It is sad proof of the wishy-washy Dem candidates that voters have to look for telltale signs, secret codes. That's so 1950s.
I've been irritated and disappointed for months when the progressive and civil-right oriented candidates dropped out. I keep reading and hearing that the remaining pair are extreme lefties. Yet, I see centrists with tepid talk and action on all manner of GLBT and other rights. Both are against same-sex marriage to boot.
Over at our weekly podcast (flu/sinus crippled weakly this week) at Left Ahead!, I alluded to the Jarrett Barrios mini-interview on Blog La Plaza. That's here. The former state senator justifies his support for Hilliary Clinton over Barack Obama on GLBT and other civil rights issues by cues. Neither makes strong civil-rights statements, but he figures her previous statements as a Senator cover her. I find them both centrists and wishy-washy on rights.
It is sad that progressives and GLBT activists have to read the tea leaves. Let's guess from what previous, vague related votes we can find. Let's see if there's anything we can hold onto from their tone, because their words won't include our causes.
We'll do what we can with what we get. We should also advocate strongly at both the local level and to the nominee directly. The next President must be a Democrat, but a Democrat who knows he or she can't mealy mouth rights in office.
Our federal government and numerous state legislators have been stripping Americans of civil rights on many levels. Where's our champion?
Tags: massmarrier, Jarrett Barrios, Blog La Plaza, Obama, civil rights, Clinton, Democrats, GLBT, marriage equality
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