OCTOBER 11, 1996 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE
11
ELECTION 1996
How Clinton and Dole contrast on lesbian-gay issues
by Doreen Cudnik
The outcome of this year's presidential contest will determine whether gay and lesbian Americans continue to make progress
Bill Clinton greeting voters in Lakewood.
toward an equal place in society or are shoved backwards. Here is what is at stake in the 1996 election.
The next president will appoint more justices to the Supreme Court. In the high court's Colorado ruling, Amendment 2 was rejected by a mere two-vote majority. The next president will also appoint federal judges who will continue to hear cases on such issues as state-by-state ballot initiatives designed to answer Supreme Court objections to Colorado's Amendment 2, sodomy law challenges, gays in the military policy, and family issues such as child custody, adoption and foster parenting.
The next president will appoint thousands of government personnel affecting every aspect of our lives from the Justice Department, to the FBI, to Health and Human Services, to the Federal Drug Administration. And, perhaps most importantly, the next president will have the ability to sign or veto any legislation ending discrimination against our community in the workplace, housing, credit and public accomodation.
The following is compiled from information provided by the Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and the American Civil Liberties Union. These groups examined the records of Bill Clinton and Bob Dole and found contrasts between the two candidates. Here are some of the highlights of how the two candidates compare, based on their own words and deeds.
Judicial appointments
Clinton: Appointed first open lesbian federal judge, Deborah Batts, to the 1st District in New York. Appointed more than 100 openly gay and lesbian individuals, includ-
ing the first to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Roberta Achtenberg, as an assistant housing secretary. Appointed Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer to the U.S. Supreme Court, both of whom provided crucial votes, DOREEN CUDNIK against Colorado's anti-gay Amendment 2.
Dole: "[Clinton's judges] are precisely the ones
who are dismantling those guardrails that protect
society from the predatory, the violent, the antisocial elements in our midst." (Chicago Tribune, 44-96.). Voted against confirming Roberta Achtenberg, siding with Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C.,
who led opposition to her and called her "that damned lesbian."
Civil rights
Clinton: First president to endorse federal gay civil rights bill, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would bar employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. Implemented non-discrimination policies covering sexual orientation in all non-military cabinet-level agencies and departments. Lifted the long-standing ban on openly gay people obtaining security clearances to deal with secret federal documents.
"We continue to lead the fight to end discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, age, ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation. We support efforts like the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, to end discrimination against gay men and lesbians and further their full inclusion in the life of the nation." (Democratic Party platform.)
Dole: "I oppose the special interest gay agenda that runs from gays in the military and reaches as far as to suggest status for sexual orientation underf federal civil rights statutes." (Washington Times, 3-21-95.)
Signed an HRC non-discrimination policy covering his Senate offices.
"We oppose discrimination based on sex, race, age, creed or national origin and will vigorously enforce anti-discrimination statutes. We reject the distortion of these laws to cover sexual preferences." (Republican Party platform.)
Gays in the military
Clinton: Promised but failed to lift the ban, offering instead the discriminatory "don't ask, don't tell❞ policy.
"It's fair to say that I have thought a lot
about this, and that there are some things I think I should have done differently. I now believe that we needed to build a broader consensus on this important issue before moving forward. Sometimes change comes best when it is achieved through incremental
The Chronicle has endorsed Bill Clinton and Al Gore for president and vice-president. Other endorsements begin on Page 16.
steps." (The Advocate, 6-25-96.)
Dole: Voted against lifting the ban. "I oppose lifting the ban on gays in the military. I haven't moved one inch on the issue." (Abortion Report, 3-21-95.)
Same-sex marriage
Clinton: Agreed to sign the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. "I have no intention of being a party to letting this legislation moving through Congress become an excuse for diverting and dividing the American people and getting into a round of gaybashing. I am bitterly opposed to that. I will not participate in it." (6-796.)
Dole: Was an original co-sponsor of the Defense of Marriage Act. Endorsed an anti-gay marriage resolution promoted at a rally of religious political extremists during the lowa presidential caucuses.
Dole: Co-sponsored the Ryan White CARE Act. Voted for Sen. Jesse Helms' amendments to the Ryan White CARE Act, to cut off all funding to gay community health organizations and to freeze Ryan White spending at 1995 levels despite rapidly growing case loads. (Senate Bill 641, Amendments 1854 and 1855.)
Medicaid
Clinton: Protected Medicaid as a federal entitlement. The proposed cuts would have devastated the 50 percent of PWAs relying on Medicaid.
Dole: Supported cut of Medicaid funding by $163 billion over the next seven years. "We'll end Medicaid as an entitlement program." (Associated Press, 9-14-95.)
Youth
Clinton: Initiated reasearch on suicide and sexual orientation to identify gaps as scientific kowledge on lesbian, gay and bisexual youth suicides.
Dole: Voted for a Helms amendment to cut off federal funds to local schools with DOREEN CUDNIK
Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole, flanked by Steven LaTourette and Governor George Voinovich.
"In fact, the [Iowa antigay marriage] resolution does not go far enough." (2-8-96 letter to the sponsors of the lowa rally.)
AIDS
Clinton: Increased public health spending for HIV/AIDS programs by 40 percent since taking office, including 108 percent increase for Ryan White CARE programs, a 26 percent rise in funding for AIDS-related research, and a 33 percent expansion of prevention program funding.
"The gay people that have AIDS are still our sons, our brothers, our cousins, our citizens. They're Americans, too. They're obeying the law and working hard. They're entitled to be treated like everybody else." (Speech at Georgetown University, 7-8-96.) "We can't let our homophobia blind us to our obligations." (First White House Conference on HIV and AIDS, 12-6-95.)
programs aimed at preventing anti-gay violence, HIV transmission and gay teen suicide.
Lesbian health
Clinton: Invited openly lesbian health advocates to policy formulation meetings for the first time in history. Expanded the National Institutes of Health research for lesbians and bisexual women by including lesbians in current studies and questions on sexual orientation in women's health research. Dole: Nothing on record.
Reproductive choice
Clinton: Pro-choice.
Dole: Opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest and risk to life of mother.
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