Politics

Political articles/news from local authors

prop8

An Analysis of the Prop 8 Supporters’ Amicus Brief

It has been 1,515 days since November 4, 2008. That’s the day California voters approved Proposition 8, the ballot initiative designed to end the Golden State’s heralded experiment with same-sex marriage. During that time, Prop 8 has been forcefully challenged as a violation of the equal protection and due process clauses of the Constitution, has […]

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As Defense Secretary, Hagel Would Extend Partner Benefits to Gay/Lesbian Troops

Defense secretary nominee Chuck Hagel has committed to extending partners benefits “permissible under current law” to gay service members as part of attempts to allay concerns among Democratic senators about his potential performance as Pentagon chief. In a letter to Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Hagel responds to queries the California Democrat apparently expressed on issues

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Log Cabin Publishes Ad in The Hill Urging GOP to Back Marriage Equality

The Log Cabin Republicans took out a full-page ad in The Hill today urging the GOP to support same-sex marriage and oppose DOMA. Reads the text of the ad: Log Cabin Republicans applauds those Republican Members of Congress who have signed on to the Respect for Marriage Act and urges other Republicans to follow their

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No Comment From White House in Prop 8 Case

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney continues to stay mum on whether the Obama administration will participate before the Feb. 28 deadline in pending litigation before the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8. Asked on Tuesday by NBC News’ Peter Alexander if the White House would “publicly advocate” against Proposition 8 —

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How Will Supreme Court Rule on Prop 8, DOMA Standing?

  Standing is like an admission rule at a bar. Before you can even get through the door, you have to fulfill certain basic requirements, like being over 21, appropriately attired, and not already drunk and disorderly. And, in determining whether you meet the requirements, the bouncer looks at evidence: your driver’s license, your general

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Gay Groups to Boehner – Stop Wasting Money Defending DOMA

Eleven LGBT groups on Tuesday called on House Speaker John Boehner to stop wasting money defending the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in court. After the Department of Justice announced it would no longer defend the law in court, Boehner, a Republican from Ohio, directed the so-called Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG) to step in.

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86% of Democrats Voted for Marriage Equality in 2012 Votes

Earlier I cited centrist Democratic think tank Third Way’s poll on marriage equality support in Washington, where same-sex marriages just got underway. Well, that report, showing that framing marriage equality as a matter of love, rather than rights wins the fight, is now out. Here’s a telling excerpt about movement among political lines: The victory

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House GOP Secretly Adds $500K More to DOMA Defense

America is about to head over a fiscal cliff, but apparently the GOP thinks there’s plenty in the bank to spend on protecting traditional marriage from those heathen homosexuals: House Republicans secretly raised the $1.5 million cap on litigating for DOMA to $2 million. Roll Call first reported Thursday that the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group