Pledges to Stop with Constitutional Amendment, Litmus Test for Judicial Nominees, DOMA Defense, Presidential Investigative Commission and D.C. Referendum
In the wake of President Obama's statement of support for same sex marriage it's worth reflecting on the stark contrast between where he stands and his likely GOP opponent, Mitt Romney. While Romney has been quite slippery when it comes to specifics on a number of issues he's done us all a favor by cravenly signing the National Organization for Marriage's 2012 Presidential Pledge, which pins him down on the subject of gay marriage:
CBS News: Mitt Romney pledges opposition to gay marriage
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has signed a pledge sponsored by the National Organization for Marriage promising to support a federal constitutional amendment "defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman."
The pledge also includes promises to vigorously defend the Defense of Marriage Act in courts - something the Obama administration has decided not to do - and nominate Supreme Court and federal judges who "reject the idea our Founding Fathers inserted a right to gay marriage into our Constitution."
By signing the pledge, Romney also promises to establish a presidential commission on "religious liberty" that would investigate harassment or threats against those who have taken positions against same-sex marriage.
The full pledge reads as follows:
I, Mitt Romney, pledge to the American people that if elected President, I will:
One, support sending a federal constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman to the states for ratification.
Two, nominate to the U.S. Supreme Court and federal bench judges who are committed to restraint and to applying the original meaning of the Constitution, appoint an attorney general similarly committed, and thus reject the idea our Founding Fathers inserted a right to gay marriage into our Constitution.
Three, defend the federal Defense of Marriage Act vigorously in court.
Four, establish a presidential commission on religious liberty to investigate and document reports of American who have been harassed or threatened for exercising key civil rights to organize, to speak, to donate or to vote for marriage and to propose new protections, if need.
Five, advance legislation to return to the people of the District of Columbia their right to vote on marriage.
Also worth noting, on the subject of marriage equality, and especially after the passage of North Carolina's Amendment 1, is that in 2008, Mitt Romney gave $10,000 to the National Organization for Marriage, for the express purpose of passing Proposition 8 and tearing the right to marry away from gay Californians:
http://www.deseretnews.com/...
Romney donated $10,000 to the National Organization for Marriage, Fehrnstrom said.
“The governor feels strongly that marriage is an institution between a man and a woman, and one of the most high-profile fights on this subject is happening in California,” Fehrnstrom said.
The contribution from Romney, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is “completely unconnected” to the church’s own involvement in the issue, Fehrnstrom said.
Samples of some of the truly slimy advertising Mitt Romney's money help finance can be found here:
BuzzFeed Politics: Three Ads Mitt Romney Helped Fund To Stop Gay Marriage
