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via Lila Shapiro, The Huffington Post Continuing its efforts to fight same-sex marriage in four ballot measures around the United States, the Catholic Church is now the top donor to the cause among religious institutions, according to a new report from the Human Rights Campaign. This fall in Washington, Maryland and Maine, voters will decide … Continue reading
via David Ariosio, CNN A federal appeals court in New York on Thursday became the nation’s second to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act, finding that the Clinton-era law’s denial of federal benefits to married same-sex couples is unconstitutional. The divisive act, which was passed in 1996, bars federal recognition of same-sex marriages and … Continue reading
via Kris Maher, The Wall Street Journal A Pennsylvania judge on Tuesday blocked the state’s controversial voter-identification law from taking effect in time for the November election. Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson said he thought the measure, which would have required voters to show a photo ID at polls, could have kept some people from … Continue reading
via Scott Bauer, The Huffington Post A Wisconsin judge on Friday struck down nearly all of the state law championed by Gov. Scott Walker that effectively ended collective bargaining rights for most public workers. Walker’s administration immediately vowed to appeal, while unions, which have vigorously fought the law, declared victory. But what the ruling meant … Continue reading
via The Associated Press, The Washington Post Voters in this presidential election may face the starkest choice ever on the hot-button social issues of same-sex marriage, abortion rights and access to birth control. Even as most voters tell pollsters the economy is their chief concern, advocacy groups on the left and right are in high … Continue reading
via Basil Katz, The Huffington Post Last week, federal prosecutors appealed a U.S. judge’s order barring enforcement of part of a law that permits indefinite military detention for those deemed to have “substantially supported” al Qaeda, the Taliban or “associated forces.” Manhattan federal court Judge Katherine Forrest in May ruled in favor of activists and … 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 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 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
via Associated Press, The Washington Post If you’ve ever lied to a potential Internet date about your weight, texted your spouse that you were someplace you weren’t or emailed mom to say how much you love that ugly new sweater, you were breaking the law if you did it in Rhode Island. But state lawmakers … Continue reading
via Mary Long, Media Bistro The City of New York sent a subpoena to Twitter in February demanding it release all of Occupy Wall Street protestor Malcolm Harris’ tweets between September 15 and December 31 2011, as well as his email address and any other user information associated with his account. Well, after a lot … Continue reading
[Editress’ Note: Read the Supreme Court’s full decision here.] via Robert Barnes and N.C. Aizenman, The Washington Post The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the individual health-insurance mandate that is at the heart of President Obama’s landmark health-care law, saying the mandate is permissible under Congress’s taxing authority. The potentially game-changing decision — a major … Continue reading
via Peter Landers, The Wall Street Journal The Supreme Court is ruling next week on the Obama health law. Of the many possible scenarios, here are the most likely four, shown in order of how much of the law would be struck down: Scenario #1: The entire law is upheld. After all is said and … Continue reading
via Sophia Tareen, The Huffington Post More than two dozen gay and lesbian couples filed lawsuits Wednesday arguing that it’s unconstitutional for Illinois to deny them the right to marry, a move advocates hope will lead to legalized same-sex marriage in the state. The two lawsuits – backed by the American Civil Liberties Union of … Continue reading
via Ruth Marcus, The Washington Post President Obama is walking a tightrope on same-sex marriage, teetering between his stated view that marriage is the province of the states and his legal position that refusal to recognize same-sex marriage can violate the Constitution. In his interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts, the president emphasized the traditional state … Continue reading
via The Huffington Post The wife of a North Carolina state senator reportedly told poll workers during early voting Monday that an amendment sponsored by her husband was intended partially to protect the Caucasian race. Jodie Brunstetter is the wife of state Sen. Peter Brunstetter (R), a supporter of Amendment 1, which would change North … Continue reading
via Ronald J. Krotoszynski, The New York Times Every four years, we witness the spectacle of the presidential nominating conventions. And every four years, host cities, party leaders and police officials devise ever more creative ways of distancing protesters from the politicians, delegates and journalists attending these stage-managed affairs. The goal is to trivialize and … Continue reading
via E.J. Dionne Jr., The Washington Post Conservatives are not accustomed to being on the defensive. They have long experience with attacking the evils of the left and the abuses of activist judges. They love to assail “tax-and-spend liberals” without ever discussing who should be taxed or what government money is actually spent on. They … Continue reading
via David G. Savage, L.A. Times The Supreme Court’s conservative justices said Wednesday they are prepared to strike down President Obama’s healthcare law entirely. Picking up where they left off Tuesday, the conservatives said they thought a decision striking down the law’s controversial individual mandate to purchase health insurance means the whole statute should fall … Continue reading
via Mark Sherman and Jesse J. Holland, The Huffington Post Sharp questioning by the Supreme Court’s conservative justices cast serious doubt Tuesday on the survival of the individual insurance requirement at the heart of President Barack Obama’s historic health care overhaul. Arguments at the high court focused on whether the mandate for virtually every American … Continue reading
via CBS News The Supreme Court finished Monday the first of three days of arguments on the fate of the Obama administration’s overhaul of the nation’s health care system. The justices appear unlikely to allow an obscure tax law to derail the case. A decision is expected by late June, in the midst of a … Continue reading
via Jim Garrison, The Huffington Post President Obama’s National Defense Resources Preparedness Executive Order of March 16 does to the country as a whole what the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act did to the Constitution in particular — completely eviscerates any due process or judicial oversight for any action by the Government deemed in the … Continue reading
via Laura Bassett, The Huffington Post As the only Republican Congressman at a rally for the Equal Rights Amendment on Thursday, Rep. Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.) gave women an unexpected piece of advice: Give your money to Democrats. “I think these are very precarious times for women, it seems. So many of your rights are under … Continue reading
[Editress’ Note: Today marks the 40th anniversary of the day Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment in 1972, which guarantees equal protection under the law regardless of sex, but today it is still not included in our Constitution. Today we are facing a War on Women. We must fight back. The ERA must be ratified … Continue reading
via Editorial Board, The New York Times State legislators in New Hampshire, who are on the verge of writing government-sanctioned discrimination back into state law, might want to take a look at a powerful ruling on marriage equality by the federal appeals court in San Francisco. A three-judge panel on the court ruled 2 to … Continue reading
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