I'm not really surprised after Howard Dean eliminated the gay outreach post as reported by The Washington Blade. The Dems are not as "gay friendly" as they like us to believe.

article here:
http://www.washblade.com/2006/2-3/news/national/dems.cfm

The DNC is officially dead.
Howard Dean has gone bonkers.

Hey Mike

I haven't given up on the DNC quite yet. That's why some of us are fighting so hard to bring back the GLBT Outreach Department at the DNC. I hope folks that have contacts at their state parties or at the DNC are expressing their outrage NOW. If we wait till election time, it will be too late.

Hey David! Long time!!!!
I feel it's too late....
First the Liaison...
now this
http://tinyurl.com/7rjag

Dean is powerless.
Stonewall Dems have ZERO spine. The Log Cabinettes stand up more to the GOP than Stonewall does to the Dems. And then we claim the mantle of diversity.

The future does not look good.

Remember this: The Democratic Party isn't always our friend, but the Republican Party is always our enemy.

I'd like to see so very much more out of the DNC, but little or nothing is still so very, very much better than all the RNC efforts to rouse the homophobic rabble.

We'd be in a very different country today had the Supreme Court not put W. in the White House in 2000. We'd be in a very different country today had W. not used homophobia to get out the American Taliban vote in 2004. Think about it!

Elect Democrats. Try to get them to do the right thing, but don't do anything that hurts Democrats and helps Republicans maintain control of this country!

The current Democratic Party has failed the GLBT community. The current leadership of the Democratic Party have abandoned the GLBT community. Shame on them!!!

I gave up on the Democrats many years ago, when Reagan was elected and the DNC began a passive, impotent role as the "minority" party. The Democrats have failed at every turn to stop the multiple wars generated by the neoconservatives, repeatedly failing to use legitimate parliamentary maneuvers in the Congress to kill legislation that diminishes human rights: Democrats voted overwhelmingly in favor of the misnamed "Patriot" Act, Democrats failed to block the corporate-favored bankruptcy law revisions that penalize working people and the middle class; Dems also voted in favor of the multiple anti-same-sex marriage laws in many states; and the DNC has not managed to make a major headway into the debacle of the tragedy of Katrina nor in meeting the needs of the hundreds of thousands of people touched by the devastation; Democrats have failed to protect the environment and in advancing laws to demand renewable energy development and use over fossil fuels; Dems have similarly failed to have the USA sign the Kyoto Treaty nor take global climate change seriously. When it comes to GLBT rights and equality, the Dems have only ever offered lip-service when it suited their political purposes.
I much prefer the Green Party (I have a few reservations with the American Greens, too), which has in its original mission statement a universal declaration of human rights that specifically states that GLBT sexual orientations are protected. IMHO, what is happening is that neither the GOP nor the Dems speak for the American people, but are singularly interested in maintaining the status quo, which is the problem: the de facto two party system has long not served the USA well and it long ago stopped being useful. We need many voices and these two parties failed to be those voices of authenticity for the American people a long, long time ago. We need a people's revolution (this is a non-violent proposition) to replace the regressive system of two parties with one that encourages many voices and views to be heard, considered, and represented.

Why does everybody accept the limitations of a Democrat or Republican 'choice'? The Dems have done a great job of convincing its disenfranchised grassroots members that 3rd Party movements are hopeless. They have spent a lot of money trying to demonize those trying to build a progressive 3rd party [ Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org ]

Don't buy it! If we add up all the traditional Democratic Party members who are totally disillusioned with the rightward turn of the DNC/DLC, we have a larger voting bloc than the Dem Party hacks want us to believe. It's time we either took the Dem Party back or put our energies (and money!) into building a progressive 3rd Party. Let's smarten up!

BTW...the DNC are already 'running scared' check out the 'election reform' plan they're floating in the House [ HR 4694 Text of HR 4694
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.R.4694: ].

>>>>
Remember this: The Democratic Party isn't always our friend, but the Republican Party is always our enemy.

I'd like to see so very much more out of the DNC, but little or nothing is still so very, very much better than all the RNC efforts to rouse the homophobic rabble.
>>>>>>

What a supremely disempowering statement! While the first sentence is certainly correct, the second sentence sets up an absurd range of 'choices'. Isn't it time we started thinking outside the box that the DNC/DLC have consigned us to? Their marketing professionals and party apparatchiks have treated us like a bunch of chumps by constantly repeating the (FALSE!) mantra that we have 'nowhere else to go'. Stop being complacent and giving in to an eternal "lesser-of-two-evils" politics.

Isn't it amazing how the Dems no longer act, they simply react to the Republicans by passively caving into their manipulated issues. Had the Dems not lost the White House due to Gay Marriage (total BS by the way. Voter fraud anyone?) you'd not see such neutering of DNC policy.

Funny how the Dems would like to paint themselves as the opposition party, yet they manage to goose-step behind our "Leader".

Blue is apparently the new Brown. Go Green instead!

I went to the URL to read the report myself -- and it doesn't exist anymore! Did the dems pull it when their blunder was found out? I don't know - but I do know that I'm cancelling my monthly Democracy Bond. They're obviously only for heterosexuals.

Splitting the vote between dems and greens plays right into repug hands! The dems ARE your only viable choice unless you want the elephants retaining power and 30 more years of inequality. You have always gained more under the dems umbrella and that won't change, regardless of what is written in the DNC report. The repugs have been beating dems over the head with gay rights issues and yes it was a major reason for losing elections. Dems haven't changed their thinking on these issues, just their outspokeness. First and foremost, they need to BE in power to change anything.

Too bad us Dems don't have half the passion for GLBT as we do for worrying about ANWAR. If we had that kind of focus on other issues, the Repub's would be where they are today...sigh

For me this is not a Dems/Green issue.

For me the question is not whether or not I'm going to remain registered as a Democrat, the question is "How can we best maintain or increase the number of GLBT Voters in 2006" We are the second most loyal voter base, so investments in GLBT Outreach have big payoffs for the party.

In 2004, we had 400,0000 MORE GLBT Votes for Kerry than we did for Gore in 2000. If we stop GLBT Outreach now, we will lose this momentum and start moving backwards.

The democratic party thinks it can get more votes by "moving to the center." What they don't realize is that they are being led around by the nose by the Republicans over non-issues such as gays, women, Blacks, the border, terrorism, abortion, etc. The real issues are never touched, because the Dems themselves would be affected, since their privileges are also based on the exploitation of others. What people really care about is jobs, medical care, housing, education. If all Americans had these things, if all Mexicans and Middle Eastern people had these things, all those other fake issues would disappear.

Oh please. I'm glad they dropped the outreach guy, he was not doing much more than sending cheerleader letters every quarter, a complete waste of a job. Have someone who's gonna do stuff or forget it.

to say the DNC cares nothing about gays is just plain stupid. They need help and leadership in this and other areas. So instead of writing them off, I hope you complainers are offering your leadership in doing things more than bitch.

I went to a DNC convention here in Sacramento a couple years ago. Even there Dean mentioned "it's not about Gay Rights, but rights for all Americans" That was the beginning of the obliteration of GLBT presence. We will have to fight even in our "own" party. DNC watch yourselves" See what happened to Ford Motor Co.

I'm totally not surprised. I was at a house meeting last month in SF at which Dean appeared to see whether there was *any* reason to give him a chance and the Dems as a party, by extension. To my utter amazement, Dean, in this 99.9% GLBT-attended gathering, answered a lesbian who said she was ready "to walk" if the party didn't start sticking up for gay marriage and equal rights, that we needed to give the party "a break" in the upcoming elections in '06 and '08 by "not demanding that the candidates take public positions on our issues". Then Dean said that "if any Dem candidate took antigay positions" he, personally, "would kick their butt in private", quote unquote. Wow, Howie. My hero! You'll stick up for us "in private". With "leadership" like his, who the fuck needs the Dems? It's time, at the very least, for LGBT voters to tell the Dems that if they're too chickenshit to be seen with us in public then we're too busy to vote for them come election day. There really is no two party system in Amerika. Just one Party of Davos trying to prop up class warfare against everyone by the rich and connected. Support Greens. Support progressives. But do not reward our enemies, ever. Most pathetic of all? Dean was warmly responded to by the GLBT political elite in attendance.

Lets face it.Politicians whether their democrates or republician will say anything to get elected.That's been proven over the years.
They wish to make or create issues that will focus American citizens attention elsewhere rather then focusing on the real problems.Hunger,homelessness,oppression of selected groups.
It appears neither is concerned with the GLBT community which is a minority our constitution was drafted to help protect.
Favoritism and separatism seems to be the goal of many.Disregarding the First Amendment of Our Constitution in my opinion.
I agree with James I think it's time America gets away from the two party system and time for the Supreme court to start upholding the rights&freedoms of all Americans.Not basing laws on organizational prejudices and bias.Like Our Constitution states.
If we allow The First Amendment to be disregarded due to organizational beliefs.What's next and what has American FREEDOM become.Limited to personal or organizational beliefs.
Politicians who would limit or supress another Americans FREEDOM because of personal or organizational prejudices and bias shouldn't be elected if their not going to uphold the Constitution.Regardless of party affiliation.
Dee

Dean is very pro-tolerance and his state OKed gay marriage... you guys are nuts if you think Dems want to piss off one of their major constituency groups...

It's time to become Libertarians.

James at 5:45 has it exactly right. The Democrats totally take us for granted, pretty much the way they do African Americans, assuming we have no place else to go. Even worse: a number are unabashedly homophobic, e.g., that used car salesman from Pennsylvania the Dems chose to give that unbearably lame response to Dubya's State of the Union address.

Some of us might remember a famous conservative book from the 60s titled "A Choice not an Echo." That applies to our current situation, as gays and lesbians, as liberals and progressives and even leftists. There's barely a dime's worth of difference between the Democrats and the GOP on the major issues of the day,as James eloquently points out. We have no real choice. I imagine that there are disaffected grassroots Dems ready to rise up against the corrupt, corporate money- soaked party leadership, but they don't as yet constitute a critical mass, probably because people are cowed by bullshit, self-defeating arguments like "you're just playing into the GOP's hands."

The Dem Party is intentionally marginalizing gays because they now consider them a liability.

Time for all gays to let the DNC know they've lost their votes and their contributions.

"It's time to become Libertarians."

I agree! The Democrats love to take our fundraising checks, but then do nothing for us, except abandon us when we need them most.

When will the Democratic party wake up!? If you do not know, or cannot articulate what you stand for, how can you expect to win elections? Would somebody, anybody, have the guts to say what they beleieve instead of what is popular!? I am so disgusted with the politics in this country. And if Howard Dean did leave the GLBT out of the report on purpose, shame on you! How short-sighted can you be?

> Remember this: The Democratic Party isn't always our
> friend, but the Republican Party is always our enemy.

Not so, not true at all.

The DNC is a subsidiary of the republican party. They exist only to prevent the repubs from looking as bad as they really are.

The DNC is a false friend, which is worse than an enemy.

But who does it mention? Does it leave out all of the constituency groups or just gays? Y'all gotta calm down.

Talk about much ado about nothing. Shaun, you're correct, the report doesn't list any specific group but rather lists core values.

The quote regarding McAuliffe is part of the report here:
http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2004/parties/dnc05facts.html

So apparently the DNC has abandoned not only GLBT voters, but also African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Pacific Islanders, the Disabled, and America's Youth. Somebody is just trying to stir up trouble...

The Report IS available online. After reading it, I feel that it is a general report on the overall success of the Party. I believe that GLBT "issues" - as well as other parts of the whole -aren't addressed to exclude a group, but to include all. I don't believe I am naive as to politics. But, I do think that there are times -or reports -that call for a "universal" message rather than presenting a list of each faction's concerns. Basically, this report is seeking contributions. I saw no intent to exclude any group.

>>>>
Splitting the vote between dems and greens plays right into repug hands!
>>>>

Yup...that's the "party line"...and what would you expect from a political party that has outlived its usefulness and now runs scared?

We progressives have been "chumped" long enough by this kind of defeatist thinking. We are expected to vote for Dems because their hearts are in the right place? ...because they tell us "off the record" that they support our issues? We should stand by while they vote AGAINST our interests (not because THEY hate us, but because everybody else hates us, and the Dems want to be on the winning side). When the Dems had the White House under Clinton and both houses of Congress, what did they do for us? They gave us Don't Ask...Don't Tell, followed by the Defense of Marriage Act. They couldn't even pass an Employment Non-Discrimination Act. ...and why should they, when they know our votes can be had cheap?

No....it's time for the Dems to either "call or get out of the booth"....or take the consequences. In politics there ARE consequences.
Go GREEN....we'll build the party, with the help of legions of other disaffected and disgusted former Democrats and other progressives. The Dem Party needs to go the way of the Whigs....it will just take some guts and some hard work to put them out of business.

"Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will." - Frederick Douglass

And I thought *I* was into conspiracies!

The Democratic National Committee eliminated *all* of their outreach positions - you'll notice there's no mention of African-American, Hispanic, or Disabled outreach, either. The Dean mantra is: EVERYONE in the DNC needs to be conscious of minority groups, not just some outreach person. The Stonewall Dems still report to the national committee, and your voice will still be heard; the only difference is, now everyone else in the DNC won't be able to shrug off GLBT (or any other minority) issues because "that's someone else's job".

>>>>>
But, I do think that there are times -or reports -that call for a "universal" message rather than presenting a list of each faction's concerns. Basically, this report is seeking contributions. I saw no intent to exclude any group.
>>>>

Forget the report....let's look at what the Dems have DONE. The answer is "not much"...and they show no signs of doing any more than that in the future. They can talk about Mom and Apple Pie and Patriotism and Families all they want. The rhetoric isn't that much different from Republican Party rhetoric.

Phoenix Rising,

I'm sorry you seem to have your facts wrong. The reason I was upset with the 2006 Annual Grassroots Report is that it DOES mention the other Constituency Groups by name -EXCEPT- GLBT Americans. Follow the link and read the 2006 Annual Grassroots Report.

DM

The pro-war Democratic Party is Dead. Period. I don't know why GLBT people would continue to support these pathetic Republicrats who have the nerve to still call themself a Democrat.

The party willingly became Bushmats for the Bush Crime Family and the Repugs to walk all over ever 2000 and they seem to have enjoyed it thoroughly ever since. They've gone right along with most of what Bush and the Repugs have wanted including the war in Afghanistan, the war in Iraq and the un-PATRIOT Act and its extensions, and two new right-wing judges on the Supreme Court. And Nancy Pelosi opposes impeachment hearings for Bush and the woman calls herself a "leader." Up for re-election pro-war Diane "I'm really a Republican" Feinstein is now claiming she was "misled" by Bush on the reasons for attacking Iraq. "Misled?" She conveniently fails to say that she and her billionaire husband, Richard Blum, through his company, Perini, are making millions from Iraq (and Afghanistan) contracts. She was "misled" all right. The woman's lying and trying to have it both ways.

From the Center for Public Integrity:

http://www.publicintegrity.org/wow/bio.aspx?act=pro&ddlC=45

And then we had this article:

Spying Necessary, Democrats Say
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/12/AR2006021201174.html

Why anyone supports this dead party is beyond me! They are equally accomplices in this disaster. They don't seem to know what, if anything, they stand for except FOR war. They should officially dissolve the party and most of them re-register as Republicans since that's what they are anyway when the truth be told.

Then there's the easily-rigged electronic voting machines. Many progressives are living in DENIAL about this DIEBOLD problem so some progressives keep saying, "We need to work hard for 2006. We'll win. You'll see. Just have to worker hard this time. That's all."

Oh for mercy's sake! Wake up! The fact is you're wasting your time on political campaigns until we have a fair, legitimate and honest election system in this country again. You can work for a candidate until you're blue in the face but when the public votes on rigged voting machines, well DUH! your little candidates will go back to where he/she came from!

http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00001838.htm

http://www.blackboxvoting.org/

http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00002149.htm

Also, the Ohio GOP has taken another giant step toward ending the possibility of any other party ever taking power in the Buckeye State. Please read this article:

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0202-20.htm

I'm supporting the Socialist Equality Party (which stands for peace and social justice) candidates in the future. At least I will be supporting a candidate I truly want to vote for and not this "lesser of two evils" nonsense. You see where that has gotten us, don't you? Will my SEP candidate(s) win? NO. But neither will yours if you're supporting a so-called "Democrat" because DIEBOLD selects real Republicans and not the wannabees. Remember 2000, 2002 and 2004? Why will 2006 and 2008 be any different?...if there are "elections" then at the rate things are going with this Bush Crime Family.

This week Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist promised that a senate vote will be held around July to codify discrimination against gay and lesbian Americans into the US Constitution itself, in the name of "protecting" heterosexual marriage. I am not a constitutional scholar nor an attorney but I know my enemies -- if there is any way to use this amendment to undo 31 years of equality and non-discrimination laws that favor lebians and gay men, let alone destroy the very concept of a hate crime, then the Republican party and their radical religious masters have thought of it, written it into the wording of the law, and already begun preparing their legal arguments. They have nearly won control of the Supreme Court and after Roe v. Wade, I'm sure their next target will be Bowers v. Hardwick. Where does the Democratic Party stand regarding these crucial issues? I sure as hell don't know, whether from reading their literature, writing them letters, and talking at meeting after meeting. I have a sinking feeling that they will either stand by silently or be covertly supportive, as most were when Don't Ask, Don't Tell and the Defense of Marriage Act were passed. After spending the last 25 years fighting like hell to achieve a modicum of equality as a gay American, with all the inherent ups and downs, successes and failures, I have NEVER been more afraid of the radical religious zealots achieving success against us. I fought the good fight against Anita Bryant, various propositions, laws, and codes, I stood with ACT UP! and in solidarity throughout the early years of the AIDS crisis to the present, and I have lobbied for anti-discrimination laws in several cities and states. My take on the Democratic Party now, after 22 years of fighting within and supporting with my money? Hopelessly afraid to stand up for what is right and terminally addicted to "triangulation" and center-moving. Where to go next? I am still looking, with hope still, but weariness beyond belief.

How many of us are there? About 35 million? 35 million votes they don't want. I've seen hints of this for YEARS now. Not a problem to redirect my vote. Happy to give it to a Green or Independent party rep. Fuck the DNC.

wow, you have two choices. yeah, third party? pffft

you think the reThugs are gonna show you some love?

hysteria is very unbecoming, folks...you're smarter than this. get in touch with your inner logical side

i betcha many of you bashed those of us that were not crazy about Dean...roll with it, please

don't just get mad...get organized

and if you forgot the definition of hate, people...you have REAL enemies out there

p.s.i love you all...peace

Somebody is just trying to stir up trouble...
Posted by: Jeff in PA at February 15, 2006 11:09 PM

and succeeding...KKKarl? is that you...cuz i'm bettin' it is

Raw has been my favorite spot for the best leaks...what an opportunity

This is not coming from anyone other than loyal Democrats and in many cases loyal Howard Dean supporters.

I posted this blog entry. I'm a registered Democrat and I worked hard for Howard Dean, went to Iowa for him, and have supported his work over the years.

It would be easy to 'blow this off' as not coming from Democrats, but unfortunately that is not the case.

David

I don't claim to be a 'loyal Democrat'. To many of the Dem Party zombies, that makes me a Republican or a willing tool of the RNC or a paid provocateur. According to their very narrow (and one-dimensional) thinking, Republicans and Democrats are exact opposites, and between them represent the entire universe of political perspectives.

Look at what they did to Ralph Nader in the 2000 campaign. Some of these fools were convinced (by their Dem Party masters) that Nader was deliberately aiding and abetting the Republican Party....so they dutifully became willing (if unwitting) accomplices to the trashing of a man whose "sin" is that he actually IS the quintessential "anti-Republican" and represented a GENUINE alternative to the corporatism of the Republican Party--the same corporatism that has spread to the "new" Democratic Party.

The DNC is now into playing the very same dirty tricks and character assassinations that they decry so loudly when practiced by the RNC. The difference between the two major parties (aside from one of them being honest about ITS aims) is down to just about a nickel.

What has ruined the traditional Democratic Party coalition is NOT those of us who have criticized and expressed our disgust with the party (as it is currently constituted), but those who have pledged themselves to remain with the "new" DLC Democratic Party no matter what kind of Republicrat monster it morphs into.

I don't claim to be a "loyal Democrat". I left that party years ago when it became obvious that they were willing to abandon any and all progressive principles in a vain (and largely unsuccessful) attempt to win back those "Reagan Democrats"....ever since they started playing the game of becoming more and more like the Republicans in order to beat the Republicans.

Well, guess what? They have been very successful at becoming more LIKE the Republicans; but they haven't had much luck (aside from the Clinton inter-regnum) at BEATING the Republicans. The fact is, people prefer the real thing....OR they decide to stay home on election day.

Meanwhile, the unthinking die-hards who have pledged their souls to this organization which calls itself the Democratic Party (without even noticing that this organization no longer bears much resemblance to the "Party of Jefferson and FDR"), demonize those of us who dare to criticize this empty faux-party, which operates more as a "club" than any kind of political party with an actual agenda and unifying principles.

They lash out at us for "playing into the hands of the Republicans"...or of actually BEING Republicans or tools of the Republicans or simply paid provocateurs; because in their narrow and one-dimensional "world" of political thought the TWO parties are exact opposites, and between them represent the entire universe of political possibilities--if you are not one, you are automatically the other.

We only have to look at what they did to Ralph Nader in 2000, when they trashed a man whose "sin" was that he actually IS the quintessential "anti-Republican". So, at the bidding of their masters in the DNC, they demonized him as a dupe--or even a paid agent--of the RNC.

Even a cursory inspection of the man, his experience, his history, his reputation or his expressed political philosophy would have proved to even the dullest Dem Party "loyalist" that Nader represented the anti-corporate, pro-democracy, populist, progressive tradition that USED to be embraced by the Democratic Party, back when it USED to win elections.

It's NOT Ralph Nader or other vocal critics who have ruined the Democratic Party. What HAS ruined the Democratic Party and allowed it to morph into the DLC-defined monster that it is today is the mindset of those who are SO terrified of those Big Bad Republicans that they are willing to settle for a political organization that has sold its soul and sold out its supporters, just on the slim chance that it can replace those evil Republicans with....what?...more of the same, but with different names and faces?

Its time to start over. Yes, it's scary, and it will take hard work, and a new party may not win its first election or even its second or third; but the sooner we start, the sooner we can win, and the sooner we can put this country back on a track where We The People control our own destinies. Let's stop acting like 'ships clinging to a sinking rat'.

You can always drop a love note (or a friendly reminder) to the DNC: http://www.democrats.org/page/st/contact

Vote democrat and lose. Vote republican and lose. Some "choice," nu?

As it stands right now, if you're gay, you have zero, let me repreat that, ZERO clout with either party. The republicans have always hated you and the democrats just punted you out in their ever rightward drift.

So look at it this way - what have you got to lose by forming a voting bloc and supporting chosing your own candidates? The dems think you're a captive vote. Prove them wrong or continue to be a marginalized and ignored part of a party that doesn't give a damn about you.

You chose.

For Immediate Release
February 15, 2006

A Year of Progress for DNC LGBT Outreach
Washington, DC - This week marks the one year anniversary of Howard Dean taking the helm of the Democratic National Committee. Under Dean's leadership, the DNC has dramatically expanded and improved its outreach to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities across America. Today, Dean issued the following statement on the progress of those efforts:

"In the past year, the DNC has made tremendous progress in expanding and improving outreach to our friends and family in the LGBT community. I am proud to say that, because of the organizational reforms implemented when I became Chairman, we have dramatically increased the resources brought to bear in our LGBT messaging, organizing, and outreach efforts. Under the leadership of the American Majority Partnership, our Party is moving into a new era in reaching out to our closest allies.

"The Democratic Party has never been more committed to protecting equal rights for the LGBT community. We are standing strong with the community, fighting the Republican Party's repugnant efforts to exploit the politics of fear and division and scapegoat LGBT families for electoral gain. I am proud to lead a Party that will never resort to such shameful tactics. As long as I am chairman, this Party will always help provide the LGBT community every opportunity to live the American Dream."

The following is a fact sheet on the DNC's accomplishments in enhancing DNC outreach to LGBT communities and empowering those communities in Dean's first year as Chairman:

Establishing the American Majority Partnership.
The DNC has replaced the old "political desk" system with the American Majority Partnership, an integrated approach to constituent outreach that incorporates LGBT outreach throughout the work of the DNC and seeks to identify common issues of concern to all the Democratic Party's core communities.

AMP is located directly in the Chairman's Office, giving outreach to constituent groups the visibility and importance it deserves and helping ensure that LGBT outreach is never subordinate to other work within the DNC.
AMP is implementing an expanded, institutionalized and permanent LGBT outreach program, replacing the traditional system of establishing isolated "political desks" and simply parachuting LGBT organizers into targeted states weeks before an election.
AMP has specific goals to address the LGBT community, including working with LGBT elected officials to develop state-specific strategies for LGBT outreach and messaging, participating in Pride and other community events, and sponsoring national LGBT political conferences and meetings.
By instituting a DNC-wide working group on LGBT outreach and messaging, AMP has dramatically increased the resources brought to bear addressing LGBT issues.
Investing in the LGBT Community.
In order to help empower the LGBT community, the DNC has made a significant, permanent investment in building a nationwide capacity to organize the LGBT community. This investment is being made earlier than ever before, and is for the first time intended to build a permanent capacity in the LGBT community. Highlights of the effort include:

The DNC is providing organizers to all 50 states and equipping them with state-specific information about the LGBT community and training in how to communicate with the LGBT community. This unprecedented nationwide commitment institutionalizes LGBT outreach throughout state parties.
The DNC is assisting state parties in developing state-specific messaging and outreach on LGBT issues.
Extensive Consultation with LGBT Community Leaders
Under Dean's leadership, the DNC has maintained the Democratic Party's open door policy with our allies in the LGBT community, and expanded its efforts to build collaborative relationships with LGBT organizations, elected officials and community leaders.

In his first three months as party chair, Dean met with over 30 LGBT leaders from 20 diverse LGBT organizations to discuss strategy and reassure the community about his commitment to LGBT issues.
Dean and senior DNC staff continue to meet with LGBT organizers and community leaders across America. To date, Dean has met with more than 500 state and local LGBT leaders in communities across the country.
Speaking out on Issues that Matter to the LGBT Community.
Throughout the past year, the DNC and Dean have aggressively sought to stand up with our friends in the LGBT community and fight Republican efforts to scapegoat LGBT families by:

Assisting the successful challenge of anti-LGBT ballot initiatives and legislation in places like Maine and Oregon, and fighting Governor Schwarzenegger's veto of California marriage equality bill.
Issuing official statements from Dean and the DNC on matters of concern to the LGBT community, including recognition of Pride in 2005, National Coming Out Day, World AIDS Day, victories by openly LGBT candidates, and the recent hate crimes in Massachusetts.
Establishing a new "blog" section on the DNC website dedicated solely to LGBT outreach and current issues, highlighting the work of LGBT activists and organizations.
###

I don't know why this really surprises anyone. After all, the Dems successfully screwed over transpeople in '04 and no one in the community (except us) bothered to complain, so why should they hesistate to take it one step further?

Maybe now the gay and lesbian community will finally get it: When politicians screw transpeople, it's simply the first step and you're lined up for screwing right behind us...because when we needed you to fight for us, you looked the other way, so the DNC figures what worked once will work again on a larger scale.

One day, our entire community will finally understand that failing to fight for one aspect of an agenda of equality threatens the success of all other aspects of it.

To put it bluntly: We can ONLY win if we win TOGETHER! There is no other way!

Becky