The National Organization for Marriage would really appreciate it if you would stop calling it a front group for the Mormon Church, because otherwise the group’s advocacy for certain political candidates would violate the church’s tax exempt status. Like what NOM is doing in Iowa, as it launches a campaign to take on the State Supreme Court’s marriage equality ruling.
NOM is taking its Prop 8 lessons in California and bringing them to Iowa, where it’s backing Republican and hog and grain farmer Stephen Burgmeier for the State House.
Burgmeier doesn’t say it on his campaign page, but undoubtedly his “views” include limiting marriage to one man and one woman — and giving voters the opportunity to make the call. And yet, this is all he has to say about Iowa’s families: “Stephen Burgmeier knows the foundation of Iowa lies in its strong families. Stephen believes your paycheck is best spent, saved, and invested by you, not government.”
Thankfully NOM is here with, with something called the Reclaim Iowa Project, and a bankroll for Burgmeier’s media campaign — which began yesterday — to the tune of $86,000 so far so voters can get to know him better. Two weeks before the election.
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But don’t think the alternative is any better. Burgmeier opponent, Democrat Curt Hanson, also believes Iowans should be able to vote on a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.
dgz
is he Santa, or just really Amish?
Iowa has it right, though… people voting to amend state constitutions (for any issue) is ridiculous. since CA started the practice, the constitution has been amended 500 (!) times. that’s an average of four times per year, and is one of the main reason the state is now bankrupt.
there’s a reason the country was set up as a republic based on representative democracy, and not as a direct democracy…
Brian
Burgmeier doesn’t say it on his campaign page, but undoubtedly his “views” include limiting marriage to one man and one woman — and giving voters the opportunity to make the call.”
His campaign proudly declares he and the little woman are Catholics. He’s a Christian. There is no need to share his views on SSM or homosexuals – we ALREADY know.
Dennis
I live in Mr. Burgmeier’s district and the county in which he is currently one of three county supervisors. On the day that that Iowa Supreme Court ruling on gay-marriage took effect; Mr. Burgmeier called an early meeting of the supervisors to propose a resolution forbidding the county clerk to accept marriage applications from gay couples. Upon threats of several law suits, Mr. Burgmeier changed his resolution to a request made to the state legislature to clarify the ruling versus the current law on the books. He felt that the language of the ruling was unclear and vague.
The only reason he is running for the legislature is to oppose gay marriage and to repeal the Supreme Court ruling. It is amazing to me that in our little corner of the world that a national political orgaization can spend so much money to scare our local voters. Mr. Burgmeier believes that voters should get to decide things, but says nothing about taking the money NOM is giving him to distort the truth and bully people into voting for him.
Mr. Hanson on the other hand is not making gay marriage a central position of his campaign. He will work to impact more urgent needs of our area; better education, jobs, the economy, and taxes. He is by far the lesser of the two evils. I proudly support Mr. Hanson and have been encouraging everyone to do the same.