The soon to be defunct - at least as a regular newspaper - Washington Times is carrying a story on Taliban Bob McDonnell's latest statements that underscore that he's no moderate when it comes to LGBT issues. While he has claimed he doesn't believe that gays should face discrimination, that apparently only holds true during campaigns. First McDonnell announced that he would not renew the executive orders signed by his predecessors Mark Warner and Tim Kaine. Now he's making noises about scuttling Kaine's plan to allow state employees who are members of sex couples to add their partner on the health insurance plan - at the employee's sole expense. Such a plan would incense the Christo-fascists at The Family Foundation (Daddy Dobson's Virginia affiliate that probably loved the Uganda "kill gays" bill), so I suspect that it's safe to say that McDonnell will find some "cost" to the state as a reason to kill the plan. Here are some highlights:*
Republican Gov.-elect Robert F. McDonnell says a proposal by Gov. Tim Kaine that would grant benefits to the partners of gay state employees likely won't survive into his administration if it comes with a price tag.
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The proposal by Mr. Kaine, a Democrat, would extend benefits to any qualified adult living in the home of a state employee. Mr. McDonnell on Tuesday called that public health goal laudable but said he needed to see the regulation and a specific cost analysis. "I don't think we can afford any new state expenditures due to the $3 billion shortfall," Mr. McDonnell said.
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Lawyers for the incoming governor have been looking at the proposal, Mr. McDonnell said, but "concepts are concepts. I want to see the regulation before I can comment any further."
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Mr. McDonnell said he likes the idea that it would be the state extending benefits as opposed to the federal government.
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"I'm certainly supportive of public and private sector insurance-based programs to expand health insurance," he said, noting that it could help a significant number of the 15 percent or 16 percent of uninsured Virginians.
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But the outgoing governor's proposal raises too many questions to determine whether it would be feasible without further analysis, Mr. McDonnell said. He wants to know if there will be a limit on the number of people per house who can be covered, who has to pay, and whether it would expand the cost to the entire state pool of employees.
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Early in his tenure as Attorney General in February 2006, Mr. McDonnell declared Mr. Kaine's Executive Order No. 1 unconstitutional. The order added sexual orientation as a protected class of employment within state government. Mr. McDonnell argued that the governor exceeded his authority by effectively changing the law in an area where the General Assembly had indicated precedence.
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Republican Gov.-elect Robert F. McDonnell says a proposal by Gov. Tim Kaine that would grant benefits to the partners of gay state employees likely won't survive into his administration if it comes with a price tag.
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The proposal by Mr. Kaine, a Democrat, would extend benefits to any qualified adult living in the home of a state employee. Mr. McDonnell on Tuesday called that public health goal laudable but said he needed to see the regulation and a specific cost analysis. "I don't think we can afford any new state expenditures due to the $3 billion shortfall," Mr. McDonnell said.
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Lawyers for the incoming governor have been looking at the proposal, Mr. McDonnell said, but "concepts are concepts. I want to see the regulation before I can comment any further."
*
Mr. McDonnell said he likes the idea that it would be the state extending benefits as opposed to the federal government.
*
"I'm certainly supportive of public and private sector insurance-based programs to expand health insurance," he said, noting that it could help a significant number of the 15 percent or 16 percent of uninsured Virginians.
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But the outgoing governor's proposal raises too many questions to determine whether it would be feasible without further analysis, Mr. McDonnell said. He wants to know if there will be a limit on the number of people per house who can be covered, who has to pay, and whether it would expand the cost to the entire state pool of employees.
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Early in his tenure as Attorney General in February 2006, Mr. McDonnell declared Mr. Kaine's Executive Order No. 1 unconstitutional. The order added sexual orientation as a protected class of employment within state government. Mr. McDonnell argued that the governor exceeded his authority by effectively changing the law in an area where the General Assembly had indicated precedence.
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My advice to LGBT citizens contemplating a move to Virginia is simple: DON'T DO IT. And in addition, make sure you let people know that your decision is based on Virginia's anti-gay laws. Hopefully, at some point the business community will grow some balls and take on the Christianists.
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