Donations and the DNC

Well, I just emailed the Democratic National Committee asking them to indefinitely take me off the donation list.  We were dedicated givers.  Once, twice, sometimes even three times a year.  But now I just can't.  I understand change is slow.  I know the political obstacles.  I'm not a pie-in-the-sky idealist who expected great change immediately.  But what I didn't expect was that the DNC would be downright obstructionist when it came to LGBT issues.  How else can you characterize recruiting Mainers to work phone banks for the Governor of New Jersey -- volunteers that could have been used to defeat the marriage referendum?

Instead, I intend to give to those candidates who are leaders, not followers or obstructionists in equality.  First on my list is Deval Patrick. Without his leadership, same sex marriage would have been put to a vote in Massachusetts.  Period.  No question.  He put his office on the line in convincing  reps and senators in the Massachusetts State House that civil rights should not be put to a vote.  He's in trouble in Massachusetts, not because of his marriage stance, but because of the dire economic situation.  It's not the time to bail out on him.  He led when we needed him.

Marriage Update:  The Washington, DC City Council will most likely vote on a marriage bill within the next few weeks.  All signs point towards its passage, with one possible obstacle: the US Congress.  By law, the US Congress can require its own vote for DC legislation.  It rarely happens, but this might just be too good an opportunity for some grandstanding and showmanship among same-sex marriage opponents.  Stay tuned.