To avoid a messy floor fight on gay marriage, House Speaker John Boehner announced today a path forward to defend a federal law that defines marriage as only between a man and a woman. Boehner will convene the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group -- which consists of the top three Republicans and top two Democrats in the House - to vote on whether House lawyers should defend what's known as the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA
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This move is in response to an announcement earlier this week by Attorney General Eric Holder, who said that the Obama administration would not defend the constitutionality of the law in the courts.
"It is regrettable that the Obama Administration has opened this divisive issue at a time when Americans want their leaders to focus on jobs and the challenges facing our economy," Boehner said in a statement today. "The constitutionality of this law should be determined by the courts -- not by the president unilaterally -- and this action by the House will ensure the matter is addressed in a manner consistent with our Constitution."
Well you know I hate to agree with John Boehner on ANYTHING, but he might have a point here.
I mean surely it would be better if this decision were to be addressed in a more diplomatic manner than simply having the Obama administration determine that it is unconstitutional. After all he is clearly correct, so surely whatever body also examines the issue will undoubtedly reach the same conclusion.
The move by Boehner to convene the legal advisory group, instead of bringing a bill to the floor, ensures that Republicans get the outcome they want since Republicans have a majority on the panel.
Oh. So in reality Boehner is simply making certain to protect a law that continues to marginalize gays and keeps them from acquiring the same rights that heterosexuals take for granted in obedience to his Teabagging Fundamentalist overlords.
Asshole.
Give them another six months, and in addition to workers, the middle class, women, gays, and abused girls, the GOP will have no one left to terrorize or marginalize, and thus, will get votes only from themselves in 2012, and 202 votes will win n o election anywhere. Maybe then we can get back to moving this country forward instead of back to the Dark Ages.
ReplyDeleteI think prohibitions against same sex marriage have already been found unconstitutional. It's not just Pres. Obama's opinion.
ReplyDeleteThe real issue is Boehner has NOTHING when it comes to jobs, and he's scrambling for cover. Nancy Pelosi has already said she doesn't support Boehner's latest sham.
"The constitutionality of this law should be determined by the courts -- not by the president unilaterally -- and this action by the House will ensure the matter is addressed in a manner consistent with our Constitution."
ReplyDeleteWhere was this Legislative Branch's spine of st'il when it came to President Bush unilaterally declaring an unjustfiable war on Iraq? This war is way more costly and causes physical harm on American's than these stupid court cases.
Unbelievable.
I'm sorry, Gryphen, but I have to disagree. Boehner is a hemorrhoid, not an asshole. Asshole's have an important function. Hemorrhoids exist merely as a hindrance and to irritate.
ReplyDeleteLet's see, who is the Constitutional scholar - Boehner or Obama? Oh, yeah, that would be President Obama.
ReplyDeleteAll he said via the DOJ was that his administration would stop defending DOMA on certain grounds, not that he was invalidating it.
Honestly, the GOP are full of dolts and snake oil salesmen. It is time for them to step down. Sd 3:42 said, the Dark Ages are past. Let's conduct ourselves like the enlightened 21st century humans we should be.
Boehner and others took on the DOMA cause because the thumpers threatened their political futures. Keep God and the bible out of laws, and we will have freedoms never imagined!
ReplyDeleteSorry, but deciding to save money by not defending a clearly indefensible law makes sense to me.
ReplyDeleteAll these fiscally conservative Republicans pass these stupid prayer in school or anti-abortion laws that are clearly unconstitutional, then costs their states millions upon millions in legal fees trying to defend them in court. I don't understand why voters don't scream at this waste of money.
When funds are tight, you choose where to spend your money. I'm glad Obama is being fiscally conservative and taking funding away from something wasteful.
Its been a few MONTHS now that Boner and the Rethuglicans have controlled the House and the nation's purse strings...so, how many NEW JOBS (being "job one" they told us) have been created since they took over?
ReplyDeleteNONE????
Yikes.
Hey Boner...where are the jobs!
ReplyDeleteI laughed my ass off when I heard this. "Focus"???? This guy should be in jail.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be nice if we could not spend our tax dollars on lawyers defending laws that take equality away from our citizens?
ReplyDeleteYou can say all the mean things you want about conservatives: that they're for the rich and opposed to the poor & middle class, opposed to public education, opposed to protecting the environment, opposed to sensible gun control, opposed to the right of a woman to control her own body, opposed to the rights of non-xtians to be considered good people, (also) too, opposed to better access to affordable housing and health care, and opposed to the young men and women they eagerly send off to die in senseless wars.
ReplyDeleteYou can say all of that and you'd be telling the truth about them. But, damn it all, you have to admit the ONE thing the conservatives can ALWAYS be counted on to stand up for is good ol' fashioned American family val... What....? Really...? Incest...? Hookers, too....? Diapers...? Oxycontin addiction....?? Multiple affairs....? Multiple wives...? Trolling on Craigslist for transsexual sex partners...? Homersexual men parading around as rough and tumble straight dudes...? Really? YOUNG BOYS....???
Oh, my... I didn't know that... Nevermind, then.
In profile, he looks like Howdy Doody. I think Howdy was more intelligent, however. These "family values" repubs. are such hypocrites, Boehner has had at least 2 affairs in the last few years. Was he drunk or sober when he made his latest comments?
ReplyDeleteThey took our jobs! Oh - wait a minute. They DIDN'T take our jobs. Never mind. Hey, Boner! Where's the jobs?
ReplyDelete