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via AP, NPR Dinh Thi Hong Loan grasps her girlfriend’s hand, and the two gaze into each other’s love-struck eyes. Smiling, they talk about their upcoming wedding — how they’ll exchange rings and toast the beginning of their lives together. The lesbians’ marriage ceremony in the Vietnamese capital won’t be officially recognized, but that could … Continue reading
via The Huffington Post Chick-fil-A’s anti-gay marriage stance has gotten some high-profile support by way of Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, Sarah Palin and other conservative lawmakers. But among their longtime customers, it’s a much different story. Polling organization YouGov found that the Atlanta-based chain’s brand approval ratings have plummeted in the wake of Chick-fil-A President … Continue reading
via Reid J. Epstein and Byron Tau, Politico Democrats are set to include a pro-gay marriage plank in their convention platform for the first time in history, party sources confirm to Politico. The language was approved unanimously by a 15-member platform draft committee, and now heads for approval by the full platform committee in August. … Continue reading
via Liz Szabo, USA Today There are no scientific reasons the world can’t chart a path, albeit a difficult one, toward the world’s first AIDS-free generation, a top federal health official said Sunday. “There is no excuse scientifically to say we cannot do it,” said Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and … Continue reading
via Reuters Scotland’s devolved government said on Wednesday it would legalize same-sex marriage after British Prime Minister David Cameron pledged to push through legislation to enshrine it in law in England despite church and some political opposition. “We are committed to a Scotland that is fair and equal and that is why we intend to … Continue reading
via Julie Bolcer, The Advocate New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn filed a brief Wednesday joining their constituent, Edith Windsor, in asking the Supreme Court to hear her challenge against the Defense of Marriage Act. Windsor, 83, is suing the federal government over $363,000 in estate taxes she was … Continue reading
via Rob Waugh, Mail Online A Russian entrepreneur who heads a hi-tech research project called ‘Avatar’ has contacted billionaires to offer them immortality. Itskov claims he will personally oversee their immortality process, in exchange for an undisclosed fee. Itskov, a media entrepreneur, claims to have hired 30 scientists to reach this goal – and aims … Continue reading
via Lauren Kelly, Alternet, Salon [Editress’ Note: You can only vote for politicians once every few years. You can vote with your wallet every single day. Make change happen.] — 1. Chick-fil-A It won’t be news to many readers that Chick-fil-A’s owner is deeply entrenched in conservative politics and social issues. The chain has … Continue reading
via The Huffington Post A Chicago alderman announced this week that he plans to block Chick-fil-A’s plans to open a new restaurant in the district he represents following recent anti-gay marriage remarks made by the chain’s president. “If you are discriminating against a segment of the community, I don’t want you in the 1st Ward,” … Continue reading
via James Arkin, New York Daily News A study by the city’s tourism agency, NYC & Company, and the City Clerk’s office estimates $259 million in overall economic impact came from same-sex marriages. “Marriage equality has made our City more open, inclusive and free — and has also helped to create jobs and support our … Continue reading
via Piya Sinha-Roy, Reuters The Muppets are ending their relationship with fast food restaurant chain Chick-Fil-A in a show of support for gay marriage, the creators of the puppet troupe said last week. “The Jim Henson Company has celebrated and embraced diversity and inclusiveness for over fifty years and we have notified Chick-Fil-A that we … Continue reading
via Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), San Gabriel Valley Tribune Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, represents California’s 29th Congressional District. Three weeks ago, in a decision all but lost in the tumult over the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Affordable Care Act, the Justices overturned a century-old Montana law that prohibited corporate spending in that state’s elections. In … Continue reading
via Hope Yen, The Huffington Post The ranks of America’s poor are on track to climb to levels unseen in nearly half a century, erasing gains from the war on poverty in the 1960s amid a weak economy and fraying government safety net. Census figures for 2011 will be released this fall in the critical … Continue reading
via AP, The Huffington Post The mayor of Boston is vowing to block Chick-fil-A from opening a restaurant in the city after the company’s president spoke out publicly against gay marriage. Mayor Thomas Menino told the Boston Herald on Thursday that he doesn’t want a business in the city “that discriminates against a population.” Chick-fil-A … Continue reading
via Scott Shane, The New York Times For streamlined, unmanned aircraft, drones carry a lot of baggage these days, along with their Hellfire missiles. Some people find the very notion of killer robots deeply disturbing. Their lethal operations inside sovereign countries that are not at war with the United States raise contentious legal questions. They … Continue reading
via Michael Cooper, The New York Times How well the new health care law succeeds in covering millions of the poorest Americans will depend largely on undecided governors of both parties, who gathered here this weekend and spoke of the challenges of weighing the law’s costs and benefits in a highly charged political atmosphere and … Continue reading
via Emily Le Coz, The Huffington Post * Abortion opponents say laws promote safety, better care * Mississippi could be first state without abortion facility * Nearly 40 laws passed this year, 60 in 2011 American women face increasing legal obstacles to obtaining abortions as more states pass laws restricting access, some so stringent they … Continue reading
via Josh Mitchell, The Wall Street Journal Student debt is rising sharply among all age groups, but middle-aged Americans appear to be struggling the most with payments, according to new data released Tuesday by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The delinquency rate—or the percentage of debt on which no payment has been made … Continue reading
via AP, The Washington Post After a confidential two-year review, the Boy Scouts of America on Tuesday emphatically reaffirmed its policy of excluding gays, ruling out any changes despite relentless protest campaigns by some critics. An 11-member special committee, formed discreetly by top Scout leaders in 2010, “came to the conclusion that this policy is … Continue reading
via Editorial Board, The New York Times Cellphones, e-mail, and online social networking have come to rule daily life, but Congress has done nothing to update federal privacy laws to better protect digital communication. That inattention carries a heavy price. Striking new data from wireless carriers collected by Representative Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, and … Continue reading
via Louis Peitzman, Gawker “Retroactively” is a word that might haunt Mitt Romney for some time. The Republican nominee has been railing against President Obama’s campaign ads, calling Obama’s assertion that Romney lied about his time at Bain Capital “false and deceptive and dishonest.” The ads, however, are based on the Boston Globe’s findings that … Continue reading
via Thomas E. Ricks, The New York Times In late June, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the former commander of international forces in Afghanistan, called for reinstating the draft. “I think if a nation goes to war, every town, every city needs to be at risk,” he said at the Aspen Ideas Festival. “You make that … Continue reading
via Sean Reilly, Federal Times, USA Today The cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service is within weeks of defaulting on a legally required $5.5 billion payment into a health benefits fund for future retirees. So far, it appears House leaders have no intention of preventing that from happening — they have postponed any action on relief measures … Continue reading
via Tara Culp-Ressler, ThinkProgress The Episcopal Church, which is already well-known as one of the most LGBT-inclusive denominations — the church confirmed its first openly gay bishop, Gene Robinson in 2003 and has supported same-sex marriage since 2005 — is taking steps to codify LGBT equality into its liturgy at its General Convention this week. … Continue reading
via Josh Gerstein and Darrenn Samuelsohn, Politico Chief Justice John Roberts promised not to pitch or bat, but he sure threw a curve ball [June 28, 2012]. By voting to uphold President Barack Obama’s health care law, Roberts shocked conservatives who thought they could rely on him to help sink Obama’s signature legislative accomplishment. Instead, … Continue reading
The Brandt Standard 