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LGBT News Bill Clinton to SCOTUS: DOMA is unconstitutional

Discussion in 'Current Events, World News, & LGBT News' started by BradThePug, Mar 7, 2013.

  1. BradThePug

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  2. Argentwing

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    All well and good. Question is: Why did he sign it in the first place? Is he so much wiser now than he was as President, or just unimpeded by desire for popularity? Gay marriage is not such a new issue that people are just now crying foul of discrimination.
     
    #2 Argentwing, Mar 7, 2013
    Last edited: Mar 7, 2013
  3. Hiems

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    It's been known for awhile that Clinton has supported DOMA's repeal, so this news isn't surprising.

    According to a Huffington Post article, Clinton claimed that he signed the act to prevent other legislation that would have been worse for same-sex couples. To be honest, I don't know how much worse you can get than DOMA in terms of not federally recognizing same-sex marriage.

    Maybe he was influenced to come out and say this by his daughter, who is supportive of marriage equality? Or he's starting some early momentum for Hillary Clinton 2016? Who knows... :confused:
     
  4. Chip

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    Neither. Clinton has always been a strong advocate for LGBT rights, and one of his goals when elected in 1992 was to eliminate the ban on LGBT people in the military, and to foster acceptance of gay marriage. He had planned to issue an executive order instructing the military to stop discriminating against LGBT people.

    However, the piece of shit conservative bigots in congress threatened that if he did so, they'd immediately pass legislation overturning the executive order. Clinton knew that if a law were put in place, it would be much harder to remove, and that's how the "don't ask-don't tell" compromise was reached. He knew it was a stepping stone to the right place.

    Later in his presidency, the first controversies about gay marriage appeared... I believe it was Hawaii at the time that was about to legalize gay marriage. And the bigots went into high gear. There was talk of a Constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, becuase the political environment was very different then, and the so-called "Defense of Marriage" act was, again, sort of an interim move intended to stall the bigots trying to get the constitutional amendment (which, it was thought, had a reasonable chance of passing, and would have been *much* more difficult to undo).

    Clinton has always been a strong advocate for our community. But unlike many others, he's also an extremely shrewd negotiator who realizes what he can and cannot accomplish, and made many decisions during his presidency that, on their face, appeared to be "giving in" to the conservative, ignorant bigots... but in fact, appeased them in a way that was intentionally temporary, and paved the way to allow others in the future to provide more rights, at a time when the political climate was more favorable to making it happen.
     
  5. Whiteboymdew

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    I think you have a fair question, but a lot of Senators have changed their mind on DOMA.

    Senators who voted for DOMA and now support the Respect for Marriage Act include

    Tom Harkin (D-IA)
    Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
    Carl Levin (D-MI)
    Fran Lautenberg (D-NJ)
    Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
    Patty Murray (D-MA)
    Bob Menendez (D-NJ) (Was in House in 1996)
    Dick Durbin (D-IL) (Was in House in 1996)
    Ben Cardin (D-MD) (Was in House in 1996)
    Chuck Schumer (D-NY) (Was in House in 1996)
    Jack Reed (D-RI) (Was in House in 1996)

    Senators who Cosponsor The Respect for Marriage Act last session, but have come out in support include

    Harry Reid (D-NV)
    Max Baucus (D-MT)

    Two haven't spoken on the issue.

    Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)
    Tim Johnson (D-SD) (Was in House in 1996) (http://demradio.senate.gov/actualities/johnson/johnson060605.mp3)

    Personally I believe Bill Clinton just changed like these Senators.

    Well... they could have passed a constitutional amendment in 1996 instead of DOMA. Well, Republicans waited until 2004 for that and it failed because Democrats didn't want to amend the constitution. Also of course a couple of Republicans voted against it too. Also similar proposals failed in 2006.
     
    #5 Whiteboymdew, Mar 8, 2013
    Last edited: Mar 8, 2013
  6. "Hi my name is Bill Clinton. I violated the sacred oath of marriage before myself, my wife, and the god I claim to believe in by coercing an intern into giving me sex. I then signed a bill to "protect and defend" marriage by making it impossible for people who love each other to marry. I am now apologizing for that because my wife (the one I disgraced) can't win the office I disgraced without the gay vote."
     
  7. Minx

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    Oh Bill. You lovable goof. :lol:
     
  8. Argentwing

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    ^^He is one of my favorite presidents. Aside from signing that shameful '94 assault weapons ban (and the Monica thing goes without saying but he's forgiven), I thought he did nothing but good. It's too bad he had to play politics like that, but I guess it's working in the end.
     
    #8 Argentwing, Mar 8, 2013
    Last edited: Mar 8, 2013
  9. redstormrising

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    Easy - a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Then even the states would not be able to institute and recognize gay marriage, and it would be far harder to undo than DOMA.