Subscribe to Breaking NewsRuby-Sachs: Obama May Veto Hate Crimes Bill
CHICAGO - AUGUST 15: The F-22 Raptor performs stunts and tricks during the 50th Annual Chicago Air and Water Show on North Avenue Beach in Chicago
Today, it was confirmed that the Senate’s version of the Matthew Shepard Act is linked to increased funding for the F-22 Fighter Jet program. This, while a weird combination, is also a dangerous alliance.
Obama has stated that he supports an inclusive hate crimes bill, but that he will veto any piece of legislation that includes increased funding for the F-22 program.
While this may seem like a fair compromise: more money to kill people effectively abroad while also gaining more power to punish homophobes at home, there is no way that abandoning the smart decision to curb defense spending in a recession should be acceptable just because an amendment concerning LGBT rights is on the table as well.
Last April, the House passed an independent version of the inclusive hate crimes bill. The Senate has failed to do the same. That failure doesn’t mean we, the public and, more specifically, the LGBT public, should stop demanding that hate crimes be dealt with independently.
At this point, conservative politicians are pretty happy with themselves. They think that, either way, they’ve put Obama in a pretty difficult position. Either he has to backtrack on his promise to veto F-22 spending or he needs to offend, again, LGBT Americans. We, as a community, can extricate the President from this bind.
I am no blind supporter of the Obama administration. Often their decisions on LGBT issues have been short-sighted and offensive. But I refuse to accept that the only way gay-bashing can be addressed effectively through Congress is in conjunction with 680 million dollars in defense spending. We need to send the Matthew Shepard Act back, demand that it get its own bill, and allow the Obama administration to stick to their promise to kill the F-22 program.
Let’s undermine the clever move of conservative Senators.
Kari… what does carrying guns in Natl Parks have to do with Credit Cards? This is just the NRA having its way.
Damn right, Emma!
Obama is a “secret bigot” siding and teaming-up with the religious nut cases.
Kevin: Because they want the bill to pass and at that, they want the bill to pass soon.
Like it or not, this bill is not particularly high priority for the Senate leadership right now. The Sotomayor confirmation process is tying down the judiciary committee (which is also the committee the Matthew Shepard bill was referred to), and that may prevent this bill from advancing before the August recess.
If they attach it to the defense spending bill they can ensure it will get passed before then.
tjr: Is there something wrong with carrying guns in national parks?
This is the same crap that constantly comes out of congress. Do you guys recall when these CONservatives added the right to carry guns in National Parks to the Credit Card Bill? Now they do BS like this. Now more than ever I favor a line item veto, so Obama can sign hate crimes and veto the F-22 funding at the same time.
Trace, your dislike for Obama borders on irrationality. You would be better served directing your venom at the members of congress like the bigoted Republicans.
It is unfortunate that they had to add the hate crimes legislation to something that was actively being opposed by the president… You would think Congress would be smarter than that.
Also, that picture is not an F-22, by the way.
This is absolutely ridiculous. If amendments weren’t attached to unrelated bills government simply wouldn’t function. Are you seriously suggesting that LGBT communities ought to accept the lack of law enforcement and judicial protections that the attorney general et al say are needed to help keep us ALIVE so that we cut some millions out of a defense budget? Are you kidding? I certainly hope that you’re never the victim of one of these vicious attacks, although judging from the paucity of critical thinking behind this blog, maybe you deserve to be.
WOW, they must not know Obama very well. Hell, the man will throw the Gay and Lesbian community under the bus and not miss the next order for a burger.
Obama: Change That Ain’t Commin!
Remember if you are against hate crime laws for the wrong reason, you are actually for hate crime laws! Case in point: NPN (truthtellers.org)
I’m so sick of people saying that hate crimes create “an unequal form of justice” or however they choose to express their bigotry. The people who generally say this are white male straight conservative Christians. I wonder how they would react if someone physically attacked them for the sole reason that they were white, male, or conservative Christian. And the courts already consider motive in determining the seriousness of a crime. There are big differences in the sentencing of someone who is found guilty of first degree murder and someone who is found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Either way someone is dead.
What the hell? This is infuriating. Why is it that something so vastly different like hate crime law can simply be “attached” to funding jets? Why can’t we just have naked bills?
Politics as usual — and they are using equal protection under the law (and GLBT Rights) as a tool to “get what they want” As I said on an earlier post, we need to quit donating to either party, any candidate until they actually do what they say that they will do for us…equal/fair rights. Protections that we deserve to have, Rights that we deserve to have. Until they get this, I delete the Obama emails asking for money, and I will not give another dime to any political organization. Even HRC has been willing to throw us under the bus…so…until they use the money that they have, stop those donations too! If the Republicans want to play dirty, I am sure that HRC can give out some good old fashioned political dirt…and it’s time that it comes out! Same goes for the democrats!
The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill should be a stand alone bill. And it deserves a up or down vote – lets reveal the homophobic bigots for who they are. And unfortunately the are almost all Republicans.
Emma,
Thanks for your input. The problem with hate crime laws is that it sets up an unequal form of justice. Crime is crime. If you create different categories of crime then some violence will be given the nod, while other violence is dealt with more severely. Please watch Sen DeMints speech:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM6wtYp2o5E&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fdemint%2Esenate%2Egov%2Fpublic%2Findex%2Ecfm%3FFuseAction%3DJimsJournal%2EBlogHome&feature=player_embedded
Take care, Have a nice weekend.
The Senate hasn’t failed to pass an independent bill because the session isn’t over.
The fact that Sen. Leahy isn’t holding a vote in the judiciary committee on it (and thus it’s stuck there) is a different issue. If it weren’t for the fact that the Sotomayor busiess is currently taking precedence there, I’d be really angry at Leahy for not calling a vote for a bill he and half his committee are sponsors of that will easily pass.