And I don't mean that in a bad way. They have spent the better part of the last 30 years putting together their schemes to win control. I'm heartened to see our side of the fence use their playbook against them. Besides, Japan began by copying our technology and go check what is in your driveway. The sincerest form of flattery, is how the cliche goes. I especially love the part about the RNC having to prop up Musgrave at 46% and how that diminishes resources for other battles. Now can we get these folks to look at Wisconisn in the next cycle? Our democratic govenor hung tough but the legislature is still Rethuglican, and to mine and my liberal friends and cohorts supreme embarassment we lost the fight on the 'marriage' referendum. Later and keep spending it if you have it..

Bill

Yes, the goal to support gay issues is a good one, but to do that by pumping money into the opponent's campaign and focussing on issues that have nothing to do with gay rights, that seems like what is wrong with politics.

Instead I'd like to see these people spend their money on public relations. Why is marriage important for gay people? How has Don't Ask Don't Tell affected our military? People need to know this, even those who are supportive need to articulate why this is important. People need to see gays and lesbians as oppressed and in need of this legislation, instead of seeing them as over-priveledged millionaires trying to buy elections.

Greetings

In baseball sometimes the mamnger wishes to send a meesage to an entire opposing team. He has his pitcher throw a high, hard one! Right at the batter! Sends an unmistakeable mssage to the opposing manager, pitcher and players....

That's what this was about! Winning and a larger message that certain issues carry a price.

Good for them.

Maybe the Rightist Religious Wack Jobs will take enough pain to finally quit mixing my constitution with their bible and we'll all be happier!

Enjoy the journey

WarLord

Sometimes when I'm in gay clubs I wonder how many of the people around me are aware of how we are being scapegoated in order to draw into the GOP know-nothing redneck bigots who can be counted on to hate gays. Did they catch the Southern rodeo hick in "Borat" saying that hanging gays "is what we are trying to get here?" Do they remember it was just a dozen years ago when the GOP built an anti-Clinton juggernaut on trumped-up hatred of "gays in the military" leading directly to the stomping murder of Seaman ALlen Schindler and the crucifixtion of Matthew Shepard.

I remember when I was coming out and Anita Bryant led an early crusade against the nascent gay rights movement and the streets in major cities and clubs exploded with anger, activism and fierce determination. How do we rekindle that kind of activism to assure the completion of the movement - or are we to be sitting ducks waiting for the next phony morals crusade to drum up a block of GOP votes?

I've been hopeful that the rocks the new Dem Congress will overturn in oversight hearings will sicken the American people to the utter corruption of politics, allowing smart leaders to spend that political capital not on impeachment but on something much more important, public financing of campaigns. Just say bluntly: "We've shown you how bought Congress is. Now is the chance for the American people to buy us back!"

Until then, I am thankful that successful gay people have made smartest possible use of the currrent coin of the political realm. You indeed did help us buy some of our liberty back, standing in the breach of a broken political system, and for that you are American heroes.

I'm very glad to see this happen and for it to work.

Usually I try to post a note only if I've something more substantive to comment on, but, er, however, the quotes here pushed me over the edge to comment on them a bit more frivolously.

Gay spokespeople are choosing the words for their position that:

'all of the chambers we focused on, we won'

'we're getting creamed by amendments...'

Even in the letters section, 'the ends justify the means'.

Hey,

Let me just preface this by saying that I support gay rights, I think we should have gay marriage, I'm absolutely comfortable with homosexuals, I voted a straight Democratic ticket, blah blah blah...

Is no one concerned by this article? I mean, great, it's the good guys winning for a change, but only because these people could throw millions at their pet causes. I just don't think that politics, and by extension our national future, stance on homosexuality, foreign policy, etc, should be decided by battling billionaires on each side throwing money at swing votes. The same corruption I dislike in Republicans is certainly present here -- these gentlement have an outsized voice in our collective future because they have more money.

earl

Let me give a big thanks to these guys. They are making change, good change.

The same corruption I dislike in Republicans is certainly present here -- these gentlement have an outsized voice in our collective future because they have more money.

This is not corruption. These are people who are fighting the influx of money from religious groups and corporations with money of their own. How is this corrupt? They are giving voice to what many Americans feel. They are countering the over amplified voice of greedy corporate America and the religious fruitcakes.

I was heartened to see Mr. Rose, one of the wealthy gay men quoted in this article, say that he wished we had a publicly financed system. I do too. I am saddened to see elections awash in money.

That said, I'm very grateful, until the day comes when this system ends, that organized wealthy individuals will put a little fear of God into the Right. I was so sick of there being, in essence, no penalty for taking extreme right positions. This election--temporarily at least--seems to have reasserted some limits to right-wing bombast, in part due to the activities of the individuals profiled here.

While we're at it, of course, we should also thank millions of middle-class and poor folks who poured tiny contributions (but big for their budgets) into Democratic campaigns. Altogether these make a difference. And popular resistance and 'push back' on issues like social security and Iraq were vital.

So thank you everybody!