One of our favorite bloggers has just reported that John McCain's Chief of Staff, Mark Buse, is an openly gay man. Mike Rogers has the details. 

After I finish shuddering that yet another talented queer person is lending themselves to a virulently anti-gay agenda, I'll be with you.  Western Pennsylvania was home to two of 'em ... working for Santorum and Hart.  To my knowledge, we have no openly gay people working for Democrats.  But then we only have one openly gay Democrat anyway, right?  Do two national staffers trump one City Councilman?  Hmmm.

Anyway, Mark Rogers and Mike Signorile have all the proof.  Buse is a big flaming homo.  Mark suggests that the American LGBTQ community take action to thank the right wingnuts for supporting a candidate with an openly gay senior staff person.  Actually, that's not a bad idea.

Granted, it shouldn't be a big deal.  And there are those who fear this will spin McCain as an inherently decent gay-friendly guy who hires one talented, educated white gay man even as he votes against what's good for the rest of us.  Like marriage and employment protections and immigration rights.  And serving openly in the military.  Yes, there probably are people who will use this as a reason to vote their pocketbook.  If they still have one. 

Others worry that this is the sort of sexual witch hunt that we deplore.  Who cares who Buse is sleeping with!  Except, that he's sort of having his cake and eating it, too.  That's not okay with me.

Finally, there's the argument that no one cares.  That no one cared abour Robert Traynham (Santorum's gay).  Except Santorum lost.  So maybe some people did care that he was a big fat hypocrite. 

Homos working for McCain are like women working for Palin.  WTF?

Last week, I posted a little banner to help generate some donations for Bitch magazine -- my favorite (and among Ledcat's top 5).  While the little weiner dog indicator doesn't seem to work, the good news is that they met their fundraising goal in 3 days!  The flip side is that independent voices in the print media are going to continue struggling without our help.  I took down the dog-mometer b/c it isn't accurate, but please consider Bitch when making your donation decisions. 

We're thrilled to announce that in just three short days, you've rallied together and propelled us beyond our $40,000 fundraising goal. In fact, by the time we looked up from our computers, you'd already donated $46,000! On top of that, you've spread the word far and wide, and offered powerful and inspiring words of support.

This tremendous and swift outpouring has been honoring and humbling?particularly because you've offered it during the worst days the U.S. economy has seen this year. Thank you. We're deeply grateful.

Here are some articles I would like to read in the City Paper.  In no particular order.

1.  Who are the Flower People?  You know them.  They walk up and down the lanes of traffic at busy intersections, hawking flowers.  There is one older gentleman along Penn Avenue.  I want to buy flowers b/c I feel sad that someone has to do something so risky to earn a living.  But I never have cash and usually get the light.  So I drive off wondering who he is and how he came to sell flowers.  There used to be a woman at the intersection of Penn and Fifth Avenue, but she disappeared one day.  What happened to her?  The guy selling flowers at the insection of Allegheny River Blvd and Washington Boulevard wore the same outfit every single day and seemed fearless in traffic.  What is his story? 

2.  Profile of the Apple Guy at the Farmer's Market (Northside).  The gentleman with the white mustache who offers everyone a free slice.  His fruit is delishus and his cider - so tangy. His lines grow longer and longer. One of my coworkers wonders if he's married. What is the secret to his appeal?  Where is his orchard?  Does he have any recipes to share? 

3.  Can anyone save Century III Mall?  Is it destined to become the next Eastland? 

Is there anything you'd like to see the City Paper explore?  Send me your ideas.  Or send them to Chris Potter. He doesn't get nearly enough email. 

I'm going to go wait for Gab Bonesso to post her review of her show and watch Young & the Restless.  Then I might get my first ever pedicure.  Maybe.  These are my planned activities during vacation instead of spying on dumpers in the field behind my house and moving stuff around the attic in a futile attempt to convince Ledcat I've been productive. 

The Post-Gazette's "Next Page" featured a fascinating article on the implementation of deliberative polling around marriage issues. 

My interpretation of this process is that it strives to create an informed voter, rather than create systemic changing dialogue grounded in consensus. 

At the core of deliberative polling lies the belief that to develop an informed opinion citizens need two things: access to balanced information and the opportunity to engage in deliberation with a range of alternative views.

Sounds interesting.  Proponents of gay-rights have long argued that when our opponents get to know us, they will experience our issues in a personal way that should overcome the us/them dichotomy. 

Saturday's event is sort of an all-day education session.  Participants have homework, they engage in small groups and they learn the facts about the history of marriage in our culture.  I'm going to read that booklet myself.  At the end of the day, participants will be polled for their individual views, not a collective decision.  That polling data will be made public. 

The poll is designed to have a policy impact, presumably by turning out informed voters (and informing their networks).  I wonder about the choice of this issue.  Neither Presidential candidate is in favor of gay marriage and the issue is fairly dormant in Pennsylvania.  Equal protection would seem more fitting since it has legislative life.  However, those pesky State House elections remind us of the importance of retaining as many progressive reps as possible.  As progressive as Pennsylvania goes. 

This strikes me more as an intellectual exercise on a hot button issue, but not necessarily a Pennsylvania issue.