Civil Rights -- An Anti-Gay Rights Ticket

October 2, 2008

by Faiz Shakir, Amanda Terkel, Satyam Khanna, Matt Corley, Benjamin Armbruster, Ali Frick, and Ryan Powers

CIVIL RIGHTS

An Anti-Gay Rights Ticket

During an interview with the Weekly Standard last month, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) was asked if he would rule out choosing a running mate simply because he or she is "pro-choice." "I think it's a fundamental tenet of our party to be pro-life but that does not mean we exclude people from our party that are pro-choice," McCain said. However, McCain would not extend that line of thinking to his treatment of gays, having previously stated that he would not consider New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg for vice president because he is "pro-gay rights." Indeed, ultimately McCain bowed to the hard right of his party, choosing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) as his running mate, solidifying the Republican Party's presidential ticket as one that has no interest in and little history of promoting gay rights. But that hasn't stopped the campaign from trying to offer symbolic olive branches. Last month, top McCain aide Steve Schmidt told the Log Cabin Republicans that they are "an important part" of the GOP and that "over time" more equality for gays "will be reached." Yet the record belies the rhetoric. While McCain opposes gay marriage and civil unions, supports "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) and is against gay men and lesbians adopting children, Palin's positions are even more radical, having said this week she believes that homosexuality is a "choice."

MARRIAGE, UNIONS AND ADOPTION: In an attempt to pay lip service to the LGBT community, McCain has said that he opposes a U.S. constitutional amendment banning gay marriage (despite having once said he supports one) in favor of pushing the issue to the states. But at the same time, he also has offered support for constitutional amendments in Arizona and California banning gay marriage (55 percent of Californians oppose the measure). In fact, in 2006, McCain said that if state courts find bans on gay-marriage unconstitutional, then he would support a federal constitutional amendment. McCain has also consistently said he is not in favor of civil unions for same-sex couples but during the general election campaign season, he has tried to soften his position. In an interview with Ellen DeGeneres last May, McCain reiterated his stance against gay marriage but pandered and said, "[P]eople should be able to enter into legal agreements." Moreover, last July, during an interview with The New York Times, McCain declared that he opposes gay adoption, even if it means that children are left in orphanages. McCain's campaign, proclaiming to speak for the candidate, backtracked and said McCain would support gay adoption if there were no alternative. But one week later, McCain reiterated his original position.

AGAINST BROADER RIGHTS: After turning down an interview with the Gay History Project earlier this month, McCain recently provided written answers to the Washington Blade, a gay publication based in Washington, D.C. Referring to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), McCain said he supports only the "concept" of non-discrimination in the hiring of gay and lesbian people, but not actual legislation because, he said, "[W]e need to make sure legislation doesn't lead to a flood of frivolous lawsuits or infringe on religious institutions." In fact, in 1996, McCain was among those voting against the ENDA, which failed to pass the Senate by a single vote and in November 2007, McCain reiterated his opposition. McCain also opposes expanding rights to gays in the military. Citing the opinion of "military leaders," last year he said the policy of DADT is "working" and that "it would be a terrific mistake to even reopen the issue." Yet Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said recently that the military is ready to repeal the policy. Seventy-five percent of the public supports gays serving openly in the military. The Pentagon has dismissed thousands service members under DADT, including many with key specialty skills such as training in Arabic.

PALIN'S 'CHOICE': In an interview with CBS News's Katie Couric this week, Palin revealed that she believes that being gay is a choice. "One of my absolute best friends for the last 30 years who happens to be gay," she said, adding, "She is one of my best friends who happens to have made a choice that isn't a choice that I have made." Yet all major mainstream medical and mental health professional organizations have concluded that homosexuality is not a chosen lifestyle. The American Psychological Association states that "most people experience little or no sense of choice about their sexual orientation." But Palin's poor record on gay rights issues doesn't end there. In 2006, Palin reportedly said she "can't defy" the state court's ruling that Alaska "couldn't deny spousal benefits to the same-sex partners of public employees" but also said that she would support a ballot initiative that seeks to deny those benefits, and she supported her state's constitutional amendment to ban gay-marriage. Palin's church, the Wasilla Bible Church, also takes the position that homosexuality is a choice. In fact, it has sponsored a conference by James Dobson's Focus on the Family to help gays "overcome" their homosexuality through prayer and covert them into heterosexuality. These programs are opposed by every major medical association.

IRAQ -- PENTAGON REPORT: 37 PERCENT OF IRAQIS FEEL SAFE OUTSIDE THEIR HOMES: Earlier this week, the Pentagon released its Quarterly Report to Congress on Iraq. Buried on page 28 of the report, the Pentagon notes, "Iraqis' perception of the security situation is a mixed bag." According to research from August 2008, "73% of Iraqis described the security situation in their neighborhoods as calm," a 12 point increase from November 2007. Of particular note, however, is the disparity between Iraqis' sense of security in their own neighborhoods and their sense of security outside their neighborhoods. Seventy-four percent feel "safe and secure" in their neighborhoods, but only 37 percent feel safe traveling outside of their neighborhoods. The disparity suggests that Iraqis are increasingly confined to their own neighborhoods as a result of sectarian tensions. A recent study released by UCLA concluded that ethnic cleansing was the primary factor in reducing violence in Iraq, conclusions also echoed by the GAO. Indeed, Baghdad is now a “city of shadows” characterized by blast walls separating Shi'a and Sunni. The report adds that as of August, 84 percent of Iraqis had confidence in the Iraqi Army to protect them from threats and 81 percent in the Iraqi Police. Far fewer have "confidence" in foreign troops. "Confidence in the Multi-National Forces, armed groups, and militias was much lower at 24%, 11%, and 11%, respectively," the report said.

ECONOMY -- RIGHT-WING FEARMONGERING OVER ACORN 'SLUSH FUND' PREVENTS FUNDING FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSING PROGRAM: Last night, the Senate passed a reconstituted version of the $700 billion bailout bill, which included new provisions extending tax breaks and increasing the limit on federal insurance for bank deposits. No longer in the bill is a provision stating that 20 percent of the government's profits from the sale of a troubled asset be deposited, with 65 percent of the deposit directed to the Housing Trust Fund, a federal housing program that provides "funds to state governments for the purpose of building and rehabilitating homes for the very lowest income people in the United States." The provision was removed because, for the last week, conservatives have been calling it a "slush fund" for ACORN, which is "the nation's largest grassroots community organization of low- and moderate-income people." However, state and local governments -- not the federal government -- choose which organizations receive money from the fund. While it is conceivable that ACORN would receive money, the Politico reports that ACORN "was not specifically directed any funds in the previous proposal."

ETHICS -- OIL TYCOON SAYS STEVENS' OFFICE INTENTIONALLY TOLD HIM NOT TO CHARGE STEVENS FOR FAVORS: Yesterday, Alaska oil service tycoon Bill Allen said that Sen. Ted Stevens's (R-AK) staff told him not to charge the senator for over $250,000 worth of goods and favors Allen gave to Stevens. "In his second day of testimony for the prosecution in Mr. Stevens’s trial, Mr. Allen told the jury that he was told explicitly and coarsely to ignore Mr. Stevens’s notes asking for bills, saying that they were sent only to provide a false record to protect the senator," the New York Times notes. Allen said he had not really wanted to get paid for the work he did on Stevens' home because, he said, "I wanted to help Ted. ... Because I liked him." Stevens is charged with seven counts of filing false statements, concealing gifts from Allen and Allen's firm, VECO. Allen "also outlined how he or his firm solicited Stevens and his office for assistance with government contracts and lobbied Stevens as well as Alaska state legislators on issues including an oil pipeline." On Tuesday, Allen detailed the gifts he gave Stevens, including exchanging a "loaded" nearly new Land Rover for Stevens' 1964 Mustang and $5,000; Allen said the Land Rover was worth around $44,000. In May, Allen pled guilty to bribery, but his sentence has been postponed to see how helpful he is in Stevens's trial.

House Republicans who scuttled the Wall Street bailout package are reconsidering their opposition. Rep. James Gerlach (R-PA) explained that after his Monday vote against the bill, "phone calls into his office shifted overnight from overwhelming opposition to a bailout to majority support." As of yesterday, "the calls were 2-to-1 in support of congressional action."

"In a move suggesting how the credit crisis could disrupt American higher education, Wachovia Bank has limited the access of nearly 1,000 colleges to $9.3 billion the bank has held for them in a short-term investment fund." In a move that "sent shock waves" among colleges, Wachovia announced Monday it would "limit access to the fund to 10 percent of each college's account value."

Earlier this morning, "suicide bombers killed at least 20 people in attacks on two Shi'ite mosques" in Baghdad. "The attacks were the second wave this week during a lengthy public holiday covering observances of the Id al-Fitr feast, which is celebrated at different times by Sunnis and Shi’ites at the end of Ramadan."

A plan circulated by George Soros to recapitalize the American banking system has received mixed reviews in the Senate. "Soros has also proposed mandating the Treasury Department to provide financing for renegotiating the terms of mortgage-backed securities. This would reduce foreclosures by helping homeowners adjust their mortgages to be more affordable."

"A major shift to renewable energy and efficiency is expected to produce 4.2 million" green jobs over the next three decades, according to a new report commissioned by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The Center for American Progress recently released a report showing that "a new Green Recovery program that spends $100 billion over two years would create 2 million new jobs.”

Handing President Bush "a significant foreign policy achievement in its final months," the Senate overwhelmingly approved a nuclear trade deal with India last night. However, the executive director of the Arms Control Association, blasted the deal as a "nonproliferation disaster," since India has never signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

And finally: White House Press Secretary Scott Stanzel has jumped onto Facebook. On Tuesday, AFP reporter Olivier Knox updated his Facebook status message to remark on the bailout: "Olivier just counted, and President Bush has pushed the bailout in 12 of the past 13 days." Stanzel quickly responded, leaving a message on Knox's page taking issue with the use of the term "bailout." "Rescue plan, Mr. Knox," wrote Stanzel. Knox reported that afterward, "tongue firmly planted in cheek," he updated his status with the language changed.

"The Soulforce 2008 Equality Ride, a nationwide bus tour that promotes acceptance for gays and lesbians on Christian college campuses, will start this year's tour with a Wednesday visit to Liberty University -- the first time the group will be allowed on campus."

THINK PROGRESS: Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) falsely claims Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) 'bitter' speech was 'attacking the bailout.'

YGLESIAS: Conservatives are wrong when they try to exculpate the Bush administration by pushing the "real" blame for the financial crisis far into the past.

ASPEN INSTITUTE VIDEO: Center for American Progress President John Podesta discusses progressivism's role in the economy, health care, education, and climate.

CALIFORNIA: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) signs legislation requiring private health insurance providers to cover the cost of HIV testing, regardless of a primary diagnosis.

NEW YORK: "A New York State agency that provides subsidized mortgages to first-time home buyers stopped offering discounted interest rates this week."

ENVIRONMENT: "From New York City to San Francisco, cities across the country intent on getting greener through bicycle programs are finding a difficult road ahead of them."

"President Bush, facing demands for more troops in Afghanistan, said the war-ravaged country had made progress despite difficult fighting against determined killers."
-- AP, 10/2/08

VERSUS

"Gen. David McKiernan, the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan...[said] that he doesn't yet see progress in large swaths of Afghanistan."
-- U.S. News, 10/1/08

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