By Michael Bryan In America, we mostly talk about the civil rights of LGBT persons in moral or ethical terms – and it certainly is that. Equity and justice war with the moral precepts and prejudice of religionists. But there is more to it. It's also an economic issue. And we need to talk about … Read more
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
I have been bemused by the inside the beltway media villagers and bloviators since Sunday when Vice President Joe Biden on Meet The Press Gregory said he supports equality of marriage rights for same-sex couples.
The media villagers went into a feeding frenzy trying to manufacture a "controvery" — because that's what they do: Biden takes a position different from the president… White House tries to walk back Biden comments… oh wait, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan says he supports equality of marriage rights for same-sex couples also… White House press secretary parses statements… LGBT community tells Obama to "evolve already"… Democrats are divided!… MarriageGate!
It's almost as if none of these media villagers had a clue as to what was actually going on. Are they all so out of touch with reality that they don't recognize a "trial balloon" when they see one? The Vice President and cabinent secretaries do not go off talking points, especially during an election year. Their comments were deliberate and intentional. Pay attention.
I'd bet my last dollar that the Obama campaign was doing polling in key states to see whether these trial ballons would hurt the campaign if the president announced that he had now "evolved" in his views to support equality of marriage rights for same-sex couples. Yes it's calculating — that's what campaigns do. So what?
Today we learned the trial balloon poll results. President Obama in an exclusive interview with ABC News tonight announced that he now supports equality of marriage rights for same-sex couples as a civil rights issue. So to the inside the beltway media villagers — doesn't anyone here know how to play this game? You've been played and made to look like fools.
Think Progress has a clip from the interview below the fold.
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Pamela Powers posted earlier that Gov. Jan Brewer signed HB 2800, banning funds to Planned Parenthood for non-abortion healthcare services. Both the federal government and state of Arizona already ban funding for abortion services. What you may not know is that "Brewer signed the measure while speaking at a reception for the … Read more
by Pamela Powers Hannley US Senate Candidate and former Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona makes no bones about his life on the streets of Harlem as the son of Puerto Rican immigrants. A self-described "street kid" who dropped out of high school, Carmona entered the Marines at 17 during the Vietnam War and got a … Read more
by Pamela Powers Hannley May Day– more than any other day– is a holiday for the 99%. For decades, on May 1, workers around the world have honored the memory of Haymarket Square and striking Chicago workers who were fighting for an 8-hour work day. From Wikipedia… The Haymarket affair (also known as the Haymarket massacre or … Read more