A Republican Lobbyist Is Trying To Get Gay Football Players Banned From The NFL
Source: HuffingtonPost.com
A Republican lobbyist is preparing legislation that would ban gay athletes from playing in the National Football League, a move he says is necessary to prevent American society from sliding into indecency. Jack Burkman, the CEO of Burkman LLC, said Monday that he would push Republican lawmakers to support the measure, which he put together after college football star Michael Sam announced that he is gay. In an interview with The Huffington Post, Burkman insisted that five members of the House of Representatives and one senator are interested in co-sponsoring the bill, and that those numbers would rise to 36 and five, respectively, within three weeks. Notably, he declined to name any of the lawmakers in question.
The absence of any actual details -- from the language of the bill to the names of potential supporters -- gave the announcement the unmistakable whiff of a publicity stunt. Burkman's own public relations firm broke the news of the legislation. Beyond his motive, however, is a larger question: Why would Burkman even bother? Sam's announcement was met with widespread support. Why should Congress create a conflict where, for the most part, one doesn't exist?
Even Burkman concedes that conservatives like himself are supposed to find it abhorrent when the government tells a private business how to conduct its affairs. "However," he added, "there are times when that is trumped for reason of great urgency or necessity. And I think this is it, because I see the society sliding in the wrong direction."
"I felt that if the NFL doesn't have any morals, and people like (Commissioner) Roger Goodell, who are just go-along-get-along guys, just want to appease advertisers, appease corporate America and all that stuff," he said, "I figured, well, it is time for conservatives in Congress to step in and define morality for them."
Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/24/ban-gays-nfl_n_4849250.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp#sb=1358652b=facebook
<snip>
Burkman's bill, if it's ever actually introduced, stands no chance of passage. Just imagine the laugh President Barack Obama would have if it somehow made its way to his desk.
But the fact that he sees it as a potential fault line -- he floated the possibility of the bill being used by a Republican primary challenger to pluck off the incumbent -- suggests that GOP operatives anticipate some sort of a social conservative backlash and wouldn't mind profiting from it. Burkman isn't a no-name lobbyist. Though he appears on cable news less frequently these days than he used to, his firm had a big growth in clients this past year.
He is also not necessarily the best person to wage a fight over decency and morality. A few years back, his name was reportedly found on the D.C. madam's list of clients of high-end prostitutes.
<snip>
Attention whore
Skink
(10,122 posts)Scuba
(53,475 posts)tonybgood
(218 posts)joeglow3
(6,228 posts)This is just like the people freaking out about the lady who advocated siezing all 401(k)'s. They are so outside they norm they should just be ignored.
Arkana
(24,347 posts)Fucking
"And that reason is that gays are icky."
Good thing this will die a swift death in whatever committee is unfortunate enough to hear it.
RKP5637
(67,084 posts)blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)RKP5637
(67,084 posts)Archae
(46,299 posts)And backed up Ann Coulter when she ranted against the 9-11 Widows.
http://crooksandliars.com/2014/02/k-street-lobbyist-jack-burkman-drafts-bill
jsr
(7,712 posts)Typical RW hypocrite.
MrScorpio
(73,630 posts)RKP5637
(67,084 posts)the outward symptoms of a very disturbed individual. And clearly some obsessive compulsive fetishes.
SCVDem
(5,103 posts)Is running out of groups to demean and degrade.
Look at all the previous targets. Black, Asian, women, atheists, etc.
Social acceptance must really piss these bigots off.
They may try but we have evolved past their hatred.
Must we again reference the Nazi purity programs as a comparison?
With apologies to Godwin!
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)Half-Century Man
(5,279 posts)and admit they are fighting an inner demon. One which is seeing the outside influence of public acceptance of homosexuality and ranting about the inner chains.
Botany
(70,442 posts)Jake Stern
(3,145 posts)but it serves two purposes:
1. It will help get out the social conservative vote
2. It gets liberal's undies in a bunch which provides a great deal of pleasure to Burkman and his ilk.
Look at the facts -
- It stands zero chance of going anywhere. Guaranteed the GOP leadership will quickly kill this bill.
- Even if, by some infinitesimal chance, this bills passes both houses and is signed by Obama it will almost assuredly be struck down as unconstitutional.
- Wankers like him are just like the members of Westboro Baptist Church. They live for confrontation. They feed on it. But take away their spotlight and they scurry off.
msanthrope
(37,549 posts)d_r
(6,907 posts)government not messing with private businesses. Laissez Faire.
arcane1
(38,613 posts)OKNancy
(41,832 posts)for more comments: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024557848
NYC Liberal
(20,135 posts)If the market doesn't like gay players then they won't go to games and the NFL will lose money.
Cons always have some lame excuse when they hypocritically go against their "small government" or "states rights" mantras.
KurtNYC
(14,549 posts)There is no integrity without consistency.
bkanderson76
(266 posts)EC
(12,287 posts)could even be written to tell someone who they can and cannot hire? So much for Republicans liking the Constitution since they present so many unconstitutional laws. So now in the days of ALEC we have lobbyists writing our laws?
Oh and I'm guessing there are many more gay football players all ready playing then he'd guess. Would their contracts be null and void then? This guy is the guy that was e mailing young girls isn't it? Something about obscene mail?
wocaonimabi
(187 posts)there are no laws preventing this.
The NFL currently enjoys an antitrust exemption and Liberal and Progressive Senators need to float a bill around that would rescind the NFLS Anti antitrust if they implement a no gays policy.
hibbing
(10,094 posts)I don't know what the hell is up with these idiots. Their obsession is getting more disturbing by the day. They have already lost this one, but they only seem to be getting worse. Focus on gays gays gays and ignore the social and economic justice so prevalent in the Bible.
Peace
BeyondGeography
(39,341 posts)And it ain't turning back.
SoapBox
(18,791 posts)needs to have his butt kicked.
Shrike47
(6,913 posts)MissMillie
(38,526 posts)define discrimination for him.
DeadLetterOffice
(1,352 posts)Though that's really, really horrid.
The worst part is that this part doesn't even spark outrage anymore: "lobbyist is preparing legislation"
Not 'lawmaker,' lobbyist.
Further proof that the US is no longer a democracy but instead is a plutocracy.
(also: similar thread http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4559453)
Faygo Kid
(21,477 posts)They're sure crawling out from under their rocks. Gawd, the Republicans appealing to their base this year and in 2016 is not going to be for the faint of heart. Yesterday the Freepers were mourning the passing of a Southern restaurant owner who favored slavery. Not just segregation, mind you, but actual slavery. There are no limits for them anymore. None.
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)bullwinkle428
(20,628 posts)Orsino
(37,428 posts)...unless he just thinks about dudes showering a lot.
"Decency" campaigns are always distractions. No exceptions.
indepat
(20,899 posts)discrimination?
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)redwitch
(14,940 posts)And fuck him anyway.
olddad56
(5,732 posts)If the NFL could actually do something like that and then were stupid enough to do it, you would see massive protests at every game in the NFL, and a ticket boycott that would cost them millions at every game on every Sunday.
Sure would be a boost to college football though.
hack89
(39,171 posts)I think the idea that he is pushing legislation that is just hurtful and ridiculous is just plain stupid, Jim Burkman told the Huffington Post on Monday. He is not a legislator and he cant really push legislation. I dont think there are any co-sponsors for a bill. It is just an attention grab and a media grab to pander to those folks who pay him to lobby on their behalf.
He is my brother and I love him, and we dont see eye-to-eye on any political issues, certainly gay rights. But I told him years ago he should back off on gay issues, and if he ever crosses the line I would be happy to speak up as his gay brother. Today I felt he crossed the line.
http://nfl.si.com/2014/02/25/lobbyist-looking-to-ban-gay-players-from-the-nfl-has-a-gay-brother/