May 10, 2012 by whitehouse
Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that’s happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, the President traveled to Virginia and New York to urge Congress not to let interest rates double on student loans and to introduce a to do list for Congress. He also hosted the University of Kentucky Wildcats, the Fermi Science award winners, and this year’s Gershwin Award Winners. That’s May 4th to May 10th or “Teach Your Parents How to Tweet.”
Following yesterday’s historic endorsement of marriage equality by President Obama, Mitt Romney wasted no time in reminding Americans that he believes that LGBT relationships must be both separate and unequal. Romney reiterated his longstanding opposition to both marriage and civil unions:
“Well, when these issues were raised in my state of Massachusetts, I indicated my view, which is I do not favor marriage between people of the same gender, and I do not favor civil unions if they are identical to marriage other than by name.”
This position puts him to the right of even George W. Bush, who famously used anti-gay sentiment to whip up conservative votes for his 2004 re-election. But Romney’s opposition to legal recognition for gay relationships doesn’t end at merely stopping progress, he also supports permanently enshrining discrimination in our Constitution in the form of a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one women. Ed Gillespie, a senior adviser to Romney’s campaign and one of the architects of Bush’s 2004 gay-baiting strategy, said this morning that Romney would make a constitutional ban on marriage equality a key issue in the campaign:
Would Let States Discriminate Too
Beyond marriage equality, Romney’s record on basic equality for LGBT people is also troubling. He opposes federal rules that require hospitals to allow visitation rights for gay partners and he thinks we should just let the states decide if it’s OK to fire people just for being gay (which 29 states have decided is just fine).
“Perverse and Reprehensible”
Looking further back into his record reveals even more problems. In 1994, while serving in a leadership position in the Mormon Church, Romney called homosexuality “reprehensible” and “perverse”:
Speaking last fall to a Mormon Church gathering, Mitt Romney, then on the verge of launching a bid for a US Senate seat, expressed dismay at reports of homosexual behavior in the group and denounced homosexuality as “perverse,” according to several people present at the meeting.
Romney’s alleged comments on homosexual practices were part of a 20-minute address he delivered on November 14 to the Cambridge University Ward, which numbers about 250 to 300 single Mormons.
“He said he was appalled at the incidence of homosexuals in the congregation,” said Rick Rawlins, a 32-year-old Mormon who had previously served as a counselor to the ward’s bishop. “He went on to say that he found homosexuality both perverse and reprehensible.”
High School Bully
And just today, the Washington Post revealed that during his years at an elite prep school, Romney taunted one fellow student who was perceived to be gay and “vicious[ly]” assaulted another:
John Lauber, a soft-spoken new student one year behind Romney, was perpetually teased for his nonconformity and presumed homosexuality. Now he was walking around the all-boys school with bleached-blond hair that draped over one eye, and Romney wasn’t having it. […]
A few days later, Friedemann entered Stevens Hall off the school’s collegiate quad to find Romney marching out of his own room ahead of a prep school posse shouting about their plan to cut Lauber’s hair. Friedemann followed them to a nearby room where they came upon Lauber, tackled him and pinned him to the ground. As Lauber, his eyes filling with tears, screamed for help, Romney repeatedly clipped his hair with a pair of scissors.
Anti-Gay Funder
When it came to the nation’s highest profile showdown over marriage equality — California’s Proposition 8, Romney not only supported it he used some of his vast personal wealth to fund the race-baiting National Organization for Marriage’s campaign in support of Prop 8. He has also personally funded other anti-gay groups that promote harmful “pray away the gay” therapy.
Captive to the GOP Fringe
More recently, of course, Romney and his campaign stood silently by while the social conservative fringe of the GOP viciously attacked his openly gay and pro-marriage equality foreign policy spokesman. Not only did they not defend the spokesman, they decided to silence him in hopes quieting the attacks. All of this eventually led to the spokesman to quit the campaign.
Out on a Limb
Interestingly, some of Romney’s fellow Republicans seem to understand that making the Republican Party’s open intolerance of gays a key issue in the campaign is unlikely to do them any favors with the American public. This morning, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) dodged several questions on marriage in general, and Gillespie’s comments in particular. “A Romney adviser said this morning that they plan to make gay marriage a campaign issue and that they’re also going to push for a constitutional amendment. Do you agree with that?” a reporter asked. “I’m going to stay focused on jobs,” Boehner replied, before abruptly leaving the stage.
Just hours after the president’s historic announcement yesterday, House Republicans responded by voting to reaffirm their support for the Defense of Marriage Act.
An angry Mitt Romney told a local TV reporter that same-sex marriage, the DREAM Act, and medical marijuana aren’t issues of “significance.”
GOP House member who voted down ENDA claims LGBT people are already protected from employment discrimination.
Sec. of Defense: open service by gays and lesbians has “become part and parcel of what they’ve accepted within the military.”
Following Obama’s lead, Senate Majority Leader Reid says he’d vote for marriage equality in Nevada.
In fundraising pitch to help retire his campaign event, Rick Santorum calls Obama’s evolution on marriage “a tragic day for America.”
As Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney battled and eventually eliminated LGBT anti-bullying commission.
A GOP consultant who helped pass North Carolina’s discriminatory Amendment 1 says Obama’s “embrace of gay marriage is likely to inspire the Democratic base as much as it might turn off persuadable centrists” in the battleground state.
Matthew Shepard’s mother assailed Mitt Romney today after reports surfaced of his anti-gay bullying in high school.
An Historic Day for Equality “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 [...]
Republicans Block Senate Action on Bill to Prevent Student Loan Rate Hike As we’ve discussed before, student loan interest rates are set to double on July 1 unless Congress takes action. Before it recess, House Republicans passed a mean-spirited bill that paid for the extension of current rates by robbing an important preventive health fund [...]
When Will President Obama Embrace the Freedom to Marry? Yesterday, during an appearance on Meet the Press, Vice President Joe Biden became the highest-ranking Obama administration official to back marriage equality. Check it out: GREGORY: Have your views evolved? BIDEN: The good news is that as more and more Americans come to understand what this [...]
4.2 MILLION Private Sector Jobs Most of the press coverage of today’s jobs report has been focused on the two topline findings — that the economy created a less-than-expected 115,000 jobs last month and that the unemployment rate edged down slightly to 8.1 percent. While these numbers are certainly important, they miss the forest for [...]
Right-Wing Media Mock WH Adviser For Accurately Portraying Obesity As A National Security Threat Right-wing media are attacking Sam Kass, White House assistant chef and senior policy adviser on healthy food initiatives, for calling rising obesity rates a national security threat. But military experts have noted that high obesity rates threaten military enrollment and readiness. Read More
Fox News Misrepresents EPA Climate Rule Fox News reporter Doug McKelway falsely reported that EPA’s proposed greenhouse gas rule requires coal plants to install carbon capture and storage technology and could shut down up to 25 percent of coal-fired power. In fact, the rule applies only to future coal plants, which few companies planned to build anyway due to competition from natural gas. Read More
Right-Wing Media Attempt To Deflect Attention From Obama’s Pro-Marriage Equality Stand After President Obama’s historic announcement that he is in favor of marriage equality, many in the right-wing media are refusing to debate the substance of same-sex marriage. Instead, they are casting about for ways to attack Obama’s position on marriage that ignore the actual debate. Read More
Fox’s Bolling Is Oblivious To Positive Changes In Economy Under Obama Fox’s Eric Bolling said that “there isn’t one” economic metric that has improved since President Obama took office. In fact, the economy stopped shrinking and started growing since Obama’s inauguration, private-sector jobs and exports have increased, and employment turned from sharp declines to growth. Read More
What Buffett Really Said About The Buffett Rule Right-wing media claimed that Warren Buffett “blast[ed]” the Buffett rule and that he “isn’t totally in favor” of it, citing a CNBC interview in which Buffett said the rule is a “small improvement” that “doesn’t cure all revenue problems.” But during that interview, Buffett said that he’s “fine” with the rule as introduced by Senate Democrats and that it “encompasses the principles that I believe in.” Read More
Black Helicopters Alert: Morris Warns Obama Is Pushing For “One World Government” Fox News contributor Dick Morris told Sean Hannity that “one world government” is “happening.” His evidence consists of false statements about a series of treaties, some of which enjoy bipartisan support, are important for U.S. national security, and protect children from exploitation. Read More
I wanted to make sure you got this time-sensitive message from Beth at CWA.
Right now, 9,000 American Airlines Passenger Service Agents are trying to form a union. American Airlines is working to block their election by refusing to provide a list of eligible voters to the National Mediation Board (NMB). Please read Beth’s message and take action.
The NMB can move ahead but it needs to hear how the public feels about American Airlines’ actions.
Thanks for everything you do to win fairness.
In solidarity,
Christian Sweeney
AFL-CIO
Is American Airlines above the law?
The National Mediation Board (NMB) set May 17 as the date for a union representation election for over 9,600 ticket, gate and reservation agents at American Airlines. But in a reckless disregard for the rule of law, American Airlines has simply decided to refuse to provide employees addresses so voting instructions for the election can be mailed by the NMB.
Click here to make sure that the NMB stands up to American Airlines and ensures the election moves forward.
American Airlines is in the midst of bankruptcy proceedings. The company has announced massive layoffs, outsourcing and office closures, as well as dramatic increases in health costs and pay cuts for many of its workers.
American Airlines CEO Tom Horton hopes that by breaking the law, he will be able to postpone the election while laying off hundreds of eligible employees and forcing others to make an immediate and irrevocable decision about early retirement.
Even in this anti-worker climate, American Airline’s disdain for the rule of law and the NMB is stunning. They will be spending thousands of dollars in legal fees to silence workers while telling their employees and creditors in bankruptcy court that they will not be able meet their obligations to them.
Breaking the law to interfere with an election is simply not acceptable in a democracy. Click here to tell the NMB that you stand with the workers at American Airlines and for democracy.
In Unity,
 |
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C - Julio Diaz Sales and Adolfo Garcia Diaz were 17 years old when immigration agents busted down the door of their Miami-area home. Julio and Adolfo say they were handcuffed, thrown on the floor, and beaten in the face and chest. Only it was all a mistake — Julio and Adolfo had not committed any crimes. Immigration agents later admitted they broke into the wrong house as part of a sting operation. Despite all this, immigration officials are set to deport Julio and Adolfo out of the U.S. on Sunday. Their attorney, Romy Lerner, knows that Change.org members have helped stop dozens of other last-minute deportations, and she thinks the only chance the boys have is to rally public support. Click here to sign Romy’s petition before Julio and Adolfo are deported on Sunday. Their injuries were so bad that the immigration center’s director immediately started an investigation into what happened. But Romy says immigration agents apparently showed little concern for the boys’ injuries. “No agent was hurt,” wrote one immigration agent in an email obtained by Univision. “I’m not sure what happened with the bad guys, but who cares what happened to them anyways?” The “bad guys” were Julio and Adolfo — two 17-year-old boys mistakenly caught up in a botched raid. Julio and Adolfo came to the U.S. from Guatemala as children. While they entered the country without documentation, they’ve worked hard in America and don’t have any criminal record. Despite ICE’s initial mistake in targeting the boys, their subsequent beatings, and their otherwise clean backgrounds, Julio and Adolfo have until only Sunday before they’re deported back to Guatemala. Romy Lerner, the boys’ attorney, has represented many people facing deportation. When she sees what Julio and Adolfo have been through, she fears that the immigration system will continue to fail her clients. She’s hoping to rally support for the cousins in their final days before they’ll be forced to leave the U.S. Click here to sign Romy’s petition to stop Julio and Adolfo’s deportation scheduled for Sunday. Thanks for being a change-maker, - Gabriela and the Change.org team |
“Why don’t you go get a job?”
That’s what Republican Rob McKenna said to Kendra Obom when she asked him for his position on the Reproductive Parity Act. Not only was McKenna’s reaction callous and insulting, his stereotype was wrong.
Kendra Obom works with youth at the YMCA.
Right now, more than 288,000 Washingtonians are unemployed. They are construction workers, educators, and manufacturers. They are friends, family, and neighbors. They are women and men.
Our new video, “288,000″ asks the question McKenna created with his response: if McKenna will ignore people he thinks are unemployed, will he answer questions from those who have jobs?
Watch “288,000,” then send in your questions for Rob McKenna.
With more than 288,000 Washingtonians out of work, we are looking to our elected official and candidates to present a real plan to create jobs in Washington. McKenna’s response won’t put anyone back to work.
Thankfully, Jay Inslee has a plan to build a working Washington – through innovation and clean energy – that will help rebuild the middle class. We need our next governor to listen to the unemployed, and focus on their priorities, if they are going to have a chance to “go get a job.”
When given the opportunity to show remorse for his treatment of Kendra Obom, McKenna doubled down on his attack, calling her “demeaning.” The only person who was demeaning was Rob McKenna; his comments were demeaning to women and the unemployed workers of Washington.
Help keep Rob McKenna honest by sending in your questions and telling him to stand up for middle class families:
http://www.wa-democrats.org/askrob
Sincerely,
Benton Strong
Communications Director
Washington State Democrats
Romney’s Welfare Comments start at 40:46 … so, where is the respect ?
Watch Romney&McCain take a mom to task at 35:00
Mitt Romney & John McCain Hold Town Hall Meeting In Manchester, New Hampshire
the Senate will Convene at 2:00pmET May 14, 2012
—————-
CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS
LEGISLATIVE DAY OF MAY 11, 2012
112TH CONGRESS – SECOND SESSION
. -The Speaker announced that the House do now adjourn. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on May 15, 2012.11:03:23 A.M. -PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair led the House in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.11:03:01 A.M. -The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.11:01:34 A.M. -Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.11:01:22 A.M. -The Speaker designated the Honorable Steven C. LaTourette to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.11:00:59 A.M. -The House convened, starting a new legislative day
