Obama Administration Drops Defense of DOMA!

Just when I am feeling really down about the fact that Wisconsin and Indiana are attempting to take away workers' right, about the fact that people are still listening to Beck, and Limbaugh is calling my First Lady FAT, just when I realize that may Canada won't be too cold.. something good happens.

It's another baby step, but according to this quick story from the Human Rights Campaign, it is a step in the right direction.. another step toward equality.

We have to appreciate the little steps, since the big ones aren't happening!

Thanking Those Who Are Standing for Wisconsin Workers.

Wisconsin State Senator Chris Larson, who is one of the senators in hiding, laid out the stakes in an open letter and asked for our support:

The ability to organize and get fair treatment are qualities that built our country... If this bill moves forward in Wisconsin, rights in all America we have grown to take for granted will no longer be so reliable... If this passes here, it will pass in your state... It is an unprecedented attack on workers, their communities and our tradition of working with labor to move our state forward... I am seeking your support for the fight ahead of us.

http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/we_support_wisconsin/?r_by=16964-3389980-3wZ_8ux&rc=paste1

I signed the petition thanking those who did the only thing they could to prevent a complete government takeover of workers' rights. Please sign also.

Think Happy Thoughts! **UPDATED**

DSD has a job interview in 10 minutes. I really need him to go back to work, even if it is just parttime. He really needs to go back to work also.

I will let you know as soon as I know anything!

**UPDATE**

The interview lasted almost an hour. He and the manager bonded over their Navy experiences, they said they would let him know by the end of the week. We all have our fingers (and toes & eyes) crossed!!!

You Can Take Your Reform And...

 This story was on the local news last night. Apparently Florida is going to tell D. C. to shove their Medicaid dollars if they (D.C.) doesn't want to play by Florida's rules. I hope those who elected Scott are happy. I also hope those who didn't vote are happy. I knew it was going to get bad, but....

On the radio this morning (NPR) which the righties also want to de-fund, had a nice story on the Medicaid Reform proposed by Florida Senator Don Gaetz. It is supposed to be unveiled this morning, but the little I got off the radio made my head explode.

Apparently Senator Gaetz (Republican) believes it is ok from the government to stick its nose even further into the business of the people of this state.  According to the news story linked to above, "and provide incentives to stop drinking and smoking."  Hey, great, providing incentives is great, right? But the story goes on to quote the Senator saying, "We say in the bill that we expect them to be engaged in a smoking sensation program that’s medically directed.”

We EXPECT.  We DIRECT.

Do you know what this means? The Florida poor will be required to stop smoking, stop drinking, and lose weight or they will forfeit their medicaid.

I was very pleasant to the young man on the phone in the Senator's office, it's not his fault his boss is a jerk. I explained that this was unconstitutional because government does not have a right to make these demands, and he explained that the Senator felt this would save money for the state. I asked him how the Senator felt about abortion, because requiring women to bring unwanted, unloved children who couldn't be afforded into this world cost a lot also. He shut up.

This is such a slippery slope and this cannot be allowed to happen. People should want to be healthy. People should want to stop smoking, and lose weight. But allowing government to MAKE them will eventually mean allowing government to make other decisions for them.. for us, which includes who to marry, how/when/what to reproduce. Where to work. Where to live.

I also called my Florida Rep, just to tell her that I was against this bill, if it ever gets to the House. I have to go write Gaetz and explain myself further.

Wow, I am MAD. And really a little scared.

Thanks for Nothin'

A story on NPR today made me think of one of my favorite childhood stories, "The Little Red Hen." I am not going to tell it here, so if you don't know the story, do a quick Google search on it. But according to the fine folks at All Things Considererd, Americans WANT new, safe, bridges and roads, but not if there is going to a $0.02 gas tax.  They want Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. They want their children to have quality education.  But they don't want to PAY for it. And they don't want it cut!!

What do they want to cut? Foreign aid. All that money sent to Africa to help with A.I.D.S. education, and all that money that was sent to Haiti, and all the money sent to..... how much will that save us? It amounts to less than 1% of the total budget.

How about we make corporations pay their share? How about we tax all income, including capital gains taxes? How about we PAY our fair share?

I am game. Due to the tuition I pay for myself and BabyBoy, DSD and I are getting back a really stupid amount of money. Our total tax bill is probably less than $2,000. Sad. That's not going to go very far.

Why don't we start making our veterans pay into their own retirement? Why don't we make Congress?

Not I, said the duck. Not I, said the pig. Not I, said the cow. I guess I will do it all myself then, said the little red hen, and she did.

Let's Face The Facts

I believe that I have posted on my belief that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional before, but I only have a few minutes, so I am not going to hunt it up right now.  There is a long list of reasons that people should be allowed to marry whomever they choose (yea, sorry, even bigamy doesn't freak me out as long as it CONSENSUAL among ADULTS), but I was just reading an article on The Huffington Post and I realized that my reasoning for declaring it unconstitutional is different than that of the author's.

Professor Stone says that DOMA is unconstitutional due to the 14th amendment's Equal Protection Clause which was put into place after the Civil War to try to ensure equality for those who had been slaves.  But I have always felt that Article IV Section 1, aka, the Full Faith and Credit Clause should be called into action first. That article states that each state must give credit to any acts, records, or judicial proceedings of any other state. It is the reason that DSD and I are married everywhere we go. It is also the reason that, if I moved out of Florida, I would still be responsible for paying the mortgage on my house here. Or the mortgage company could come after me. No matter where I live.

So when ONE state made marriage between same sex couples legal, then every other state is LEGALLY bound to recognize that marriage. A same sex couple should be allowed to marry in Hawaii (great place to get married!!) and return home to Montana and set up housekeeping, be covered on each other's health insurance, file taxes, and fight like every other married couple.  They should also be allowed to divorce. In Montana. According to Article IV Section 1.

So between me & Professor Stone, we should have this sorted out in a few hours and we can get back to the issues with the economy.* Sweet.


*Allowing same sex couples to marry would be a HUGE boost to the economy, wouldn't it? One of my friends is getting married in a couple of weeks. Over $22,000. On one day. And I thought the $5,000 we spent was a little over the top!

Help Stop Glen Beck

I don't watch FoxNews.  The gym I was a member of always had it on, but there was also ESPN, and other channels on also, so I wasn't stuck watching it. Watching Beck.  The couple of times I ended up on a bike right in front of him, the lies that rolled off of his tongue made me sick, but not as sick as those who seemed glued to the screen.

I don't watch, so I don't have a lot of power with the advertisers on Fox or Beck's show. But I signed the Petition that you can find over at The Swash Zone.  Excellent post, very well written. Beck needs to go. Will you help?

Completely Ready For Spring

Just a few random things I wanted to share.

**I seem to spend a great deal of time on Facebook arguing with the right.  It makes me tired. Especially when I post a link explaining why I am boycotting Chik-Fil-A and a friend from high school starts posting links to their Valentine's Party.**

**My instructor for my Biology Lab opened up all of the quizzes for the rest of the term, so I have finished that class already. I managed an A by the hair of my chinny chin chin.**

**I have a healthy A in my Administrative Law class. I am Facebook friends with one of the women in the class. We had another class together, back in the fall, and we really hit it off.  She seems to spend a lot more time than I do on her homework and projects.  Don't get me wrong, the class is A LOT of work, but I have never taken 6 hours on a quiz. I am not positive that I spent a full 6 hours on the (take home) mid-term, although DSD did pull me off the computer 2 nights during the week before the Super Bowl and said, "GO TO BED."  Does that make me smarter than she is? Just able to grasp it easier? I don't know. She seems very intelligent. I wonder about these things.**

**I am doing a lot more cooking at home using fresh (well, store bought) ingredients and I can tell a difference in the food. There is a new Farmer's Market here locally and I think I am going to head up there next Saturday.**

**I hope that my garden does better this year. I have everything planned beautifully, from the time to start plants from seed, to when to transplant them, and which ones to start in the ground. Unfortunately, those tomatoes & peppers I started last month didn't do anything. Why? Well, we turn the heat down at night & 60 is a bit too chilly, especially for peppers. Who knew? The onions are not a healthy bunch either. But the peas and the spinach I started in the raised bed two weeks ago are just peeping their little green heads up this afternoon. I almost peed my pants I was so thrilled!**

**I heard my state Representative Marti Coley saying that the Education Committee was not happy with Governor Scott's budget recommendations and that they would have some budget suggestions of their own. (Scott is SLASHING education, prison, and police budgets to name a few while cutting property taxes and corporate taxes). I agreed with her and called her office to tell her staff that. I thought the young man I spoke with was going to cry. "Really? You called to say you were happy with the Representative?" It was funny and sad. If your Senator or Representative has done something you agree with, TELL them.**

**I also called my Senator Bill Nelson to tell him I was NOT impressed with budget coming out of the House and that I did NOT want the budget to public broadcasting cut. And I volunteered to help out on his re-election campaign next year.  The people who are going to run against him are as right wing as they come.**

**There is probably more, but it is time to start the potatoes, make the salad, and then work on the pork loin.  I don't know this Betty Crocker me has come from, but I am loving it!**

Y'all be safe out there and keep up the great work!

And In a Supportive Stand

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Chik-Fil-A

I do not believe there is a better breakfast in all the land than a deep fried piece of chicken tossed onto a homemade buttermilk biscuit (except for WhatABurger's because there biscuit is also covered in butter and honey), but I cannot/will not eat another Chik-Fil-A meal until they understand that they must not support an anti-homosexual agenda.  They must not donate time, food, or money to anyone who supports an anti-gay agenda.

Until they can show me they believe in equality for ALL, I will have to eat breakfast bars at my desk.

Are You Spreading Love or Hate?

I have been very annoyed by the fact that Blogger lost my really awesome post about hate, and I have not had much time to do anything except get through last week's mid-terms (I know this is college and all, but don't you think 2 quizzes, a mid-term, a discussion board post, and a project rough draft due all on the same day.. which was Super Bowl Sunday.. was a bit much for ONE stinking class?).

But several weeks ago, my ex-husband's new wife (who is a Facebook friend, and someone I normally enjoy IRL) posted a link to a free book written by Dr. James Dobson.  It was titled, "Daddys and Daughters" and she is ordering this for her little girls, or maybe for their father, and, trust me, he could use the help with his parenting skills. I mentioned that I was pretty certain that Dr. Dobson spreads hatred about homosexuals and that he was the one who want after that poor Teletubby (I was wrong, it was Spongebob he didn't like), and that I was not certain that she wanted that sort of information around her girls. (BabyBoy's 2nd little sister was born Thanksgiving weekend, so there is now a 3 year old and a 2 month old).

The conversation did not go well from there. She asked for proof, I provided links. A friend of hers told me that I didn't know what I was talking about, and she (BabyBoy's step mother) explained that she had been raised reading Dr. Dobson, and that he didn't HATE gays, he LOVES everyone, he just believes that homosexuality is a sin. Then came the $64,000 question, "I believe that homosexuality is a sin," she typed, "do you believe that I am spreading hate?"

I admit it. I chickened out and just didn't answer her.

Because yes, telling others, especially young children, that homosexuality is a sin IS SPREADING HATE. While the Bible tells us that we should hate the sin, but love the sinner, most of us are a little too human for that. So being told that a person's lifestyle (one that I believe is NOT CHOSEN) is something that God disagrees with gives others the right to disagree with it. Being told that homosexuals are going to hell is spreading hate. And if the person that you are explaining all of this to just happens to realize that she is gay one day, now you have spread fear.

I don't believe there is a parent in any land who has a child and looks down into its sleeping face and prays that that child will be gay. I would almost bet that homosexuals do not pray that their children will be gay. It is a difficult life fraught with uncertainty, and, sadly, at times danger.

We have come a long way in this country toward accepting homosexuality as normal, but not far enough. And will never be truly equal, or truly free, if people continue to raise their children to hate and the hatred is continuously being spread.

Even if that hatred is as innocuous as labeling a person's lifestyle as a sin.

I Did Too!

I wrote an entire post about hatred, where it comes from, because we are not born hating. It took an entire day, off and on, because I was at work and was running around.

But I saved it everytime I walked away from my computer and at the end of the day it was done and I clicked "PUBLISH POST" and was quite impressed by my awesomeness.

And I came back the next day and it was a draft. About 3 lines long.

I was quite disturbed.  But I wanted to tell you that I had not run away as I did last year. I am behind on my reading AND my writing, but this is mid-term week and I have plenty to write on Nelson vs NASA. (No, not MAJOR Anthony Nelson.. in case you were wondering.)

I hope 2011 is going well for you.