the bachmann business

ABC

oh dear….

meet mr bachmann

Think Progress: When trying to figure out where presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) gets her stringent, anti-gay views, you only have to look as far as her husband. Dr. Marcus Bachmann, who has described himself as his wife’s “strategist,” runs a Christian-based counseling center in Minnesota that has been rumored to offer reparative treatment for those looking to “ungay” themselves….

….After seeing her husband’s virulent remarks, it’s no surprise then that Michele Bachmann has fiercely disparaged the gay community and has announced she’s in favor of an anti-gay marriage amendment on the campaign trail. What’s the most terrifying isn’t what Dr. Bachmann said, but the threat that the United States could elect a president who believes that homosexuality can be disciplined out of someone.

More here and more at Raw Story

Thank you Claire and Loriah

is he still a ‘homophobe’?

Washington Post: In the latest example of the Obama administration extending greater rights to gays and lesbians, the Department of Housing and Urban Development is making changes to ensure they don’t face discrimination when applying for federal housing assistance.

The department unveiled a series of proposed rule changes that would prohibit lenders from using sexual orientation or gender identity as a way of determining a borrower’s eligibility. In a nod to same-sex marriages and same-sex parents, the rule change would state that eligible families have the opportunity to participate in HUD-based programs regardless of marital status or sexual orientation.

The new rules, if adopted, also would prohibit owners and operators of HUD-funded housing from asking applicants or occupants of the housing about sexual orientation or gender identity.

…..”This is a fundamental issue of fairness,” HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said Thursday.

The proposed rules must undergo a 60-day public comment period before formal implemented. If approved, they would joint a growing list of policy and procedural changes made by federal agencies that don’t require congressional approval, including gender-neutral passport application forms, changes to how the U.S. Census Bureau counts same-sex relationships and the extension of fringe benefits to the same-sex partners of gay and lesbian federal workers.

that virginia ruling on the health care bill?

Two points worth noting….

(1) TPM: The Virginia federal district court judge (a George W Bush-appointee) who ruled that the individual mandate in the health care bill is unconstitutional owns a stake worth between $15,000 and $50,000 in a GOP political consulting firm that worked against health care reform – the very law against which he ruled.

Henry Hudson

(2) Legal experts are attacking Judge Henry Hudson’s decision, citing an elementary logical flaw at the heart of his opinion. And that has conservative scholars – even ones sympathetic to the idea that the mandate is unconstitutional – prepared to see Hudson’s decision thrown out.

“I’ve had a chance to read Judge Hudson’s opinion, and it seems to me it has a fairly obvious and quite significant error,” writes Orin Kerr, a professor of law at George Washington University, on the generally conservative law blog The Volokh Conspiracy.

Read the details here

The challenge to the health care bill has been taken by Ken Cuccinelli, Virginia’s attorney general – who might just possibly be a ‘birther‘ and homophobe.

Classy guy.

homophobe! oh, wait….

“As Commander in Chief, I have pledged to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law because it weakens our national security, diminishes our military readiness, and violates fundamental American principles of fairness and equality by preventing patriotic Americans who are gay from serving openly in our armed forces.  At the same time, as Commander in Chief, I am committed to ensuring that we understand the implications of this transition, and maintain good order and discipline within our military ranks. That is why I directed the Department of Defense earlier this year to begin preparing for a transition to a new policy.

Today’s report confirms that a strong majority of our military men and women and their families—more than two thirds—are prepared to serve alongside Americans who are openly gay and lesbian.  This report also confirms that, by every measure—from unit cohesion to recruitment and retention to family readiness—we can transition to a new policy in a responsible manner that ensures our military strength and national security. And for the first time since this law was enacted 17 years ago today, both the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have publicly endorsed ending this policy.

With our nation at war and so many Americans serving on the front lines, our troops and their families deserve the certainty that can only come when an act of Congress ends this discriminatory policy once and for all.  The House of Representatives has already passed the necessary legislation.  Today I call on the Senate to act as soon as possible so I can sign this repeal into law this year and ensure that Americans who are willing to risk their lives for their country are treated fairly and equally.  Our troops represent the virtues of selfless sacrifice and love of country that have enabled our freedoms. I am absolutely confident that they will adapt to this change and remain the best led, best trained, best equipped fighting force the world has ever known.”

Let’s be honest, the nut-job anti-Obama wing of the gay rights movement (you know, the folk who make Tea Partiers seem reasoned) is going to be hugely disappointed when DADT is, as promised, repealed – they’ll have one less reason to explain away their hatred of the President.

When DADT is repealed it will be a great day for America, it is a vile piece of legislation – justice will finally be served for the brave gay men and women in the US military.

To the Obama-hating extremists, though: Change you have to believe in, no matter how much it enrages you 😉

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