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US Senate: GOP Senators make history, first to filibuster Sec. of Defense nominee

In what is truly an ironic twist, GOP US Senate members are filibustering the nomination of Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense over concerns of “national security” that have nothing to do with Chuck Hagel.

From Think Progress:

Senate Republicans today chose to uphold a filibuster against Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel, despite many of them previously pledging that they would be willing to allow him to be confirmed.

Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), and John Cornyn (R-TX) all voted against cloture, despite their pleas during the Bush administration that a president’s Cabinet nominees should receive an up-or-down vote.

Four Republicans, Sens. Thad Cochran (R-MS), Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Mike Johanns (R-NE), voted to break the filibuster. The final vote was 58-40, with Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) voting present, Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) not voting at all, and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) voting “no” as a procedural move so that he can bring another vote to the floor at a later date.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) had originally scheduled the cloture vote for tomorrow morning, but surprised many by pushing it up to this afternoon. Earlier today, Reid took to the Senate floor to lambaste his Republican colleagues for delaying an up-or-down vote on Hagel, the first filibuster of a Secretary of Defense nominee.

Just so I’m seeing this clearly – the Republican senators are concerned about national security, so they decided to block having a Secretary of Defense based on nothing he’s done?

Do I have this right?

Hey Americans – you feel safer now?

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Illinois: Senate passes marriage equality bill 34-21

Yay! Passed the state Senate 34-21.

The bill was approved Thursday afternoon following a vigorous debate between lawmakers who both supported and opposed the measure. Two lawmakers voted present.

Only one Republican — state Sen. Jason Barickman, of Champaign, joined a supermajority of Democrats in voting yes.

If the bill is also approved by the state House of Representatives, Illinois will join Washington, D.C. and nine other U.S. marriage equality states. The state has had civil unions available for same-sex couples since June 2011.

From Bloomberg:

“The greatest commandment Jesus left is, ‘Love one another,’” Democratic Senator Martin Sandoval of Chicago said during debate on the bill. “Why is it so wrong today to be able to share licensure with your life partner? You do. Why can’t everyone else?”

Democratic Senator Kwame Raoul, who filled Barack Obama’s seat on Chicago’s South Side after the 2008 presidential election, said fears of destroying society’s pillars are unfounded. He said allowing gay marriage is consistent with the nation’s removal of discriminatory laws.

“Let’s knock down this wall because it’s the right thing to do,” Raoul said from the Senate floor. “The sky is not falling, Chicken Little.”

(via Huffington Post)

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Vassar College raises over $40K for The Trevor Project

In response to the Westboro Baptist Church’s decision to protest Vassar College over supposed promotion of the “fag agenda”, the school has quickly raised over $40,000 for The Trevor Project.

The initial goal for the school was $4,500 – they have exceeded that goal by over 1,000%.

Let’s hear it for the good guys!

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Olympian Oscar Pistorius arrested and charged with murder

South African double-amputee Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius was arrested and charged with the murder of his girlfriend this morning, the Guardian reports:

South African star sprinter Oscar Pistorius has been charged with the murder of his girlfriend and will appear in a Pretoria court on Thursday afternoon, police have confirmed. Pistorius, 26, is alleged to have killed his 30-year-old girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, who died of gunshot wounds at his home in a gated-community in the city this morning.

Police spokeswoman Denise Beukes said earlier reports that the suspect had been surprised by his girlfriend and had thought she was an intruder did not come from police. She said there had been reports from neighbors of shouting and screaming coming from the house earlier in the evening. She said police had been called to the house on previous occasions after reports of “a domestic nature.”

There is speculation in the local media that Pistorius may have mistaken his girlfriend for a burglar and the shooting could have been a result of a Valentine’s Day surprise gone wrong.

Very, very sad.  I, and much  of the world, was inspired by Pistorius’ Olympic showing last summer.

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Valentine’s Day on “My Gay Roommate”

Valentine’s Day episode of “My Gay Roommate” with Austin Bening and Noam Ash. The web series explores the ins and outs of college dorm life with someone of the opposite orientation.

For all the straight guys out there who might get some bad news on V-Day. Your gay bro has your back.

(Get you mind of the gutter, you know what I meant…)