DNC Chairman Kaine on Prop 8 Decision

[ProSense]

Chairman Kaine on Prop 8 Decision: "It pleases me to see America take another step in the march towards greater equality."

Today, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California released its decision in the Perry v. Schwarzenegger case. In that decision, the Court struck down the state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage that was adopted as a result of the Proposition 8 ballot initiative in 2008. In response to the Court’s decision, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement:

“I applaud the U.S. District Court’s ruling today striking down Proposition 8 in California. The Democratic Party opposes attempts to discriminatorily limit rights granted to Americans, and Proposition 8 was just such an attempt. Discrimination against same-sex couples should not be added to constitutions – which are documents meant fundamentally to protect citizens against discrimination. As a former civil rights attorney, it pleases me to see this principle upheld and to see America take another step in the march towards greater equality.

[GodlessBiker]

1. Hmmm. This is too nuanced for me. Nothing about supporting marriage equality. ...

Just let's not discriminate within constitutions. Is he saying that simple laws which outlaw marriage equality are fine?

[frazzled]

2. In answer to your question.

No. He's saying that laws that outlaw marriage equality would "discriminatorily limit rights granted to Americans."

The whole legal question here is whether it is Constitutional to ban gay marriage. The ruling judge and Tim Kaine are saying no it is not. And once it is not legal to ban it, it will become difficult for any state to deny someone seeking a marriage license from doing it based on the fact that they are gay.

[mtnester]

3. If that is the case then I expect Ohio's Attorney General to rule the voted state

constitutional amendment banning gay marriage to be rescinded right now

That sad piece of crap was passed here in 2004, but since we were all looking at how badly that election went (voting machines, etc in Ohio), everyone was sadly quiet on that piece of garbage.

Correct?

[dsc]

5. unless he changed his opinion since serving as VA gov then yes he is

I admit to not knowing for sure if he has changed his opinion since then but he was adamantly against marriage equality as VA gov.

[SunsetDreams]

4. K&R

[Bluenorthwest]

6. Here is Kaine when he was Govenor of VA.

"Marriage between a man and a woman is the building block of the family and a keystone of our civil society. It has been so for centuries in societies around the world. I cannot agree with a court decision suddenly declaring that marriage must now be redefined to include unions between people of the same gender.

"Virginia defines marriage as being between a man and a woman and I strongly support that law. Regardless of the court ruling today in another state, I am confident that there is nothing in the Virginia or federal constitutions that would require Virginia to alter its longstanding policy about marriage."
And:
"I have never said I supported gay civil unions, gay marriages."

[ProSense]

7. Does this statement negate that one or the other way around?

Would you have preferred that he repeat his past statements?

Maybe he changed his mind, and now he is on record as supporting the decision.

[dsc]

8. no he isn't and that is the point

without knowing what he means by his current statement (one can be opposed to permitting gay marriage and civil unions and be opposed to codifing that ban in the Constitution) we have no idea.

[ProSense]

9. “I applaud the U.S. District Court’s ruling today striking down Proposition 8 in California."

What does that mean?

[VMI Dem]

11. These centrists oppose amending constitutions. They also oppose civil rights.

[dsc]

12. what you said

until I hear from Kaine that he has changed his position on marriage directly I won't trust that he has.

[VMI Dem]

10. Kaine opposes gay civil rights.