Cheney Comes Out for Gay Marriage, State-by-State

[scandal 951]

With all the gay-marriage threads on VJ lately, no one posted about this? Or did I miss it?

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/0...i.html?wprss=44

Cheney Comes Out for Gay Marriage, State-by-State

By Dan Eggen

Former vice president Richard Cheney waded into another simmering public debate today, suggesting he supports legalizing gay marriage as long as the issue is decided by the states rather than the federal government.

Cheney, whose youngest daughter is a lesbian with a longtime partner, said during an appearance at the National Press Club that "people ought to be free to enter into any kind of union they wish, any kind of arrangement they wish."

He said he does not support federal action allowing gay marriages, however. "Historically the way marriage has been regulated is at the state level," Cheney said. "It has always been a state issue and I think that is the way it ought to be handled, on a state-by-state basis."

Cheney has long departed from conservative orthodoxy on the issue of gay marriage, saying during the 2000 presidential campaign that the matter should be left to the states. He also prompted an uproar during the 2004 race when he appeared to distance himself from a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, which was strongly supported by his boss, George W. Bush.

But his endorsement of state-sanctioned marriage for gays and lesbians appears to put him to the left of President Obama, who has said he supports civil unions rather than marriage for same-sex couples.

"With the respect to the question of relationships, my general view is freedom means freedom for everyone," Cheney said at a 2004 campaign stop in Davenport, Iowa, using language nearly identical to his remarks today. "People ought to be free to enter into any kind of relationship they want to."

As he has in the past, Cheney specifically cited his family's experience during his comments in Washington today. "As many of you know, one of my daughters is gay and it is something we have lived with for a long time in our family," Cheney said.

Cheney's youngest daughter, Mary, and her longtime partner, Heather Poe, have a son, Samuel, who was born to Mary Cheney in 2007. Both Mary and her older sister, Elizabeth, have been prominent supporters of their father and Republican causes, although Mary has said in interviews that she considered quitting the Bush re-election effort in 2004 because of the gay marriage issue.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

It does not make him any less of a creepy chopfvck.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

He said he does not support federal action allowing gay marriages, however. "Historically the way marriage has been regulated is at the state level," Cheney said. "It has always been a state issue and I think that is the way it ought to be handled, on a state-by-state basis."

Typical anti-federalist's gibberish. Loving v. Virginia - 1967.

[scandal 951]

He said he does not support federal action allowing gay marriages, however. "Historically the way marriage has been regulated is at the state level," Cheney said. "It has always been a state issue and I think that is the way it ought to be handled, on a state-by-state basis."

Typical anti-federalist's gibberish. Loving v. Virginia - 1967.

Well, at least he is saying the rights things about the concept of gay marriage itself. He is fully embracing the concept of giving them the same choice straight people have.

In terms of jurisdiction, he has a point. Marriage licenses are given out by states and counties, and they set the rules for things like age restrictions, blood tests etc. That has never been federal, nor should it be.

The Loving court case is an extremely relevant precedent for gay marriage imho, and gay marriage could get settled in SCOTUS under Equal Protection (a 14th amendment challenge to California Prop 8 is being mounted even now by David Boies and Ted Olson, as I posted a few weeks ago). However even if the federal courts become the instrument to force the issue, at the end of the day it will still be state licensed ministers, justices etc. that will perform gay marriages. Which is perfectly fine by me.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I think ####### wants some #######.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The Loving court case is an extremely relevant precedent for gay marriage imho, and gay marriage could get settled in SCOTUS under Equal Protection (a 14th amendment challenge to California Prop 8 is being mounted even now by David Boies and Ted Olson, as I posted a few weeks ago). However even if the federal courts become the instrument to force the issue, at the end of the day it will still be state licensed ministers, justices etc. that will perform gay marriages. Which is perfectly fine by me.

That's what I'd like to see also.

[scandal 951]

That's what I'd like to see also.

A couple of years ago, NPR did a beautiful piece on the 40th anniversary of the Loving decision. The very name "Loving" is just so appropriate for that warm and beautiful story!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p...toryId=10889047

Substitute the words "anti-gay-marraige" for "anti-miscegenation" and you can pretty much translate Loving to today's battle for gay marriage.

Regarding federal court cases, I'm eager to see that as well. One concern I've heard however is that many activists in California and across the country are afraid of challenging Prop 8 federally at this time, fearing that the time is not right. If the Supreme Court upholds it, then it's game over. The strategic thinking is to avoid going federal until there's an irreversible groundswell state by state, and perhaps also a few more Obama court appointments. So they are counsellling patience not haste. However they don't control what individual petitioners and attorneys do, so it looks like a case will very likely go forward with Boies and Olson.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

If you don't agree with him, he'll shoot you.

[Nagishkaw 510]

He disappoints me.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

He disappoints me.

He's a hellavu shot though.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

And I'm still only on yesterday. This should keep it going for a while. Now that I think about it, this is a gay forum. I'm outta here.

[Ban Hammer 13,656]

now that cheney supports gheys, does the left still hate him?

[spookyturtle 9,466]

now that cheney supports gheys, does the left still hate him?

Good point.

[fozzie 41]

Cheney only supports gheys because his daughter is teh ghey!!!! Otherwise he would be vehemently against it.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

now that cheney supports gheys, does the left still hate him?

Good point.

see my post above --- he still gives me the creeps.