• Gay Marriage,  Proposition 8

    SCOTUS To Hear Gay Marriage Cases

    Supreme Court to Hear Gay Marriage CasesFinally!

    The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether California’s Proposition 8 marriage amendment is constitutional and whether the federal government can refuse to recognize gay couples’ marriages for tax purposes and other reasons, the court announced Friday.

    Decisions in both cases, by the court’s practice, are expected by the end of June.

    The questions of federal standing aside, the Supreme Court should make a definitive ruling – one way or the other.

    Do the states have the right to decide their own marriage laws, or is there a federal right to a same sex marriage?

    We will see in late June 2013.

    But, there are OUTS!

    The SCOTUSblog live blog reports: “Prop. 8 is granted. So is Windsor. Those are the only two marriage cases granted.”

    SCOTUSBlog’s live blog continues: “Prop. 8 is granted on the petition question — whether 14th Am. bars Calif. from defining marriage in traditional way.” No surprise there — except perhaps to Jeffrey Toobin. The Court then added a question of its own: “Whether the backers of Prop 8 have standing in the case under Art. III.” So the court may avoid ruling on the constitutionality of Prop 8 by saying that the case should not have been allowed to proceed in the first place — which I gather would mean that the lower court decisions are off the books, as there was no jurisdiction in the cases that would allow them to be decided.

  • Barack Obama,  Gay Marriage,  Michael Ramirez

    Michael Ramirez on the Obama Gay Marriage Flip Flop

    Source: news.investors.com via Gregory Flap on Pinterest

    Michael Ramirez has it exactly right with President Obama whoring himself out to the Hollywood Homosexual community for campaign cash.

    Last week, Barack Obama finished “evolving” on same-sex marriage with his statement endorsing legalization.  Entirely coincidentally, that was just in time for a big Hollywood fundraiser at George Clooney’s mansion that raised $15 million for Team Obama’s coffers after reports of anger in the entertainment industry began to percolate in the media.

    Pretty despicable conduct from the President which will bite him in the ass this November.

  • Barack Obama,  Gay Marriage

    President Obama Evolves and Now Supports Gay Marriage

    Is anyone surprised about a flip-flop on gay marriage?

    President Obama today announced that he now supports same-sex marriage, reversing his longstanding opposition amid growing pressure from the Democratic base and even his own vice president.

    In an interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts, the president described his thought process as an “evolution” that led him to this place, based on conversations with his own staff members, openly gay and lesbian service members, and conversations with his wife and own daughters.

    “I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married,” Obama told Roberts, in an interview to appear on ABC’s “Good Morning America” Thursday. Excerpts of the interview will air tonight on ABC’s “World News with Diane Sawyer.”

    The president stressed that this is a personal position, and that he still supports the concept of states deciding the issue on their own. But he said he’s confident that more Americans will grow comfortable with gays and lesbians getting married, citing his own daughters’ comfort with the concept.

    So, President Obama whose one in six of his political campaign cash bundlers are gay suddenly gets religion. Is this too cynical?

    I mean, really, is there anyone out there who did not think Obama favored same sex or gay, homosexual marriage?

    Well, this certainly will be a contrast with Mitt Romney who supports traditional marriage. But Obama for what it is worth hedged a bit by saying his position is like Republican Dick Cheney’s – he supports the state’s right to define marriage.

    Here is the video link.

  • Gay Marriage,  Proposition 8

    Voter Approved California Proposition 8 Outlawing Gay Marriage Ruled Unconstitutional By Federal Appeals Court

    A federal appeals court on Tuesday declared California’s same-sex marriage ban to be unconstitutional, putting the bitterly contested, voter-approved law on track for likely consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court.

    A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that a lower court judge correctly interpreted the U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court precedents when he declared in 2010 that Proposition 8 was a violation of the civil rights of gays and lesbians.

    It was unclear when gay marriages might resume in California. Lawyers for Proposition 8 sponsors and for the two couples who successfully sued to overturn the ban have repeatedly said they would consider appealing to a larger panel of the court and then the U.S. Supreme Court if they did not receive a favorable ruling from the 9th Circuit.

    “Although the Constitution permits communities to enact most laws they believe to be desirable, it requires that there be at least a legitimate reason for the passage of a law that treats different classes of people differently. There was no such reason that Proposition 8 could have been enacted,” the ruling states.

    The panel also said there was no evidence that former Chief U.S. Judge Vaughn Walker was biased and should have disclosed before he issued his decision that he was gay and in a long-term relationship with another man.

    The ruling came more than a year after the appeals court heard arguments in the case.

    Proposition 8 backers had asked the 9th Circuit to set aside Walker’s ruling on both constitutional grounds and because of the thorny issue of the judge’s personal life. It was the first instance of an American jurist’s sexual orientation being cited as grounds for overturning a court decision.

    Walker publicly revealed he was gay after he retired. However, supporters of the gay marriage ban argued that he had been obliged to previously reveal if he wanted to marry his partner — like the gay couples who sued to overturn the ban.

    Walker’s successor as the chief federal judge in Northern California, James Ware, rejected those claims, and the 9th Circuit held a hearing on the conflict-of-interest question in December.

    California voters passed Proposition 8 with 52 percent of the vote in November 2008, five months after the state Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage by striking down a pair of laws that had limited marriage to a man and a woman.

    The ballot measure inserted the one man-one woman provision into the California Constitution, thereby overruling the court’s decision. It was the first such ban to take away marriage rights from same-sex couples after they had already secured them and its passage followed the most expensive campaign on a social issue in the nation’s history.

    The Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation and the Law, a think tank based at the University of California, Los Angeles, has estimated that 18,000 couples tied the knot during the four-month window before Proposition 8 took effect. The California Supreme Court upheld those marriages, but ruled that voters had properly enacted the law.

    Here is the decision:

    10-16696 #398_Decision

    So, what comes next?

    Obviously, a stay in the order while the pro-Proposition 8 attorneys appeal the decision to either the full en banc Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals or directly to the United States Supreme court. This process either way will delay a final decision in the case for at least two years and possibly three.

    There is also the probability that gay marriage advocates will go back to the ballot to overturn the voter approved Proposition 8.

  • Gay Marriage,  Proposition 8

    California Proposition 8 on Gay Marriage to Be Ruled Unconstitutional Tomorrow?

    More than likely by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

    The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is expected to release its opinion on the constitutionality of California’s voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage Tuesday morning.

    The appeals court is deciding whether to uphold or reverse a federal judge’s 2010 ruling that Proposition 8, which was approved by voters in 2008, was unconstitutional. Regardless of the outcome, the decision is expected to be appealed to the United States Supreme Court.

    The opinion will be posted online at 10 a.m, according to a press release from the court.

    Judge Reinhardt and Judge Hawkins will probably vote to affirm Federal District Court Judge Vaughn Walker’s ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional and that Walker did not need to recuse himself (obviously).

    The decision will be stayed and the U.S. Supreme Court will take up the issue in the next term beginning in October 2012.

  • Gay Marriage,  Mitt Romney,  President 2012

    President 2012: Mitt Romney Signs National Organization of Marriage Pledge

    Not really a surprise since the LDS Church (Mormon) of which Mitt is a member was very much involved in California marriage issues with California’s Proposition 8.

    But, it does set up a contrast with President Obama (if Romney receives the GOP nomination) who has reversed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in the military and who has said to be “evolving” on the Gay Marriage issue – whatever that means.

    Watch the gay community pressure Obama to come out in favor of gay marriage, which if he does will ruin him with his African American and Hispanic political bases.

    Mitt Romney gains here with the conservative southern GOP base and with GOP Evangelicals who believe marriage should be between one man and one woman.

  • CPAC,  Gay Marriage,  GOProud,  Mike Huckabee,  Sarah Palin

    Video: Sarah Palin, CPAC and Gay Rights – Has Palin Changed her Position?

    Sarah Palin as interviewed by David Brody from CBN.com

    Now, even I am confused with what Sarah Palin is trying to say about where she stands on homosexual issues, such as DADT, Gay Marriage, Federal Marriage Amendment, etc.

    Certainly, GOProud Advisory Council member Tammy Bruce didn’t help mudding up the waters in early January.

    In January, for example, Palin re-tweeted a post by gay conservative talk radio host Tammy Bruce in which she complained about Republican opposition to the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” At the time, Bruce commended Palin for what she thought was an endorsement of the repeal effort.

    “I think @SarahPalinUSA RT my tweet is her first comment on DADT, treatment of gays & attempts to marginalize us–thank you Governor,” Bruce wrote on Twitter. But when asked in a subsequent interview on Fox News whether the policy should be repealed, Palin responded: “I don’t think so right now.”

    Now, I don’t care if Sarah Palin attends CPAC and organizations who oppose GOProud’s stances on social issues have every right to boycott or stay away. This is their choice. I have never attended because I hate DC in the winter although I will probably attend Western CPAC this year in the fall.

    But, Sarah Palin REALLY needs to clear the air.

    Her remarks did not sit well with American Principles Project president Frank Cannon. His group was one of the first to call on supporters to boycott this year’s CPAC conference, one of the largest annual gatherings of conservatives in the country, over GOProud’s involvement.

    “The concern of conservatives is over the participation of a group whose stated goals run at odds with that of core conservative principles, not over debate over those issues,” said Cannon said in a statement on Monday.  “Governor Palin should clarify her comments by letting us know whether in her definition, traditional marriage is a core component of conservatism.”
    “Certainly Governor Palin would not be in favor of allowing a socialist group to be a participating organization (i.e. co-sponsor of CPAC) in the name of healthy debate,” he added.

    It should be simple for Palin to write a position paper on these issues and post it on her Facebook feed. She has stated during the 2008 campaign for Vice President that she opposed Gay Marriage and supported a Federal Marriage Amendment to the U.S,. Constitution.

    In an interview to air tomorrow on The 700 Club, Christian Broadcasting News senior correspondent David Brody asked Palin, “On constitutional marriage amendment, are, are you for something like that?”

    “I am, in my own, state, I have voted along with the vast majority of Alaskans who had the opportunity to vote to amend our Constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman,” Palin said, citing the 1998 initiative that banned gay marriage in her home state.

    “I wish on a federal level that that’s where we would go because I don’t support gay marriage,” Palin added, taking a position at odds with McCain, who voted against efforts for a proposed Federal Marriage Amendment in 2004 and 2006. Earlier this month, McCain told the Washington Blade, a gay newspaper, that he continues to oppose such an amendment today because he thinks the definition of marriage should be a state matter and not one for the federal government “as long as no state is forced to adopt some other state’s standard.”

    So, Sarah have you changed your position, yes or no?

    I can see, that if Palin has, there will be an even more hurried attempt by social conservatives in the GOP to urge Mike Huckabee to run for President – as to oppose Sarah Palin.

  • Gay Marriage

    California Proposition 8: Arguments Before Court Go Well Beyond Gay Marriage

    "A federal appeals court on Monday began hearing arguments on the constitutionality of Prop. 8, California’s ban on same-sex marriage.

    Barry P. McDonald, a professor at the Pepperdine School of Law, says the issues being made in court go well beyond the questions of marriage. Here’s an analysis he provided to The Times:

    Both parties on this appeal seem to be arguing about much broader issues than this case presents. As the California Supreme Court framed the issue in its decision on the constitutionality of Prop. 8 under the state Constitution, it is whether withholding the official name or designation of "marriage" to same-sex couples is constitutional when state law has given those couples all the rights and obligations of marriage (including parental rights) under its domestic partnership laws. That is a much different question than whether denying the right to marry altogether is constitutional.

    It presents the narrower issue of whether there is a legitimate basis for withholding the name "marriage" when all other rights and obligations have been granted. As to this question, at least two answers might be offered. One answer might be that it is clearly irrational and relegates same-sex couples to second-class status. Another answer might be that the people of California have a right to experiment in this area and that it is not an "all or nothing" proposition (no pun intended). In other words, the people want to give same-sex couples all the rights and obligations of marriage but also want to see what effect that will have on society and children raised in same-sex households before they "finalize" this arrangement by making absolutely no distinctions between traditional and same-sex marriage."

    Read the entire piece here.

    Whatever is decided today, standing to appeal or not, the issue of gay marraige will be ultimately decided by the Supreme Court of the United States.

    Politically, should SCOTUS allow nationwide gay marriage, I would think there would be an attempt to pass a U.S. Constitutional amendment limiting the power to grant gay mariage to the states or prohibing it entirely.

    This issue may persist for years in the courts, Congress and the voting booth.

    tags: Gay_Marriage California_Porposition_8

    Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

  • Gay Marriage,  Meg Whitman,  Proposition 8

    Will Meg Whitman Campaign on California Proposition 8, Gay Marriage and The Rule of Law?

    California Republican Governor candidate Meg Whitman discusses gay marriage around 5:15 in this Los Angeles television interview

    Patterico raises the issue.

    Republican Meg Whitman now has a wedge issue in the California governor’s race, if she chooses to use it.

    She also has a more subtle but much stronger issue: the responsibility of elected officials to defend the people’s laws.

    Here’s why. The Ninth Circuit’s briefing schedule calls for the last brief to be filed by Prop. 8 supporters on November 1, 2010. The court has ordered the parties to discuss whether the
    proposition’s defenders have standing on their own, given that the Attorney General and the Governor failed to fight for the law in court.

    But here’s the thing: come November, there will be a new Attorney General in California  and perhaps more important, a new Governor. They will probably be sworn in before the appeals are decided. And the identity of the new Governor will probably decide whether California’s elected officials are going to join the appeal. (This assumes that procedural time limits don’t prevent them from joining an ongoing appeal by intervenor defendants. I dont know the answer to this question, but my educated guess is that there would be no procedural bar, as long as the appeal is still live.)

    Our current Attorney General, Jerry Brown, refused to defend Prop. 8 and would continue this path as Governor. Meg Whitman, by contrast, was a Prop. 8 supporter. Presumably she would move to join the appeal if elected.

    Since Meg Whitman campaigned for California Proposition 8 and presumably donated money to the cause, I would think this issue will raise itself sometime during the campaign. Moreover, Whitman is very close to LDS-Mormon former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and the California LDS community.

    My bet is that Whitman uses targeted direct mail to the Pro-Proposition 8 Protect Marriage list shortly before the early voting/absentee voter ballot request time. Also, flyers will appear at many Christian, especially Roman Catholic and LDS churches during this time. Undoubtedly, there will be a sermon/homily or two.

    So, the answer is yes.

  • Gay Marriage,  Proposition 8

    California Proposition 8 Watch: Federal Appeals Court Grants Stay in Gay Marriage Case

    The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals granted the stay, pending an expedited appeal of the Federal District Court Order that held Proposition 8 violated the United States Constitution.

    Appellants’ motion for a stay of the district court’s order of August 4, 2010 pending appeal is GRANTED. The court sua sponte orders that this appeal be expedited pursuant to Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 2. The provisions of Ninth Circuit Rule 31-2.2(a) (pertaining to grants of time extensions) shall not apply to this appeal. This appeal shall be calendared during the week of December6, 2010, at The James R. Browning Courthouse in San Francisco, California.

    The previously established briefing schedule is vacated. The opening brief is now due September 17, 2010. The answering brief is due October 18, 2010. The reply brief is due November 1, 2010. In addition to any issues appellants wish to raise on appeal, appellants are directed to include in their opening brief a discussion of why this appeal should not be dismissed for lack of Article III standing. See Arizonans For Official English v. Arizona, 520 U.S. 43, 66 (1997).

    Here is the order:

    An interesting aside is the matter of standing – whether California Proposition 8 supporters have the right to appeal the decision.

    There are two interesting aspects to this issue.

    1. There will be an election in November of this year and both the California Attorney General and Governor WILL change. Both California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown oppose the stay and support the overturn of California Proposition 8. They both do have standing and a change in office by either Meg Whitman as Governor and Steve Cooley as Attorney General could change the standing issue – as one or both of them may very well flip on the issue.

    2. Should the court of appeal agree with the district court that Proposition 8 proponents do NOT have standing to appeal, then they might very well decide that Proposition 8 proponents might not have been allowed to intervene in the trial court – and, thus vacate the entire trial. Hence, the case would have to be tried again.

    In the meantime, there will be no further gay marriages in California, as the issue is played out in the political process.