Virginia’s Gov. Bob McDonnell isn’t ready to give up the state’s ban on gay parents adopting children. The man who believes his word will magically keep LGBTs safe in the workplace has decided he doesn’t want to take the advice of his Democratic predecessor (ex-Gov. Tim Kaine, who went on to chair the DNC and will now run for U.S. Senate) who proposed changing the state’s discriminatory adoption laws. “I know I had said during the campaign that I would essentially keep our adoption laws — which I think are good — the way they are now,” says McDonnell, who had until April 16 to act on Kaine’s proposed changes. “I think the current regulations that are in place seem to be working well.”
Blake
I cannot believe any gay person would elect to live in a state with such backwoods laws – amazing.
GayGOP
@Blake: I’m planning on moving TO Virginia FROM New York. Virginia has a future. New York does not.
justiceontherocks
The next time Virginia wants to secede we should let them go.
alan brickman
Gays should adopt…an equal right that cannot be ignored…
reality
@GayGOP: Maybe they will catch up in 2050 however, I would reconsider and move to DC or Maryland both of which are more affluent, sophisticated, educated, gay friendly, and have far more pretty people.
LulzingLulzer
@reality: Hahahaha!
No. Sorry–just, no. DC, perhaps. Maryland? No. Not a chance.
GDP of VA, in Millions: $406,305
GDP of MD, in Millions: $283,801
Same deal with personal income. Far higher in VA than MD.
Source? Government’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (bea.gov).
Education levels as *percentages* in VA vs. MD. are very similar (Maryland’s are slightly higher), but Virginia has 8 million
people vs. Maryland’s 5.7 million, and thus, in absolute numbers, many more college/beyond-level educated graduates, and almost all of them are concentrated in NOVA.
Source? US Census (Google “Educational Attainment by State: 1990 to 2008.”)
And Maryland isn’t a bastion of gay acceptance; any liberal influence the legislature has is rendered meaningless by the black religious community there. If NOVA became a state, it would have the richest and most highly educated population in the nation.
reality
@LulzingLulzer: Actually you are incorrect, Maryland residents have the highest income levels in the US again this year…VA was #8…
reality
Forgot to add, Virginians use that lame example of NOVA becoming a state which will never ever happen. Same could be said of any part of any state. If Montgomery or Howard Counties in MD became states, they too would be the wealthiest most educated in the US blah blah blah…
GayGOP
@reality: Too late. Waiting on the VA Bar Exam results. Besides, I prefer Richmond to the DC area.
The sane Francis
As a Virginian, I have to say BOOOOOOO to Bob McBigot and Ken Closetnelli. Anyway, most people are embarrassed by these idiots, and that is because McDonnell said he wasn’t going to bring social issues into the fore, but he did that almost immediately. All the while, he dramatically cut education funds and funds from important programs. He’s a failure and will be out soon enough.
Sadly, the laws in this state are anti-gay as hell. Richmond and NOVA are decent for gays. Charlottesville has a high gay population and is a pretty liberal area. And that’s about it. Pretty much anywhere else is a no-go so I don’t go there!