Administration Making Sure Gay Families Can Suck Up Tax Dollars Too! Huzzah....

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Activists and the administration have this wrong. Gay families should NOT get federal benefits and NEITHER SHOULD hetero families either. What a damn waste of taxpayer dollars... Benefits should be for the employee only. Anything that is taxpayer funded, should not come with 'extra' benefits. No way, no how.

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http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/06/22/gays.lesbians/index.html?hpt=T2

Washington (CNN) -- President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged to end violence and discrimination against gays and lesbians at home and abroad Tuesday, as the Obama administration moves to extend further benefits to gays working in the federal government.

"It's not right, it's not who we are as Americans, and we're going to put a stop to it," Obama told a raucous White House reception honoring Gay and Lesbian Pride Month.

Earlier, Clinton received several standing ovations from a standing-room only crowd of several hundred during her address at an event co-hosted by the State Department's Office of Civil Rights and GLIFAA, the organization for Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies.

"We are moving together in the right direction," said Clinton. "We reaffirm our commitment to protect the rights of all human beings."

The White House event invited politicians and government officials as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender American from across the country, including young people "who have stood up for equality," said White House spokesman Shin Inouye.

At a similar event last year, six months after Obama took office, participants expressed frustration over what they called a lack of progress in confronting discrimination issues that the president had promised to resolve.

This time, Obama received loud applause, cheers and whistles as he cited steps his administration has taken, including a new hate crimes law, extending federal benefits to gay employees and a push for an employee discrimination bill.

The Obama administration is expected to announce Wednesday that gay workers will be able to take medical leave to care for the sick or newborn children of their same-sex partners as part of the Family and Medical Leave Act, which generally allows those working for companies with 50 or more employees to take 12 unpaid weeks off to care for newborns or children with serious health issues.

"And finally, we're going to end "don't ask, don't tell," Obama said Tuesday of the policy that prohibits openly gay and lesbian soldiers from military service.

A bill that would repeal the policy after a Pentagon review is completed in December is before Congress, the president noted.

"We have never been closer to ending this discriminatory policy, and I'm going to keep on fighting until that bill is on my desk," he said to cheers.

Attending the event was Janice Langbehn of Lacey, Washington, who was denied hospital visitation rights when her partner of 18 years, Lisa Pond, was stricken with a fatal brain aneurysm while on vacation in Florida. Obama mentioned her story on Tuesday, calling the way she was treated "wrong" and "cruel."

Earlier, Clinton said she is asking embassies in Africa and elsewhere to report on rights of the local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. The State Department also is placing more attention on ensuring gays around the world have access to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, and providing grants to human rights activists who are persecuted either because they are gay or defend gay rights, she said.

"These dangers are not gay issues. This is a human rights issue," Clinton said. She drew more rousing applause when she declared "human rights are gay rights and gay rights are human rights," a variation on the phrase she famously delivered in Beijing 10 years ago declaring "women's rights are human rights."

Clinton said she is equally concerned about creating an environment at the State Department in which gay employees feel valued and "can give 100 percent." That is why, she said, she supported offering equal benefits to same-sex partners of State Department employees, a move that encouraged Obama to authorize such benefits for gays throughout the federal government.

She noted the State Department also has made it easier for transgender people to change their passports and, for the first time, the agency's "equal opportunity statement" will include gender identity. It already includes sexual orientation.

[IndigoSkies 168]

Fudaral Gobmnt should only provide benefits based on employment and to the choice of a spouse, be it male or female. And offspring. Since US doesn't have a legal definition of marriage (between Adam and Eve and not Adam and Steve) it's discriminatory to not provide benefits on the grounds of being homosexual.

[Fandango 1,439]

Legalize gay marriage instead of making all these special provisions. It's fkin ridiculous.

[SMOKE 1,426]

Legalize gay marriage instead of making all these special provisions. It's fkin ridiculous.

i've never understood this. why was it ever made illegal?

[Peikko 1,575]

Workers shouldn't be granted any provisions to help them when things go wrong. Kids sick? Too bad, take time off without pay or send someone else to look after them! Seriously, why should employees expect their employer to take any of life's difficulties into consideration? Business is business and trumps human activity. The workers are there to work, period and they should be grateful employers pay them for any vacation time at all, let alone sick leave, or personal days. Profit drives everything

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Workers shouldn't be granted any provisions to help them when things go wrong. Kids sick? Too bad, take time off without pay or send someone else to look after them! Seriously, why should employees expect their employer to take any of life's difficulties into consideration? Business is business and trumps human activity. The workers are there to work, period and they should be grateful employers pay them for any vacation time at all, let alone sick leave, or personal days. Profit drives everything

we're talking about taxpayer dollars to government employees who are already overpaid to begin with...

[slim 1,530]

Fudaral Gobmnt should only provide benefits based on employment and to the choice of a spouse, be it male or female. And offspring.

This always bothers me.

If I'm doing the same job as someone with a wife and kids, why should they get paid more just because they have personal issues? I never understood why the military (especially) pays people with dependents more than single folks. They're doing the same job in the same place yet - not for the same money. Talk about discrimination!

[Peikko 1,575]

we're talking about taxpayer dollars to government employees who are already overpaid to begin with...

Overpaid? By objective standards, or by 'Paul' standards? More importantly, what has that got to do with having the ability to take time out to; for example take your child to the dr in an emergency anyway? Having money doesn't suddenly give one the ability to be in two places at once, now does it?

Edited June 23, 2010 by Madame Cleo

[Peikko 1,575]

This always bothers me.

If I'm doing the same job as someone with a wife and kids, why should they get paid more just because they have personal issues? I never understood why the military (especially) pays people with dependents more than single folks. They're doing the same job in the same place yet - not for the same money. Talk about discrimination!

Perhaps you would prefer it if the ability to procreate was suspended for all but a monied elite? That attitude smacks of someone who only wants the ability to reproduce to be in the hands of the super rich. Is that your intention and belief?

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Overpaid? By objective standards, or by 'Paul' standards? More importantly, what has that got to do with having the ability to take time out to; for example take your child to the dr in an emergency anyway? Having money doesn't suddenly give one the ability to be in two places at once, now does it?

When a government employee is making six figures + benefits for a job and a private sector employee is making $70,000 for the exact same job, then yes that is overpaid. Government jobs should match the private sector equivalent.

Who said you can't go to the doctor in an emergency? No one said that...

[slim 1,530]

Perhaps you would prefer it if the ability to procreate was suspended for all but a monied elite? That attitude smacks of someone who only wants the ability to reproduce to be in the hands of the super rich. Is that your intention and belief?

I would prefer if the ability to procreate was suspended for anyone on the dole.

I'd also prefer if procreation was not taken into account for two people doing the same exact job. A salary should be based on responsibility and performance at work, not how many rugrats you can pop out at home.

[Peikko 1,575]

I would prefer if the ability to procreate was suspended for anyone on the dole.

I'd also prefer if procreation was not taken into account for two people doing the same exact job. A salary should be based on responsibility and performance at work, not how many rugrats you can pop out at home.

How would you make that happen? Would you assess people on the 'likelihood' of their becoming unemployed and provide them with a 'certificate of procreation' should they prove to be in a sufficiently stable (ie independantly wealthy) position?

It's taken into consideration because procreation is something that is considered a basic human right, not something that is simply available to the rich. You feel you are discriminated against, well, boo hoo. You live in a society where most people believe that procreation is not dependent on income and you will have to live with the responsibilities that that entails. If you choose to remain childless you will not directly benefit, but indirectly you certainly will.

[Peikko 1,575]

When a government employee is making six figures + benefits for a job and a private sector employee is making $70,000 for the exact same job, then yes that is overpaid. Government jobs should match the private sector equivalent.

Who said you can't go to the doctor in an emergency? No one said that...

The Obama administration is expected to announce Wednesday that gay workers will be able to take medical leave to care for the sick or newborn children of their same-sex partners as part of the Family and Medical Leave Act, which generally allows those working for companies with 50 or more employees to take 12 unpaid weeks off to care for newborns or children with serious health issues.

You might not believe that an ongoing serious medical condition is an 'emergency' but for normally balanced people, such a view is perfectly rational and compassionate.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

You might not believe that an ongoing serious medical condition is an 'emergency' but for normally balanced people, such a view is perfectly rational and compassionate.

Where did I ever say they couldn't/shouldn't be able to take the time off?

[IndigoSkies 168]

This always bothers me.

If I'm doing the same job as someone with a wife and kids, why should they get paid more just because they have personal issues? I never understood why the military (especially) pays people with dependents more than single folks. They're doing the same job in the same place yet - not for the same money. Talk about discrimination!

OMIGAAD. Me too.