One thing is clear after reading HRC’s Post-Election Lament; Analysis: if the organization is serious about advocating for gay and lesbian Americans in our nation’s capital, it needs new leadership. Its leaders just don’t get the issues which helped elect Republicans across the country. It is time for Joe Solmonese to step down and to be replaced by someone who knows how to “talk Republican”, given that Republicans will soon control one house of Congress.
Solmonese’s background is in left-wing partisan (Democratic) advocacy. Before coming to HRC, he worked for EMILY’s List, an outfit which defines itself as “a community of progressive Americans dedicated to electing pro-choice Democratic women“.
In its analysis, HRC almost got the meaning of the election:
Voter anxiety over economic affairs created a difficult environment for incumbents and swept conservative majorities into the U.S. House and state legislatures around the country. Thankfully this election was not characterized by as much wedge-issue demagoguery as we’ve seen in the past but make no mistake, these new leaders are no friends to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
Yeah, the new leaders may not be friends (as they define friends) to the gay and lesbian community, but they’re surely not enemies. HRC did get that the GOP swept to power by ignoring “wedge-issue demagoguery,” but its leaders missed the issue that really resonated across the country (save perhaps in California): that government has gotten too big and is spending too much.
People want government to leave us alone so we can solve our problems on our own. And that’s a message which should be welcome to gay and lesbian individuals and should certainly not be anathema to the gay community.
If HRC had a leader who understood that message, then he would understand that the results while perhaps damaging to their notion of gay equality (whatever that means) could bode well, very well for the gay community. Just as government shouldn’t interfere in the marketplace, so it shouldn’t meddle in our homes. If it wants to have any influence in the 112th Congress, HRC’s leadership needs to tap into the freedom rhetoric that so resonated with the American people in yesterday’s balloting and lobby Congress not to enact laws which limit our liberty.
And to do that, they don’t necessarily need a Republican leader or one from the Tea Party movement, but one familiar with and respectful of the ideas which undergird it. Joe Solmonese is not such a man. And that’s why it’s time for him to go.
NB: Tweaked the post to fix some sentences which didn’t read well.
You make a strong case that partisan politics on the Left should be a disqualifier, so why not the same standard for partisans on the Right? We need the best person working for us, not the most partisan. Gays and patriots can be found on both sides of the political aisle.
Please provide at least some balance once in a while. And if you can’t do that, at least ask some of the meanest people here to tone it down. Thanks.
And your point, equality?
I have given up telling some of my defenders to tone it tone. While I agree with many of their arguments, I don’t always appreciate their rhetoric — indeed, often find it compromises their arguments.
But, recall, they’re just regular gay folk commenting to a blog; they don’t claim to be leaders of our “community.”
Notice how perverts like “equality4all” whine about how “mean” other people are at the same time they and their fellow gays and lesbians are endorsing comments and posts like this.
That post was endorsed and supported by national gay and lesbian organizations, including Truth Wins Out, and leaders of the gay and lesbian community like Wayne Besen and Evan Hurst.
What “equality4all” is doing is simple Alinskyism and hypocrisy. As is typical for gay and lesbian perverts like itself, it demands rules for others that it has no intention of following itself.
When the pervert “equality4all” denounces Evan Hurst, Wayne Besen, and Truth Wins Out for their endorsement of said post, then the pervert may comment. But until then, the pervert is nothing more than a liar and a hypocrite.
You’ll NEVER, EVER find the miserable hate, anger and bigotry here that one finds on just about any liberal site and that includes the gay liberals. So as far as I’m concerned at least, you can shove your whining.
When liberals are in the majority: “Elections have consequences!”
When liberals are in the minority: “We should consider a compromise.”
I am so excited that I found this site! I did not think that one existed other than the Log Cabin organization. This site rocks, and I am so pleased to now know there is a place that I can come, and read like minded information! I hope that I do not find the miserable hate, anger and bigotry that is found at other liberal sites. Thanks for having this site, I will be returning frequently! BTW equality4all quite your whining.
Dan – Very good points in this post. Of course it will fall on deaf ears. HRC won’t change. For every former donor like me who dropped out when they became a one-party organization, there are 10 others who will cough up money regularly in response to HRC scare tactics. And, like all such organizations who just want to keep themselves going, they follow the money.
The posters here are nothing short of awesome.
Speaking of HRC scare tactics: There was a Target ad on TV and I wasn’t paying attention. Did they say something like “Throw a little gay into your holiday”? I’m fairly certain I heard that and figured they’re trying to get back on the hysterical Gay Inc’s good side.
It’s a shame Solmonese is so hate-f**kable.
B. Dan, re comment2: you asked, “What’s my point?” Simple. If you can work up righteous anger about a gay leader having a partisan past, thus requiring him to step down, why don’t you and the other leaders of this blog resign? That would show ’em how to do it right!
Of course you won’t do that because this blog is bought and paid for by one ideological group, a concept you hate when others are guilty of it, even to a smaller degree. Maybe the HRC is as bad as you say, but it would appear this blog is a far more active foe of gay progress, especially when you yourself state that you don’t even know what “gay equality” is. Such a statement shows you are not qualified to work for a gay organization. Even in your rant against Solomonese you don’t accuse him of doing what you yourself do and allow here.
So, even if your description of the HRC is accurate (and maybe it is) they do not attack gays the way your goons like ‘V the K’ and North Dallas 30 who are sitting at home in their trailer parks getting government checks while trolling the “Gay Patriot” just to call gay people “perverts, retrobates” and far worse.
If you refuse to address the filthiest forms of hatred and bullying against gays then you approve of everything they say and all that they stand for.
That’s why there are almost no gay people (ordinary or otherwise) on this blog but the Tea Partiers here all think they are leaders of “the faithful remnant,” a community of Dittoheads who hate anyone who even asks a question. If someone wants to learn more here, they are dismissed because this site is only for those who can parrot the same line as everyone else. I’m sure there are good people who visit here, but the whack jobs who run the comment section have links that lead to porno pics and racist rants.
B. DAN, DON’T RANT AGAINST OTHER GAY GROUPS FOR BEING ILLEGITIMATE IF YOU ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN UNDER YOUR WATCH!
equality, please read the post. The point is that Joe leads a group that is supposed to advocate for gay people in Washington, but he lacks the wherewithal to communicate with the new majority.
That’s the point.
What I allow here? What? LOL. So, you’re saying that because my co-blogger and I provide a forum for commentary that I agree with their rhetoric? Um, equality, I have personally approved your comments, not merely allowed them, but removed them from a spam queue. Does that mean that you speak for me?
No, it means that I’m giving you a chance to express your views on a conservative blog.
And we don’t hide the fact that we’re conservative. It’s right there on our masthead. HRC claims to speak for all of us. Now, if they were to call themselves a partisan outfit (which, I believe, they in fact are), I wouldn’t have written this post.
Welcome OC Conservative, pull up a chair and watch the leftie melt down!
That would work better if Dan and Bruce didn’t know exactly who I am, where I live, and what I do for a living, and as a result recognize that you are so crazy off on all three accusations that you really can’t be taken seriously.
Meanwhile, why do you support rapists and child molesters, equality4all?
Goons? Bitter, yet absurd (I also know NDT a bit in real life) accusations of people collecting government checks? Do I smell someone getting mean-spirited in here, because nobody is in awe of their “gay victim” perspective and other silly tactics?
#11: “Maybe the HRC is as bad as you say, but it would appear this blog is a far more active foe of gay progress, especially when you yourself state that you don’t even know what “gay equality” is. Such a statement shows you are not qualified to work for a gay organization.”
Wow. Yet another gem of self-parody from a hypocritical gay leftist. To review, equality4ALL, has declared that a gay blogger (Dan) is not qualified to work for a gay organization because said blogger expressed an opinion suggesting a rejection of a gay organization’s concept of “gay equality.”
Dan, perhaps when you’ve had time to reflect on your insolent failure to accept and embrace the HRC’s vision of “gay equality” and concede that the HRC vision is one you share (under blood oath, of course) you will be equal to the task of working for a gay equality group like the HRC. Until then, equality4ALL has spoken–you’re not equal to the tireless advocates for equality currently working at the HRC and until you accept what the HRC defines as “gay equality,” you will remain unequally gay. In short, you will be equal when you agree to be equal and equality4ALL confirms that you are equal. Only THEN, will you have equality with those that equality4ALL has decided you are equal with.
gastorgrab: “When liberals are in the majority: “Elections have consequences!” When liberals are in the minority: “We should consider a compromise.””
You’ve got the 1st point correct, gastorgrab. I remember “we won, we get to decide”.
The second corollary is “Let’s not revisit any issue that we’ve already passed without GOP support because we no longer have the votes to defend that action”.
I love all the Dems from Pelosi to Obama to the talking heads at NBC saying, the People don’t want to re-adjudicate issues like ObamaCare mostly because the Dems can no longer muster the votes. That’s exactly what the people want –65-70% of them, anyway.
To quote Michelle Malkin: Take your olive branch and shove it, Dhimmicrats.
Elections DO have consequences. Suck. It. Up.
And yes, I said that.
Regards,
Peter H.