Gay Today: World

Gore's Vice-presidential Choice
Good on Most Gay Issues

Compiled by GayToday

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, soon to be the vice presidential running mate for Al Gore's presidential ticket, has voted to end employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and hate violence against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) people. But Lieberman also has a decidedly mixed record overall on issues important to the progressive community, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force said Monday.

Sen. Joseph Lieberman

"Senator Lieberman's record is one that bears studying and watching," said NGLTF Executive Director Elizabeth Toledo. "He has a generally good record on issues important to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. At the same time, Lieberman, like Clinton and like Gore, has not always proven to be a friend of the progressive community when we needed him."

Lieberman, who is the first member of the Jewish faith to be selected for the national ticket of a major U.S.political party, has taken several public stands that demonstrate support for issues important to GLBT people:

He has co-sponsored the Hate Crimes Prevention Act and this year voted for the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act, whose passage in the Senate has put the hate crimes ball in the U.S. House's court.

He has co-sponsored and voted for civil rights legislation that would prohibit discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation.

He also has sponsored and voted in favor of the Ryan White Care Act, has implemented a nondiscrimination policy covering sexual orientation for his office staff and supported ending the ban on gay, lesbian and bisexual people serving openly in the military.

At least two votes prevent Lieberman's record from remaining completely supportive of issues important to GLBT people, however:

He voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act, which granted states the right to refuse recognition of same-sex marriages performed in other states.

He voted to prevent people with AIDS from immigrating into the United States.

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Related Sites:
National Gay & Lesbian Task Force

Al Gore 2000

Democratic National Committee

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On other progressive issues, Lieberman offers voters a decidedly mixed bag. For instance, he supported the "welfare reform" overhaul (also supported and signed into law by the Clinton Administration) that resulted in many recipients losing government aid while not having access to adequate job training or child care programs. Lieberman also is a staunch supporter of taxpayer-funded vouchers for private and religious schools, a move that poses a threat to both teachers and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students who rely on public schools for non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies. On the other hand, Lieberman is a strong proponent of access to reproductive heath care.

NGLTF recently released of Elections Center 2000, a comprehensive online tool for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender voters and their allies. Elections Center 2000, at www.ngltf.org/elections, provides information on public statements and voting records of the four leading presidential candidates; highlights of the Democratic, Green, Reform and Republican parties' platforms; first-ever, state-by-state projections of the size of the 2000 GLB vote in key states; overviews of crucial state and local ballot measures and much more.