Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Embrace Teh Gay

Well.. I didn't think that was going to happen until after the election, but Obama went ahead and completed his evolution on gay marriage. He wouldn't do that prior to the election unless there was some political calculus behind it.

Figure it this way.. a majority of Americans support it now, and those that don't wouldn't be voting for him anyway.  Right?  It's not like he's going to win Alabama.  What he's trying to do is win back people like me who have been completely disappointed in his performance in office. I'm sure most gays and lesbians are going to be influenced by that.

I'm not.

The President doesn't have much authority on the issue.  He doesn't write the law.  He can't repeal DOMA on his own, etc.  In short, he has nothing to lose by supporting same sex marriage.  Federally, it's going to be decided by the Supreme Court, and Obama has already made appointments that would back Loving vs. Virginia style civil rights.

It might help him in some swing states, where he can frame Mitt Romney as a hater.. and they've probably already prepped debate points on that.  What it's really going to do is put him on the right side of history.  He'll be able to, and quite rightfully so, be able to say that he was the first President to support same-sex marriage.

That whole bit from Biden making gay friendly remarks, and other cabinet members doing it, was just a trial for Obama.  It's going to be interesting to see how Romney tries to use it.  Obama is probably goading him to use it, knowing that Romney will come off as a dick.. again, only appealing to people planning to vote for him anyway.

I'm not going to say it doesn't improve my image of Obama.  It does... slightly... because there's too much other shit that is far more important that he's completely wrong on.  Gay marriage will win out regardless of Obama's position on it, but he's wrecked civil liberties and justice.

.. no doubt Sullivan is bending over for the BBC now..

I do not know how orchestrated this was; and I do not know how calculated it is. What I know is that, absorbing the news, I was uncharacteristically at a loss for words for a while, didn't know what to write, and, like many Dish readers, there are tears in my eyes.
For fucks sake..

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