Gay Iowa Senator Comes Out on Top

“I think it’s one of the stupidest things I’ve ever seen.” Iowa State Senator Matt McCoy doesn’t mince words when it comes to Republican legislators’ efforts to repeal his state’s gay marriage law. “I think it’s a loser. I think it’s a political loser.” But, then again, McCoy doesn’t seem to mince words about anything – period. Here he spoke candidly about coming out while in office, drinking to dull the pain, the political pitfalls of religion and how Democrats can stay ahead amid Iowa’s changing political tide.

More at: AKA William!

Radical Zealots Move to Seize Iowa

One of the riddles of news coverage of Iowa politics, at least for me, is why the Iowa Republican Party is not reported for what it is: Not a political party, but a driven assembly that wants to force feed its perspective on Christian beliefs down the throats of the rest of us.

More than 30 years ago, the national Republican Party began a concerted effort to invite Christian conservatives to come on board. In Iowa, they took over the ship.

Their revamped GOP has ignored or insulted widely respected Republicans like former Gov. Bob Ray, perhaps the most popular elected official in state history; former U.S. Rep. Jim Leach, admired by everyone except his party in Iowa, and the late Mary Louise Smith, who once was co-chair of the national party with George H.W. Bush. Marv Pomerantz, a major donor to the party and supporter of John McCain, was denied what amounted to his dying wish — to be a delegate to the national 2008 GOP convention — because a relative was considered to be sympathetic to the programs of Planned Parenthood.

Go figure.

The Christians’ leading candidate for Iowa governor in 2010, Bob Vander Plaats, has written that moderation or compromise — that is, working in harmony with those you disagree with — makes Jesus Christ want to vomit.

More at: Nieman Watchdog!

Gay Marriage and the 2012 Iowa Caucuses

Earlier this week, when anti-gay legislators in the state of Iowa failed in their efforts to move forward a ballot measure that would have repealed marriage equality in the state, one thing became absolutely certain: same-sex marriage will be on a lot of people’s minds once the 2012 Iowa Caucuses heat up.

Lest you think it’s too early to start talking about Iowa, think again. The caucuses are less than two years away now, and judging by the political trips of folks like Tim Pawlenty, Mike Huckabee, and Sarah Palin, Iowa is front and center for a lot of GOP Presidential hopefuls. Every single one of these cats, as well as a certain President running for re-election, is going to be asked about same-sex marriage. How will they answer?

More at: Gay Rights – Change.org!

Iowa House Rejects Anti-Gay Amendment

From IowaPolitics.com:

The Iowa House today rejected procedural attempts by opponents of equality to advance an amendment to the Iowa Constitution seeking to overturn last April’s unanimous Iowa Supreme Court ruling and to deny the protections of civil marriage to gay and lesbian couples.

“We applaud those legislators who voted to protect the freedoms of all Iowans and continue the job of balancing the budget and putting Iowans back to work. It’s time to move on from the destructive politics of division and focus on what matters to a great majority of Iowans,” said One Iowa Executive Director Carolyn Jenison.

One Iowa’s annual Lobby Day at the Capitol takes place tomorrow. Supporters will gather at the Capitol to share their stories with Iowa legislators, demonstrating the importance of civil marriage equality to Iowa families. Please contact Justin Uebelhor at 515-333-2525 to arrange press availability.

One Iowa is the state’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) advocacy organization, committed to full equality for LGBT individuals, including the freedom to marry. More information at http://www.oneiowa.org. 

Texting Worse than Gay Marriage in Iowa

According to a post on DesMoinesRegister.com:

A majority of Iowans think the issue of gay marriage doesn’t deserve lawmakers’ limited time.

Among six hot-button topics, a new Iowa Poll shows a majority of Iowans consider only a ban on text messaging while driving worth the Legislature’s time during a session shortened by 20 days to cut costs. Iowans are not enthusiastic about devoting time to debates on gay marriage, puppy mills, gun control, payday loans or gambling.

The Democrats who control what comes up for a vote say budget issues will dominate the 2010 session as the recession continues to pinch state revenues. But lawmakers have introduced hundreds of bills on other topics.

Friday marks the first so-called funnel, a deadline that winnows the workload by letting some bills move forward and others die.

Of the six topics, Democrats are most likely to push ahead toward passing four:

• Banning texting while driving.

• Beefing up inspections of dog breeders.

• Standardizing the way concealed-weapons permits are issued throughout the 99 counties.

• Expanding gambling to bring in fresh state revenue.

So it would look as though some Iowans may have decided that car accident and the deaths as a result there of, along with a few other issues that affect tax-paying citizens are a little more important than religious issues that don’t affect anyone outside of the couple entering into a marriage! Hopefully a lasting trend.

However, that’s not keeping the state’s anti-gay lawmakers from pushing the issue…and the worst part of that, just as many religious righters have, they’re exploiting children to do it.

According to WHOTV.com:

Two Iowa legislators are getting heat from the gay community. The lawmakers want to remove protection to lesbians, gay and transgender students from the Safe Schools Law, in and effort to reverse the Iowa’s Supreme Court decision to legalize same-sex marriage.

Rep. Jason Schultz says he’s not doing this to hurt gay, lesbian and transgender students, he’s just trying to forward his agenda to make same sex marriage illegal here in Iowa.

“The Bully Bill or Safe School Act doesn’t protect anyone anyway. Schools are already doing this, so to remove few words doesn’t change the intent or effect of the law,” says Rep. Jason Schultz.

Last April, one of the reasons the Iowa Supreme Court pointed to for legalizing same sex marriage, were bills like the Safe Schools Act, which protects gay and lesbian students. He wants to take out the wording in the Safe Schools Act, and all Iowa legislation, so lawmakers can debate same sex marriage on the floor.

However, the Iowa Pride Network says the bill singles out gay, lesbian, and transgender students, and makes them a target for harassment.

They accuse the bill’s authors of playing politics with student’s lives, and gay students fear the harassment will only get worse.

“People smeared paint on my locker and pushed me in the hallway and I’ve been made fun of for who I am. Why would lawmakers want that to continue? Why wouldn’t they want to protect me and better my education and time in my community?” says gay Stephen Boatwright.

Rep. Schultz admits the bill won’t go anywhere, but that’s not the point. He hopes it will renew the efforts to make same sex marriage illegal here in Iowa, and start a debate on the house floor sometime this session.

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