Author: Randy Slovacek

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Wyoming: Anti-gay marriage bill rejected by state Senate

From LGBTQnation.com: The Wyoming Senate late Wednesday voted to reject House Bill 74, which would have banned out-of-state gay marriage from being recognized. The bill is now dead for the remainder of this year’s legislative session.

The Senate vote was 16-14 against the measure.

Earlier in the day, the House approved the bill by a vote of 31-28.

As reported yesterday, the Wyoming legislative session ends Thursday, and today’s vote came just hours after a House Committee passed the measure 4-2 on Tuesday night.

Republicans have been cramming this bill, quite literally, into the final possible moments of the session.

Had the Senate approved House Bill 74, any gay couple married in another state will automatically have their marriages invalidated as soon as they cross the Wyoming state line.

Senate Democrats spent much of the day fighting the bill, and called for a rules committee meeting on whether or not HB 74 was constitutional.

The bill was eventually brought back to the floor with a favorable recommendation from Rules. But even then, Republicans just could not muster enough support to pass the bill.

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Fox News uses fake video to show “violence” in Wisconsin

TalkingPointsMemo points out that Fox News is using clips from a violent rally in Sacramento California when talking about the Wisconsin Union Protest. Just another blip in the long line of ethical violations Fox has to its name. Watch the video above.

Notice the B-roll footage in the background at the 1:42 point in the clip, complete with the calming backdrop of palm trees and… wait, there are palm trees in Madison, Wisconsin?

No there are not. But that’s because the footage comes from a solidarity protest in Sacramento, CA. Conservatives thought they’d found the clip that could undermine the entire pro-union movement.

Surprisingly, Fox did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Fair and balanced kids, fair and balanced.

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Gingrich to announce run for White House

According to ABC News,  former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich plans to announce sometime this week that he will run for the Republican Presidential nomination for 2012.

Advisers close to Gingrich say he plans to form a presidential exploratory committee, which is a strong sign he will run.

During his time in office, Gingrich faced ethics allegations and took heat for the confrontation with President Clinton that culminated in the government shutdown of 1995 and 1996.

He’s also been married three times and acknowledged problems in his personal life. As a serial adulterer, he served divorce papers to his first wife while she lay in a hospital bed fighting cancer, and eventually married his mistress of the time. He then left his second wife for another mistress who would become his third wife. During this time, Gingrich has fought against marriage equality on – wait for it – “moral grounds.”

Recent polls show Gingrich finishing behind other possible nominees Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney.

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Olivia Newton-John & “Xanadu the Musical” in Australia

Olivia Newton-John will be making appearances to celebrate the Australian Opening of “Xanadu the Musical”

In support of the premiere of “XANADU The Musical” in Australia, Olivia will be appearing on the following shows and attending the premiere in Melbourne, Australia at
The Grand Xanadu Marquee, Docklands.

Wednesday, March 2
8:00am – Today Show live cross interview via satellite with hosts Karl Stevanovic & Lisa Wilkins

Wednesday, March 2
Special performance of Xanadu to benefit the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre
Click this link to see a special message from Olivia about Xanadu in OZ and it’s fundraising for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre

Thursday, March 3
Olivia to attend the premiere of XANADU in Melbourne (red carpet and various media)

Friday, March 4
10:00 am Olivia on The Circle TV show

Australia!  Get your roller skates on and get down to the show!

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GOP House Leaders work on plan to defend DOMA

In response to President Obama and the Justice Department’s decision to stop defending the unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act in court, House Republicans are now saying they are looking to have a plan in place by late this week to defend the law themselves.

House Speaker John Boehner said in an interview Monday that the GOP led House may appoint a special counsel to defend the law in the Justice Department’s absence.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said “Again I do believe that this is a case that is distinguishable on its merits and to have the administration take the position, the president take the position, that he’s not defending the law of the land, is something very troubling I think to most members of the House.”

In a case of irony and double-speak, Rep. Boehner’s original response last week was to question the President for addressing the anti-gay law instead of focusing on job creation: “While Americans want Washington to focus on creating jobs and cutting spending, the President will have to explain why he thinks now is the appropriate time to stir up a controversial issue that sharply divides the nation.”

Now however, Mr. Boehner and Mr. Cantor seem to have decided that they will put their focus on anti-gay policy instead of the ongoing economic issues facing the country.

During the last election, Republicans stated over and over again that job creation would be their driving focus and goal. However, since taking over the majority of the House, it seems the Republicans have done everything BUT focus on jobs. They have tried to repeal health care reform, change abortion laws and roll back regulations on the safety of food in the US – just about everything BUT job creation.

Mr. Boehner. Mr. Cantor – why are you addressing everything but job creation?

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Maryland: Marriage Equality vote in House today

The Maryland House Judiciary looks set to vote on the Civil Marriage Protection bill today. Sponsors of the bill hold 12 of the committee’s 22 seats, making passage likely, but approval by the full House is still uncertain.

While Democrats hold a 98-43 majority in the House, it remains unclear if they have enough votes for passage. Supporters said Friday there were about 68 House delegates ready to vote in favor of the measure — a few shy of the 71 votes needed.

Governor Martin O’Malley has said he plans to sign the bill into law if it reaches his desk.

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DADT: “Top Ten Things Soldiers Need to Know”

The Army has posted on the army website a list of “Top Ten Things Soldiers Need To Know” about the repeal of DADT:

1. Accessions & Separations Policies: Upon repeal, the Army will no longer separate Soldiers solely on the basis of homosexual acts, a statement that a Soldier is gay, lesbian or bisexual, or marriage to a person of the same sex. Statements about sexual orientation or lawful acts of gay and lesbian conduct will not be a bar to military service or admission to any accession program. Sexual orientation will continue to be a personal and private matter.

2. Standards of Conduct Apply Equally to Everyone: All Soldiers will be held to the same standard of conduct. All members are responsible for upholding and maintaining high standards of the U.S. Military at all times and in all places.

3. Personal Privacy: Commanders may not establish practices that physically segregate Soldiers according to sexual orientation. Commanders do have the discretion to alter billeting assignments to accommodate privacy concerns of individuals on a case-by-case basis where it is in the interest of maintaining morale, good order and discipline, and is consistent with performance of the mission.

4. Moral and Religious Concerns: There will be no changes regarding any Soldier’s free exercise of religious beliefs, nor are there any changes to policies concerning the Chaplain Corps and its duties. The Chaplain Corps’ First Amendment freedoms and its duty to care for all will not change. Soldiers will continue to respect and serve with others who may hold different views and beliefs.

5. Benefits: There will be no changes to eligibility standards for military benefits and services. The Defense of Marriage Act prohibits the Federal Government from recognizing any same-sex marriage, so same sex partners do not qualify as dependents for many military benefits and services. A same-sex partner should be treated the same as an unrelated third party (e.g. girlfriend, boyfriend). All Soldiers will continue to have various benefits for which they may designate any beneficiary regardless of relationship.

6. Equal Opportunity: Sexual orientation will not be placed alongside race, color, religion, sex and national origin as a class under the Military Equal Opportunity Program and therefore will not be dealt with through the MEO complaint process. All Soldiers, regardless of sexual orientation are entitled to an environment free from personal, social, or institutional barriers that prevent Soldiers from rising to the highest level of responsibility possible. Harassment or abuse of any kind, including that based on sexual orientation, is unacceptable and will be dealt with through command or inspector general channels.

7. Duty Assignments: There are no changes to assignment policy. All Soldiers will continue to be eligible for world-wide assignment without consideration of sexual orientation. Soldiers assigned to duty, or otherwise serving, in countries in which gay and lesbian conduct is prohibited will abide by the guidance provided to them by their local commanders.

8. Medical Policy: There are no changes to existing medical policies.

9. Release and Service Commitments: There will be no new policy to allow for release from service commitments for Soldiers opposed to repeal of DADT or to serving with gay or lesbian Soldiers.

10. Collection and Retention of Sexual Orientation Data: Sexual orientation is a personal and private matter. Commanders will not request, collect, or maintain information about the sexual orientation of Soldiers.

Note: in regard to spouses of same-sex couples,  same-sex partners will be treated the same as an unrelated third party (e.g. girlfriend, boyfriend) due to the continued enforcement of DOMA.  So same-sex spouses will not be eligible for any benefits or services currently enjoyed by opposite-sex spouses.

Training is scheduled to being in early March 2011.