Virginia Republicans Kill Second Parent Adoption Bill

Now that gays can marry in Virginia presumably married gay couples can adopt in the same manner as heterosexual married couples.  But, there are instances where gays - just like many widowed senior citizens - cannot marry without losing benefits they are otherwise entitled to.  To address this situation, Democrat Senator Janet Howell, who I have the good fortune to know, introduced a bill that would have allowed an unmarried partner to adopt the other partner's children.  The goal?  To afford children of such couples as much legal security as possible.  The response of the Virginia GOP - which disingenuously claims to care about children?  The bill was killed in a straight party line vote, with Republicans no doubt following the orders of Victoria Cobb and the Christofascists at The Family Foundation.  Here's the vote breakdown: 

YEAS--Puller, Locke, Barker, Favola, Wexton, Deeds, Petersen--7.
NAYS--Wagner, Hanger, McDougle, Norment, Black, Reeves, McWaters, Chafin--8.

The Virginian Pilot has more details.  Here are highlights:

A proposal to allow adoption by the partners of unmarried gay parents was rejected Friday by a Virginia Senate committee.

Thanks to a series of federal court decisions last year, same-sex couples now have the right to marry in Virginia. But some choose not to do so, and Sen. Janet Howell's measure would have accommodated such couples by allowing someone other than the spouse of a parent to adopt a child.

Howell, a Fairfax County Democrat, said children in such circumstances deserve the security and protection of two legal parents.

Adoption opens the door to additional health care options and other financial benefits, she said, and ensures that a child will still have a parent in the event of the biological parent's death.

Virginia doesn't require opposite-sex parents to marry in order for both to have legal rights to their children, but that's not true for same-sex parents, Howell said.

"We need to level the playing field," she said. "The world has shifted, but some children have been left behind."

The Republican-controlled Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee defeated the measure on a party-line 8-7 vote.

As the Washington Blade notes, Equality Virginia board member Catherine Read summed things up well:

“The Senate is killing all kinds of bills in committee because life here in the commonwealth is just so amazing idyllic for the straight white men who are the majority of ‘deciderers’ in our legislature,” Catherine Read, an Equality Virginia board member who lives in Fairfax, told the Blade. “To change the outcome, we need to change the people sitting in those seats.”

It is disappointing that even Sen. Frank Wagner who I have known for over 20 years voted with the gay-haters.

Virginia GOP Loons Threaten "Operation Chaos"

Few spectator "sport" are more enjoyable than watching the lunatics of the GOP base go all crazy and spittle flecked as they struggle to drag the Republican Party back to Neanderthal times and ultimate political extinction.  They laud uncontrolled mob rule and the more insane one is, the more one is to be supported.  Some in the Virginia GOP - admittedly far too few - do realize that the swamp fever must be stopped.  One is Senator Frank Wagner who I have know for over 20 years - we began our political activism and involvement at about the same time initially over education issues in Virginia Beach.  The upshot is that efforts are being made to rein in the insanity afflicting the Virginia GOP and block efforts to put the Christofascists/Tea Party in complete charge.  Having been to a state GOP convention myself once upon a time (when the GOP was much less insane), conventions are NOT representative of most Republicans.  Now, with the rise of the Christofascists and Tea Party in the party base, they pack conventions and the result is the trio of crazies that got nominated in 2013 for statewide office.  All of them lost. The Mason Conservative has a piece that evidences the reaction of the crazies.  Here are highlights:

It looks like Frank Wagner's despicable slating tactic to nullify any and all participation in the state and local politics by actual conservatives is spreading.  I am hearing this could happen in the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th districts as well.  So instead of trying to work together and broaden the party, the Establishment all over Virginia has made it pretty clear that they only want either paid lackeys or bootlickers running the local committees.  So if they continue to do this, there isn't much we can do.
Or is there.

What I propose is if the Establishment here in Virginia continues to use this tactic in order to disenfranchise any person who doesn't toe the line, we vote Democrat this year.  Just this once.  Consider this Operation Chaos 2.0. If they don't want us, lets see how they will feel if vote against them?  This a free country and in my opinion, it is the duty of the party to serve its members, not the reverse.  Unfortunately, when you get into power and surround yourself with paid yes-men, you lose sight of that.

Is this a radical step?  Yes.  Will this idea catch on?  I hope so.  Primaries are pointless if the system is gamed.  The reason why people like Frank Wagner and his ilk hate conventions is because it is a system that he cannot game, cannot control, cannot dictate the outcome just because he's a state senator.  For all the bullshit they spew about growing the party through primaries, let's see them eat those words when they have effectively thrown out the activist base that does all the hard work and actually believes in what fake conservatives like Wagner et al say they believe in.

They think we are patsies.  They think we can be bullied and put down and beaten into line.  But parties are overrated, they are simply vehicles for getting elected to enact your principles.  What is in your heart is more important then the letter after your name on the ballot.  If they want to play dirty, let's play dirtier.

Let's see 2nd District Chairman Wagner explain why Scott Rigell lost reelection.  Now THAT would be fun to watch ...

Personally, I support Frank Wagner's efforts.  Something must be done to end the swamp fever.  And if the lunatics do go forward with "Operation Chaos," it would be a good thing for Virginia and perhaps permanently discredit these nutcases.

Virginia Senate Commends Equality Virginia

The Virginia Senate passed a resolution commending Equality Virginia ("EV"), the statewide nonprofit that advocates for equal treatment of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Virginians.   My partner - soon to be husband - and I have been active in EV for years and many friends have served and continue to serve on the EV Board.  EV is the nemesis of the Christofascists at The Family Foundation, an organization that sadly has not yet been added to SPLC's list of hate groups.  The vote in the Senate was not surprisingly split on partisan lines with Senator Frank Wagner of Virginia Beach who I have known and counted as a friend for 20 years being the sole Republican to support the resolution.  As a successful businessman, I believe that Frank understands that Virginia's anti-gay policies which are backed by The Family Foundation are holding the Commonwealth back.  Here are highlights from the Richmond Times Dispatch:

The Virginia Senate on Thursday passed a resolution commending Equality Virginia, the 25-year-old nonprofit that advocates for equal treatment of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Virginians.

Nineteen senators signed on as patrons of the legislation, as did 23 delegates. One Republican, Sen. Frank W. Wagner of Virginia Beach, lent his name to the resolution in the Senate. One Republican, Del. Thomas Davis Rust, R-Fairfax, signed on in the House.

The measure passed the Senate on a non-recorded voice vote.

The fact that only one Republican in each house of the General Assembly supported the resolution underscores how much the Virginia GOP is controlled by The Family Foundation and similar hate merchants.

Two GOP Legislators Buck Latent Racism on a Local Level - Updated

Since this post at 7:00AM this morning the Virginian Pilot has reported the following:

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RICHMOND - The House Transportation Committee unanimously approved today a proposal to extend the light rail system now under construction in Norfolk to within blocks of the Oceanfront. The measure now goes before the full House of Delegates. The legislation was introduced by Del. Robert Tata and state Sen. Frank Wagner with little apparent discussion with local elected city leaders.

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Barack Obama's position as the Democratic Part nominee has brought issues of racism to the fore in national politics, but it's an issue locally as well and shows itself in many ways. In the Norfolk area, it has long played a subtle factor in why the area has been so slow to build a light rail system. Ultimately, Norfolk has decided to forge ahead alone since Virginia Beach has in the past opposed any light rail system that ran from Norfolk out towards the Virginia Beach oceanfront. While many reasons have been floated - even though the commute into downtown Norfolk or the Norfolk Naval base from Virginia Beach is often a nightmare- the real reason has never been widely stated: the Virginia Beach hotel owners and other heavy hitters in Virginia Beach feared blacks from Norfolk riding the light rail to the oceanfront. Now, amazingly two Republican state legislators (both of whom I know personally) are pushing to force the extension of light rail service into Virginia Beach, I commend them on their common sense and courage to defy the racists in their city. Finally, someone who wants to see Virginia Beach run for the benefit of other citizens besides the hotel owner group. Here are highlights from the Virginian Pilot:

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Two Republican legislators from Virginia Beach have introduced a bill that would extend the light rail system now under construction in Norfolk to within blocks of the Oceanfront. The legislation was put in by Del. Robert Tata and state Sen. Frank Wagner with little apparent discussion with local elected city leaders. “It’s time for this to happen, whether they favor it or not,” Tata said Tuesday.

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Tata and Wagner are calling for a major expansion of a $232.1 million rail system already under construction that will run 7.4 miles from downtown Norfolk to Newtown Road. The Tide is expected to begin operating in early 2010. Tata said he envisions the rail running all the way to the Virginia Beach Convention Center. He said it would offer a hassle-free commute to those who live in Virginia Beach and work in downtown Norfolk. “You’d be foolish to drive in,” he said. “I-264 right now is sort of like a race track , it’s so dangerous. Why fight that kind of battle? You could train in and save on parking fees.”

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Under the bill, HB6028, the extension would be built with public and private money . The legislation calls on the state to solicit a private partner. The company would theoretically recoup its investment and a profit by being given a contract to run the rail and charge riders a fare.

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Michael Townes, HRT president, said he was surprised but encouraged by the bill. “We’re excited that Del. Tata understands that extending The Tide into Virginia Beach is important to Virginia Beach and the region of Hampton Roads,” he said. “Whether this bill passes or not, the indication is that our General Assembly members are understanding of light rail and are trying to find ways to be supportive.” Townes said he has no position yet on whether a public-private partnership is the best approach.