Tagged with '2004 election'
Ban on gay marriage ends domestic violence (not really!)
Domestic violence charges cannot be filed against unmarried people because of Ohio's new constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Stuart Friedman changed a felony domestic violence charge against Frederick Burk to a misdemeanor assault charge.
Prosecutors immediately appealed.
Judges and others across the country have been waiting for a ruling on how the gay marriage ban, among the nation's broadest, would affect Ohio's 25-year-old domestic violence law, which previously wasn't limited to married people.
Burk, 42, is accused of slapping and pushing his live-in girlfriend during a January argument over a pack of cigarettes.
His public defender, David Magee, had asked the judge to throw out the charge because of the new wording in Ohio's constitution that prohibits any state or local law that would "create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals."
Before the amendment, courts applied the domestic violence law by defining a family as including an unmarried couple living together as would a husband and wife, the judge said. The gay marriage amendment no longer allows that.
John Martin, who supervises appeals in the public defender's office, said the office was pleased with the ruling but would not comment further because of the appeal.
Because Burk had a prior domestic violence conviction, the latest charge was a felony that could have resulted in an 18-month jail term; a misdemeanor assault carries a maximum sentence of six months.
"This case is a good example of why we need a domestic violence law. A misdemeanor assault doesn't carry with it a significant enough penalty for repeat domestic violence abusers," said Matt Meyer, an assistant Cuyahoga County prosecutor.
Some opponents of the amendment have said they hope the conflict over the domestic violence law would result in the gay marriage ban being repealed.
Seventeen states have constitutional language defining marriage as between a man and a woman. Ohio's is regarded as the broadest marriage amendment of those passed by 11 states Nov. 2 because it bans civil unions and legal status to all unmarried couples and gay marriages.
Let gay people get married already. This is absurd.
We should just do away with 'marriage' as a government sanctioned institution. Define some new 'quasi-family bond' that applies in particular circumstances, as needed. So, roommates, gays, heteros, whatever, you're all 'bonded'. "Marriage" stops being a government function at all and becomes wholly religious.
F--- the south
Mistakes, accomplishments & responsibility
Dad and I were talking about Bush’s mistakes and accomplishments last night.
This morning, I heard Bill O’Reilly say that one of Bush’s major…
Iraq, Saddam and Al Qaeda: Another Bush Flip-Flop, Lie, Mistake, Whatever
Bush says: From http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/11/20011110-3.html
We must speak the truth about terror. Let us never tolerate outrageous conspiracy theories concerning the attacks of September the 11th; malicious lies that attempt to shift the blame away from the terrorists, themselves, away from the guilty. To inflame ethnic hatred is to advance the cause of terror.
That makes sense. So, later, Bush claimed:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/09/20030917-7.html…
More Bush lies.
More mistakes, lies, flip-flops, whatever you want to call 'em.
Including a great quote from 2000:
"Al Gore has described these presidential debates as a job interview with the American people," Cheney said. "I've learned over the years that when somebody embellishes their resume in a job interview, you don't hire them."
That's Dick Cheney, talking about not embellishing your…
Bush: "We're not leaving until we succeed"
Okay... Well, with all those quotes, I knew I'd goof up eventually. I've been tricked! I used you this quote before:
"Bush called Osama number one priority…
Who's calling who a flip-flopper?
It's a Good Thing Bush is "steadfast". He hasn't "changed positions". He's no "flip-flopper". Once he makes up his mind, it stays that way…