The site for ranting and reporting by John Masters
This category is used when the post relates to actions by the Florida Legislature.
According to David E. Smith of the Illinois Family Institute, an anti-gay group claiming to be concerned with protecting heterosexual-only marriage, “A landlord should be able to discriminate and say, Look, I don’t want to rent my apartment out or my condo out to anyone who doesn’t share my values.”
Read more
It seems the Minnesota Republican Party is broke…or at least decided they no longer have to pay bills. So what is their solution? The don’t pay the rent on their office space a few blocks from the Minnesota Capital Building for eight months, get an eviction notice, and then try to negotiate a “cram-down” of their rent. You know, something like what they wouldn’t ever support giving to the rest of under-class people. CNN has the story.
Read moreWell, of course the war over writing bigotry and discrimination into the North Carolina Constitution is in full swing. I am sadly disappointed that this is what my home state has come to, but I’m not surprised. I’ve talked to several of the legislators who voted to put this on the ballot, and they absolve themselves by saying, “Well, I just think the people should vote.” But when I ask them why they don’t put every civil right on the ballot, I was called, “absurd.”
Read more
Not toolong ago the Teabagger crazy in the Tennessee Legislature decided it would be a good idea to roll back restrictions on where a person shouldn’t carry guns. So Rep. Curry Todd decided it would be a good idea to introduce a law allowing handgun carry permit holders to bring guns into bars. Because, you know, guns and drunks are always a successful combination…if you desire is to clean up the gene pool. Unfortunately, Rep. Todd forgot about another law in Tennessee making it illegal to be in possession of a fireman when intoxicated.
Read moreSo this GOP State Senator James Forrester who is supposedly a medical doctor (fortunately the sick in his town he’s retired). The batshittery is beyond belief and goes on and on as this blow hard is caught in lie after lie as he tries to conceal the animous on which the anti-gay hate bill was based. He was the primary sponsor. I warn you, the blatant idocy could make you want to puncture your ear drums.
Read moreSo here we go again with the Florida Legislature. So far, not one new job has been created by this august group, and several thousand jobs were lost thanks to Rick Medicare Fraud Scott unilaterally turning down the high speed rail money. But there’s a little something for everyone. Abortion Restrictions, Droopy Pants Laws, liftin environment protections, shortening voting periods, letting insurance companies pay hurricane claims whenever they feel like it, and drug testing welfare recepients but not legislators.
Read moreI’m trying to figure out the logic that must have been going through the twisted head of Representative Daphne Campbell, Democrat of Miami. She introduced HB 7131 which repeals a requirement that employers provide seats for employees who walk or work standing up during their breaks. Because, you know, God forbid those people get to sit down for 15 minutes twice a day.
Read moreI had occasion to hear the Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus several times when I lived in Dayton. In fact, it seemed their Christmas Concert and that of the Cincinnati Gay Men’s Chorus were often the same weekend, so I’d do Cincinnati Saturday evening, and then go to Columbus for their Sunday afternoon concert. Both were excellent choruses, and they both had very different styles, so it was a great fun. Here the Columbus Chorus provides a youtube for the “It Gets Better Project” with the Columbus Youth Choir. I’ll just let the music speak for itself.
Read moreI returned once again to the Administrative Council at my church to ask them to pass a resolution adopting a non-discrimination statement. The last time I went in 2008, one of the members, Bill Josey, an attorney, objected because I had included a statement that we would, when reasonable, try to do business only with other organizations that had a similar statement. That was his only objection. I took it out, completely, but guess what, at January’s meeting he had a different objection.
Read moreCongratulations to Illinois for passing a civil unions bill yesterday in their legislature. The Governor has indicated an intention to sign the bill. And once in a while a person steps up, speaks truth to power, and says what needs to be said. Illinois State Senator Ricky Hendon stood on the floor of the Senate and said, “It’s just fairness y’all, that’s all.” He speaks of his Baptist background, and calls out the hypocracy that’s been so much part of the arguments. Would that more politicians spoke like this.
Read moreAlthough defeated because of eight regressive Democrats in the New York State Senate, straight Senator Diane Savino gives one of the finest floor speeches I’ve ever heard, and does an outstanding job of making the case for the importance of equality for all. This is a must watch.
Read more