Obama Falling Short?

International News, By Christian Taylor, 18th June, 2009

President Barack Obama has extended federal benefits for partners of federal government workers to now include same-sex couples, but some have criticised the move saying that it doesn’t go far enough, it isn’t permanent, it doesn’t include healthcare and won’t apply to gays in the military, because that would require them to out themselves.

The Federal Government is America’s largest employer, and the presidential order now means that same-sex couples will now get some health benefits that straight couples currently receive. According to BBC News, employees’ partners are now eligible for a government insurance program that pays for long-term conditions, like Alzheimer’s disease, they’re entitled to sick leave to care for a sick partner or non-biological child too. The order falls short of offering health care benefits or pensions for partners.

Obama responded to critics as he signed the order, saying, “We all have to acknowledge this is only one step.”

“When a president tells you he’s going to be different, you believe him,” John Aravosis, a Washington-based gay activist told Associated Press, before adding that Obama “stabbed us in the back.”

During the presidential election campaign Obama advocated civil unions, which would give gay couples legal and financial benefits that were equal to straight couples. Obama also promised to repeal the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell military policy. However, since his election he has not followed through. Robert Gibbs, a White House spokesman said last month that the desire is there, but it needs to be a “lasting and durable” solution.

Chuck Todd of NBC News spoke on the Rachel Maddow show, saying that Obama’s change is only a ‘memorandum’ and as such it will expire when Obama leaves office.

At the beginning of this month Obama announced that June would become LGBT Pride Month across the country.

“LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society,” said Obama in an official statement from the White House.

“I am proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration. These individuals embody the best qualities we seek in public servants, and across my Administration – in both the White House and the Federal agencies – openly LGBT employees are doing their jobs with distinction and professionalism.”

Obama said that his administration is working closely with the gay community on a range of initiatives to move things forward.

“At the international level, I have joined efforts at the United Nations to decriminalise homosexuality around the world. Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans. These measures include enhancing hate crimes laws, supporting civil unions and Federal rights for LGBT couples, outlawing discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending the existing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security. We must also commit ourselves to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic by both reducing the number of HIV infections and providing care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS across the United States.”