Gay critics say ‘too little, too late’ from Obama

President Obama’s decision to grant some benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees is seen by some as his attempt to extend an olive branch to the gay and lesbian community, but critics say it’s “too little, too late.”

“It seems to me at least to be a nice gesture, but a disappointment,” said Richard Kim, a senior editor at The Nation magazine.

The memorandum Obama is signing Thursday is not expected to grant health and retirement benefits to same-sex partners, as that is prohibited under the Defense of Marriage Act.

“It will absolutely be seen as something good — but I think, for example, it not including full health insurance — that is going to put a real microscope on that question. You know, why not?,” Kim said, adding that memo applies only to federal employees, so most people will not be affected by it.

Charles Moran, the spokesman for the Log Cabin Republicans said the lack of full benefits in Thursday’s memorandum shows a lack of commitment to the gay community.

“That’s the part that just shows that the Obama administration really isn’t serious about their promises to the gay and lesbian community. Things like the health benefits, things like retirement benefits and coverage for spouses. These are the core issues,” Moran said.

“Why start the marathon if you’re not serious about ending the race?” he added.

Moran said Obama has had multiple opportunities to fulfill his promises to the gay and lesbian community — including by repealing the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and standing against the Justice Department motion filed last week in support of the Defense of Marriage Act.

“Here we are, several months after he’s been inaugurated, and we’ve gotten basically nothing. So it is too little, too late,” Moran said.

via CNN