From the Washington Blade:
“The moral issue is, do you deny protection to millions of people because you can’t give it to millions plus several hundred thousands?” Frank said in his speech on the House floor....
He said an official “whip” count of Democratic House members nearly two weeks ago found that the ability to pass a transgender-inclusive version of ENDA would fall at least 30 votes short. Frank said that if Democrats brought a trans-inclusive bill up for an actual vote, it would likely lose by about 50 votes because more members would likely switch their votes to no once they saw the bill was headed to defeat....
why not take a chance on a vote on the trans-inclusive version or put off a vote until after the 2008 elections, when Democrats hope to elect more gay- and trans-supportive lawmakers?
Frank and Pelosi have said approval by the House of a sexual orientation-only version of ENDA would improve chances of passing a trans-inclusive version in later years, even if the bill fails in the Senate or is vetoed by Bush.
Pelosi also added that the trans-inclusive ENDA crowd hasn't done their job in lobbying Congress on this issue.
She said wavering House members have told her and other House Democratic leaders that they have not heard much, if anything, from ENDA supporters in their home districts. At the same time, many of these members have heard and continue to hear from those who oppose any version of ENDA, she said.
“I don’t know how anybody can make an argument for discrimination,” Pelosi said. “But the realities of life are none of us has done our job thoroughly enough in the districts of these members.”
And let's not forget that while the gang of 300 gay groups calling for the GLB ENDA to be killed talk of only having two weeks to lobby for their bill, they've in fact had 30 years just like the rest of us. They've also had nearly six months since the trans-inclusive ENDA was introduced. So why are they scurrying for votes now?
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