. . . sometimes you’re much more than another day older. (Apologies, Alain Boublil.)
From my coverage on Twitter of the successful final Ohio State Government Committee hearing for the Equal Housing and Employment Act, which passed out of the committee on an 8-5 vote and was the first passing vote of pro-LGBT legislation in Ohio history, to the continuous coverage on Twitter and the blog of President Obama’s action signing a memorandum directing the federal government to take steps recognizing same-sex partner benefits where possible without additional legislative changes, it has been a very long day.
In fact, I would have like to spent some more time covering Obama’s financial system regulatory review plan unveiled today. I would have like to have at least noted California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s decision not to defend Proposition 8 in the federal challenge filed by Ted Olson and David Boies. But, the hearing started late though I had to be there early. And the circumstances surrounding Obama’s order led me to spend more time than I would have imagined on it.
But, at the end of the day, as even longtime activist Michelangelo Signorile concluded about the Obama move and I’d apply to both the vote in Ohio and the signing in D.C., “we have made our point.” Yes, there is much more work and pushing to be done, but the world is changing. And, although I believe politicians in both places (and all over) are more timid than I think necessary, politicians across the country are beginning to move.
At the end of the day, as I discussed last night regarding speculations about Obama’s memorandum, “we want and deserve more — but let’s use [today's steps] as the great tool[s] that [they] can be to move our other priorities further forward.”
[Also of note, at the end of the 17th day of this month, I've had more page views here at Law Dork so far this month than in any other entire month at the new Law Dork. So, I'll keep on doing my thing so long as you all seem to like the things I'm doing! Thanks so much for the viewers, the e-mails, the links and the comments!]
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Chris Geidner is the award-winning senior political editor at D.C.'s Metro Weekly and has written for The Atlantic Online, The American Prospect, Advocate.com, Salon and other publications, as well as at his blog, Law Dork. In 2011, he received the Excellence in News Writing Award from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his coverage of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal. Prior to moving to D.C. in 2009, he served as an attorney on the senior staff at the Ohio Attorney General's Office and had earlier worked for a leading Columbus law firm. An extended biography can be found