A little good news to start your Thursday: The Senate Judiciary Committee will begin debate today on the Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA), which would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.
The committee’s ten Democrats, including chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), support RFMA, which makes its passage on the 18-member panel all but guaranteed. But a vote won’t likely happen for a week, as members can stall or “hold over” bills when they’re first introduced—and you just know one of those Republican committee members is gonna be a total cockblock.
Even if it passed the committee unanimously, though, the bill’s chances of ultimately succeeding in Congress are practically nil, as not a single Republican in the GOP-controlled House has come forward to support it.
In fact, House leader John Boehner is busy wheeling wheelbarrows of cash to a law firm to defend DOMA in two court cases. Well, we’re exaggerating—it’s only $1.5 million.
Maybe it’s for the best—experts are saying repealing DOMA will lead to “further erosion of religious liberty.” Which expert? Why Princeton Professor Robert P. George, former chairman of the National Organization for Marriage. God bless the Ivy League!
Robert in NYC
Of course it’s not going to pass. The GOP will see to that, the usual obstructionists and kowtowers to the religious bigots.
Chad
“Maybe it’s for the best—experts are saying repealing DOMA will lead to “further erosion of religious liberty”
Since when is it religious liberty to shove your religious beliefs down others throats”
the crustybastard
The amount of money Boehner is paying Clement to defend an unconstitutional law — $1.5 million dollars — if paid in $1 bills would weigh 3,300 pounds.
That’s the weight of a hippopotamus or a Jeep Cherokee.
Fiscal conservatives…
L'Herb
One good thing a vote (which will fail) can do is force these congressional d-bags to actually make their views known. Obviously most Repugs will e against, but it’s good for us to see which Dems are being cowards to whom we need to show the light.
Also, just knowing where Congresspeople stand could help strengthen a case in the Court, where this could very well end up being decided.
Steve
I would prefer to see DOMA declared unconstitutional by the courts. If the simply repeal the Federal DOMA, all of the state-level DOMA acts will still be law. If a court declares the federal DOMA unconstitutional, that ruling can be used to repeal all of the state-level DOMA acts, too.
GayGOP
While it still won’t pass the house, there is at least one Republican Co-Sponsor in the House for the Respect for Marriage Act: Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL). There are at least a few other GOPers I expect to support the RFMA: Mary Bono Mack (R-CA), Richard Hanna (R-NY), and Nan Hayworth (R-NY). Charlie Bass (R-NH) is another possible yea for us.
Diana
DOMA should not be repealed. Marriage is only between a man and a woman. The majority of Americans do not want to get AIDS from same sex marriage. The Republicans are being smarter than the Democrats. Who want to get AIDS? Only the stupid people that want same sex marriage! We are so happy that we are straight and free of AIDS!
Eclectic
@Diana:
So let me get this straight.. You think having same-sex couples in your country marrying, will give You HIV ?
Unless you go and have sex with these couples that apparently somehow spontaneously and automatically have HIV by being of the same sex, then you can’t contract it from them.
jesus christ, if I was your husband – I’d be worried as hell right now.
DOMA -SHOULD- be repealed.
It robs an entire class of working, tax paying HUMAN citizens of the right to be with the partners that they love.
Homosexuality isn’t all sex – it’s the SAME as being straight – in that homosexuals and straights can Both choose to go do whatever the hell they want.
They can love one person for their entire life – or they can go shag anyone they please – Just the same as a straight person.
DOMA has absolutely nothing to do with a persons sexual acts either, for the record.
It has everything to do with robbing same-sex couples of Basic Human Rights. Access to federal benefits, access to the ability to keep their foreign partners in the country with them. Access to benefits if their beloved partner Dies. Etc.
Not every single person who is a homosexual is exactly the same. Morals aren’t restrained to heterosexual people. If anything – heterosexual people are more free spirited than homosexuals ever would be. Homosexuals actually care about whether they contract HIV or any other STD’s – and are fully aware that they can if they’re not safe.
Heterosexual women (Like Yourself) aren’t even (commonly) aware that HIV infection can happen to them too by being with a straight male.
Yeah, that’s right – Straight people have HIV too. Straight Women have the second highest rate of infection throughout the world. And who has sex with straight women ??? Straight Men !
Hope that scares the crap out of you – because it’s true. Straight people are -NOT- free of Aids. Go and read up about it, you moron.
Grow a brain before Ever commenting on anything Ever again.
Logic and fact just crushed on your idiotic ideology. Congratulations on being perhaps the most idiotic woman in your country.
No wonder your country’s economy is in the toilet. It has people like YOU working the jobs. Explains why your work is being outsourced to China – They actually have the brains to do it.
the crustybastard
@Diana:
I feel certain you must be part of this “Republican base” I keep hearing about.