Top 10 Reasons to Vote for Obama #10: Doug Wright Says It Out Loud

Doug Wright says what a lot of us have been thinking in this brief post:


I wish my moderate Republican friends would simply be honest. They all say they’re voting for Romney because of his economic policies (tenuous and ill-formed as they are), and that they disagree with him on gay rights. Fine. Then look me in the eye, speak with a level clear voice, and say, “My taxes and take-home pay mean more than your fundamental civil rights, the sanctity of your marriage, your right to visit an ailing spouse in the hospital, your dignity as a citizen of this country, your healthcare, your right to inherit, the mental welfare and emotional well-being of your youth, and your very personhood.”

It’s like voting for George Wallace during the Civil Rights movements, and apologizing for his racism. You’re still complicit. You’re still perpetuating anti-gay legislation and cultural homophobia. You don’t get to walk away clean, because you say you “disagree” with your candidate on these issues.

So you have to ask yourself: is it? Is my equality that unimportant that it doesn’t even come up on your spreadsheet?

Speaking of Foreign Policy…

… did you know Romney/Ryan plan to bring back the Global Gag Rule? No, I didn’t either.

Mr. Romney has pledged that, on his first day in the White House, he would reinstate the “global gag rule,” the odious restriction that has been used to deny federal money for family-planning work abroad to any organization that provided information, advice, referrals or services for legal abortion or supported the legalization of abortion, even using its own money.

and

The gag rule did nothing to prevent use of government financing for abortions because that was already illegal under federal law. But it badly hampered the work of family-planning groups overseas, forcing clinic closures, reduced services and fee increases. It also violated principles of informed consent by requiring health care providers to withhold medical information from female patients. And, by stifling political debate on abortion-related issues and violating free speech principles, the gag rule badly undermined America’s credibility as it tries to promote democracy abroad.

So again, no difference between candidates, my radical friends? This one is huge.

The Truth About Romney’s Binder

As it turns out, Mitt Romney didn’t ask for the binder full of women, even. He was given it.

What actually happened was that in 2002 — prior to the election, not even knowing yet whether it would be a Republican or Democratic administration — a bipartisan group of women in Massachusetts formed MassGAP to address the problem of few women in senior leadership positions in state government. There were more than 40 organizations involved with the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus (also bipartisan) as the lead sponsor.

They did the research and put together the binder full of women qualified for all the different cabinet positions, agency heads, and authorities and commissions. They presented this binder to Governor Romney when he was elected.

So there you have it. He’s not even as woefully un-sexist as he claims to be; he’s even more sexist than that.

Trans United for Obama: Next National Call 10/19

The campaign is in full gear now, and we are excited to invite all of our Trans United for Obama supporters to our next national call.

The call will take place on October 19th at 3:30 PM EST, and our featured speakers  are Dr. Marci Bowers (an innovator and pioneer in surgery), Mayor Cory Booker (the renowned and outspoken mayor of Newark, NJ), and Kylar Broadus (one of the fourteen trans delegates who went to the DNC this year).

To join the call, visit this link. Once you register, you’ll get an email with all the information you’ll need to call in. Then send this email to others you know!

Here are the details:
What: National Trans United for Obama call with Mayor Cory Booker, Dr. Marci Bowers, Delegate Kylar Broadus and YOU!
When: Friday, October 19th at 3:30 PM Eastern Time

Who Should Join: Transgender people and allies interested in helping to re-elect the President. This is an organizing call closed to bloggers and press. Continue reading “Trans United for Obama: Next National Call 10/19”