Subscribe to Breaking NewsRuby-Sachs: Utah Republican Supports Civil Unions?
It’s not often that I find myself in agreement with a Republican, especially one from Utah. Usually they are way off on social issues and their economic strategies… well… eight years of George Bush can explain that one (to be fair, I recognize that Bush’s big budget spending was decidedly anti-Republican according to certain definitions of the word, but I digress).
Yesterday, the Salt Lake Tribune reported that the Governor of Utah, Jon Huntsman Jr., a seventh generation Utahn and member of the Church of Latter-day Saints, supports civil unions in his state.
Now, that doesn’t mean that Utah is going to get civil unions. The same article warned that 70% of Utahns opposed civil unions. But for Huntsman, times are changing sufficiently that gay rights are no longer worth fighting against. He even stated that the increased burden on the government budget sue to the inclusion of health benefits for same-sex partners would be “negligible.”
Huntsman has been no friend to the LGBT movement. He supported a 2004 ballot initiative that created a constitutional ban on gay marriages and domestic partnerships. Enough said.
Huntsman’s position on civil unions is particularly interesting because he is one of a short list of people potentially gearing up for the Republican Presidential Nominee Race for the 2012 election. As a political figure angling for a national spot, he is decidedly dividing himself from the Palin contingent of social conservatives in the party. This is a good sign. It means some Republicans, at least, don’t think they can win while maintaining such a hard line on social issues.
Likely, candidates like Huntsman will gear up for a stand-off with the Palins of the Republican Party and the debate will be between a focus on economic conservatism or social conservatism. For today, just the idea that some Republicans are moving away from a commitment to both small government and big bans on social behavior makes me smile.
Actions and not intentions speak louder. This is the fiftieth article you write about how wonderful the GOP in Utah is. When they approve something then write something. Every state has something or someone fighting for gay marriage or civil unions every week yet they don’t get this level of attention.
“I cannot help but be suspicious of these mormons. There may be ulterior motives behind this, like maybe then they can have 16 wives again.”
Who cares? Almost all politicians have ulterior motives, even when they consistently claim to be on our side, but the important part is that he’s supporting unions and basic discrimination laws when many others in his state will hate him for it.
Oh, and I think the title of this article should be changed, because Huntsman is not just a ‘Utah Republican’, but the freaking Governor of the state. Response to this article has been pretty weak, and I’m guessing the title is the reason why.
They can have seventy virgins (if they can find them) for all I care.
Mormons make my ‘rhoids itch, but they should NOT have had to give up polygamy as a condition for joining the Union … the Constitution makes that VERY clear: no Establishment, no religious test.
As long as the parties are consenting adults and the children don’t end up on the welfare rolls (as most children of closet ILLEGAL polygamists DO), then have at it.
But, oh, by the way, maybe women would like polyandry to be legalized as well?
Fair’s fair …
Non-profits (particularly PAGAN FERTILITY CULTS like the Romans and the Mormons) should be allowed to do whatever they like; the STATE should license ANY and ALL relationships between consenting adult humans.
It is not the business of the State to legislate a sectarian definition of a sectarian “sacrament.”
Are the non-profits who DO believe in and perform same-sex marriages any LESS valid BEFORE THE LAW than those who DO?
They shouldn’t be, in the view of the LAW.
Church and State don’t mix … a Baptist warden tried to prevent a Roman Catholic chaplain from bringing wine into a state prison to celebrate Mass, EVEN THOUGH the priest was giving Communion to the inmates in ONE kind (the Bread only, as used to be customary in the Roman Church).
If THAT had been allowed to stand, Romans, Anglicans, and Lutherans (and whoever else uses wine for Communion) could have been prosecuted for serving alcoholic beverages to minors, since most of those churches give First Communion YEARS before the age of eighteen.
I’m just illustrating that if the State mixes in the definition of the sacrament of matrimony, then it’s only a matter of time before the wing-nut Suthren Babdists (sic) get their knickers in a twist about wine at Communion, or something ELSE, like Friday night BINGO (the “eighth sacrament” among certain groups).
BEWARE MORMONS BEARING GIFTS!!!
Cheers,
Bud Burgoon-Clark
San Diego CA USA
2nd class citizen, thanks to the
ROMAN AND MORMON
PAGAN FERTILITY CULTS
and the
kraven kowardly konservative
kristianist kultist krazies
(KKKKKK for short)
I cannot help but be suspicious of these mormons. There may be ulterior motives behind this, like maybe then they can have 16 wives again.
This is HUGE. For those who are wondering, yes, Governor Huntsman is LDS (Mormon). He’s getting a lot of hate mail over this.
Please send a message of support to the governor.
Contact info can be found here: http://www.utah.gov/governor/contact/index.html