What About GENDA?

For the last three years in the New York state legislature GENDA, the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act. has been stuck in an infuriating pattern for trans New Yorkers. 

It passes by overwhelming margins in the New York Assembly, but dies in the New York Senate.

GENDA if passed would amend the state non-discrimination laws to add gender identity and expression to the list of characteristics protected from discrimination in employment, education, public accommodations, housing and credit. It would also add gender identity and expression to the state hate crimes law.


Last year it died in committee by one vote with 11 Republicans and TBLG hater Sen Ruben Diaz, Sr crossing party lines to vote with the GOP to kill it..

But like Charlie Brown, the New York trans community as they have since 2003, keeps getting up and trying to successfully kick that civil rights football through the goalposts while hoping Lucy doesn't yank the football away once again.

For the fourth straight year GENDA (AB 5039/S 2873) passed the NY Assembly on a lopsided 78-53 vote.  However the obstacles to finally getting this bill passed and on Governor Andrew Cuomo's desk is the NY Senate and clock ticking on the 2011 session which ends later today at midnight.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has said he would sign the legislation if it passes..

Once again the 'all marriage all the time' GL movement has the noise machine cranked up for same sex marriage passage, but not a amplified peep out of the noise machine for GENDA, which will benefit far more people than the ability for a few to get married.

As I've said repeatedly, it does you no good to be able to marry someone if you can't hold a job to pay for the wedding ring, the wedding and the wedding reception and the haters can keep you from renting the reception hall.

The clock is ticking on GENDA for this legislative session  and it's looking like once again, the NY senate Lucy will succeed in taking away the civil rights football just as we're about to kick it.

But we have until midnight to see if that happens..

Say Hello To Congresswoman Hochul!

The special election in NY-26 became a major electoral test of the Rep. Paul Ryan Kill Medicare budget.    

Democratic candidate Kathy Hochul opposed it while Republican candidate Jane Corwin supported it.   Both sides poured in $6 million in cash and tons of robocalls.   Speaker Boehner and Eric Cantor flew in to try to save the day along with Karl Rove and the GOP special interests.

But it was all for naught.   Kathy Hochul, who two months ago was looking like just another Democrat who was going to lose this district, seized on her opponents blunder to win the special election to fill the seat that just a few short months ago elected Republican Chris Lee by a 73-27 margin before he was forced to resign in a scandal.  

She will become the first Democrat ever to represent this district, and it reduces the number of seats the Democrats need to take back the House to 24.

Congrats Congresswoman elect and give 'em hell in Washington.

Who's Gonna Win NY-26?

When Congressman Christopher Lee (R-NY) got ensnared in his Craigslist scandal that forced him to resign this seat, little did we know at the time it would set up the first political test since the Paul Ryan Kill Medicare budget was rolled out by the Republifools.

NY 26 is a congressional district that has been in GOP hands since the Civil War  It has stayed in GOP hands despite various Democratic presidents taking New York State's electoral votes.  It was the late Jack Kemp's district.   It has a huge GOP registration advantage and lots of seniors.   .

But thanks to the Ryan budget, a Tea partier siphoning off votes, and a smart, competent Democratic candidate in Kathy Hochul who has hung that albatross of a budget around Jane Corwin's neck,  Hochul may have a shot at taking this district away from the Republicans.

They have been scrambling to find a way to spin their Kill Medicare budget now that they have been reminded once again why Medicare and Social Security are called the third rails of American politics.

The last poll that came out has Hochul up six points.   Will that lead hold up?   Will we be addressing her as 'Congresswoman Hochul' in a few hours?      

The polls open at 5 AM CDT my time.   We'll know in a few hours if she pulls it off.