Sometimes we get so caught up in the nuts and bolts of the real-world impact of laws that we forget that they can have a powerful psychological and sociological impact as well. Republicans and conservative thought leaders understand this far better than liberals do and it ...read more
As independent Vermont Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders stumps for votes in California, he has become mired in a feud with HIV/AIDS activists who are insufficiently grateful for all he’s done for them. Although Sanders’ campaign website still ...read more
Arguably the most ludicrous book to emerge during the George W. Bush era was hilariously titled, Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, from Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning, by National Review Online editor-at-large Jonah Goldberg. Yes, somehow Goldberg ...read more
Over the weekend, the New Hampshire #FITN Republican Leadership Summit wound down to the tune of reporters asking this season's crop of Republican presidential hopefuls the hive-minded question, "Would you personally attend a gay wedding?" The question was asked of at least ...read more
Um. Wow. Bill O'Reilly and Pastor Robert Jeffress just admitted on television that we live in a secular society and that arguments against marriage equality shouldn't, therefore, include citing biblical dogma. That's a pretty big deal. Too bad it was buried within a big steaming ...read more
Almost a year ago, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton got into a contentious exchange with NPR's Terry Gross over her own "evolution" on the issue of marriage equality, and settling on the then-preferred view that gay marriage was progressing nicely on a state-by-state ...read more
Although Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act has recently raised serious questions about the future of pizza-catering at gay weddings, the bulk of the crusading for the right to discriminate against LGBT people is taking place at wedding bakeries and other more ...read more
(Image: The Apostle Paul) For the better part of a week now, it's been frustratingly accepted that anti-gay Christian business-owners can legitimately cite one or more solid religion-based justifications for refusing equal service to LGBT customers and same-sex weddings. The ...read more
The political outrage of the day for Wednesday centers around remarks that brain surgeon and Republican presidential exploratorer Dr. Ben Carson made about homosexuality, or to put it another way, today is a day. On CNN's New Day, Dr. Carson patiently explained to Chris Cuomo ...read more
After the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments were ratified, collectively freeing the slaves and granting them full citizenship rights (the men anyway), white supremacists concocted various subversive laws to oppress African-Americans within the new mandates of the Constitution. The ...read more
In order to avoid providing National Guard spousal benefits to same-sex couples, per the overturning of the Defense of Marriage Act by the Supreme Court, Governor Mary Fallin, a Republican of course, has decided to eliminate spousal benefits for all National Guard couples. The ...read more
While the American people support marriage equality, these members of the GOP have not gotten the memo. Here's a roundup of some of the more ridiculous responses to the Supreme Court's decisions on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and California's prop 8. Congressman Paul ...read more
This week saw some great things and some that were not so great. While I applaud the Supreme Court striking down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), it bothers me a lot that they also gutted the Voting Rights Act (VRA). And I don't know how Paula Deen fits into this but she ...read more
The Supreme Court may or may not be ready to endorse same sex marriage but the country is. This week, Senator Lisa Murkowski joined fellow GOP Senators Mark Kirk and Rob Portman and expressed her support for same sex marriage. I have organized a comedy fundraiser to benefit ...read more
While most of America appears to be getting in line with history by embracing marriage equality, there continues to be a strikingly large pile of holdouts who obviously don't recall the infamy of those who opposed interracial marriage, women's suffrage, integration, the Civil ...read more
After what seemed like a decade of 24/7 coverage of the Republican 2012 primary process, news has come out that there are still untold stories. Apparently, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum negotiated to team up against Mitt Romney. Ok, this doesn’t sound like a one meeting kind ...read more
In all the hoopla about James O'Keefe and Rand Paul's filibuster (still support him on that), I completely forgot aout International Women's Day (IWD), which was yesterday. I was impressed to read the list of countries who now recognize the day. IWD has been observed since the ...read more
The Daily Banter Headline Grab. From Yahoo! News: The Supreme Court on Friday set in motion its constitutional machinery on the issue of same-sex marriage, probably producing a result in June, the most popular month for weddings. Friday thus marked a bold beginning, ...read more
The Daily Banter Headline Grab. From Reuters: Hundreds of well-wishers braved cold and rain to celebrate 140 weddings at Seattle City Hall on Sunday, marking the first day that same-sex couples can marry in Washington state. Washington, Maine and Maryland last month became ...read more
