Defiance, rebuke on gay marriage (Romney goes off the deep end)

[Ediacara]

Defiance, rebuke on gay marriage
Romney aide rips Provincetown

May 12, 2004

Governor Mitt Romney’s top spokesman yesterday equated Provincetown’s plans to marry out-of-state gay couples with marrying children, as rhetoric heated up over Romney’s threat to take legal action if the town issues marriage licenses to gays who don’t plan to live in Massachusetts.

“What next, is Provincetown going to start marrying 10-year-olds in violation of the law?” Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said in an e-mail response to a reporter’s questions about Romney’s legal strategy yesterday. “Are they going to refuse to enforce the drug laws? Will they ignore the gun laws, too?”

“The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has an interest in making sure the laws are enforced evenly, not selectively,” he added. “And everyone, especially spouses and their children, has an interest in making sure marriage in Massachusetts is worth more than the paper it’s printed on.”

The governor’s threat is the latest in a series of statements from him and his staff on his interpretation of a 1913 law that he says bars out-of-state gay couples from marrying in Massachusetts. Last week, his top lawyer had told city and town clerks they could rely on applicants' sworn oaths, without requiring documentation of residency, as assurance that the couples comply with state law.

More at the Boston Globe

[meegbear]

1. What's next?

Allowing Mormons to hold public office in Massachusetts? Think of the children!!

(No offense to followers of the Mormon faith. Our governor is a Mormon and we are not a big Mormon state.)

[pennylane100]

2. How did a Mormon get to be governor of Massachusetts.

I thought that generally speaking the voters of MA were liberal pro-choice people.

Hopefully he will be a one-term governor.

Not to insult all Mormons, I am sure some of them are liberal pro-choice, its just that I have not met one.

[Ediacara]

3. I think the logic is along the lines of

"Well, we've got an overwhelmingly Democratic State House and Senate, maybe a little moderation in the form of an aparently moderate Republican Governor would be good for us."

And as we've all seen, "aparently moderate" has become "aparently NOT moderate."

[DrBB]

10. Well, the Gov in Mass (like Texas) is less powerful

...than the legislative leadership. It's really more of a "moral suasion" kind of position. If Finneran wants it done, it'll get done; if not, too bad.

[Bill McBlueState]

4. my take on the issue

I think the Republicans have had success holding onto the governorship in Mass. because they want it more.

The Republicans are so weak in the legislature and in local politics, so the state party figures their best shot is to win the governorship. In Governor Decaf's case, they found a pretty-boy of quasi-celebrity status who is fairly well-spoken. They poured all their resources into getting him on the ballot (which took some work) and getting him elected.

All they need is the governor's office, then their miniscule representation in the legislature isn't so embarrassing.

So I figure they just work harder than the Democrats when it comes to the governor's race.

[sniffa]

7. bLame weLd

he made us beLieve aLL repubLican governors wouLd be good.

[Betty]

11. What Weld ultimately proved

is that repub governors use Mass as a stepping stone to other jobs, neither he nor Celluci finished out their terms, and I am sure that carpetbagger Mitt is using this to set the stage for the Presidency.

[notadmblnd]

15. why cant he wait till he dies?

he'll get his own planet and he can rule there.

[clonebot]

16. "How did a Mormon get to be governor of Massachusetts."

come to california ;)

-- original message --
I thought that generally speaking the voters of MA were liberal pro-choice people.

Hopefully he will be a one-term governor.

Not to insult all Mormons, I am sure some of them are liberal pro-choice, its just that I have not met one.

[LeftCoast]

5. Applying laws evenly?

“The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has an interest in making sure the laws are enforced evenly, not selectively"

Except that the law WON'T be enforced evenly since hetero couples DO NOT have to prove residency.

Fucking two-faced spin-bastards. I'm so goddamned tired of all RW lies.

[DS1]

6. Get f*cked Romney, you didn't belong here the first time around

you arrogant prick

[rebellious woman]

17. delete

[LisaM]

8. Why doesn't he become governor of Utah?

Then he can make sure that the laws are enforced evenly in Colorado City, where 13 and 14 year old girls are forced into group marriage. I mean, if he CARES SO MUCH about the sanctity of marriage, I really think that's where he belongs. It's not like he is from Massachusetts, anyway. His father was once the awful governor of Michigan.

[Tracer]

9. Go ahead and stamp your feet, Mitt.

Nobody's paying any attention to you.

[young_at_heart]

12. People should not be surprised at the Mormon viewpoint

These people have a pretty strict view of how the world should be.

[Bluebear]

13. The more Romney speaks on this the more he is ignored

Massachusetts does not appear to be headed for the abyss when this happens, it's kind of a non-issue on TV news. I've seen stories on catering companies preparing for gay weddings, etc. and then a babbling Romney making his daily appearance to try to stop it but no one seems to be paying much attention.

[rebellious woman]

14. We pay no attention to Mittens, he doesn't exist . Dems rule anyway!

[Invalence1]

18. Your graphic links.

They work as links but on your post they remind me of photos of post tornado Oklahoma towns. Just a heads up, they appear to be corrupted somehow.