Bobby Michaels's Blog

Almost every gay person I know voted for Barac Obama.  Many of them saw him as some kind of savior.  The January edition of the ADVOCATE had in a banner over Obama's face on the cover the question, "What will he do for you first?

Actually, I think the question should have been, "What will he do for you at all?"

There are many issues that gay people are, or should be, concerned about.  Not just the issue of gay marriage.  First of all, we do not have any kind of legislated civil rights.  You can still, in many parts of this country, lose your job or be thrown out of your housing because you are gay and there is no legal recourse against it.

There is a discriminatory tax advantage given to heterosexuals who marry and produce children.  Single people, the vast majority of gays, pay a higher percentage of taxes than married couples and couples with children.  Single persons with children also pay less taxes but there are still states within the United States that do not allow gays to adopt.

Barac Obama, no matter how well intentioned, really can do nothing about these issues.  If you look at the Constitution of the United States, a document often referred to but rarely read by those referring to it, you will see quite clearly that the body that must act on all of these issues is the legislative branch of our government -- the House of Representatives and the United States Senate.  This is the body designated by the Constitution to make the rules and laws for the country.  Not the president.

This of course begs the question of what the fuck has Congress done for us.  Fucking nothing!  The same as it has done for the rest of the country.  And because there is still a sizable cadre of Republicans still in office -- enough to cause filibusters and other delaying tactics.  Because of this, I have very little hope, given the current appointments to the Supreme Court by George Bush, of much changing in the laws currently on the books in most states.  And it is those laws, particularly changes to state constitutions, which are holding back any progress in gay people receiving their full civil rights.

There is one thing that Obama can do and that is to put his support behind changes in legislation.  To make gay rights an issue his administration firmly supports.

But, the question is, will he?  Obama started out his campaign without the full support of the African-American community.  They didn't believe a black man could win the presidency.  Some even questioned how 'black' Obama was.  The African-American community still harbors tremendous prejudice against gays.  This is been shown time and time again in their voting habits.  I doubt that Obama is going to do much to alienate this base -- at least not in his first term when half his time will be spent running for his next term.

Add to the fact, that this nation is facing one of its worst economic crisis since the Depression as well as two wars in which Americans are dying daily and you can understand why the whole issue of gay rights ends up way down on the list of Obama's priorities.

Quite frankly, I don't expect our issues to become at all important to Obama until his second term (if there is one).  He might make some kind of gesture in his first term looking to obtain support from the gay community to win his second term but that's about it.  He's not going to come out in favor of gay marriage.  He may take the necessary step of pushing Congress to eliminate "Don't Ask -- Don't Tell" but let's not forget that he was this very issue which almost sank the Clinton presidency at its outset.  Obama is nothing if not a student of history -- especially political history.  He is not going to make the same program this mistake that Bill Clinton did.

 

I sat and watched Obama take the oath of office.  I cried like I never thought I would.  Deep down in my heart I just believed  that now there was a chance of the wrongs committed against every one who were on the outside of political power would be set right.  In other words -- I had hope.  I still have hope.  I have hope in A man sitting in the White House who appears to have everything that the former president had none of.  Integrity, honesty, care and concern for ordinary people, he also has one more thing that Bush did not have -- a real mandate.  Not just a mandate to govern but a mandate to change how this country is governed.  And I hope and pray that he does.

RIMPIG

There is no national protection against hate crimes committed against gay people -- a segment of criminality which is on the increase throughout the country. But a national hate crimes bill has languished in Congress for more than five years.  If it's ever going to be passed it is going to be passed because gay people rose up and flex their political muscle by warning their representatives in Congress not to count on their votes after doing nothing for them.

Almost every gay person I know voted for Barac Obama.  Many of them saw him as some kind of savior.  The January edition of the ADVOCATE had in a banner over Obama's face on the cover the question, "What will he do for you first?

Actually, I think the question should have been, "What will he do for you at all?"

There are many issues that gay people are, or should be, concerned about.  Not just the issue of gay marriage.  First of all, we do not have any kind of legislated civil rights.  You can still, in many parts of this country, lose your job or be thrown out of your housing because you are gay and there is no legal recourse against it.

There is a discriminatory tax advantage given to heterosexuals who marry and produce children.  Single people, the vast majority of gays, pay a higher percentage of taxes than married couples and couples with children.  Single persons with children also pay less taxes but there are still states within the United States that do not allow gays to adopt.

Barac Obama, no matter how well intentioned, really can do nothing about these issues.  If you look at the Constitution of the United States, a document often referred to but rarely read by those referring to it, you will see quite clearly that the body that must act on all of these issues is the legislative branch of our government -- the House of Representatives and the United States Senate.  This is the body designated by the Constitution to make the rules and laws for the country.  Not the president.

This of course begs the question of what the fuck has Congress done for us.  Fucking nothing!  The same as it has done for the rest of the country.  And because there is still a sizable cadre of Republicans still in office -- enough to cause filibusters and other delaying tactics.  Because of this, I have very little hope, given the current appointments to the Supreme Court by George Bush, of much changing in the laws currently on the books in most states.  And it is those laws, particularly changes to state constitutions, which are holding back any progress in gay people receiving their full civil rights.

There is one thing that Obama can do and that is to put his support behind changes in legislation.  To make gay rights an issue his administration firmly supports.

But, the question is, will he?  Obama started out his campaign without the full support of the African-American community.  They didn't believe a black man could win the presidency.  Some even questioned how 'black' Obama was.  The African-American community still harbors tremendous prejudice against gays.  This is been shown time and time again in their voting habits.  I doubt that Obama is going to do much to alienate this base -- at least not in his first term when half his time will be spent running for his next term.

Add to the fact, that this nation is facing one of its worst economic crisis since the Depression as well as two wars in which Americans are dying daily and you can understand why the whole issue of gay rights ends up way down on the list of Obama's priorities.

Quite frankly, I don't expect our issues to become at all important to Obama until his second term (if there is one).  He might make some kind of gesture in his first term looking to obtain support from the gay community to win his second term but that's about it.  He's not going to come out in favor of gay marriage.  He may take the necessary step of pushing Congress to eliminate "Don't Ask -- Don't Tell" but let's not forget that he was this very issue which almost sank the Clinton presidency at its outset.  Obama is nothing if not a student of history -- especially political history.  He is not going to make the same program this mistake that Bill Clinton did.

 

I sat and watched Obama take the oath of office.  I cried like I never thought I would.  Deep down in my heart I just believed  that now there was a chance of the wrongs committed against every one who were on the outside of political power would be set right.  In other words -- I had hope.  I still have hope.  I have hope in A man sitting in the White House who appears to have everything that the former president had none of.  Integrity, honesty, care and concern for ordinary people, he also has one more thing that Bush did not have -- a real mandate.  Not just a mandate to govern but a mandate to change how this country is governed.  And I hope and pray that he does.

RIMPIG

There is no national protection against hate crimes committed against gay people -- a segment of criminality which is on the increase throughout the country. But a national hate crimes bill has languished in Congress for more than five years.  If it's ever going to be passed it is going to be passed because gay people rose up and flex their political muscle by warning their representatives in Congress not to count on their votes after doing nothing for them.

It's taken me a few days to get over the emotional effect that the Obama election had on me.  It was a very emotional time.  I'm not used to anyone I support being elected to anything.  That will give you some idea of where I am politically -- WAY out in left field.

But now, reality has set in for both me and the President elect.  The fact of the matter is the new president's name is Barack and no matter what language you try to translate it into it doesn't mean "savior".  This very brave man is facing just about the worst problems that our nation has ever gotten itself into.  The economy is in the toilet, we are in the midst of two wars at the same time, the majority of the population has lost all hope in its government's ability to handle anything.

When I was in DC last week I kept seeing this T-shirt that was being sold everywhere.  It's sad, "I LOVE MY COUNTRY, IT'S THE GOVERNMENT I DON'T TRUST".  I think that just about sums it up.

President Obama has a monumental challenge facing him.  A worse challenge than almost any other president has ever faced with the possible exception of Franklin D. Roosevelt.  For the past eight years we have watched as the current administration has raped our economy, our Constitution, our military, and almost everything we hold dear about this country.  I truly hope and pray that if no one in our government has the guts to put Bush and Cheney on trial, then I'm for sending them to the Hague where they can be tried as a war criminals they are.

My problem is that for the first time that I can remember I actually believe that Barack Obama has told us the truth.  He truly does one to bring about a change that will give control of the government back to the people of this country and not to the corporations and special interest groups that have controlled it for so long.  I really believe he wants to end the political mutually assured destruction which the Republicans and Democrats have practiced for the last 10 years.  I truly believe that President Obama once more than anything to bring this country back together.

I'm just not sure that he can do it.  I'm not sure ANYBODY (and I mean ANYBODY -- living or dead) could do it.

What I do know is that if things are going to change, if things in this country are going to get better than Americans have to get off their size 50 asses and do something to make that change happen.  We can't just sit back and expect politicians to do that for us.  We've already tried that and look what it got us -- 8 years of the most inept and larcenous presidency in the history of this country.

I cannot even begin to express how much respect I have for Barack Obama and even wanting to be president at this time.  There is no amount of money you could offer me to take the job.  You could throw in an entire regiment of Marines on call 24/7 and I still wouldn't be interested.

Please note 1 thing, right now while he is President elect, he has almost no gray hairs in his head.  Let's see how that count does four years from now.

Let me make this suggestion: to all of you, who like me, love this man and are willing to do anything to help him beat the kind of president that we believe he can be.  Let me suggest that we curb our natural inclination to jump on every possible thing we can criticize.  Put away the razor sharp tongues, pull back your vicious claws, give the man a chance to do what you want him to do without having to worry about all that razor-sharp knives he knows are headed for his back.  In other words give them a fucking break!  Things are not going to go smoothly at the start.  None of us, Obama included are perfect and we need to accept the fact that there are going to be mistakes in the beginning.  More importantly PRAY for him, for us, for our troops, and for our country.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Bobby

It's taken me a few days to get over the emotional effect that the Obama election had on me.  It was a very emotional time.  I'm not used to anyone I support being elected to anything.  That will give you some idea of where I am politically -- WAY out in left field.

But now, reality has set in for both me and the President elect.  The fact of the matter is the new president's name is Barack and no matter what language you try to translate it into it doesn't mean "savior".  This very brave man is facing just about the worst problems that our nation has ever gotten itself into.  The economy is in the toilet, we are in the midst of two wars at the same time, the majority of the population has lost all hope in its government's ability to handle anything.

When I was in DC last week I kept seeing this T-shirt that was being sold everywhere.  It's sad, "I LOVE MY COUNTRY, IT'S THE GOVERNMENT I DON'T TRUST".  I think that just about sums it up.

President Obama has a monumental challenge facing him.  A worse challenge than almost any other president has ever faced with the possible exception of Franklin D. Roosevelt.  For the past eight years we have watched as the current administration has raped our economy, our Constitution, our military, and almost everything we hold dear about this country.  I truly hope and pray that if no one in our government has the guts to put Bush and Cheney on trial, then I'm for sending them to the Hague where they can be tried as a war criminals they are.

My problem is that for the first time that I can remember I actually believe that Barack Obama has told us the truth.  He truly does one to bring about a change that will give control of the government back to the people of this country and not to the corporations and special interest groups that have controlled it for so long.  I really believe he wants to end the political mutually assured destruction which the Republicans and Democrats have practiced for the last 10 years.  I truly believe that President Obama once more than anything to bring this country back together.

I'm just not sure that he can do it.  I'm not sure ANYBODY (and I mean ANYBODY -- living or dead) could do it.

What I do know is that if things are going to change, if things in this country are going to get better than Americans have to get off their size 50 asses and do something to make that change happen.  We can't just sit back and expect politicians to do that for us.  We've already tried that and look what it got us -- 8 years of the most inept and larcenous presidency in the history of this country.

I cannot even begin to express how much respect I have for Barack Obama and even wanting to be president at this time.  There is no amount of money you could offer me to take the job.  You could throw in an entire regiment of Marines on call 24/7 and I still wouldn't be interested.

Please note 1 thing, right now while he is President elect, he has almost no gray hairs in his head.  Let's see how that count does four years from now.

Let me make this suggestion: to all of you, who like me, love this man and are willing to do anything to help him beat the kind of president that we believe he can be.  Let me suggest that we curb our natural inclination to jump on every possible thing we can criticize.  Put away the razor sharp tongues, pull back your vicious claws, give the man a chance to do what you want him to do without having to worry about all that razor-sharp knives he knows are headed for his back.  In other words give them a fucking break!  Things are not going to go smoothly at the start.  None of us, Obama included are perfect and we need to accept the fact that there are going to be mistakes in the beginning.  More importantly PRAY for him, for us, for our troops, and for our country.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Bobby

I have to admit that as I watched the election returns and finally heard CBS project Barac Obama as the President elect of the United States of America I broke down in tears.  Tears because I never thought I would have the opportunity to vote for an African-American for president.  Much less see that candidate win.

President Obama is a symbol of hope to every member of every minority.  It does not matter if you are white or black, gay or straight, Hispanic, Oriental, or Haitian, no matter what way the American Society has tried to pigeonhole you, as trying to tell you that you are not welcome, as trying to marginalize your existence in your beliefs, tonight is the beginning of the end of discrimination and marginalization of ANYBODY in our society.  At least, I pray that that's what it is.

And to the people outside the United States who could not vote for President Obama, you have seen once again the true power, the true heart.  The TRUTH of who and what the United States is.

I am at peace tonight knowing that I will wake tomorrow in a country I can once again be proud of, a country that I no longer will have to hang my head in shame at the actions and policies it has created over the last eight years.

Bobby
 

I have to admit that as I watched the election returns and finally heard CBS project Barac Obama as the President elect of the United States of America I broke down in tears.  Tears because I never thought I would have the opportunity to vote for an African-American for president.  Much less see that candidate win.

President Obama is a symbol of hope to every member of every minority.  It does not matter if you are white or black, gay or straight, Hispanic, Oriental, or Haitian, no matter what way the American Society has tried to pigeonhole you, as trying to tell you that you are not welcome, as trying to marginalize your existence in your beliefs, tonight is the beginning of the end of discrimination and marginalization of ANYBODY in our society.  At least, I pray that that's what it is.

And to the people outside the United States who could not vote for President Obama, you have seen once again the true power, the true heart.  The TRUTH of who and what the United States is.

I am at peace tonight knowing that I will wake tomorrow in a country I can once again be proud of, a country that I no longer will have to hang my head in shame at the actions and policies it has created over the last eight years.

Bobby
 

I have a problem with the Democratic Party that seems to believe that, no matter what, they can expect anyone gay to vote for them despite doing absolutely nothing for us.

Bill Clinton reached out to the gay community in both of his presidential elections and then turned around and signed The Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA) a federal law which defines marriage as being only between one man and one woman.

Obama and Biden have both stated their opposition to gay marriage. So what exactly do they offer us?

I'll be the first to admit that I'd rather cut off my arm then vote for a Republican -- especially that manipulative bitch from Alaska. However, my e-mail box has four or five e-mails a day from the Obama campaign begging me for money.

Some of you might notice that I have rethought my position on gay marriage. It is not, unfortunately, because I found someone I want to marry. I have just come to the conclusion that as long as the government and the society only believes that a committed, loving relationship between two human beings is called a marriage that it is time that the 15th amendment to the Constitution which guarantees equal protection under the law be put in force for all citizens regardless of their sexual orientation.

I still don't like the word marriage. It smacks too much of religion, an institution that has done more evil in the last 10 years to this country than any Middle Eastern terrorist. But the fact of the matter is without that word we are right back to the days before Brown versus the Board of Education living with a lie of "separate but equal". It was a lie when it came to public education and it is still a lie when it comes to the treatment of relationships by the government.

I'm sick and tired of listening to politicians of any party talk about allowing states to decide on their own to extend equal rights already guaranteed in the Constitution. Without the use of constitutional mandate through the courts, racism would still be the order of the day in this country, just as homophobia is now. No state should be allowed to let its citizens decide what rights will be given to which people. The "founding fathers" realized that the public could not be trusted with the rights of other citizens and so they enshrined in them in the Constitution and it is time that those rights were demanded.

It is time for us to put the Democratic Party on notice that we will no longer support them if they do not support us. No more money, no more activism, no more assistance in getting elected.

RIMPIG

I have a problem with the Democratic Party that seems to believe that, no matter what, they can expect anyone gay to vote for them despite doing absolutely nothing for us.

Bill Clinton reached out to the gay community in both of his presidential elections and then turned around and signed The Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA) a federal law which defines marriage as being only between one man and one woman.

Obama and Biden have both stated their opposition to gay marriage. So what exactly do they offer us?

I'll be the first to admit that I'd rather cut off my arm then vote for a Republican -- especially that manipulative bitch from Alaska. However, my e-mail box has four or five e-mails a day from the Obama campaign begging me for money.

Some of you might notice that I have rethought my position on gay marriage. It is not, unfortunately, because I found someone I want to marry. I have just come to the conclusion that as long as the government and the society only believes that a committed, loving relationship between two human beings is called a marriage that it is time that the 15th amendment to the Constitution which guarantees equal protection under the law be put in force for all citizens regardless of their sexual orientation.

I still don't like the word marriage. It smacks too much of religion, an institution that has done more evil in the last 10 years to this country than any Middle Eastern terrorist. But the fact of the matter is without that word we are right back to the days before Brown versus the Board of Education living with a lie of "separate but equal". It was a lie when it came to public education and it is still a lie when it comes to the treatment of relationships by the government.

I'm sick and tired of listening to politicians of any party talk about allowing states to decide on their own to extend equal rights already guaranteed in the Constitution. Without the use of constitutional mandate through the courts, racism would still be the order of the day in this country, just as homophobia is now. No state should be allowed to let its citizens decide what rights will be given to which people. The "founding fathers" realized that the public could not be trusted with the rights of other citizens and so they enshrined in them in the Constitution and it is time that those rights were demanded.

It is time for us to put the Democratic Party on notice that we will no longer support them if they do not support us. No more money, no more activism, no more assistance in getting elected.

RIMPIG

One of the things I've noticed over the years is the women in the conservative movement. They all seem to follow a pattern. First of all, they are more strident (read bitchy) than any of the males. Second of all, they all preach the gospel of a woman's place is in the home, having babies and obeying her husband. The strange thing is of course that none of these women practice what they preach. And neither does the conservative movement or its voice -- the Republican Party.

Now that the Republicans have even gone so far as to nominate a woman for vice president of the United States, they continue with the same practice of sexually based politics. Otherwise, why has there candidate never once faced a press conference? Why were all her meetings with world leaders at the United Nations kept secret from the press? And most importantly, if candidate McCain feels that he needs to be in Washington to straighten out the economic mess that he and his party basically created over the last 40 years, why did they decide to "freeze" their campaign rather than allowing Governor Palin to step forward and continue the campaign herself?

I guess the real question is what is it that McCain and the Republican Party fear about Governor Palin being put in situations where there is no script for her to follow? What damage do they think she will do if she is freed from her "handlers"? What questions do they fear her being asked.

The way they act, they must know about some really terrible skeletons in her closet. We've had hints of them in the last few weeks: "Troopergate", her husband's involvement in crucial decisions concerning policies and budget items for the state of Alaska, the fact that we have e-mails that were sent to him concerning items which now the governor is claiming are covered under executive privilege -- even though, Todd Palin was not elected by the people of Alaska and as a private citizen (which is all he is) does not have the right to this type of privileged information.

Most importantly, do they fear that she IS as incompetent as many of us fear and has no business being "one heartbeat from the presidency" especially when the president who, if elected, would be the oldest man ever elected to that office?

I will be honest and admit that I think McCain in the Republican party chose her for the same reason that the auto industry in Detroit has chosen beautiful actresses and draped them over their cars to use sax to sell products they can't get rid of. It reminds me too much of this statement by Billy Crystal on Saturday Night Live when he played a character named Fernando. Fernando always said "it is better to look good than to feel good." And frankly the idea of a Palin/McCain administration does not make me feel good at all.

RIMPIG

One of the things I've noticed over the years is the women in the conservative movement. They all seem to follow a pattern. First of all, they are more strident (read bitchy) than any of the males. Second of all, they all preach the gospel of a woman's place is in the home, having babies and obeying her husband. The strange thing is of course that none of these women practice what they preach. And neither does the conservative movement or its voice -- the Republican Party.

Now that the Republicans have even gone so far as to nominate a woman for vice president of the United States, they continue with the same practice of sexually based politics. Otherwise, why has there candidate never once faced a press conference? Why were all her meetings with world leaders at the United Nations kept secret from the press? And most importantly, if candidate McCain feels that he needs to be in Washington to straighten out the economic mess that he and his party basically created over the last 40 years, why did they decide to "freeze" their campaign rather than allowing Governor Palin to step forward and continue the campaign herself?

I guess the real question is what is it that McCain and the Republican Party fear about Governor Palin being put in situations where there is no script for her to follow? What damage do they think she will do if she is freed from her "handlers"? What questions do they fear her being asked.

The way they act, they must know about some really terrible skeletons in her closet. We've had hints of them in the last few weeks: "Troopergate", her husband's involvement in crucial decisions concerning policies and budget items for the state of Alaska, the fact that we have e-mails that were sent to him concerning items which now the governor is claiming are covered under executive privilege -- even though, Todd Palin was not elected by the people of Alaska and as a private citizen (which is all he is) does not have the right to this type of privileged information.

Most importantly, do they fear that she IS as incompetent as many of us fear and has no business being "one heartbeat from the presidency" especially when the president who, if elected, would be the oldest man ever elected to that office?

I will be honest and admit that I think McCain in the Republican party chose her for the same reason that the auto industry in Detroit has chosen beautiful actresses and draped them over their cars to use sax to sell products they can't get rid of. It reminds me too much of this statement by Billy Crystal on Saturday Night Live when he played a character named Fernando. Fernando always said "it is better to look good than to feel good." And frankly the idea of a Palin/McCain administration does not make me feel good at all.

RIMPIG