Gay people and their allies vote

[ruggerson]

This is not a pissing match between Obama, Clinton and Edwards supporters.

This is about political reality.

4-6% of the electorate in the last three presidential election cycles self identified to exit pollsters as gay or lesbian.

Presumably the number is even higher, since many people would not feel comfortable answering that question from a pollster.

We vote overwhelmingly Democratic.

Whomever is our nominee will not win the White House back without us.

We seem to be the very last group for whom it is still okay to offend, ignore or abuse.

That is not a good or wise or strategically smart political strategy for ANY democratic candidate or their supporters.

Not smart at all.

[mondo joe]

1. I don't think the Dems are ignoring us. There was aready one debate focused

entirely on gay issues.

[ruggerson]

3. True

I really meant ignoring us in the context of publicly associating with people who make a career out of exploiting homophobia.

[mondo joe]

Understood. Thanks.

:hi:

[BOSSHOG]

2. Count Me as an Ally and I never miss an election

The easiest way to lose me as a supporter is for a candidate to tell me upfront he is a "christian." Why does he/she have to tell me and what does that have to do with the performance in office? I consider "christians" domestic enemies of the constitution since they apparently think liberties only apply to them.

I believe gays should be able to marry and serve openly in the military. If not they should not have to pay taxes.

[EST]

4. I would like to see some figures to back up your statements---

Not trying to start a fight, but, in light of the overwhelming numbers of gay republicans that we keep discovering, I have begun to wonder.
I have no idea how big the Log Cabin republican group is, but is there an equivalent group on the dem side?
Please help me out, here. I cheer and applaud anytime a gay or lesbian American runs for office. Then, when I find out that they are the puke candidate, I get horribly depressed and question everything I think I know.

[ruggerson]

7. sure

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/US/P/00/epolls.0.html

In 2004, gays and lesbians voted 77-23 for John Kerry over George Bush.

Other exit polls had it even higher.

[EST]

8. Thank you so much.

That is, indeed, comforting--something there seems so little of.

[ruggerson]

9. You still have to wonder

who the hell those 23% are. :-)

[EST]

11. During the run up to the 2004 elections,

cspan televised a policy meeting of the Log Cabin republicans. At the presser, afterward, the question was asked, how could they align themselves with a homophobic bunch that was doing everything it could to disenfranchise them and even to remove them from society.

Their answer was, disingenuously, that the republicans really did not think that way; they just had to say that stuff to satisfy their fundy supporters. I didn't know what to think and still don't.

[Solon]

5. Consider me a friend and ally of GLBT people, and I will vote accordingly...

and to all the homophobic assholes on this board, fuck off and die!

[ncabot22]

6. Unfortunately , ruggerson

the only candidate, I believe, who is totally pro-gay rights is Kucinich. Too bad he doesn't have the support of the vast number of Democrats nationwide. Why? I don't know but he seems to be one of the few politicians who doesn't completely pander to garner votes. I could be wrong.

I completely agree with you, though. The dem nominee needs the support of the gay community. I just think the top tier candidates aren't exactly supportive of gay rights--they just want their votes. My opinion, only.

I feel bad for the gay community in the US. The best they could do was with a president who signed the DOMA and DADT. Doesn't really seem like progress.

[ruggerson]

14. It will take a leader with guts

who can pull a Harry Truman and actually stand up to the loud, screaming minority on this issue (the christian fundamentalists) and tell them that their long day of demonizing gays and lesbians is finally over.

[xchrom]

10. just chiming in with agreement.

[Cameron27]

12. Ally

K&R

[terrya]

13. Agree.

Someone has posted a thread here complaining about Obama bashing, quite missing the point. As I said in another post, quite frankly, it's bad enough that the 3 top Presidential Democrats don't support same-sex marriage equality. But, to be the receipent of a message of homophobia...it's more than I can take.

We do represent roughly 5% of the vote. I think it's safe to say that Bill Clinton owed a lot to us in 1992. Because we turned out so overwhelmingly at the polls to vote for him.

It would do well for the candidates to remember how significant our vote is.

[ldf]

15. and the response from the "so-called "democratic leaders is...

"well, what choice do you think you have? huh?"

i'm afraid i have received the message, loud and clear. tread marks from the tires of the bus are not very flattering. it screams "DOORMAT", of which i am NOT.

the wild card is, what is our ultimate response?

we'll see. the last thing the democratic party wants to do is, yet again, take us for granted.

brings to mind the old "fool me once, shame blah blah" saying, doesn't it? (well, we have to GET elected before we can sacrifice you yet again, come the next election...)

just how many times are we to fall for THAT one.

:grr: