For those who insist that Obama cannot walk and chew gum at the same time, so anything having to do with gay rights needs to wait until he's not quite so busy, let me school you in Political Reality 101.

Fact: That majority of big projects that a president gets done is in the first year of his term, when there are no upcoming elections to focus on. He has the most public good will and the most political capital to spend. After the end of the first year, it all goes downhill.

Fact: In the second year, you have the mid-term Congressional elections. Barring a major event (such as an attack on US soil), you will not see major or controversial measures passed during an election year.

Fact: In the third year of an administration, they start looking foward to the Presidental elections and the second round of Congressional elections. Again, you don't see much happening that might be controversial happening until AFTER the elections. If the president loses his reelection bid, you might see one or two big things go through just because he no longer has anything politial to lose but that is only if he's still got enough of a majority in the congress.

So as I'd said previously, the window of opportunity for Obama to make any real progress on these issues is closing fast. At this rate, under the most ideal of circumstances, Obama is reelected and he might get around to it during the first year of his second term, but the timing of these things are never ideal. North Korea might bomb Alaska. The oil in Saudi Arabia might run out. You can bet that something major will happen and once again, the gay community will be told to be patient and wait their turn. And another administration will fade into history and the rights of these people to be full citizens will be unfulfilled again.

This article was nothing short of pathetic. Obama signs a memo (not a law or even an offical act) that basically grants some gay federal employees the rights that they are entitled to under laws already on the books that were disallowed by the Bush administration. Sure, it's a benefit to those specific employees, but it means absolutely nothing to the millions of GLBT citizens who have to fight for every single legal right they have. This memo doesn't extend healthcare benefits, or survivorship benefits or anything that will be of great meaningful benefit to the maximum number of people or inspire private employeers to match these benefits (indeed, many private employeers are way ahead of the Federal goverment). This is handing out crumbs and promising that we'll get the full meal later. When they find time. When nothing more pressing is on the table.

This wasn't any new grown Obama was breaking. It was a photo op and nothing more. It cost Obama nothing and he offers no real plans on how to move along plans to scrap DADT and the DOMA. This was nothing more than windowdressing and it's an insult to the millions of people who are struggling to make sure that they and their partners are protected to imply that it was anything more.