I missed Obama on Ellen yesterday.
But word is that he said he is for immediate FEDERAL civil unions. He told her:
“You know what I would do is immediately set up a civil union that is equal in federal rights so that all the states, all the rights that are conferred by the states are the same for gays and lesbians, same sex couples as for any other couple,” he said. “In terms of marriage, what I would do is I would say each religious denomination can make their own decision.”
Um, wow.
Let me say that again: wow.
Immediate federal civil unions goes WAY beyond what any of the top 3 Dems have voiced so far. And yes, I know that CU’s are failing miserably in Jersey. But seriously people: federal civil unions? Not “someday” but “right when I become President?”
That’s pretty damn good.
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If I had a choice between a federal civil union today or a federal marriage ten or twenty years from now and the only difference is in the name then I would chose federal civil unions today because once federal civil unions are in play then everybody will see that the country is not negatively impacted and the pressure will grow to allow same sex couples to get a federal marriage, it won't take ten or twenty years to get there and when we do get federal marriage it will be with a majority of support from all Americans.
What I would like to know is if Clinton supports federal civil unions or federal marriage for same sex couples.
Um, doesn't marriage automatically confer those rights???
"In terms of marriage, what I would do is I would say each religious denomination can make their own decision."
Well, since several faith denominations DO marry same-sex couples, then the battle should already be OVER.
Oh wait, I forgot, your "president" thinks gays 'de-sanctify' the institution and wants to change to Constitution to forever forbid it. As if rights ought to be doled out based on the 'sanctifiability' of one's personal relationships! Sheesh, what a world.
Hey - here's an idea. If there's a smart lawyer reading this, why doesn't someone file a class action suit based on the fact that GLBTQ Americans are forbidden their Constitutional right to the pursuit of happiness? Whatever happened to THAT concept, anyway?
So stop complaining and Support a candidate that wants full Federal Civil unions right now. Hillary can't say she nhas said that.
Obama opposes Gay Marriage. Jack O'Dell, former
Southern Christian Leadership Conference activist
& aide to Dr. Martin Luther King states "Dr. King
would have fully supported Gay Marriage."
Coretta Scott King agreed. ...
Marriage is a civil, constitutional and human right. It is a civil institution, NOT a religious one, the religious is matrimony. Any candidate who is stupid enough to believe marriage is a "religious issue" is too stupid to get my vote.
Unfortunately, I don't believe it is within the power of the Executive Branch to create legislation. They can try (like Bush tried to do with Social Security at the height of his political capital following the 2004 election) but the ball is in the court of Congress (and they did not act on Bush's plan even though he was at the height of his powers and his party had control of everything).
Does this mean Obama is two faced? Well...no more and no less than the others. It would make an enormous difference to me if either Obama or Clinton or Edwards actually spoke at length about why same sex families are worthy of support and legitimacy. Even if it isn't attached to a legislative or policy promise, it might actually result in the creation of support for equality.