NY's Gay Marriage Vote

I thought I discussed this topic before but sifting through this blog, I cannot seem to find it. Therefore I'm formally stating my position now.

As many New York State residents know, the NYS Senate is trying to muster the votes to legalize Gay Marriage. The last time it was up for a vote (back in 2009), it was decisively defeated as political payback for the then unpopular, "unelected" Governor Paterson.

I want to start by saying state government should completely get out of the marriage racket & simply give everyone who applies a "civil union." That way the religious institutions can keep the "sanctity of marriage" intact & approve or deny those they either deem worthy or not worthy as they see fit.

That's not remotely going to happen though. Religious institutions have convinced themselves that marriage is sacred yet they allow annulments & divorces.

Why do I approve of gay marriage?

If a gay or lesbian couple wish to be miserable for the rest of the lives just like a hetero couple is, who am I to tell them they can't?

Seriously though, withing the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution lies the Equal Protection Clause. The government "must provide equal protection under the law to all people within its jurisdiction." Unmarried gay couples do not have the legal right to decide next of kin medical issue in regards to their partner. They often cannot legally be put on their partners insurance plans. In many states, they are barred from adopting children. Its modern Jim Crow'ism & a wrong that needs immediate righting.

My favorite argument revolves around the revenue. NYS is facing a $6 billion budget shortfall, if not more. Married couples need a marriage license for their union to be legal. Licenses cost money. Since fickle NY'ers complain about having high taxes yet don't want their services cut, we gotta get the money from somewhere. The windfall from new marriage licenses seems like the perfect fit in helping meet SOME of those budgetary needs.

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In other news...
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This is Meagan, taken back in December.

It may not reflect in this image but she's a very creative spirit & an accomplished photographer in her own right. Nor does it hurt that her love of books has earned her a special place in my heart. :)



Feel free to comment away if you so desire.

Why are we Still in Afghanistan?

This October will mark the 10th anniversary of the start of the US-led war in Afghanistan.

During the debate for the Afghan troop "surge" in 2008(?), I kept hearing rhetoric about "winning the war in Afghanistan". It begs the question because no one has bothered to define it, not W's administration, nor Obama's, nor the Pentagon.

Does it mean crushing the operational capacity of al Queda? If so, we're losing pitifully if the White House's own statements is any account. The Pakistan-Afghanistan border region has the great no-man's land. Furthermore the Pakistani government is becoming more assertive in protecting its own borders from US operations.

Does it mean putting in place a functioning democracy as we know it in the West? That sure isn't it. Afghanistan is still tribally led & (arguably) has reverted back to a narco state. On top of that, international elections observers declared the latest elections held back in 2009(?) to be so flawed as to be invalid, a result of which Kharzi simply ignored.

Does it mean catching bin Laden or his #2, Mullah Omar? If so, they're still very much alive according to the countless video & audiotapes they release.

Does it mean installing a government that will ask us to leave? That sure sure hasn't happened & if the public statements by "President" Kharzi is any indication, he ain't going to. Furthermore Vice-President Biden has publicly stated that unless the Afghanis ask us the leave, US troops will be there until 2014.

We the taxpayers aren't questioning why we're still spending the money on (now) 3 wars YET think nothing of cutting our own salaries, cutting money to fund our educational system, eliminating helping the poor, eliminating the social contracts the government has made w/ the American people since the Great Depression. There's something wrong with this picture.

Do we not owe it to the GI's we're putting in harms to be asking these questions?


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In other news...
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This is Ally & Nicki, enjoying some inpromptu giggle time.



Feel free to comment away on any part of this if you so desire.

GlobalFoundries wants more State Handouts

At a time when area NY schools are considering extensive layoffs combined w/ property tax increases to meet their dwindling budgets, like the following:

http://poststar.com/news/local/article_d477e7f8-0ac4-11df-944f-001cc4c002e0.html

http://poststar.com/news/local/article_a20f6482-258e-11df-8d30-001cc4c002e0.html

http://poststar.com/news/local/article_9f2c4f42-2a38-11df-a254-001cc4c002e0.html

http://poststar.com/news/local/article_acb32dc0-2d85-11df-bd6c-001cc4c03286.html

http://poststar.com/news/local/article_af3d8bb8-337e-11df-92e6-001cc4c03286.html

http://poststar.com/news/local/article_dd41d08c-36e4-11df-8e95-001cc4c002e0.html

GlobalFoundries's request asking NY lawmakers for more "incentives" to expand their business (on top of the already approved $1.2 billion in tax breaks & cash reimbursements) to be politically tone-deaf to the entire economic climate here in the state.

http://poststar.com/news/local/article_27420224-38f7-11df-9d3b-001cc4c03286.html

Closing schools, prisons, & hospitals is considered ok (y'know those industries that actually work towards the public good) but when private business that are specifically in the business of turning profit come asking the government (regardless of what level it is) "bribes", whoops, we mean "handouts", those governments are to willing to bend over backwards & comply. Once the bribe, sorry, we mean handouts, end, what's the incentive for them to stay?

There's something wrong w/ this picture, people.

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In other news...
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This is an oldie but goodie of my friend Gabrielle.

She's one of those insanely smart people who is quite oblivious to how pretty she actually is. Its like there are so many character-traits that get noticed about her, the physical appearance almost is like an after-thought. Course its not like she'd care what other people think about that anyways. She's a total Ravenclaw, through & through.

If I remember right, she's doing post-graduate work in Elementary Education somewhere out at Cortland.

Anyway, she makes me laugh & is remembered for the now-famous line said in jest, "Making goofy faces is my one true talent in life."



Feel free to opine if you so chose.