Civil & Human Rights

On the obsessive focus on poor people’s morality

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Per Gawker:

Ta-Nehisi Coates of the Atlantic and Jonathan Chait of New York have, over the past week, been engaged in something equal parts duel and duet in the pixels of their respective magazine’s websites. Their debate has plumbed the depths of race and racism in America, working out the questions of civic and historical responsibility in a public forum with respect and grace. As readers and citizens we are privileged to bear witness to this dialogue. They’ve also thrown some damn good shade at each other, so let’s look at that.

The Gawker piece provides a quick synopsis of the debate (you should read all the links) and since then Coates (who is the clear winner in my opinion) has followed up with this and this, which I cannot recommend enough.

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Second Religious Bigotry bill dies in AZ legislature

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AzEqualEarlier this year I told you about Rep. Steve Montenegro’s (R-Litchfield Park) bill, HB 2481, which sought  to make it illegal for government to “require a minister to solemnize a marriage inconsistent with a minister’s sincerely held religious beliefs.” A solution in search of a non-existent problem.

Apparently the Arizona legislature finally realized it was a solution in search of a non-existent problem and killed this bill. Another ‘religious freedom’ bill dies in Legislature:

A bill touted as an attempt to protect religious freedom among clergy and judges has died, following the path of Senate Bill 1062, which was widely denounced as discriminatory against gays and lesbians.

House Bill 2481 would have prevented government from requiring ordained clergy and judges to “solemnize a marriage that is inconsistent with the minister’s sincerely held religious beliefs.”

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Mississippi passes the model Religious Bigotry bill

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I an curious, will the business community organize opposition the way it did in Arizona to force the governor’s hand to veto this bill? Where is the national outcry that we saw with Arizona’s bill?

Mississippi, a bottom-dweller like Arizona, always competing for “worst” status, has passed its model bill version of SB 1062 earlier passed by the Arizona legislature and vetoed by Governor Jan Brewer. Mississippi Legislature Passes ‘Religious Liberty’ Bill That Legalizes Discrimination Against Gay People:

The Mississippi legislature has passed legislation that would allow people to use their religion to justify discrimination. It seemed last month that the “religious liberty” bill had sufficiently stalled after the House voted to send it a study committee instead of passing it, with many members noting how it could be used to promote discrimination. However, both the House and Senate have approved a conference report on the bill, advancing it to Gov. Phil Bryant (R) with problematic language.

“Religious liberty” bills like the one vetoed in Arizona differ from other states’ “Religious Freedom Restoration Acts” (RFRAs) because they extend religious protections to businesses. Mississippi’s bill has this same problem, because state law already defines a “person” to include “all public and private corporations.” Thus, if Bryant were to sign Mississippi’s bill into law, it would grant all businesses in the state a license to discriminate based on religious grounds.

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‘Son of Citizens United’ McCutcheon v. FEC: 5-4 decision from the usual suspects

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The John Roberts U.S. Supreme Court is the most pro-corporation, pro-plutocracy court since the Gilded Age at the turn of the last century. The unelected “Felonious Five” conservative activist Justices of the Court are working overtime to legislate from the bench the foundation for a new corporatocracy ruled by über-rich wealthy elite corporate plutocrats.

jefferson

“Son of Citizens United,” the McCutcheon v. FEC campaign finance case was decided today in a 5-4 decision by the usual suspects.  Justices void overall contribution limits:

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued one of its most significant campaign finance rulings ever, striking down the overall campaign contribution limits that currently prevented individuals from contributing more than $123,000 to candidates and party committees per election cycle.

In a 5-4 decision, the justices ruled that individuals should be able to give the maximum per-candidate and per-party contributions to as many party committees, presidential and congressional candidates as they want. Under the current limits, individuals could give no more than $123,000 in total and $48,600 to candidates for the 2013-2014 election cycle.

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Nevada same-sex marriage case delayed by the 9th Circuit Court

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6a00d8341bf80c53ef019103db45a1970c-120wiIn early March, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals scheduled oral arguments in Nevada’s same-sex marriage case, Sevcik v. Sandoval, for April 9 in San Francisco. It would have been the first same-sex marriage case argued at the Court of Appeals level.

Shortly after, however, the Court of Appeals cancelled the April 9 date for argument without explanation. A new hearing date has not been rescheduled. Now I know why.

A judge of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has sua sponte requested an en banc hearing in SmithKline Beecham v. Abbott Laboratories, a case that  involved whether gay people could be kept off a jury in a trial. On Jan. 21, a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit stated, “Windsor review is not rational basis review. In its words and its deed, Windsor established a level of scrutiny for classifications based on sexual orientation that is unquestionably higher than rational basis review. In other words, Windsor requires that heightened scrutiny be applied to equal protection claims involving sexual orientation.”

Abbott Laboratories did not seek further review from the 9th Circuit, and the company said it would not seek Supreme Court review of the 9th Circuit Court decision.

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