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Washington (CNN)Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is set to sign into law a measure that allows businesses to turn away gay and lesbian customers in the name of "religious freedom."
The move comes as Pence considers a bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination -- and just a year after Pence and socially conservative lawmakers lost their first policy battle against gay Hoosiers. In 2014 they had sought to amend Indiana's constitution to ban same-sex marriages -- but were beaten back by a highly-organized coalition of Democrats, traditionally right-leaning business organizations and fiscally focused supporters of Pence's predecessor, former GOP Gov. Mitch Daniels.
I really thought that Mike Pence was one of the more smarter Republicans. He had a reputation of being very competent and pragmatic as a congressman.
If he signs this abomination, he may as well forget those presidential ambitions. But for some reason, these right wingers just can't help themselves even when they know what they're about to do is dumb. Republicans in Indiana gain absolutely NOTHING by implementing this nonsense.
Arizona was in the same situation a year ago with Governor Jan Brewer. The NFL threatened to move the Super Bowl and to never return to Arizona if Brewer signed the bill into law. Brewer rejected the bill and that was the end of the story. The Arizona Tea Party packed up their bags and hasn't been heard from since.
He's sunk himself already by indicating he might be willing to sign this sort of bill. Hes not a serious presidential candidate anymore. Doesn't he have anyone on his staff that polls things like this for him?
It's not just dumb in the current political cycle-- but from a longterm play is going to brand him for elections to come. The obvious societal movement is in the direction of support for total equality for gays, and codifying discrimination in to law and wrapping it in a bastardized concept of freedom of religion both work against societal movement.
When the GOP does try to legislate, why is it always hateful, discriminatory law that most people under 50 will hate?
Arizona was in the same situation a year ago with Governor Jan Brewer. The NFL threatened to move the Super Bowl and to never return to Arizona if Brewer signed the bill into law. Brewer rejected the bill and that was the end of the story. The Arizona Tea Party packed up their bags and hasn't been heard from since.
The NCAA could never change the location of the upcoming Final Four on short notice, but future sporting events will be in jeopardy even though NCAA headquarters is located in the state. That could eventually change as well.
I am still digesting what it says. Seems that the key words are 'substantially burden' (see Section 9), meaning that a person may claim that to provide services to someone would 'substantially burden' their ability to exercise their religious freedom.
It appears to be rather vague (it does not actually identify gays or such as those imposing the burden). I assume, from my first reading, that one may also use this statute as a defense if they wish to deny service to those who hold different religious beliefs. I shall read it again later.
Freedom? Well sure unless you tow the totalitarian socialist red line.
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