links for 2009-03-12

Meanwhile, there’s another source of gay marriages that the justices didn’t ask about, but which will arise if Prop. 8 and existing gay marriages are both upheld.

Will those performed in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and abroad be recognized if the couples move to California? (Canada, Belgium, Spain, Netherlands, Norway and South Africa all perform gay marriages).

Rarely do we write about initiatives before they’ve been circulated for signatures but this one seemed too interesting to pass up. Secretary of State Debra Bowen’s office reported this morning that it has approved, for signature gathering, an initiative that would replace the term “marriage” with “domestic partnership” but preserves the rights of marriage.

This clearly refers to what we heard Supreme Court Justice Ming Chin ask during last week’s oral arguments on Prop. 8. Chin asked both supporters and opponents of the gay marriage ban whether the debate would be resolved if the state got out of the marriage business and instead joined couples, gay or straight, in civil partnerships. Both sides said yes.

Residents of the not-so-Golden State have reached their deepest level of pessimism over the California economy in more than three decades.

According to a new Field Poll, 96 percent of registered voters now believe the state's economy is in bad times – the highest negative reading in the poll's 31 years of surveying attitudes on the economy.

"How bad is it?" said Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo. "It's nearly unanimous. When you ask people about the future, they're glum, and they're either saying the economy is going to stay the same or it is going to get worse."

How much of your pro-life stance, for you, is informed not just by your Catholic faith but by the fact that you were adopted?

Oh, a lot. Absolutely. I see the power of life in that—I mean, and the power of choice! The thing to keep in mind about it… Uh, you know, I think as a country we get off on these misguided conversations that throw around terms that really misrepresent truth.

Explain that.

The choice issue cuts two ways. You can choose life, or you can choose abortion. You know, my mother chose life. So, you know, I think the power of the argument of choice boils down to stating a case for one or the other.

Are you saying you think women have the right to choose abortion?

Yeah. I mean, again, I think that’s an individual choice.

You do?

Yeah. Absolutely.
++++++
More controversy swirls around Michael Steele.

In addition to his already disclosed past membership in the all-white Forest Lake Country Club, Dawson was also an officer in 2004 of a social club, the Camellia Ball (which holds events at the Forest Lake Country Club). According to information obtained by Pajamas Media (including photos), the Camellia Ball is an exclusive social organization with no minority members, which presents débutantes to South Carolina society. According to a source familiar with the Camellia Ball, there is no explicit all white charter, although it has been all white “by tradition, choice and practice.”

When asked for comment specifically about membership in the Camellia Ball, the Dawson camp repeatedly refused to respond one way or the other to the report, contending that it was just “gossip.” Those refusals to respond were followed by two emails from the executive director of the South Carolina GOP, Jay W. Ragley, challenging the decision to run the story, but which also refused to address the substance

Proponents of a new initiative want to substitute the term “domestic partnership” where “marriage” is now used in California law.
The initiative seeks to sidestep the issue of legalizing same-sex marriage by calling marriage by the term gays and lesbians in a civil contract use.

As reported on mydesert.com, California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, the state's top election official, announced Tuesday that proponents could begin collecting signatures.

The announcements came in the wake of oral arguments last week when the state Supreme Court weighed in on Proposition 8, the same-sex marriage ban approved by 52 percent of voters statewide in November.

That case (Bartlett v. Strickland) was decided this week and, as expected, Justice Anthony Kennedy, a Californian, was the swing vote, declaring the law "does not require state officials to draw election district lines to allow a racial minority that would make up less than 50 percent of the voting-age population in the redrawn district to join with crossover voters to elect the minority's candidate of choice."

It means, in effect, that the "communities of interest" mandate of Proposition 11 would take precedence over drawing districts likely to favor black candidates in California when their voting-age populations are less than 50 percent. And that, in turn, could mean that the shrinking ranks of African American politicians could be shriveling some more.

South Carolina GOP Chairman and former RNC Chairman Katon Dawson writes in to Campaign Spot:

I support Michael Steele. Our Committee elected him knowing that he can lead us during this critical time for our Party. The people behind this anonymous rumor are clearly intent on dividing the Republican National Committee and our Party at a time when we need to be united.

Among Members of Congress, there’s a long-standing, proud tradition of the Airport Freakout. Add to the list of those who’ve indulged in meltdowns and temper tantrums while traveling one Sen. David Vitter, who on Thursday joined what we’ve dubbed the “Mile-Low Club” by going ballistic on an airline worker after missing a flight from Washington’s Dulles airport to New Orleans.
+++++++
Next GOP candidate – Put a Fork in Him – He's Done

Democrat Scott Murphy has slashed into the huge lead once held by Republican Jim Tedisco in the New York special House election scheduled for March 31, according to a new Democratic-sponsored poll.

Tedisco, the state Assembly minority leader, holds a 7-percentage-point lead over Murphy, a 39-year-old venture capitalist, according to the late February survey by the Benenson Strategy Group. The margin was 44 to 37 percent, with Libertarian Eric Sundwall at 4 percent, and 15 percent of voters undecided.The poll was paid for by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

The poll was conducted Feb. 24-25, and included interviews with 400 likely voters in the Upstate New York district.

Forget apology-seeking letters. Maybe Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman should send President Barack Obama a bill.

On Tuesday, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reported 340 event cancellations in the past 90 days, a situation it said has cost the local economy about $131.6 million in lost spending.
The rampant flaking on Las Vegas business trips coincides with the dramatic tanking of the global economy and has accelerated more recently with public scoldings dished out by Obama and other politicians to bailout-seeking businesses considering Sin City getaways.

The cancellation of conventions and business meetings has cost local resorts 111,800 guests and 236,700 room nights and untold amounts of casino betting; the $131.6 million figure represents non-gambling spending only.

Yes, free the president from his flacks, fixers and goons — his posse of smirky smart alecks and provincial rubes, who were shrewd enough to beat the slow, pompous Clintons in the mano-a-mano primaries but who seem like dazed lost lambs in the brave new world of federal legislation and global statesmanship.

Heads should be rolling at the White House for the embarrassing series of flubs that have overshadowed President Obama's first seven weeks in office and given the scattered, demoralized Republicans a huge boost toward regrouping and resurrection. (Michelle, please use those fabulous toned arms to butt some heads!)