Posted on 06/05/2008 6:55:35 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Washington - Madison Democrat Tammy Baldwin joined the only other openly gay member of Congress, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), on Wednesday to unveil a new House caucus focusing on gay rights.
The group, called the LGBT Equality Caucus, has received the support of 50 other members of the House, most of them from California, New York and the Northeast. None of Wisconsin's seven other House members has joined the caucus.
Baldwin said she hopes to use the caucus, formed to advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans, to inform other lawmakers about issues important to those communities.
"Corporate America and the American people are far ahead of where Congress is right now," she said.
She also sees the caucus as a way for lawmakers to begin "building for the future" once a new administration is in place after the November election.
All of the caucus members are Democrats except Reps. Chris Shays of Connecticut and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida.
"This has not been part of the Republican agenda," Shays said. He added that he thinks advancing rights for all Americans is a matter of honor.
The idea for the caucus came about after Democrats took control of Congress and California Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who supports gay rights, became House speaker, Frank said.
Before that, those who supported gay rights had focused most of their efforts on fighting proposals to diminish rights for gays and lesbians, Frank said. Now, he said, he and Baldwin are working together to act on Pelosi's commitment to helping gay people live and work free of discrimination.
Primary lobbyists is KY, representing “Big Lube”. Coming in second: SnapOn Tools.
bttt for sanity
OT..
How’s the weather in your neighborhood?
Things like this will cause a huge turnout against Democrats.
Shays is an ultra-RINO, but Ileana Ross-Lehtinen used to be on our side.
Ileana’s a good woman, but keep in mind that her district includes the Gayborhoods of Key West and South Miami Beach.
See #7.
Ahhh, that's explains it.
In the short term, yes. Polls show, however that those under the age of 50 tend to be less concerned about the “gay” issue, including gay marriage. In the future, prepare yourself for national gay marriage, and the support of it/tolerance for among the majority of the population. Note: I never said this is a good thing...
Thanks for askin’! Wet, but not raining right now. We got a total of 2”. Some standing water in our fields, but not too bad. My weather radio started going off at 5am this morning, and then I worked an 11-7pm shift, so I’m not long for this world, LOL!
I just hope she doesn’t cost us the seat for FL18.
“Things like this will cause a huge turnout against Democrats.”
I agree. They have SO overplayed their hand since Pelosi took over it’s laughable.
I’m predicting a McCain victory. Maybe not by a landslide, but by bigger margins than the MSM will ever admit to. :)
Round two just blew through here...
About 3” in the past 4 hours....
More to come.
No worries. She is widely popular in the district, and has little competition. The Miami-Dade County GOP wouldn’t dare run anyone against her in a primary, and the Dems in the district are divided between elderly Jews, gays (many from the New York area), and leftover, Janet Reno-worshipping Anglos (in the southern end of the district) with a perpetual bug up their a-s about Cuban Americans. Those three factions can’t seem to come together down there.
Well, she deserves to be zotted for this. Good thing I didn’t go through with my Miami move in 01 or she’d be my congress rep.
“In the future, prepare yourself for national gay marriage, and the support of it/tolerance for among the majority of the population. Note: I never said this is a good thing...”
You’re most likely right. Look back a few decades and consider things that are “tolerated” now that never would’ve been back then.
Good thing most of our kids are in Government Schools. That makes the brainwashing and lock-stepping all the more effective. ;)
Yikes! Looking at the radar, we’ll get nailed again tomorrow.
Luckily, I have the day off, so I can curl up with a book or some crafty project; I’ll have the perfect excuse not to be pullin’ weeds in the garden! :)
She just joined for the free clams.
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