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Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Anti-Gay Bills in the NC General Assembly
Bills were filed (yet again) in the NC House and Senate (both) for an amendment to our state constitution to deny marriage to same-sex couples, which is already illegal under state law anyway. This particular piece of nonsense comes back every session, introduced by Republican tools who have nothing better to do than carry water for the Christian Right and try to stir up the latent hatreds of the under-educated. Because, Lord knows, the holy matrimonies of man-woman couples will be disastrously devalued if gay people are allowed the same right.
Not to worry. Mark Binker, who wrote the article linked above, notes on his blog that Marc Basnight has assigned the bill in the NC Senate to the Ways & Means Committee, which hasn't met since 2001 and which seems highly unlikely to leap into action for this particular piece of soiled linen.
Speaker of the House Joe Hackney has a similar attitude about this kind of right-wing extremism.
This anti-gay bill is going nowhere.
Not to worry. Mark Binker, who wrote the article linked above, notes on his blog that Marc Basnight has assigned the bill in the NC Senate to the Ways & Means Committee, which hasn't met since 2001 and which seems highly unlikely to leap into action for this particular piece of soiled linen.
Speaker of the House Joe Hackney has a similar attitude about this kind of right-wing extremism.
This anti-gay bill is going nowhere.
Labels: homophobia, Joe Hackney, Marc Basnight, Mark Binker
Friday, May 23, 2008
Speaker Joe Hackney in Boone
Speaker of the N.C. House Joe Hackney was in Boone this a.m., hosted by Watauga County's own state legislator Cullie Tarleton, to hear from community members and give them insight into this current session of the state legislature.Hackney is an impressive leader, and he handles these sorts of "listening" tours with great diplomatic skill (Virginia Foxx might take a lesson). That many movers and shakers (well, more movers than shakers) all in a room together saying "gimme, gimme, gimme" must make him feel at times like a sahib beset on every side by the beggars of Calcutta.
He seems to have mastered the ability to say "no, not likely, and don't hold your breath" to people who might seem to demand a little more instant gratification. He didn't promise anybody anything, forbearance in a politician that is positively heroic. But he also showed a willingness to listen and learn, adding local facts and needs to an already impressive fund of knowledge about how this state operates and where it's (ideally) headed in the 21st Century.
Good man. Good show.
Labels: Joe Hackney, Virginia Foxx
