On Thursday, a resolution was introduced that was in full throated support of the President’s escalation in Iraq. It featured 13 Republican co-sponsors with impeccable far-right wing credentials, including genuine nutcases like Bill Sali of Idaho. But the main sponsor of the resolution is the one and only Steve King.
In addition, the Representative from Iowa’s Fifth District has also signed as a co-sponsor (along with obscure Presidential candidate Duncan Hunter) to a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. It’s good to know that Steve King is continuing to introduce and sponsor legislation that has no chance of getting passed. Many people enter politics to make a difference but only a rare few enter it to make pointless symbolic gestures. Steve King has once again shown he’s a proud member of the second catagory.
February 12th, 2007
According to the Waterloo Cedar-Falls Courier, this week doubleplusconservative Focus on the Family ran ads in Iowa newspapers claiming that Senate Democrats are preventing Iowans from voting on a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. The bill is currently deadlocked in committee. In typical Republican fashion, the ad didn’t have much to do with reality (coughcoughdannycarrollcoughcough):
Appearing under the headline, “Iraqis Have the Right to Vote, Why Don’t Iowans?” an ad in Monday’s Des Moines Register took aim at Gronstal, of Council Bluffs.
When it comes to marriage, the people of Iowa should be seen and not heard,” the ad reads. “At least that’s the way Sen. Mike Gronstal would have it, as he refuses to let the people of Iowa vote on the Iowa Marriage Amendment.”
The ad includes a black-and-white photo, apparently of an Iraqi woman, holding up a single, ink-stained index finger. The finger, which appears in color, has become synonymous with Iraqi suffrage.
To update an earlier post on the topic, an amendment to the Iowa constitution would have to be approved by 2 consecutive general assemblies and then go on the ballot in the next statewide election.
March 17th, 2006
The Advocate’s site features an AP story on the Iowa Senate’s debate on a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, and it produced this fun little quote:
“It saddens me that Republicans have resorted to playing partisan politics with hot-button social issues rather than work to find common ground solutions to move this state forward,” said Senate Democratic Leader Michael Gronstal, of Council Bluffs. Senator David Miller, R-Fairfield, countered by saying Democrats are “stonewalling” debate on same-sex marriages.
I love it when homophobes use the word “Stonewall.” Really, it suits them. Either way, the article says that the Senate is deadlocked, and that if nothing happens now the issue won’t come up again until 2010. I’m not entirely sure why that is, but that sounds good to me. Maybe in 2010 we’ll have flying cars and everyone will be accepting of others’ differences! Maybe…
March 15th, 2006
