I just caught up with an item that Kossacks may regard as old news, highlighted in Ken Avidor’s diary here last Sunday:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
about Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) co-sponsoring with GOP Congressman
Jim Ramstad an earmark for a faith-based group with an unsavory anti-gay agenda.
My take on it is a little different from Ken’s, so I thought I would pass on the letter I sent to Senator Klobuchar’s office about it. (I've been on her fund-raising mailing list since she first ran for Federal office.)
I was pleased to support then-Attorney-General Klobuchar's successful run for a seat in the United States Senate. I have to tell you I am deeply concerned to read about her support for a large Federal grant to the gay-negative group Minnesota Teen Challenge.
I do understand that in the last fiscal year of a Republican administration with a fervent belief in transferring tax revenue to so-called "faith-based" initiatives, this may have seemed the only way to secure some funding for programs that may help some people.
I would like to hear assurances, however, that with a Democratic administration to work with for the next four years (hopefully, eight years), Senator Klobuchar will be more vigilant to avoid giving deep offense to the gay and lesbian community, and will not be interested in routing the tax money to which we contribute (like everyone else) through organizations that practice hate speech against our community and threaten the essential civic distinction between Church and State that was eroded under the Bush/Cheney administration.
I don't expect a statement that disparages the charitable work of religious groups. But I would like to hear an assurance from Senator Klobuchar that she will no longer support giving tax money to programs that damage the gay community, because it won't be necessary when working with budgets planned by the Obama administration.