I haven't blogged about the Gertrude Stein Political Club of Greater Pittsburgh in a long while.  Their next meeting is on Valentine's Day at 7 PM at the United Cerebal Palsy space in Oakland.  Follow the weblink for more specifics.

This is a nifty little organization that hangs in tenaciously to ensure that pro-LGBT (among other) issues are promoted among candidates, across the party line. It goes hand in hand with Steel City Stonewall Democrats EXCEPT for the allegiance to the Democratic Party thing.  The smart gay politico has their eyes on both groups.

Stonewall has some stuff coming up.  Most important among those is the 2008 Board Elections (and Candidate Reception) on Sunday, Feb 24 from 3 PM - 6 PM at the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh on Morewood Avenue in Shadyside.  This is your chance to meet the exciting new slate of board members and probably meet the 75+ Democrats throwing their hats in the ring for Lisa Bennington's seat.  And a few other other candidates as well.  :-)  There's a bunch of little barsy/fundraiserish type things happening involving guessing games and a lot of complicated details that lost my attention. I know that sounds bad, but I'm waiting for local gay politicos to get out of churches and bars into a new environment.  I spend very little, if any, of my time in bars or churches so come meet me where I'm at.  Target.  Kidding. 

Speaking of Bennington's seat, I'm a little pissed that I'm going to lose a strong ally in my County Council Seat as Brenda Frazier resigns to run for the state seat.  That completely sucks, especially as there are 16 million other progressive candidates in that race and it has no bearing on me whatsoever.  Yes, I would love for Brenda to move ahead, but I have enough problems getting a response from her office with regard to my never ceasing unhappiness with One Vision, One Life.  Imagine how much an appointee will disregard me.  Maybe we'll get lucky and someone will appoint a progressive woman to fill the vacancy.  One can only hope.

I like that three out of the four folks who represent me are women (Frazier, Payne and Wagner).  I don't always agree with them (or even like them), but it is a cool situation in which to be a woman. 

You can be damn skippy sure Gertrude Stein won't waiver on the issue when it comes to Luke "Catholics don't like civil unions" Ravenstahl or his boss, Danny "DP benefits cost too much money" Onorato.  Gertrude Stein stood up to attempts by the Tavern Guild to censor them, even going so far as to ban them from the local bars.  Steel City has its hands tied by affiliation to an imperfect party led by Luke and Dan, but finds solace in the leadership of Dan Frankel and the emerging inspiration of Chelsa Wagners of the region.  Hence, the need for both organizations -- sometimes a home needs a little hands tied up and sometimes they don't.   :-)

So, while the field for President whittles itself down to McCain and Clinton/Obama, get off your duff and toddle off to the church or the bar or the street corner and join the revolution.  I'll be in the corner of the church taking notes about the candidates who aren't running for Bennington's seat.

I wonder how Ledcat would respond to a polital meeting on Valentine's Day?  Hmmm ...