(Gov. Mark) Warner Protects Gays in Va. Hiring

[sabra]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/16/AR2005121601908.html

Warner Protects Gays in Va. Hiring
State Workers Given Right to Challenge


RICHMOND, Dec. 16 -- Gov. Mark R. Warner (D) on Friday quietly amended an executive order that for the first time explicitly bans Virginia state agencies from discriminating against gays in hiring and promotions.

The policy went into effect immediately, and a spokeswoman for Gov.-elect Timothy M. Kaine (D) said the incoming governor plans to continue the policy by signing the same executive order when he is inaugurated Jan. 14.

Warner spokeswoman Ellen Qualls said the change for the first time gives gay state employees the right to challenge hiring and firing decisions based on their sexual orientation. She said the governor was moved to act after he learned that 60 percent of state lawmakers have pledged the same protections in their own hiring.

"It was a powerful message to him that even what has been considered a traditionally conservative statehouse is ready for this change," Qualls said.

[dsc]

1. good for him, but

I think it was crappy for him to do that now, when he could have let Kaine take credit in January. Warner is the ultimate in lame ducks at this point and clearly is doing this to help him in primaries later.

[phylny]

2. Nothing crappy about it.

I want Mark Warner to do everything possible to help himself in the primaries. Heck, with our screwed up country, there are idiotic segments of our population that will hold this decision against him.

I say good for Mark Warner.

[WhiteTara]

3. why should he let Kaine take credit?

Unless of course, Kaine came to him and said, hey, I'm going to do this and Warner jumped in and said, hey, good political points, I'll do it.

I would prefer to believe that Warner saw this and said, this can be my legacy and Kaine said, boy this is great, I get to follow in great thinking.

Humans and our desires and emotions, aren't we all so precious? Except for ........;)

[dsc]

4. Hopefully that is the way it went down

I just am more than a little suspicious since he was governor for just a month shy of four years and didn't find a reason to do this until now.

[ruggerson]

8. So, let's see if I have this right

Hillary moves to the right and gets demonized here for being too conservative.

Warner makes solidly progressive decisions and takes bold action (death penalty commutation, broad DNA testing retroactively, executive orders protecting gays) and he gets demonized for being too political and the "timing" of his decisions.

What the hell is wrong with some people.

[dsc]

11. If you can find my criticism of either of the other two decisions

you site then please post them now. Incidently I didn't even know about the DNA issue so lots of luck finding a post on that. The fact is this decision, and this is the only issue you brought up that I commented on at all, reeks of political opportunism. The death penalty doesn't in that in came up when it did without any involvment by Warner. Warner did the right thing, and did it at the time he did only because that is when the issue came up. That is totally different from this issue. He was governor for four years, minus a few weeks, and only now has he decided to sign this order. Sorry, but that reeks of trying to move to the left for the primaries.

[ruggerson]

13. Would you rather have him move to the right?

Or leave office without doing this?

Is that what you would rather have?

[dsc]

16. I answered your second question

in a different post. As to your first, I want Warner to run honestly. I want some sort of reasonable explanation of why he waited four years to do this, and under cut his successor at the same time. Was it that some state legislator did this at the last minute getting up to the magic 60%? Frankly, we had one southerner who changed his tune on gays run in the 1990's with decidedly mixed results. Clinton did nothing as governor in Arkansas about sodomy laws or employment but promised us the moon in 92. When push came to shove Clinton's heart wasn't in our fight. I don't wish to repeat that mistake again.

[ruggerson]

18. Um, excuse me, but Clinton gave us Ginsburg and Breyer

who in turn liberated us with Lawrence vs. Texas.

You would still be a CRIMINAL in most states if it weren't for Clinton.

Mull it over.

[dsc]

19. I said a mixed record

not a uniformly bad one. Frankly, Ginsburg and Breyer were kind of the least he could do. I also give him credit for the executive order he issued banning anti gay discrimination in the federal government. But on the downside, no ENDA, no hate crimes legislation, DOMA and Don't Ask Don't Tell. That is a mixed record, and in the case of ENDA I think had he more passion for gay rights issues we would have ENDA.

[ruggerson]

21. Historically, civil rights movements take a long time

the blacks were freed from slavery 150 years ago. It wasn't until a hundred years later that schools became integrated. It wasn't until the 1960's that a comprehensive civil rights bill was passed and interracial marriage was legalized.

Our movement is basically 40 years old. In that time, we have changed American thinking about the basic realities of gays and lesbians, we have ended our invisibility, we have comprehensive civil rights laws in a full 1/3 of the states in the union (and EVERY state in New England), we have full MARRIAGE RIGHTS in one state and civil unions in two others and we have a landmark ruling from the Supreme Court that gives us constitutional protections for the very first time.

Did you think this was all going to happen over night? Frankly, we will both be old codgers before this will all be a non issue and we will have equality across the board. I plan on enjoying every success as it happens and giving credit to the brave politicians who stand with us.

[dsc]

22. I am not claiming they don't

but in order to support Warner or anyone else for that matter I want him or her to be our Lyndon Johnson we already had our Truman in Clinton. I don't think Warner is that man. I thought Dean was, which was a big reason I supported him so strongly.

[spooky3]

30. "undercut his successor"? It would not have helped Kaine to have

been the first to take this action in Virginia. In fact, it probably helps him to simply continue a tradition that Warner started. According to the poll reported in the story, it may not have hurt him too much either. But there are a lot of conservative rural and exurban folks in VA and my guess is that this decision will be loudly protested by the fundies, but a wash politically within the state.

It's not as though Warner has been sleeping on the job. He has been very busy, and effective, in his four years here. The primaries have not traditionally been won by the most liberal candidate. I think the most reasonable explanation for his action is that he's trying to take care of all of the business he wanted to get to during his short term.

edited to correct writing errors

[WhiteTara]

14. we are all so jaded

and some of us are suspicious and lots of us are angry.

[dsc]

17. I went through this with Clinton

I know I sound cynical but there is no logical explanation for waiting four years except wanting to keep his options to run for Senate against Allen open. He evidently has decided to go for President.

[WhiteTara]

20. I didn't say you don't have a reason to be

jaded and cynical. And you are right, the timing is suspect. But I'm glad for the people it benefited. :hi:

[dsc]

23. I am happy for Virginia's state employees too

I wish I had the same protection as a NC teacher.

[WhiteTara]

24. Me too. n/t

[ruggerson]

6. Get off it

This is a decent and honorable and brave thing to do. To harp on how he pulled this off or when is really petty. He did it. He stood up and did the right thing. Period. End of story.

[dsc]

9. How brave was it if 60% of the legislators did the same thing?

He was governor for four years and now with literally weeks left in office he decides to do this. I find this a little suspicious to say the least.

[ruggerson]

10. It's a conservative state.

Virginia is not a hotbed of liberal ideals. Maybe he felt this was the right timing, nearer the end of his term.

Would you have been happier if he had left office WITHOUT doing this?

[dsc]

12. Not happier but given that in two weeks Kaine would have done

the exact same thing, I am not happier given that he did it.

[LostinVA]

27. He's not a lame duck, either

Not really, because governors can only serve one term in Virginia, so they know this is their only term. I don't know why he waited this long, although I suspect it was to help Kaine get elected as governor. If he had signed it earlier, then Kilgore, etc., could have used this against Kaine, since Kaine is a protege of Warner's. This si a weird state: some very Freeper areas and some very liberal ones, with a whole lot in between.

He handled this in a great way. Kudos.

[spooky3]

31. good points.

[LostinVA]

32. Thanks! My brain is actually working this afternoon.

[MidwestTransplant]

25. He also could be protecting Kaine from having to make a tough

decision give VA's political climate. Though I agree that he could have acted much earlier.

[dsc]

29. Except Kaine is going to sign it when he takes over

which he would have to do to keep it in force. Kaine also would have to veto the law to overturn this order if it came to that.

[ruggerson]

5. self delete

[ruggerson]

7. Bravo for Warner

this is about the fifth brave thing he's done in as many weeks.

[WhiteTara]

15. What a great day for the people who

live in the state. Now they have another chance to be humans and to look at people as individuals instead of stereotypes.

[LostinVA]

26. Warner has ALWAYS been outspoken about this

And was against that damned evil anti-everything-concerning-gays law that passed (which is sooo unconstitutional). He even flamed Kilgore for saying that the Michigan AA case meant that universities could and should take race, sexual orientation, etc, out of their protection clauses. All VA state universities already have sexual orientation as a protected class -- now every state worker can enjoy this LEGAL RIGHT.

Go Warner! Warner against Allen, 2006!

[dsc]

28. He refused to do this for four years

including when publicly asked to do so in 2002. I am glad he did so now but to say he was loudly in favor of this for all four years is a bit of a stretch.

[LostinVA]

33. No, he has been outspoken for gay rights all four years

And, if you read my post up thread, you'll see why I think he waited until now -- to guarantee a Dem in as Governor.

btw, I'm gay, and in 1991 was fired from a professional job I had held for several years when my boss discovered I had a girlfriend instead of a boyfriend. This is not something I take lightly.

As much as I wish politics and social progress was lightening fast, it can't be in certain states. It has to be handled like a chess game, and I think Warner played it very, very well.

[hollowdweller]

34. A brave thing for somebody who may run in '08. Could be used against him

I totally think it's only fair of course, but that won't stop the GOP from using it against him to fire up the "Peckerwood Nation"

[Olney Blue]

35. It was the right thing to do.

I don't have an analysis of why he did it.

It was just the right thing to do, and I 'm glad he did it.

[The Witch]

36. my opinion of this guy just went up a point or two

bravo :applause: