The Boss Supports Gay Marriage

Bruce Springsteen Backs New Jersey Gay Marriage Bill

Bruce Springsteen has thrown his support behind legislation backing same-sex marriage in his home state of New Jersey, with a note posted Tuesday night on his website. The proposal is due to be voted on Thursday by the state’s Senate.

“Like many of you who live in New Jersey, I've been following the progress of the marriage-equality legislation currently being considered in Trenton,” Springsteen writes. “I've long believed in and have always spoken out for the rights of same sex couples and fully agree with Governor [Jon] Corzine when he writes that, ‘The marriage-equality issue should be recognized for what it truly is -- a civil rights issue that must be approved to assure that every citizen is treated equally under the law.’ "

Springsteen continues, "I couldn't agree more with that statement and urge those who support equal treatment for our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters to let their voices be heard now."

Of course, The Boss has long support gay & lesbian civil rights, and recorded a song about a gay man with AIDS for the movie Philadelphia.

The "Healthcare Reform" Nightmare Before Christmas

SPUSA co-chair Billy Wharton has a great post on the Socialist Webzine on the Healthcare Bill Nightmare Before Christmas

It is also posted on Common Dreams.org

While some liberals are championing the Senate healthcare reform bill, Arianna Huffington explains why they are wrong!

The Senate Healthcare Reform: Leave No Special Interest Behind

No Public Option/Massive Public Subsidies--Health Insurance Stocks Rise

The for-profit health insurance industry and their lobbyists won!

Mexico City lawmakers make the city the first in Latin America to legalize same-sex marriage

Mexico City lawmakers make the city the first in Latin America to legalize same-sex marriage

Posted using ShareThis

GOP Prayer Guru Says Gays Possessed by Demons

As Rachel Maddow recently showcased, on December 16th the Family Research Council sponsored a "Prayercast" event, attended by GOP luminaries including Senators Jim DeMint and Sam Brownback, and House Representatives Michelle Bachmann and Randy Forbes. Lou Engle, Founder of TheCall led the prayer at the event. Besides leading the capstone stadium rally for pro-Proposition 8, antigay marriage organizers last November 1, 2008 at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium, Lou Engle could also be found, at a special ceremony at a Virginia Beach megachurch last summer, anointing and blessing GOP presidential hopefuls Mike Huckabee and Newt Gingrich.

Meet the Republican Party's new spiritual guru, Lou Engle

Some Good News

First, sorry I haven't been posting a lot lately. My step-father died last friday and I've been dealing with that and visiting my mother in north Arkansas. My step-father Dave was a good man who gave my mother and my family lots of love and happiness. He will be missed...

Now, after a string of bad news for LGBT civil rights, we have a couple of good news items this past week.

First, Houston Texas elected a lesbian Mayor! Change is possible even in a conservative state like Texas!

Second, Washington D.C. Legalized Same-Sex Marriages!

Justice and equality prevailed over right-wing religious bigotry.

The bad news is that the Democratic Congress and the Obama Administration are putting off LGBT equality for at least another year...

The Big Sell Out

Obama's Big Sell Out

In “Obama’s Big Sellout”, Matt Taibbi argues that President Obama has packed his economic team with Wall Street insiders intent on turning the bailout into an all-out giveaway. Rather than keeping his progressive campaign advisers on board, Taibbi says Obama gave key economic positions in the White House to the very people who caused the economic crisis in the first place. Taibbi also points to the ties Obama’s appointees have to one main in particular: Bob Rubin, the former Goldman Sachs co-chairman who served as Treasury secretary under Bill Clinton.

Video: Matt Taibbi On Obama's Economy

Rachel Maddow vs. Anti-gay Religious Wing Nuts

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow has been exposing the connections between the U.S. religious right and the anti-gay government in Uganda.

Rachel Maddow on Ties Between "The Family" and Uganda's Anti-Gay Legislation
Watch Rachel Demolish "Ex-Gay Therapist" Richard Cohen, who has inspired the anti-gay movement in Uganda



Uganda's "Kill the Gays" Bill Tied to Rick Warren

Thanks in part to Rachel Maddow's exposure of his connection to the anti-gay movement in Uganda, Rick Warren Finally Condemns Uganda's "Kill the Gays" Bill

Republican Party using Anti-Gay Innuendo Against TN Dem Candidate?

It looks like the Republican Party is up to it's old tricks in the race to replace TN Blue Dog Democratic Rep. John Tanner.

The NRCC has been quick to attack Tennessee state Sen. Roy Herron, who has emerged as the Democratic candidate for the seating of retiring Blue Dog Rep. John Tanner -- and along the way, they seem to be using some rather interesting rhetoric.

Herron is a former minister and an attorney, and he has taught at both the divinity and law schools at Vanderbilt, his alma mater. He has been married for 22 years, and has three sons. He has also written several books, including Tennessee Political Humor, How Can a Christian Be in Politics?, and God And Politics. However, the NRCC says Herron isn't being honest about his social liberalism.

Over the course of the past week, the NRCC has mounted a series of attacks on Herron that taken together could suggest they're trying to say that Herron is gay or effeminate. The NRCC denies that's their line of attack, and the Herron camp hasn't publicly raised the issue, but TPM takes a look at what the NRCC has been saying.

Is the NRCC Using Anti-Gay Innuendo Against Dem Candidate?

Class Struggle Update

Here's some articles summarizing the class struggle here in the U.S.A.

First, this must-read article by Elizabeth Warren on the withering middle class
American Without a Middle Class

This article from the Financial Times looks at the growing underclass of working poor who are unable to get banking accounts and rely on other expensive alternatives like pawn shops to survive:
Report Reveals Vast Banking "Underclass" in U.S.

According to the article, The FDIC found that some 17m US adults are in households without any bank accounts. Another 43m had accounts but were "underbanked", relying on non-bank services such as pay-day lenders and pawn shops.

The number of underbanked Americans dwarfs the estimated 46m citizens who lack health insurance. Barack Obama has staked his presidency on bringing that group into the system.

The FDIC survey revealed vast racial disparities in access to financial services.

Almost 22 per cent of black households had no bank account compared with 3.3 per cent of white households.

Food Stamp Use Soars, Stigma Fades

Marriage Equality: NY-NO (D.C. Maybe)

Advocates for marriage equality suffered another loss in New York where the NY Senate voted down marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples by a vote of 38-24, a larger margin than expected. All Republicans voted against it, joined by 8 Democrats.
New York Senate Rejects Gay Marriage

There is more encouraging news from Washington D.C.
D.C. Council Votes to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
The vote was 11-2. The bill will be voted on one more time before going to the D.C. mayor who promises to sign it.

FRC: Obama Has Plan to "Impose Homosexuality"

From the Wing-Nuts at the Family Research Council:

Obama Has a Plan to "Impose Homosexuality" !