Wisconsin Governor
Jim Doyle has vetoed AB475, that state's equivalent of the Defense of Marriage Act. (For the text of the bill,
click here (pdf format). For Governor Doyle's veto message,
click here.) Although the bill passed both houses with more than enough votes to override the veto, the Capitol Times reports that "Democratic leaders predict their members will back the governor and uphold the veto."
Wisconsin Governor
Jim Doyle has vetoed AB475, that state's equivalent of the Defense of Marriage Act. (For the text of the bill,
click here (pdf format). For Governor Doyle's veto message,
click here.) Although the bill passed both houses with more than enough votes to override the veto, the Capitol Times reports that "Democratic leaders predict their members will back the governor and uphold the veto."
Governor Doyle's statement is framed in such a way that makes it clear the legislature's Republican leadership has neglected it's responsibility to address real problems facing the state. Instead, the leadership has chosen to attack Wisconsin's queer citizens. This provides one possible frame that can be used next year, when the R's come after Democratic candidates on queer issues: "Aren't there real problems we should focus on instead of attacking fellow citizens?"
Additionally, Christopher Ott, of Action Wisconsin provides another framing of the issue:
Christopher Ott, executive director of the gay and lesbian advocacy group Action Wisconsin, praised the governor's decision, saying same-sex couples already are denied the legal benefits available to married people. The bill "just adds to the sting of that discrimination," he said.
"It couldn't be clearer to these couples that they don't have the right to visit each other in the hospital, to make medical decisions for one another, or to share equal legal responsibility for their children," Ott said.
Attacking gay folks is anti-family.
P.S. Governor Doyle has since come out in favor of extending domestic partner benefits for state employees.
P.P.S. That this would occur in Wisconsin might surprise some folks. It shouldn't. Wisconsin was the first state in the nation to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, way back in 1982.