Gavin Newsom's Green Party critics are having to shut their mouths now

[bluestateguy]

What a difference a few months makes. To listen to the Green Party supporters in November and December you would have thought Gavin Newsom was the posterboy for the DLC and that he was the Zell Miller of San Francisco. Now we see that Mayor Newsom is a true profile in courage, standing up for gay and lesbian rights even if it means defying the law. Just another example of the failed judgement of the Green Party, failing to recognize the real differences that DO exist between Democrats and Republicans.

[jonnyblitz]

1. I am in total awe of him.

You know he must be bombarded with hate mail and death threats. I am completely floored by his courage.

[Exultant Democracy]

2. It is a wake up call to the Greens, stop dicking around and come home

we have important things to do and we need your help here in the party.

[GreenPartyVoter]

14. Never been a Dem

But will vote with you guys for Prez this time around.

[mot78]

3. The Greens who attacked Newsom have egg on their face now

People have to realize that anywhere outside of SF, Newsom would be considered, and is considered a fanatical Liberal. I wonder if Matt Gonzalez would have issued marriage licenses if he won the election?

[stevedeshazer]

4. Aside from the green-bashing,

I agree.

Gavin Newsom has taken a courageous stand here, and I admire him for it.

Now, if more Dems did this sort of thing, there'd be no need for a Green Party, right?

Newsom is making a difference. Gimme some more of that.

[Exultant Democracy]

6. The point is that Newsom was in the greens cross hairs,

If the greens had there way Newsom would have never even gotten a chance.

[DennisReveni]

5. Independent not Green

I'm not a Green.
But, just because he champions a single issue in a predominantly Gay city isn't necessarily courageous. Smells like political calculation to me.
Not only is SF predominantly gay oriented but one of the most liberal cities in the nation. Let us see how he stands on medical marijuana, for example.
Some idiot also called Greens "back to the fold", if the Democratic party had NOT moved away from Green issues the problem would not exist.
I know this is a cheer leading squad for Democrats, but that doesn't make you right.
Never forget Clinton signed DOMA, DMCA, Welfare Reform ( watch Bowling for Columbine lately?) NAFTA/WTO/GATT, so on. You have to be down right stupid not to realize that those policies have lead us to where we are today.
In closing, just because a single Democratic mayor stumbles upon a good issue once in a while, no way establishes a pattern for the party or the mayor himself.

[eablair3]

10. this is exactly right

Newsom was always trying to court the gay vote, as it is a significant vote in SF. To make these conclusions about Newsom that some have made in this thread from just this issue demonstrates naivety. Where will Newsom be on social justice issues that may pit his big business and big corporate backers against the poor, the homeless or even the middle class? I don't think there will be any question about that.

I agree whole-heartedly with the above post that I am replying to.

But, just because he champions a single issue in a predominantly Gay city isn't necessarily courageous. Smells like political calculation to me.

agreed. It's calculated to reach out to the gay community and to those voters that voted Green. Newsom is still for big business, as they and the establishment are the ones who bought and paid for him and his multi-million dollar campaign.

Not only is SF predominantly gay oriented but one of the most liberal cities in the nation. Let us see how he stands on medical marijuana, for example.

Let us see how he stands on issues that affect big business and big corporations.

... if the Democratic party had NOT moved away from Green issues the problem would not exist.

agreed

I know this is a cheer leading squad for Democrats, but that doesn't make you right.
Never forget Clinton signed DOMA, DMCA, Welfare Reform ( watch Bowling for Columbine lately?) NAFTA/WTO/GATT, so on. You have to be down right stupid not to realize that those policies have lead us to where we are today.

agreed whole-heartedly. Many just seem to see "D" after a politicians' name, and that is all they seem to care about. (Don't forget about the Telecommunications Act of 1996 that Clinton also championed allowing further media conglomeration.)

In closing, just because a single Democratic mayor stumbles upon a good issue once in a while, no way establishes a pattern for the party or the mayor himself.

agreed. especially when it is in his interest to stumble on this issue, and esp when it won't affect the interests of his big money backers.

[cprise]

7. I recall Newsom was attacked mainly on economics

What gay marriage has to do with homelessness and affordable housing, I don't know.

[LeftCoast]

8. Guys, stop bashing Greens

I am a Dem and I voted against Newsom. Ok? SF poltics is a very strange beast. Basically, the entire spectrum is shifted to the left. Beyond that, Newsom has been very chummy w/ Willie Brown who was a great Democrat while in the state legislature, but really gave the City away to his corporate cronies while Mayor.

I'm not going to apologize for voting Gonzalez, but Newsom is proving himself to be a good guy. If he keeps it up, I'll vote for him next time. If he starts down Willie Way I'll vote against him.

[eablair3]

11. SF and even California is different

SF politics is different. Because everythig has shifted to the left, Repugs don't stand a chance. So, big business, big corps and big money interests know that to control issues and have a large influence, the only option is to support Democrats. They have taken over the Dems in SF. They throw the big money into certain pro-business, pro-establishment Dems. And, this holds true for many parts of California as well - can someone say Diane Feinstein.

Heck, Repug operatives and Repug local committee members were even working in Newsom's campaign against Gonzalez. Is there anymore to say?

And, yes, .... it is interesting to think of all that Matt Gonzalez would have done if he had won.

[phrenzy]

12. Ditto

"Gay rights" will never be an issue for any SF Candidate. I supported Gonzolez because he was against turning the city into a giant yuppie shopping mall paradise. Gavin Newsom seemed to want to turn the city into a shopping mall where every block was named after a corporation.

That said, he has since become a Hero of mine for taking this stand. Regardless of his motives, you can't really champion something like this as much as he has without truly believing in it. If he keeps this up and doesn't go nuts with the gentrification thing - He has my vote next election.

[dd123]

9. Gavin Newsom has 1000x more balls than John Kerry.

sad.

[ithacan]

13. ummm, DLC have no problem with social issues usually

the problem is that when it comes to economics, they sell American workers down the road and side with the corporations every time.

It's no surprise he'd do this; too many progressives forget about the non-social-issue side of things. What good is gay marriage if you can't get a job, your unemployment has run out, and the government has cut every social safety net program?

[Brian_Expat]

16. You're joking, right?

The DLC runs as fast as it can from equality under the law for gays and lesbians.

[GreenPartyVoter]

15. I gave props to him on this one issue,

but the jury is still out on the rest.

But so far so good.