ACTION ALERT: Don't Let DC Get Away With Cutting Women's Health Care!

If you're like me, you must be quite irritated right now that President Obama & Democratic Congressional leaders caved into the radical right in tossing needed aid to poor women out of the economic stimulus bill. Well, guess what? We can do something about this travesty!

Sign this petition now, then write your Congresscritters and ask them to support this bill!

Support the Unplanned Pregnancy Prevention Bill
Target: U.S. Congress
Sponsored by: National Partnership for Women & Families
With the goal of moving reproductive rights to the top of the legislative agenda in the 111th Congress, Reps. Diana DeGette, (D-CO) and Louise Slaughter, (D-N.Y), and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), have reintroduced "Prevention First" legislation.

The measure's goals are lofty - to tackle the unacceptably high rate of unplanned pregnancies in the U.S. Currently, half of pregnancies are unintended and half of those end in abortion. The bill would tackle the problem from several angles, by:

* Increasing family planning funding,
* Ending insurance discrimination against women,
* Improving awareness about emergency contraception, and
* Requiring programs to focus on medically accurate sex education.

If we want to reduce the number of abortions in this country, the path is clear - empower women to prevent unintended pregnancies through education and access to contraception. Please sign our petition and urge your elected officials to sign onto this important legislation today!

What Do We Stand For?

I need to know. Other progressives need to know. Other Democrats need to know. We need to figure this out.

What do we stand for?

Only 2 months ago, I thought this question would be awfully easy to answer. I mean, why wouldn't we support President Obama's agenda & whatever the Democratic leaders in Congress pushed for? Why would they be afraid of being more progressive now that they have a mandate?

But that's just it, they're still afraid. So far, there are signs that the Democrats now in power are still afraid of promoting progressive Democratic vision of a better America. Despite the large & growing support for things like expanded domestic partner benefits, a complete exit from Iraq, real actions to target the climate crisis, and a fairer budget, Democratic leaders seem afraid to push a full progressive agenda in 2009. So what can we do?

We keep pushing for what we stand for. But what do we stand for? We stand for what we've always believed in.

I tried to say this in my last essay on LGBT civil rights, and I'll say it again today. Pols will be pols, so we can't just expect them to do the right thing. And when they waiver, we can't just conform our agenda to whatever they're flip-flopping to. We must stand firm and hold our elected leaders accountable so they hold fast to the promises they made to us.

If we don't stand for something, are we good for anything? That's what we as Democrats must continually ask ourselves. What are we doing to end discrimination against LGBT people? What are we doing to end discrimination against women? What are we doing to stop the climate crisis? What are we doing to stop economic injustice? What are we doing to make the world a better place for all people in the world?

This first year of a "Democratic Trifecta" will either be a major progressive victory or an utter failure. And if we don't pressure our leaders in the White House & Congress to enact the bold solutions needed to put this nation back on the right track, then we will have failed. I don't know how else to define it.

So how do we take our stand? Call Congress. Write the President-Elect. Tell them to repeal DOMA. Tell them to pass an economic stimulus package that also promotes eco-friendly development solutions. If we don't ever show the strength of our conviction, will they ever show theirs?

So isn't it worthwhile for us to stand for something? And won't it be worthwhile to make our party stand for something? So what are we waiting for?

Keep Obama Honest on Civil Rights

Last month, we elected Barack Obama as our 44th President on the promise that he'll reverse course on the assault on people's rights and help our nation make progress again on advancing civil rights. Next month, Obama will take office. So how long must we wait to see those promises fulfilled?

Why should we wait much longer?

We shouldn't have to. Really, we can't allow inequality to persist any longer. That's why we must start working now to urge President Obama and the Democratic Congress to get working!

One great place where they can start is with repealing DOMA, the "Defense of Marriage Act". In reality, DOMA defends no one's marriage. Rather, it prevents same-sex couples from exercising what should be their rights as legally recognized couples. Now that issues of LGBT equality are on the forefront of the national agenda and most Americans believe gay & lesbian couples should have all the same rights as straight couples, we must make sure that DOMA is repealed.

Another important LGBT civil rights issue to tackle is workplace discrimination. Believe it or not, someone can still be "legally" fired in 30 states simply for being a "f*gg*t". We're in desperate need of a national anti-discrimination policy, and that's why ENDA must become law as soon as possible. That's also why "Don't Ask Don't Tell" must be repealed, as far too many brave people in the military are discharged simply for being queer. There should be no "heterosexual litmus test" to hire employees, so DADT must be repealed as ENDA becomes law.

Now of course, we don't just have work to do on LGBT rights. We also must work to advance women's rights, including women's reproductive rights. We can start by pushing for the passage of the Freedom of Choice Act, which will prevent any further erosion of the principle of freedom of choice originally decided in Roe v. Wade. Oh yes, and if the anti-choice forces really want to work with us to reduce the need for abortion, why don't they join us in protecting access to family planning & contraception?

OK, so choice shouldn't be the end of advancing women's rights. There's far more for us to do as well. Believe it or not, women are still not guaranteed fair pay for the hard work they do. And believe it or not, there's still no guarantee of equal rights for women in the Constitution yet. This must change, and we must change this soon.

It's about time that America treat all her citizens equally, regardless of gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Are you ready to make this change happen? I am. Now, we must demand that the new President & Congress make it happen!

Please tell President-Elect Obama to keep his word & support equal rights for all! Oh yes, and please ask the same of your members of Congress. They promised us change we can believe in, so now's the time to deliver.