Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

My head has been spinning.  In between trying to get some work done, I was flipping through my Blackberry to keep up with the breaking news on federal events.  The LGBTQ community is getting mightily angry with the Obama administration and it looks as if, as Pam Spaulding puts it, the queer ATM might be shutting down until we get some federal action.

Today, Obama signed a memo that extends domestic partner benefits.  Except for health insurance and pension privileges.  Oh, and only until his term ends.  Wow.  I feel so validated. 

You just need to go read all of the Pam's House Blend posts for the past day or two.

There are calls for gays nationwide to stop financially supporting the Democratic party until they grow a spine and do something concrete.  Continue to support progressive candidates individually, but no more checks to the DNC or other party affiliates. 

I'm wondering if local gays stopped donating to the ACDC and the coffers of waffling allies, would it register?  I mean who would fall into the “good voting record/allies” category?  Frankel, of course.  Shields, Peduto, Kraus, and Dowd.  Amanda Green.  Fitzgerald.  Lamb.  For the record, I'm talking about elected officials who have a track record, not candidates who seem like they might do well.  Chelsa Wagner has stepped up.  Wayne Fontana seems to be an ally.  Don Walko.  Who am I missing? 

Could this work?  Imagine if the mighty mights turned their fundraising support to candidates who have a proven record of strong support for the gay community?  Is it a pipe dream? 

Now I also have been thinking that we need to get organized to hire a damn organizer.  We have an exhausted crew of volunteers who work tirelessly, but are tired.  We need to find a way to make this happen and maybe this is an impetus to make something happen.  Who knows? 

Go read the major LGBTQ blogs for a variety of perspectives.  I'm just curious what it could mean locally if Dan Onorato received not a penny of gay money for his Gubernatorial bid.  Do gay people even go to ACDC events?  And, yes, I mean the “closeted” gays that everyone knows about.  What if people actually did this? 

And, please spare me the comments about the backroom wheeling and dealing.  Frankly, you suck at it. What have you accomplished? Nothing.  The on the ground, in the trenches organizers are making headway, but they are the ones who need the money not the do-nothing Democrats.