politics

* Gender - includes only two options, male or female, prob for transgendered and "two spirit" people.

* Marital Status - should LGBT families or those in domestic partnerships answer married? My gayest sources indicate no, not because they don't want their relationships recognized, but because the federal government does NOT recognize them yet, and it's a reminder that the easiest way of boosting the number of stable two-parent, dual-income families is to count the ones that already exist but aren't counted yet (and thereby recognize the unions to afford them the 1000+ federal benefits - esp. taxes - they are currently ineligible to receive).

More on queering the census: http://gothamist.com/2010/03/31/task_force_fighting_to_queer_the_ce.php

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 8, 2009

Emily learns to write press release:
Jesse sleeps while dinner cools on table

(New York) Emily, occupationally banished, learned how to write a press release while her tired and over-worked spouse, Jesse, took an extended nap.

On Wednesday, July 8, 2009 at 11:30 pm, Emily completed a dinner of Moroccan chicken kebabs, summer vegetables and couscous. According to witnesses, she then googled the following site: “Wiki: How to Write a Press Release”.

When reached for comment, Emily said: “I’m pleased to have learned this invaluable skill. Everyone should learn how to write a press release while dinner gets extremely cold. Especially when dinner involves perfectly-cooked grains that don’t reheat well.”

Photo source: Rodney White of the Des Moines Register

Today's a really happy day for everyone. Including penguins.

Also, it makes me giggle that he wants Iowa Governor Chet Culver to "man up" to fix this whole gay marriage thing. Yum!

• Can you believe it's fifty degrees today? How unseasonably warm for November!
• Alabama or Texas Tech?
• No, no I don't think we'll need Secret Service to keep our daughters out of bars. Maybe in the second term when they hit their tweens?
• Seen any good movies lately?
• Thanks for that secret CIA order authorizing the military to go after Al-Qaeda through clandestine ops in 15 to 20 countries with whom we already have tenuous and arguably hostile relations! I so enjoy challenges.
• Nice drapes.
• Have you got any more hand sanitizer?
• Did I mention it was unseasonably warm?

Nestled into the historic euphoria of Tuesday's mandate-level win (presidency and increases in both houses of Congress) was the 4-state loss banning same-sex marriage or same-sex adoptions, most notably Prop 8 in California. There have been a lot of protests since then and the LGBT community has been galvanized and is organizing well. This issue is also touching heavily on religion as it always does, but particularly also on the separation of church and state, with Church of Latter Day Saints pumping millions into the Yes effort on Prop 8. This effort looks to be a clear violation of their tax-exempt status. The LDS is a 501c3, which, without getting overly detailed is the "non-political" non-profit type, meaning it is not supposed to lobby:

In general, no organization, including a church, may qualify for IRC section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation (commonly known as lobbying).

Not sure what else to say.

Tears all around here.

Leaving the voting booth this morning it hit me. Today was about a simple choice:

- Vote for cynicism, fear, division and handing over one's fate to others, under the guise of "protecting us".

- Vote for hope, self-empowerment and unity.

It's really that simple.

It's finally- unbelievably- wonderfully here. In four and a half hours, Jesse and I will go stand in line to cast our vote for Barack Obama for President of the United State of America.

And this morning makes me think of another amazing morning for America, Bill Clinton's inauguration. And so, without further ado, the closing salvo to Maya Angelou's "On the Pulse of the Morning":

Here, on the pulse of this new day
You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister's eyes, and into
Your brother's face, your country
And say simply
Very simply
With hope --
Good morning.

Can't talk, too busy being hopey.

Fortunately, other people have time on their hands. Time to take trips to New York to commit sacrilege for capitalism.

Yay Dan for finding this gem of a societal clusterbomb.

The Rovian construct (parasailing, swift boats, flip-flopping) was to define the 2004 election on a question of Kerry: his character, ability to lead and record.

The McCain people are having a terrible time with message control. This election is about John McCain. And it's not going well for him.

Sample: NYTimes top stories today:

1. Frank Rich: McCain’s Suspension Bridge to Nowhere
2. For McCain and Team, a Host of Ties to Gambling
3. Maureen Dowd: Sound, but No Fury
4. Bob Herbert: Palin’s Words Raise Red Flags
5. Behind Insurer’s Crisis, Blind Eye to a Web of Risk
6. Thomas L. Friedman: Green the Bailout
7. Nicholas D. Kristof: Impulsive, Impetuous, Impatient
8. Everybody’s Business: In Financial Food Chains, Little Guys Can’t Win
9. Op-Ed Contributor: Greenwich Time
10. Editorial Observer: Wasilla Watch: Sarah Palin and the Rape Kits