Democrats don’t deserve the gay community’s vote

The Democratic Party is all about dividing and conquering. I know, because I worked for Democrats for four years in the heart of Maryland's political geography, Prince George's County.

The Democrats' method is simple: convince all non-Republicans that they are a part of an oppressed minority and that the Democratic Party is their only vehicle to liberation from their oppressor, who is no doubt a white, wealthy Tea Partier.

The Democrats' strategy has been highly effective, in particular with the gay community. With fewer children, more free time and greater disposable income, gay Americans represent an important donor and volunteer base for the left.

The catch, of course, is that the Democratic Party, after winning the money, votes and trust of its respective supporters, seldom has to act on its (often conflicting) promises. The primary victims of this reality are gay Americans who, to a 2 to 1 margin, place their support in Democrats.

Here is the harsh reality. DOMA and DADT, which constitute the bulk of federal anti-gay legislation since the '90s, were signed into law by none other than Bill Clinton, with overwhelming Democratic support in Congress.

As recent as 2008, California voters enacted Proposition 8 which banned gay marriage. The primary supporters? African American Democrats, 97 percent of whom voted for Obama and 76 percent of which voted in favor of the ban.

A similar occurrence took place here in Maryland just last year when House Democrats killed the session's gay marriage bill supported, believe it or not, by the Senate Republican Leader. Had it not been for Maryland Democrats in Baltimore City and Prince George's County, gay and lesbian couples would be reciting their wedding vows in Annapolis at this very moment.

Interestingly, as bad as Democrats have been for gay marriage nationwide, Republicans have been just as good. In Massachusetts, then Governor and now Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney ordered local townships to issue marriage licenses to gay couples after the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled gay marriage to be constitutional. All but one of the MA Justices were appointed by Republican governors.

In California, while Democrats illegalized gay marriage at the ballot box, a conservative-appointed judge and George Bush's former Republican legal counsel overturned the ban in the courts.

DADT, for which the Obama administration ordered the continued enforcement over the summer, was initially overturned when the Log Cabin Republicans, a GOP gay rights group, won the only actual legal suit filed against the law.

Where were the Democrats while Republican law makers were advancing gay equality across the country? They were probably busy telling gays how good they've been for their community.

Barack Obama, by the way, has been openly opposed to gay marriage since he was elected to the United States Senate. Joe Biden doesn't believe gays should have the right to civil unions.

Dick Cheney, Laura Bush and former Republican Party Chair Ken Mehlman, on the other hand, are active supporters of full, legalized gay marriage. Mehlman spent last summer campaigning for gay marriage in New York which passed with Republican support.

But fear not, party loyalists. Maybe someday Democrats will hiccup and inadvertently pass a gay marriage bill.