Republicans Go From Anti-Gay to No Way on Arizona Bill - By Eleanor Clift

[DonViejo]

The SB 1062 bill that was once a big hit is now taking one, as its own GOP supporters have started changing their minds. Now it’s in the hands of Tea Party favorite Arizona Governor Jan Brewer. Whether that’s a good thing is still TBD.

With all but three Republicans in the Arizona legislature voting for a bill characterized as anti-gay, and with every Democrat in opposition, the early betting was that Arizona Governor Jan Brewer would sign SB 1062. A Tea Party favorite, she had signed tough anti-immigrant legislation and once famously wagged her finger in President Obama’s face during an airport tarmac encounter. The image went viral.

Brewer is not someone to be trifled with. But when it comes to anti-gay legislation, which is tantamount these days to anti-business legislation, her allies on the right went too far with SB 1062. The bill expands Arizona’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act for individuals to include associations, businesses and churches in refusing to serve people whose life choices they find morally objectionable.

The bill passed Thursday, and by 8 a.m. Friday morning, Barry Broome, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council had e-mailed and hand-delivered a letter to Brewer warning her of costly litigation if the bill becomes law, including the loss of jobs and a potential threat to next year’s Super Bowl, set for Feb. 1 in Arizona. “It’s a little bit like our Olympics,” Broome says. “We want people to come and see how beautiful the state is. We didn’t want it to become an easy target for protests.”

Broome recalled how painful it was to see the state characterized as anti-immigrant after Brewer signed a new immigration law in 2010. “We didn’t want a repeat performance of that,” he says, which is why he got out fast with the business community’s position. “This is a diverse and vibrant community. We’re the fifth largest LGBT community in the U.S., and there’s just no place for discriminatory attitudes,” he tells The Daily Beast. “The bill creates a lot of problems for us, plus it’s morally wrong.”

more
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/02/25/once-supportive-republicans-go-from-anti-gay-to-no-way.html

[Cha]

1. Yeah, all great points.. especially the last one..

“This is a diverse and vibrant community. We’re the fifth largest LGBT community in the U.S., and there’s just no place for discriminatory attitudes,” he tells The Daily Beast. “The bill creates a lot of problems for us, plus it’s morally wrong.”

I don't know why great articles in Politics 2014 don't get REC'D!

thanks DViejo~

[DFW]

2. "morally wrong" won't carry a lot of weight with Brewer

"Financially wrong," on the other hand, will not escape her attention, which is why she is dragging her decision out.

[moriah]

3. Churches should pretty much be allowed to associate with whoever they want to. And are.

A church was allowed to refuse to marry an interracial couple. They suck, but it's allowed. And who would find much comfort in a church that didn't welcome you? It'd not be worth going. Or having your wedding there IMHO.

The rest is totally fucked and I'm glad for the Superbowl being there if it helps keep it from passing.