Running mates raise the gay rights profile
Australians are only just hearing their names for the first time, but the two American vice-presidential candidates announced last week have a history of supporting gay equality reforms -“ if sometimes reluctantly.
Democrat nominee Barack Obama’s running mate, four-decade senator Joe Biden, is on record saying gay marriage is inevitable and part of the maturation process of the nation.
He supports the removal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell ban on openly gay soldiers, and adding sexual orientation to employment anti-discrimination and hate crimes legislation.
His republican counterpart, Alaskan governor Sarah Palin, used her first veto to block anti-gay efforts by her own party and effectively extended benefits to same-sex partners of state employees.
However, she supported the 1998 constitutional amendment that banned same-sex marriage in Alaska, which was enough to lose any support from Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese.
When you can’t even support giving our community the rights to health insurance and pension benefits, it’s a frightening window into where she stands on equality, he said this week.
HRC has all but endorsed Obama, recently publishing a list of seven key issues on which Republican nominee John McCain opposed the interests of GLBT people.
Paul, I agree with your comment there, but, Australians arent any better. Americans have Guns, Australians use their Snide Remarks!!!! Oh dear! How UN AUSTRALIAN of me!
Americans are so stupid and senceless!
I do not ever trust people with guns!!!
According to Sarah Palin in an interview with UK magazine Monocle last year, the Republicans are dominated by “good old rich white boys.” I’m guessing she may have turned the other cheek since then. And, for a quick reality check on the future First Family, (when MacCain carks it) Levi Johnston, the young man responsible for 17-year-old Bristol Palin’s pregnancy, said on his facebook page, he’s “a f—in’ redneck…I live to play hockey. I like to go camping and hang out with the boys, do some fishing, shoot some s— and just f—in’ chillin’ I guess….Ya f— with me I’ll kick [your] ass,” he added. The page has been taken down. LOL. I think it is also worth noting that the beauty queen slashed spending on an Alaskan home for unmarried mothers and similar facilities for troubled youth by more than a million dollars. Let’s face it, she was only chosen as VP nominee because they reckon all the white trash will think she’s very f–kable. :>P
It is true that Palin vetoed an Alaskan bill that denied gay state employees spousal benefits in 2006, but she did so only on the advice of the state attorney general who told her the bill was unconstitutional. Alaska’s Supreme Court had already said denying such benefits was unconstitutional.
Palin is staunchly opposed to gay marriage or marriage-like benefits for gay couples. In a written questionnaire, completed while running for governor in 2006, she was asked if she agreed with the State Supreme Court’s ruling giving gay couples spousal benefits by the conservative group Eagle Forum Alaska. Palin’s response: -œNo, I believe spousal benefits are reserved for married citizens as defined in our constitution.
Mrs. Palin was apparently also part of a group that tried to secede Alaska from the US. And the scuttlebug is that the Down’s syndrome child is actually her daughter’s. But the irony of having a 17 yo daughter preggers is the fact that Mrs Palin preaches abstinence, in others obviously, and opposes sex education for children in the public schools. Had she educated her daughter about sex, a condom or other birth control the young girl may not be facing becoming a mother before she is old enough to vote (for her mother LOL). Oh it’s better than Desperate Housewives, I can’t wait for it all to hit the fan.
Ben: She’s the Governor, so she has executive control over state employees’ benefits. But she’s not a legislator with control over pensions benefits for all state residents or the ability to force all health insurers in the state to recognise same-sex partners in benefits. That would be the state legislature’s responsbility.
I don’t understand this article. It states:
“Sarah Palin, used her first veto to block anti-gay efforts by her own party and effectively extended benefits to same-sex partners of state employees.”
But then it quotes the Human Rights Campaign:
-œWhen you can’t even support giving our community the rights to health insurance and pension benefits, it’s a frightening window into where she stands on equality”
SSO please clarify…
The stories coming out about Palin are enough to scare you. Apparently her knocked up teenage daughter isn’t the only member of the family who is “friendly”. And this is the part of family values! What a joke.
With the average male life expectancy in the US being 75.2years, it is quite possible that this person might end up the most powerful person on the planet. I know, she has nice hair, so a lot of people will vote for her party. Mrs. Palin’s credentials are impeccable: she has a driver’s licence and a gun licence, and was recently issued with a passport. Impressive. At least she should have no trouble finding a shotgun to ensure there is a wedding for her pregnant daughter. McCain had met Sarah Palin once before deciding she’s fit to be vice-president. Yet when it comes to Barack Obama, -œWe don’t know enough about him. This woman fiercely opposes abortion and same-sex marriage. She supports the death penalty and the teaching of creationism in schools. She’s an enthusiast for shooting Alaska’s wildlife and gun ownership and opposes environmental restrictions on drilling in Alaska. She’s is a climate change denier (god knows how she will explain where the arctic disappeared to) and she sacked a state trooper who was involved in a divorce and custody battle with her sister and is alleged to have transferred public safety commissioner Walter Monegan to a job at the state alcohol board last month after he refused to sack the police official-¦..oh, she is just gonna be such a fine prez. Gawd save us all.
Republicans, keep your pious laws oit of my intimate life.I pay taxes like you. So, I expect to have the same priveledges that you have. This is common sense!