An UnFair Wisconsin

So yesterday, the gay marriage ban in Wisconsin passed. Except that it’s not just a gay marriage ban. It also bans civil unions or extending any benefit that flows from marriage to an unmarried couple. Gay or straight.

This is a problem for me, because I had decided that I wasn’t going to get married. Under Wisconsin’s marital property law, any debts that you or your spouse had prior to the marriage (or any assets) become community property that is divisible 50/50 at divorce. I don’t think I should have to be responsible for choices that someone made prior to me even meeting them, and I don’t think they should have to be responsible for my choices. Nor should I benefit off of choices that I wasn’t involved in, and I don’t think the other person should necessarily benefit off my choices. So, I decided that cohabitating was for me, because many of the protections of marriage are, oops, WERE available anyway.

Meanwhile, the same people that voted for what I like to call the Discrimination Amendment voted for reinstating the death penalty in Wisconsin. So what should Wisconsin’s youth learn from this? Apparently, it’s okay to take another human life if you think they are a bad human being, but it’s not okay to tolerate people who have a different view of marriage than you do. Nice lesson, folks.

As the campaign swings into full gear....

This past weekend, I did some campaigning. It felt good.

Until this week, when I have been pestered non-stop with phone calls and emails asking me to do more campaigning for more events. One particular organization contacted me 3 times by phone and twice by email in one bloody day.

I want to volunteer, but I don't have THAT much time. I also want to feel like I am volunteering for an organization/campaign that is running efficiently and won't be wasting my time. All those phone calls do not make me feel confident in their ability to be efficient and not wasteful.

And so, it's "Cheerio" to Tony Blair within the year.

This saddens me. I never had any hope for George W. Bush, but there was a time when I had hope for Tony Blair. When I not only believed what he said, but also believed in it. Unfortunately, for too many, that time is gone.

Stay tuned...I'll be back this week!

Adding to the last train of thought...

I heard this quote on the radio the other day and loved it:

"If your house is on fire, and you have the choice between saving another human being or saving an embryo, which do you choose?"

The answer is, of course, completely obvious.

"Pro-life means caring about the living, too" - Sen. Orin Hatch.

I have a lot of respect for Sen. Hatch. At least he is consistent.

I do not, however, have a lot of respect for people who frame the issue as using innocent life for research purposes. Because, if we don't use it for research purposes, we just throw it away. Now, which seems to be more respectful? Personally, I would rather have stem cells going to help cure diseases than have them lining the circular file. If people are anti-stem cell research, that's their right. But don't make saving the stem cells sound all noble. Let's call it what it is: wasting hope.

My 1,000,000 dollars

A long time ago, I wrote a post about voting in America, entitled My 37 Cents. Which led to my acquantence with these two characters. **

Now, a guy in Arizona is proposing that we turn voting into a million dollar lottery. You can read an article about this here. There is a lot of talk about how this might not even be legal under federal law, because it would be the exchange of a vote for money.

You know what I say to that? Blah blah blah. Because people shouldn't need a one in a million chance of getting a million dollars to get them to the polls. It should be enough that there is a one in two chance that we'll end up with someone like Bush again. (Better that one in two chance, actually, if you admit that there is a good chance that the Democratic candidate isn't going to walk on water either). And, if you believe Newt Gingrich, there's a good chance that we are heading for World War III.

If that doesn't get people to the polls, I'm not so sure I want them there.

**Going back and reading the comments to that post made me realize how much things have changed. There was a time when this blog was energized with a level of commitment to and passion for certain issues. I know that lately, this blog hasn't had the same kind of force that I had back in November of '04. Bush is wearing me down. But you know what? I'm not putting up with that anymore. It's bad enough that he is killing the environment, civilians in Iraq, and the hope that stem cell research will lead to a cure for Parkinson's...he doesn't get to kill my spirit too.

Earth to Condi

Dear Ms. Rice:

I'm sure you are busy putting that really strange flip in your hair, but perhaps your Department could update the travel warning for Israel. You see, there's a little "scuffle" going on between Israel and Lebanon on the northern border, which isn't really adequately included in your February travel warning for the West Bank and Gaza. In fact, at least six people died today in Haifa, a city that my boyfriend was really excited to go back to on this trip to Israel. I'm just thinking that maybe...just maybe...it would be a good idea to update that travel warning.

I know Bush has been all "buddy-buddy, let's not put limits on Israel" for pretty much his whole administration. So maybe you are concerned about the harm to international tourism that occurs when the State Department issues a warning. Meanwhile, though, there is talk of evacuating Americans from Lebanon. Furthermore, strangely, your travel warning for Lebanon doesn't name Israel as the other player creating the "security situation," while your travel warning for Israel seems to clearly place blame for the instability on Hamas/Palestinian militants. Let's play fair (possibly a foreign concept to you and your boss) and just make sure everyone is as safe and informed as possible, ok, Condi?

Then again, you may just be relying on Fox News to get the word out, what with them basically being part of the Bush administration and all. Or, you might have realized that most intelligent people who would take the time to read a travel warning would just ignore anything put together by the Bush administration anyway.

Sincerely,

DemGoddesses