The fact that so many were willing to sell out transgender people for a bill that's just going to be vetoed anyway still boggles my mind.

**DONE!**

Cara's right: in order to have had a veto-proof passage, the Democrats would have had to have peeled off about 50 or so Republicans. Given some of the gerrymandered, reactionary, anti-gay hotbeds these Congresspeople represent, that was never going to be possible so long as gay rights were involved.

So if/when there's a Democratic President in 2009 and there's a few more Democrats in the majority, will they reinstate it, given their failed approach thus far?

Considering the totally disgraceful way many Dems and the HRC totally caved on this, I don't hold out a lot of hope for the future. Their claims that this is 'better than nothing' are totally bogus. How can they defend supporting an anti-discrimination law that has been amended to leave people out?

I have to say, I really vigorously disagree with this rationale. As Progressives, we really need to get a lot better at taking the incremental win and focus on what we have won. We always want the Hail Mary pass that completes to a touchdown or the 99 yard runback that changes the game in one play. One thing I really admire about the Republicans is that they-- and their supporters-- have figured out that social legislation passes in bits and pieces. They erode our rights not in giant chunks, but in small chips. A mandatory waiting period here, wiretapped domestic calls there, the list goes on and on. Eventually, the little victories add up to a big win.

When we whine about partial wins, we sound like bratty children who wail "But I wanted a pony, too!" on Christmas morning while surrounded by presents. We won't always get everything we want right when we want it. I'm certain that if Barney Frank and Ted Kennedy thought they could have gotten transgendered rights passed, they would have. We have to learn to say thank you along the way.

We have a big big win here. Gays and Lesbians will be much better off under ENDA. Would it be better if transdgendered people had had a win today, too? Absolutely, and of course they should be protected, too. But, it's ridiculous to say that we should be unhappy about this version of ENDA because it's not everything we ever wanted it to be. It's better. Better is enough for today. Better moves the flags down the field and pushes us closer to our overall win.

Republicans will see this as a win for gays and lesbians and raise holy heck about it come next election. The last thing progressive policiticans need is friendly fire, too. I live in Massachusetts home of Barney Frank and Ted Kennedy. I am not going to send a protest note to my Congressmen. I'm going to send a thank you note. There are enough people on the right who are going to scream and yell about this. I'm not going to join them.

I have to agree with ShanaLyns. One reason Republicans and Conservatives can achieve their goals is because they're willing to be pragmatic. I think we can use this small victory establish a precedent for future Trans rights.

Has Bush promised a veto for ENDA?

I have to agree with ShanaLyns. One reason Republicans and Conservatives can achieve their goals is because they're willing to be pragmatic. I think we can use this small victory establish a precedent for future Trans rights.

Has Bush promised a veto for ENDA?

Shana/MD: I haven't heard any public pronouncement from him, although this snippet tends to suggest he will (and even if I hadn't heard anything, I would bet everything I own that he would).

Therefore, the outcome until there is a Democratic president is no protection for anybody. Now, if there was some sort of empirical evidence that suggest that including transgendered persons would have led to the bill's defeat in the House, even with a Democratic majority, then maybe I'd change my tune. I can't imagine that it would have made that big a difference.

It's true that a veto is quite likely. It hasn't been promised yet, but it would certainly be in keeping with the general flavor of the Bush administration. But, I'm still pleased that my congressmen got as much as they did as far as they did and I hope they keep going until the full version is eventually passed, even if that comes in dribs and drabs.