Gay Dems Seek Assurances New DLC Leader Lives Up To LGBT Commitment
Gay Dems Seek Assurances New DLC Leader Lives Up To LGBT Commitment
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: January 25, 2007 - 1:00 pm ET
(Washington) National Stonewall Democrats called on former Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. Thursday to live up to commitments by the Democratic Leadership Council to oppose ballot measures that require states to bar domestic partnership benefits, civil unions and the legal responsibilities of civil marriage to same-sex couples.
Ford was officially named Thursday as the new chair of the DLC.
A social conservative, Ford has voted in Congress against a number of LGBT issues.
In both 2004 and 2006 Ford voted for an amendment to the United States Constitution that would permanently bar civil unions and civil marriage to same-sex couples.
Both attempts to advance the amendment failed in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.
"We are asking the Democratic Leadership Council to affirm its opposition to anti-family constitutional amendments that have been championed by Harold Ford," said Jo Wyrick, NSD Executive Director.
"Anti-gay populism has failed just about every Democratic candidate who has tried to exploit it, and it has failed Harold Ford. The DLC should not allow such diversions that it has labeled 'cynical and desperate' in the past to corrupt the mission of its organization. The Democratic Leadership Council and Congressman Ford need to strongly affirm the platform of the Democratic Party and the past policy of the DLC in opposing these measures."
Ford lost a bid in November for a Senate seat from Tennessee.
The DLC is not an official party organization, but a non-profit organization that represents a coalition of centrist Democrats in Congress and at the state and local level. Openly-gay Democrats have previously joined the leadership of the DLC as members of State Legislative Advisory Board and Local Elected Officials Network.
During the 1990s the Council was led nationally by then-Governor Bill Clinton and includes Vice President Al Gore as a founding member. Former Iowa Governor, and presidential candidate, Tom Vilsack announced last week that he was stepping down of Chair of the DLC.
In 2004, the Council called politicians like Ford who supported the amendment "cynical and desperate."
"This tactic is socially divisive, morally questionable, and politically dangerous," wrote the DLC in a policy statement.
Ford’s appointment today was not a surprise. It had been reported in the national media in the past week that he was Vilsack’s likely replacement.
©365Gay.com 2007
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/01/012507ford.htm
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: January 25, 2007 - 1:00 pm ET
(Washington) National Stonewall Democrats called on former Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. Thursday to live up to commitments by the Democratic Leadership Council to oppose ballot measures that require states to bar domestic partnership benefits, civil unions and the legal responsibilities of civil marriage to same-sex couples.
Ford was officially named Thursday as the new chair of the DLC.
A social conservative, Ford has voted in Congress against a number of LGBT issues.
In both 2004 and 2006 Ford voted for an amendment to the United States Constitution that would permanently bar civil unions and civil marriage to same-sex couples.
Both attempts to advance the amendment failed in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.
"We are asking the Democratic Leadership Council to affirm its opposition to anti-family constitutional amendments that have been championed by Harold Ford," said Jo Wyrick, NSD Executive Director.
"Anti-gay populism has failed just about every Democratic candidate who has tried to exploit it, and it has failed Harold Ford. The DLC should not allow such diversions that it has labeled 'cynical and desperate' in the past to corrupt the mission of its organization. The Democratic Leadership Council and Congressman Ford need to strongly affirm the platform of the Democratic Party and the past policy of the DLC in opposing these measures."
Ford lost a bid in November for a Senate seat from Tennessee.
The DLC is not an official party organization, but a non-profit organization that represents a coalition of centrist Democrats in Congress and at the state and local level. Openly-gay Democrats have previously joined the leadership of the DLC as members of State Legislative Advisory Board and Local Elected Officials Network.
During the 1990s the Council was led nationally by then-Governor Bill Clinton and includes Vice President Al Gore as a founding member. Former Iowa Governor, and presidential candidate, Tom Vilsack announced last week that he was stepping down of Chair of the DLC.
In 2004, the Council called politicians like Ford who supported the amendment "cynical and desperate."
"This tactic is socially divisive, morally questionable, and politically dangerous," wrote the DLC in a policy statement.
Ford’s appointment today was not a surprise. It had been reported in the national media in the past week that he was Vilsack’s likely replacement.
©365Gay.com 2007
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/01/012507ford.htm
posted by presgore19 at 1:19 PM
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