in power will do until they are in power. They don't know all the facts yet.

Quote from: Claire de Lune on January 16, 2008, 02:20:42 PM
I'm surprised you're so concerned, Karen.  As a Californian you already have all the protections offered by both ENDA and the Hate Crimes bill.  There are so many more pressing issues.

Hi;

1; I'm doing my job passing on relevant news items.  I felt this one was more appropriate in the politics forum than in the general news forum.

2;  I work on a military reservation.  I lose my California protections when I drive on base to go to work.  I've been told I have no right to correct someone who sir's me, nor to use the women's restrooms on base.  (The people who 'sir' me, however, have a right to do that, I was told.)

3; I think healthcare should be national single-payer.  Scratch HRC (the OTHER HRC) from my list...

Karen

QuoteI lose my California protections when I drive on base to go to work.

You must of lost them signing those enlistment papers.

I would prefer a candidate who has some sort of plan for doing something.  Still waiting.

Education is one of my main issues since I'm going to become a teacher. I'm also concerned about family issues, the war and the state of the economy. LGBT issues are a concern but not one of my very important issues.

I'm still formulating a list of my top ten issues. I'm going whittle it down to my top five, then my top three. Possibly I'll explain why.

Gennee

Quote from: tekla on January 17, 2008, 09:07:45 AM
I would prefer a candidate who has some sort of plan for doing something.  Still waiting.

Ya, that would be nice.

Tell me the plan.
Not what they "stand for"
What do I need to know that for?
I wanna know what they are going to do!
Not what they like.
I coulnd't care less what they like.
I care about results.

Sara

and in particular what they would do about this

http://www.newstarget.com/z019659.html

If you can take econ papers, the one listed, done for the Federal Reserve, is very interesting.

That nasty stinking little war of King George's, and the gross mistreatment of veterans.

Well my first thing is that they can't be anti-LGBT.  Which wipes out most of the republican field.  After that Healthcare is probably my primary concern.  Followed by the economy.  And then the War.

Right now it's down to Obama or Clinton.  And on those issues they are for the most part the same.  Or at least close enough to the same that it won't effect that much if one or the other is put in in terms of what they are pushing for.

And my tie-breaker between those two was the LGBT debate, where I thought Hilary came off very warm, and seemed like she was amongst friends.  Where as Barack seemed like he was trying very carefully not to show that much support, because at the time the supposed homophobia of the black vote was a big deal in the press.  I was hurt at how dismissive he was at comparing the LGBT struggle for rights to the Civil Rights issues that African American's had to push for.  I was hoping instead for him to reach in as someone who has experienced bigotry, to us as someone who understood.  But alas.  No.

But I'll vote for either Clinton or Obama, whichever of those two are in the general election.

I'm praying Romney isn't our president.  The doomsday clock in my belly is telling me otherwise though.

Which wipes out most of the republican field.

If not all of it.  A republican running on a gay friendly platform might as well be running as a third party.  I sure have not seen any sympathy from any of them.

Given that, and given that there are more, It's gonna be Obama.  The rest are in the dust as we speak. It's only fitting that given what the African population gave to this nation, its high time we give it back.

  this might sound stange  but  to me Politics. has always been like a carp shooters game. and

always  plaiyed very drity .  myself if i had a choice i would rather play  the slots at lest i got  a

bettter chance there then on a crap shooters game . haveing said that  and to wating to waste my

right to vote . the only one  that i can even seeing myself voteing for in anyway  would have to be

hilary Clinton. the rest of them i could not see it in the cards   

Like the slot machines, or a card game, or LSD, you can't win - if you don't play.

Quote from: tekla on January 29, 2008, 09:19:46 PM
Like the slot machines, or a card game, or LSD, you can't win - if you don't play.

well i dont know about lsd    but i do know about slots and card games . and  i,ll still take the slots

over the card games  any day  . but your right  tekla  if you dont play you cant win  . so thats why

iam voteing for  the one to me that feeels they will do the right thing. which  btw i already said who that is

walks out of the room looking around

A deal breaker for me would be anyone who is openly anti-LGBTIQ.  A second deal-breaker would be is if they brought someone onboard who was openly anti.

Things I would like to see are these.

A plan to get us out of Iraq without using Iran as an exit point is important, but it will probaly take 10 years before we can get everyone out.  At least, that is what the troops who are going over are being told.

A reasonable healthcare plan is important.  Why not buy a minimum contract for every American?  If you want to upgrade your coverages, you have the right to do so.  However, everyone would be covered.

Repeal of No Child Left Behind (aka No Child Moves Ahead) and then stay out of the way of the educators!

Repeal of the PATRIOT Act and the other such measures passed by Congress that stomp on the Constitution.

An ACTIVE alternative energy program that will a) find an affordable alternative to fossil fuels, b) convert the US economy to run on that alternative energy and c) find ways to minimize the impact when the economy tanks because we are out of oil.  (It's a LOT closer than what people think it is!  In fact, we may have already reached maximum possible worldwide output.)

An active space and oceanic exploration program.  Kids today have nothing to spark the imagination - something that will interest them to go into math, science & technology.  It's one of the main reasons why manufactureres are producing overseas - a better educated work force.

Chaunte