Much, if not all, of the American movement for LGBT civil rights today depends on Lawrence v. Texas, the 2003 case in which the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Texas' sodomy law. From that moment on, being gay in this country could no longer be a crime. As Talking Points Memo notes today, Texas Governor Rick Perry called the anti-gay law "appropriate" (h/t @raustin31), objected to the SCOTUS ruling and campaigned against legalizing sodomy.
Governor Perry got asked about Lawrence v. Texas today in Iowa. Here's his answer:
His question is how do I defend my criticism of limited government in Lawrence v. Texas. Listen, here's the issue that I have. I don't dislike government. I just want government to work. We have a federal government that is out of control from the standpoint of spending, and I wish I could tell you I knew every Supreme Court case. I don't. I'm not even going to try to go through every Supreme Court case. I’m not a lawyer, but here's what I do know, I know they're spending too much money in Washington, D.C., and $15 trillion worth of debt is on the back of that young man right there. And if we don't go in and cut the size of government, court cases aren't going to make one tinker's heck.
After the event, NBC's Carrie Dann reports, Governor Perry acknowledged that he didn't know what Lawrence v. Texas was about. A refresher: Really big government telling consenting adults what they could do in the privacy of their homes.
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W2 appears have about three or four prepared spiels for any question that comes his way. I remember watching one of the debates and he was asked about the mideast or something and after a couple of inane sentences about Israel, he promptly segued into a rather meaningless anti-Obama rant and IIRC, he never did answer the actual question that he was asked. This appears to be the same type of no-answer "answer" from the same guy. Except this time there wasn't even any applause from right wing people who didn't seem to notice that he wasn't answering the question. Or even trying to.
I love it when I get around my Republican friends to talk about Perry. They call him a Bozo, and an embarrassment to TX. I say, "Yes, and I can say that I didn't vote for him."
Rachel Maddow and Company are making a valiant effort to describe some civil rights as "big government" vs. "small government" issues, to expose the hypocrisy of the Republican TEA Party GOP. Unfortunately, this doesn't work. The people willing to acknowledge it are already on your side. The other side simply doesn't agree that it's an issue of big government. It's a religious issue, for them. Hit them where they live. Religion makes good people do stupid, evil things, like try to use the mechanisms of government to control who you can have sex with, and in what positions. Rick Perry is a religious nut job. Call him that.
Gary, I'd agree with you, except that in this case, Perry went beyond his personal religious ("nut job") convictions and got other government representatives (ie, police) involved. Any time a governor can use the powers of his state to invade the privacy of a person's home, I'd call that a "big government" issue. As well, any time a Presidential candidate wants to refer vaguely to "making government work"-- and the only way of "making government work" is to strip away the privacy rights of some citizens who enjoy anal sex (gays, not straights), I think that this is more than small government at work. Religion or not, there is too much going on here that steps way past Rick Perry's individual religious viewpoints-- he is going into using his religion to take action against people he doesn't like.
Someone defined a conservative as being someone who is certain that someone, somewhere is having a good time. (or maybe that was a religious perjorative?) Still works!
The original quote was about Puritans. Probably the same thing, though.
Garry the original quote is;
"Puritan: Someone who is afraid that somewhere, someone is having a good time"
H.L. Mencken
Still fits though. Conservatives are our age Puritans.
Mencken's quote: Immorality is defined as the the morality of those who are having a better time.
BTW, what is that thing behind his head? It reminded me of Night Court when Bull used to stand in front of those two lights that looked like some weird type of ears or horns or something. Except this looked more like a large black cylinder into which things might go, never to be seen or heard from again. And it appeared to be almost connected to his head.
Also, what is that thing between his shoulders?
And what's that between his ears? Oh wait, that's air....or maybe helium.
How do you defend your opposition to big govt. in the face of Lawrence V. Texas ?
I don't know all the supreme court cases. But you know and I know that spending is the problem.
OK .... Thank you Mr. Governor.
Lack of income to pay the bills is the problem. Cutting taxes cuts income to the Govt, and less income means not enough money to pay the bills.
You can cut spending (ie., "current spending") as much as you want. The problem is, that translates into "discretionary expenses", like salaries and bonuses, not long-term committed expenditures. In the end, advocating that we "cut spending" to reduce our debts is about as useful as telling someone who's unemployed to cut their rent and car payments. Ever tried that? It doesn't work.
Gov. Perry also seems to have forgotten about Engel v. Vitale (1962) and Abington School District v. Schempp (1963), wherein the US Supreme Court established what is now the current prohibition on state-sponsored prayer in schools.
Gov. Perry wants the government out of business when it regulates the environment or worker safety - or when it provides for a minimum wage but he has no problem with government involvement in religion
He is such a genius!!!
How could Republicans think to elect a man this stupid to the presidency, again?
To consevratives and Republicans, "small government" means that it won't tell me what to do with my company but it can tell you what to do with your own life - who you sleep with, whether or not you have a baby, what neighborhoods you're allowed to live in, and so on.
The Republican Party lost its soul the day that Ronald Reagan was sworn in.
And now for something completely different...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBluUZ4NnZg&feature=player_embedded
Get down little doggy
Um. Not fit for broadcast, mind you, but you guys need to google Glen Maxey on those pesky rumors about Mr. Perry and "teh gayz".
Methinks the girl doth protest too much...
It is obvious from Perry's answer that he is clueless. However, I would note that Lawrence v. Texas is just one of many cases that started with the seminal case of Griswold v. Connecticut. The fact that states still had sodomy laws on the books is a testament to the influence of religion. Griswold touched off the rabid anti-contraception campaign by Catholic conservatives within the church and resulted in the papal bull against contraception. In the early 1960's Illinois was the first state to reform its criminal laws regarding sexual activity between consenting adults. Many states followed with similar changes in laws. I doubt whether a significant majority of people are willing to go back to pre-Griswold because there has been a major shift in attitudes toward sexual freedom.
Conservatives have used "strict construction" when it suits their views and that is their arguments against abortion. This argument is selectively applied to conservative issues. It is contradictory to argue states rights and then propose a constitutional amendment against abortion and gay marriage. If you are for those amendments then you are against states rights. But don't tell that to the Republicans or their heads will explode.
I feel like I've been the victim of a bait and switch scam. Answer the question,Gov.
Remind the Gov that it guarantees him when blows his wife He cant be persecuted !!!
Anyone else get the feeling that Perry ain't playing with a full deck? No joke,he really seems off his rocker.
Death Penalty for Gays: Ron Paul Courts the Religious Right Fringe in Iowa
by PEMA LEVY & BENJY SARLIN DECEMBER 28, 2011, 3:32 PM TPM
Phillip Kayser, Ron Paul Endorser, Called for Executing Homosexuals Under 'Biblical Law'
The Huffington Post Luke Johnson First Posted: 12/28/11 05:33 PM ET Updated: 12/29/11 08:42 AM ET
the nigerian scam and spam has made it's way to American Politics...how do you lose or not even come close to being nominated and come out on the other side with more money in your pocket than you started with? Election Fraud has a new meaning!!!
Hi, I am an American Politician who is try to save my country from disaster. please send me 50 dollars U.S. to help me save the nation. When I get elected i will send you 100 dollars U.S. for your trouble....thank you, Newt, Rick, Michelle, Herman and Ron.
Truly brilliant Vampire =)
Maybe they took after those phony work-at-home ads?
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awesome!!!!!!
That's the "thing" about some folks that do not look at the "real world" because they look at a "place" that is described by their leader of their faith tells them they live in now and they will see when they "die". They seem to rely on the views of others more than their lot they currently are living.