Governor of Vermont Vetoes Human Rights Bill; Legislature Overrides.
7 April, 2009Vermont just became the first state in the union to legalize gay marriage via the legislature, rather than the courts. After the Republican (big surprise) governor vetoed the legislation (he claimed that, in this economic climate, it would be a ‘distraction’):
The Legislature voted Tuesday to override Gov. Jim Douglas’ veto of a bill allowing gays and lesbians to marry. The vote was 23-5 to override in the state Senate and 100-49 to override in the House. Under Vermont law, two-thirds of each chamber had to vote for override. (From the Burlington Free Press)
Bravo Vermont. Ain’t human rights wonderful.
In Iowa, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, gay marriage came about through the state’s supreme courts. Of course, this lead to an outcry from the religious right decrying the actions of the ‘liberal activist judges.’ In California, the courts found that all citizens are entitled to the same rights (you know, as in human rights?) including the right to marriage; then the citizens of California, with a lot of propaganda from various conservative churches, decided that they coulddeny rights to a small portion of the population. Now Vermont has recognized human rights via the state legislature. Do any of ya’ll suppose that the Christian right will now be asking the Vermont courts to overturn this legislation? Of course, then it wouldn’t be activist judges, it would be godly judges.
So why did they have to override the governor’s veto?
Gov. Jim Douglas, who vetoed legislation, said, “I prepared myself for this outcome and predicted it. The outcome was not unexpected.”
He had called the issue of gay marriage a distraction during a time when economic and budget issues were more important.
“What really disappoints me is that we have spent some time on an issue during which another thousand Vermonters have lost their jobs,” the governor said Tuesday. “We need to turn out attention to balancing a budget without raising taxes, growing the economy, putting more people to work.”
I would love to know what (if anything) was put to the side so that this issue could be considered? And what (if anything) was pushed to the side to override the veto? I do, however, admire* an elected official who considers human rights for state citizens to be a distraction.
*Admire as in admire his gall and chutzpah.
(((Billy))) The Atheist 
What really disappoints me is that we have spent some time on an issue during which another thousand Vermonters have lost their jobs
I assume the Vermont government has dedicated 100% of their legislative time to bills creating jobs or helping ease economic hardship? Wait, this bill does ease economic hardship as it allows gay couples to reduce their taxes through marriage!
What really disappoints me is that the governor vetoed the legislation in the first place, causing a needless distraction during a time when economic and budget issues were more important.
His action forced the legislature to needlessly waste time and efforts which should have been used addressing the economy and the state budget; therefore, the governor’s actions cost all the good people of Vermont, gay and straight.
DB: There you go using logic again. When will you learn?
Philly: And, of course, he made the announcement in the first place that he would veto the bill because it was a distraction thus creating national interest in his position adding even more to the distraction.
And the Washington Post reports that the City Council has agreed to recognize gay marriages performed in other states. How long before conservatives in congress decide that DC really shouldn’t be allowed to have a democracy?
Is The Governor saying that in the time it took to vote on this issue that He could have solved the budget and economic issues in his state, singlehandidly? Methinks he has been sipping the maple sap before its boiled.
Tau: Do they make maple-flavoured KoolAid?
So he promised a distraction and then carried out a distraction while convinced it would merely be a distraction since he predicted the veto would be overridden, and finished up his distractive nonsense by claiming the actions the legislature took (which he forced them to take) were a distraction. Ta-DA!
That would be a self fulfilling prophecy of a self fulfilling prophecy or self fulfilling prophecy of a . . . .
Now we may all sit back relax, and watch the detruction of the Vermont economy. Governor Douglas’s position is the right one: he knows that allowing rights to perverts, law-breakers who falsify civil law, break criminal law, and disobey God’s law, will destroy the economy of not only his state but also our nation.
Ten years ago the supreme court of Vermont ruled that the state must allow civil unions for perverted residents who want to live in sin before the eyes of God. Five years ago it was predicted that this would lead to perverted marriage in five years and the destruction of America’s economy. Lo and behold, God’s prediction has come to pass.
I lament for what used to be my country. We must return to God’s law: the Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence. Our Christian founders, bathed in the holy blood of our Savior, created the potential for a perfect Republic. But perverts and the Democrat party have derailed our Republic and the Republican Party. We must return to God’s Law or become a colony of true Christian nations. It will happen unless we change.
This change includes obeying law. Including God’s law. We need no longer stone perverts, but we cannot allow them to endanger our country.
I tell you what, Reggie: You come up with a theory about how gay marriage affects the economy and I will let you author a guest post here on my blog. The catch being, of course, you cannot refer to god(s) or the Bible (or any other religious mythology). And regular commenters can decide whether or not you have (a) proven that a connection exists using either economic or historical research and (b) you haven’t used any religious drivel. Up for it?
Until then, give it a rest.
Actually, I read it’s estimated that Iowa could see anywhere between $150 million to $250 million as a result of being the only state in the midwest to have gay marriage prompting people to travel there to get married. You have money for the state, money for wedding planners, caterers, restaurants, halls, hotels, and so on.
Vermont isn’t so culturally isolated as Iowa, but they’ll no doubt see an influx of money, too.
Some questions for Reg:
1) “God’s prediction”? Where did you get that from? Was it published somewhere? Did your god go on Larry King, Oprah, or perhaps Fox & Friends one morning and make this prediction?
2) If you’re god is omniscient, he doesn’t actually make predictions, does he?
3) For one so enamored with “god’s law”, by what means did you arrive at the conclusion that we need no longer stone gays? Are we supposed to return to your god’s law or not?
4) Since you said “perverts and the Democratic party”, does that mean Democrats aren’t perverts?
5) Just what precisely do you lament of what was your country? No more segregation? How about women not being able to vote? Perhaps you lament not being able to have a slave?
Some corrections for Reg:
1) The Declaration of Independence wasn’t law, it was, well, a declaration.
2) Not all of our founders were Christian
3) The governor of Vermont didn’t base his veto on the economy or any notion of the gays’ possible affect on the economy.
Philly: Every time I post about human rights as they affect the GLBT community, good ol’ Reggie shows up with the same drivel. Watching (actually, reading as) you decimate what little argument is there is fun. And instructional (for me, at least)/
I have made that argument multiple times but you are evidently too narrow minded to see reality. How are your investments doing? Is reality hitting you hard? Are you still supporting rights for perverts? And you do not see the connection between marriage between perverts and the economy and economic existence of an indepedent state? You are sad.
1.God’s predictions are in His Holy Book. One only has too look.
2.Semantics are a game for the feeble minded, sir.
3.God’s law is inalterable by humans. I have never said otherwise.
4.There are perverts who claim to be Republicans, so I do not see the point of your conjecture.
5.I lament the destruction of our time-honored traditions. The decimation of the Constitution has led us further and further away from God’s Holy Writ as expressed in the founding documents of God’s favored country. We are favored by God else how can one explain America’s success in war and economics? But God’s protection is not permanent. Jews were God’s chosen nation until they murdered the Messiah. France was the chosen nation until they became corrupt and weak. England was God’s chosen nation until they ripped God out of the government of England. Now America does the same thing by embracing perversity. Will we go the way of France, England and Judea? It depends upon our embrace of reality as defined by God.
I try to engage in friendly discourse, to debate and argue in a civil manner. You, Billy, host a web site engaged in hate and welcome unwarrented attacks upon your guests. You, Billy, must control the debate unless of course you are only seeking the opinions you agree with in which case you’re approach to me and others is entirely understandable. And I have, numerous times, met the challenge outlined above. When do I get to do a guest post?
Are you kidding? Clearly the fault lies with reality tv. How can you not see the connection between the rise of reality tv and the fall of the economy? Before the rise of reality tv, our economy ruled the world. Honestly, the writing was on the wall, for how could you possibly imagine there would be no negative result of giving Flava Flav his own show?
We haven’t won a war since adding “under god” to the Pledge and changing the national motto to “In god we trust”. Before that we were invincible, facing down the greatest world powers at the time. Now we can’t even catch a guy in a cave. How can one explain THAT?
Every time I post about human rights as they affect the GLBT community, good ol’ Reggie shows up with the same drivel.
That is because people like him know they are losing this battle. Obama mentioned “America isn’t a Christian nation” and all the far right Saddlebackers are in an outrage because they know, regardless of it being true or not, they are losing their power in this country.
Reggie: No. You have not. In any of your comments. Read what you have written; read my challenge.
Philly: I hadn’t cottoned to the fact that we have not won a war since we added the god shit. Interesting.
DB: Yeah. They have lost the culture war. The scary part comes when they realize that they have lost and violence becomes the only alternative.
I did read your challenge. I have, on numerous occasions, pointed out the undeniable link between perversion and the economy. You refuse to believe the Truth, but that is not my doing. No matter how I answer your challenge, you will claim I have failed to answer your challenge by using definitions which others do not use. When faced with Truth you like all others of your religion hide behind the childish games of semantics redefining words for your own benefit.
I cannot make any argument, discussion, polemic, satire, article, argument, or sermon without referencing our Creator. Neither can you. God created the language you use, thus, every word you write about the religion of atheism, about rights for perverts, about teaching our children to breed like rabbits, are written with God’s word. Your challenge, now that I think about it is impossible and I know that you wrote it that way just to mock the reality of God’s world and God’s word. You are sad.
You’ve asserted on numerous occasions that there’s an undeniable link, but you haven’t shown it. If I asserted on numerous occasions that it was undeniable that you’re a self-hating, closet homosexual, would that then prove it were true?
Btw, I thought it was us godless liberal folk who are all about killing babies with our abortions, condoms, birth control and morning after pills. Now it’s our fault children are breeding like rabbits? How can we be responsible for both?
One can lead a liberal to reality, but cannot make them think. Why am I doing this to myself? You will never listen. Billy will never allow real arguments or discussions on his web cite. Philly will never accept evidence presented on a silver platter. Atheists will always return to their own foulings.
And no, I do not hate myself. I am not a pervert. Where is your proof behind these statements? You assert without proof and then accuse me who have always provided the proof, of the same. You are a dishonest debator, Philly.
Philly: Do you ever feel like you are playing whack-a-mole?
Reggie: Is this a debate, discussion, etc.? But you say I don’t allow that. Where is the proof? You make assertions (me who have always provided the proof) and then fail to provide any supporting evidence.
All: Does anyone else out there get the feeling that Reggie isn’t playing with a full deck? or perhaps he is off his meds? This is getting weird.
One can lead a Christian to reality, but cannot make them think. Why am I doing this to myself? You will never listen. Reg will never accept evidence presented on a silver platter. Christians will always return to their own foulings.
Again I point to the undeniable truth that you’re a self-hating, closet homosexual. You assert without proof and then accuse me who have always provided the proof, of the same. You are a dishonest debator, Reg.
Philly: Whack one down, and he pops up somewhere else. Whack-a-Mole. Insane Whack-a-Mole.
One can lead a liberal to reality, but cannot make them think.
Ironic coming from a Christian. Also, I love hearing Christians calling gays “perverts”. More Christian irony. In any case, my interpretation of the Bible is vastly different from yours, Reginald.
DB: Does seem ironic. And not in good way.
Gay rights had nothing to do with the economy tanking, and I can prove it. About a week before the crash, I ran out of toothpaste and bought a new tube of a different brand. My changing toothpastes was clearly what made the economy go ker-plunk.
Ignore all that stuff about the subprime mortgages going bad after the housing bubble burst. That’s just a bunch of haters trying to minimize my toothepaste effect.
I just wanted to congradulate Mr. Reginald Genovese on his comment’s inclusion in the November 2009 FSTDT Archives. Cheers!
“This would be the best of all possible worlds if there were no religion in it.” – Thomas Jefferson
Oops, meant John Adams.
Haseen: Thanks for stopping by. At least we now know who (or what) to blame. That Tom’s Toothpaste, right?
Quixotic: Haven’t heard from the git in a while. It’s been nice.
Some Atheist: Thanks for stopping by. Great quote (no matter who wrote it (or to whom it is attributed)).