2012 Presidential Election

The 2012 Presidential election is very important for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans who want to achieve equal rights because the differences between the candidates are well-defined and numerous.

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE POSITIONS ON EQUALITY GOALS

Click on a candidate's name to view quotes by the candidate of interest to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Americans. Click on a goal to learn more details about it. 

 

FEDERAL EQUALITY GOAL	PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA (DEMOCRAT) [click for detailed positions]	VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN (DEMOCRAT) [click for detailed positions]	REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL  NOMINEE MITT ROMNEY [click for detailed positions]	REPUBLICAN VP  NOMINEE PAUL RYAN [click for detailed positions]
eQualityGiving RATING	PRO-EQUALITY	PRO-EQUALITY	ANTI-EQUALITY	ANTI-EQUALITY
Hate Crimes Protections	DELIVERED SIGNED FEDERAL LEGISLATION	DELIVERED	Romney's position of Federal Hate Crimes is not known. But at the state level, he vetoed funding for the Governor's Task Force on Hate Crimes.	AGAINST
Non-Discrimination	SUPPORTS NON-DISCRIMINATION FEDERAL LEGISLATION. Should sign an Executive Order banning non-discrimination by federal contractors based on sexual orientation and gender identity.	SUPPORTS	AGAINST	SUPPORTS EMPLOYMENT NON DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION. His support for non-discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity for employment, housing, financing and public accommodation is unknown.
Gays in the Military	DELIVERED SIGNED CERTIFICATION SIGNED DADT REPEAL	DELIVERED	After DADT was repealed, Romney stated that “That’s already occurred. I’m not planning on reversing that at this stage."	AGAINST
Marriage Equality	SUPPORTS	SUPPORTS	AGAINST	AGAINST
Freedom of Gender	SUPPORTS	SUPPORTS	No public statements.	No public statements.
Protecting Youth	SUPPORTS	SUPPORTS	Mixed record at the state level. Unknown position at federal level.	Unknown position at federal level.
Same Sex Parenting Rights	SUPPORTS	SUPPORTS	"I simply acknowledge the fact that gay adoption is legal in all states but one."	Voted in favor of banning adoption in 1999. Current position is not known.

 

DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT OBAMA-BIDEN AND ROMNEY-RYAN ON LGBT RIGHTS

• President Obama In his own words about LGBT rights
• Vice President Joe Biden In his own words about LGBT rights

• Governor Romney In his own words about LGBT rights
• Representative Paul Ryan In his own words about LGBT rights

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• President Obama accomplishments on LGBT rights from Andrew Tobias, Treasurer of the Democratic National Committee
  
  
• Log Cabin Republicans ran ads opposing Romney for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination:
  > Radio ad accusing Romney of flip flopping and raising taxes. The content of the ad is still valid and relevant today.
  > TV ad about Romney's real record. The content of the ad is still valid and relevant today.

 

THE 2012 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS CRITICAL FOR LGBT AMERICANS...

• The next President needs to complete the job of bringing full equality under the law for LGBT Americans.

• Governor Romney has promised to champion a Federal Marriage Amendment and opposes same-gender marriage and even civil unions.

• Governor Romney opposes the Employment Non-Discrimination Act as he thinks that this should be left to the states (despite that other groups that are highly discriminated have federal protection).

• While a handful of Republicans in the House or Senate may vote for some LGBT legislation, if the Republicans control the House or Senate, they are extremely unlikely to bring any LGBT legislation for a vote on that chamber.

• Governor Romney has pledged to appoint to the US Supreme Court and the federal bench only conservative judges like Scalia, Thomas, Alito, and Roberts. He is serious about it as he has appointed Robert Bork as chair of his Judicial Advisory Committee. THIS WOULD BRING TO A STOP PROGRESS IN EQUALITY FOR 20 YEARS.

 

WHAT EACH CANDIDATE'S WEBSITE SAYS

The candidate's websites tell a very revealing story about the importance that a candidate places on a constituency:

President's Obama campaign website:

• Has pages dedicated to different groups of constituents, including LGBT. Here are significant pages on LGBT:
  > LGBT news blog
  > List of accomplishments for LGBT equality
  
  
• Tab dedicated to issues: Out of 8 issues listed, one is about equal rights
  > List of accomplishments on equal rights (LGBT, women, people with disabilities)

Governor's Romney campaign website:

• Tab dedicated to issues: Out of 26 issues listed, none is about LGBT equality.
  > The issue of values addresses abortion, steam cell research, and marriage in which he points out he is not only against marriage but wants to champion passage of a constitutional amendment to write discrimination into Constitution: "That is why it is so important to preserve traditional marriage – the joining together of one man and one woman. As president, Mitt will not only appoint an Attorney General who will defend the Defense of Marriage Act – a bipartisan law passed by Congress and signed by President Clinton – but he will also champion a Federal Marriage Amendment to the Constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman."
  
  
• Has no pages dedicated to different groups of constituents (such as LGBT people)

 

CHECK THE FACTS

There is an active campaign to smear President Obama. Check the facts on this site and refute the lies. 

 

 

 

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Check also: Endorsement Criteria | Endorsed Candidates | Candidates to Defeat

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