Obama: Congress Should Pass ENDA

[Carolyn Marie]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barack-obama/enda-congress_b_4209115.html

It is up for a Senate vote today.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest KimberlyF]

Well he did actually use TG once this time so that was better than last time I guess.

This is more typical. And this exists right now as far as I can tell when it comes to hiring and firing.

"As I said in my second inaugural address, our nation's journey toward equality isn't complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law."

[Guest LizMarie]

President Obama's list of contributions towards trans equality:

Progress Made by President Barack Obama and His Administration on Behalf of Transgender Americans:

• The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) added gender identity to the equal employment opportunity policy governing all federal jobs
• The Department of State revised the standards for changing a gender marker on a passport without surgery, making the process less burdensome for transgender people
• President Obama signed the Byrd-Shepard hate crimes bill
• President Obama signed the U.N. Declaration on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
• President Obama appointed the first transgender DNC member, Diego Sanchez
• President Obama conceived a National Resource Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Elders, funded by a three-year HHS grant to SAGE
• The Social Security Administration stopped it's no-match letter policy
• President Obama banned job discrimination based on gender identity throughout the federal government
• HUD issued housing nondiscrimination regulations
• President Obama named Amanda Simpson as the first openly transgender appointee in any administration, to the Department of Commerce in the post of Senior Technical Advisor in the Bureau of Industry and Security.

I'm sure I can find more if I want to go look for more.

President Obama has been openly supportive of transgender equality before the eyes of the law.

[Guest KimberlyF]

That is an impressive list for some people I'm sure. It's a shame one can only vote for him twice.

Do you have have views on the actual topic?

[Guest LizMarie]

I support ENDA, Kimberly, and as such, oppose the open bigotry displayed by John Boehner and the GOP today in their announcement that ENDA is dead in the House. And that is all I will say about the Republican Party in this forum.

[Guest Mia J]

Our current president has done more for us than anyone in the past.

I am encouraged that he came out with this statement but it almost guarantees that it will fail in the house because he supports it. The only thing that matters to the republican controlled house is that they vote against anything the current administration is for.

Mia

[JJ]

Agree with Mia and LizMarie. Given the small number of us there are I find it both amazing and heartening that Obama has mentioned us at all. The House is indeed likely to defeat anything the administration endorses but they have gone so overboard in pandering to an ultra conservative minority that represents only 18% of the nation according to the statistics on several news stations that I foresee a big change come the next elections. And in the long run we will benefit from the changes and measures like this will eventually pass.

We have one of those very vocal House members in this state who saw himself launching a meteoric career on the Tea Party coattails. He had been running really nasty ads against the current senator in anticipatin f opposing him in the next election till the shut down and it came out he had been in Texas at fund-raisers during the vote he was criticizing his opponent for voting for to end the standoff. Suddenly he has gone silent and I sincerely hope he stays that way.

It has been interesting to watch a group get so carried away with power they commit political suicide. But for now they still hold office and we will have to wait till they are gone to see progress and passage of the protections we need-unless they really wise up really fast and I don't see it happening. I'd love to be pleasantly surprised though.

Johnny

[Guest KimberlyF]

I support ENDA, Kimberly, and as such, oppose the open bigotry displayed by John Boehner and the GOP today in their announcement that ENDA is dead in the House. And that is all I will say about the Republican Party in this forum.

Open bigotry in what way? Not supporting a bill? What public comments has he made about the TG community?

Obama's position has evolved over the years and gone back and forth since at least 2000. There was legislation he was against and in 2007 he went against a request by HRC.

I don't look to Boehner and his party to solve the worlds problems and I don't look for Obama and his party. Can't legislate acceptance.

"As I said in my second inaugural address, our nation's journey toward equality isn't complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law, for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well."

I agree with him 100%. I just don't agree that ENDA creates equality. It segregates groups.

Politics is full of flip-flopping if you want to support a party. I don't see how one can do it these days and keep their hands clean.

When the GOP house passes a bill to defund Obamacare it is either exactly what their voters put them there for, or wasting time as it dies in the Senate.

When the Dem senate passes ENDA, it is either exactly what their voters put them there for, or wasting time as it dies in the Senate.

And on and on and nothing gets done.

Clowns to the left of me jokers to the right.

[Carolyn Marie]

Update: the Senate has approved a procedural vote 61-30, clearing the way for a full Senate floor vote later this week.

Yes, I know its a meaningless vote in the long run, but its better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Mia J]

Good news Carolyn. Even though we know this will not pass the house it is nice to know we have supporters.

Mia

[Guest Kayla86]

Never say never until it hasn't passed. Obamacare passed and look how painful it was to get that through!

Optimism is the key to success!