For the sponsors that would probably be a feature, not a bug.

Jobs initiatives, what jobs initiatives? It’s all about teh gays with republicans:

HCR 45

Urges the President of the United States and the United States Congress to uphold and defend the federal Defense of Marriage Act

Sponsor: Pollock, Darrell (146)

Co-Sponsor: Gatschenberger, Chuck (013) … et al.

Proposed Effective Date: 8/28/2011

LR Number: 1974L.01I

Last Action: 3/10/2011 – Offered (H)

Bill String: HCR 45

Next Hearing: Hearing not scheduled

Calendar: Bill currently not on a calendar

So, if you’re gonna “defend” marriage do you think any or all of your party’s potential presidential nominees should probably be successful at it first? Just asking.

The bill:

FIRST REGULAR SESSION

House Concurrent Resolution No. 45

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY



INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES POLLOCK (Sponsor), GATSCHENBERGER, DUGGER, WELLS, WRIGHT, LOEHNER, KEENEY, ROWLAND, COX, LANT, REIBOLDT, DAVIS, FUHR, SCHOELLER, ENTLICHER, HOSKINS, SCHAD, SOLON, STREAM, THOMSON, COOKSON, BROWN (116), HIGDON, KORMAN, DENISON, LONG, KOENIG, FISHER, GRISAMORE, CURTMAN, McCAHERTY, FREDERICK, SCHATZ, HOUGHTON, CRAWFORD, ELMER, HAMPTON, CIERPIOT, SCHIEBER, FITZWATER, HOUGH, CROSS, JONES (89), LICHTENEGGER, LASATER, BAHR, FRAKER, WALLINGFORD, RICHARDSON, JONES (117), FUNDERBURK, FLANIGAN AND ASBURY (Co-sponsors).

1974L.01I

           WHEREAS, states have plenary power to recognize marriages, to establish their own public policies with regard to the institution of marriage, and to provide for the benefits related to marriage in a rational manner; and

           WHEREAS, Article I, Section 33 of the Missouri Constitution states:

“That to be valid and recognized in this state, a marriage shall exist only between a man and a woman.”; and

           WHEREAS, Article I, Section 33 of the Missouri Constitution as adopted on August 3, 2004, is an expression of the supermajority will of Missouri citizens having passed in every county in Missouri and having passed by a total percentage of 71% in favor of the amendment; and

           WHEREAS, the primary function and purpose of Article I, Section 33 of the Missouri Constitution is to express the State of Missouri’s support for the longstanding secular and religious tradition of marriage between a man and a woman and not to invidiously discriminate against a particular class of persons; and

           WHEREAS, the extremely rare and perplexing refusal of President Barack Obama’s Administration to defend the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act in federal court, as expressed in a February 23, 2011, letter from Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. to House Speaker John Boehner, is a serious threat to the rule of law; and

           WHEREAS, the Obama Administration’s articulation of a novel legal theory whereby sexual orientation is elevated to the status of “heightened scrutiny” under the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution is without precedential support, and poses a serious threat to the longstanding rights of the states to recognize marriage and to establish their own public policies with regard to the institution of marriage:

           NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-sixth General Assembly, First Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby urge the United States Congress and the President of the United States to uphold and defend the federal Defense of Marriage Act; and

           BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Missouri General Assembly further urges the United States Congress and the President of the United States to uphold and defend the traditional right of states to legislate with a rational basis to recognize marriages, establish their own public policies with regard to the institution of marriage, and to provide benefits related to the institution of marriage; and

           BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to prepare properly inscribed copies of this resolution for the President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and each member of the Missouri Congressional Delegation.

[emphasis in original]

Jobs? What jobs?

Howard Dean is going to eat Newt Gingrich’s lunch in a debate about health care. Democracy for America (DFA), the outgrowth of Howard Dean’s 2004 presidential campaign, is sponsoring the event at SEMO in Cape Girardeau Wednesday evening, the 28th at 6:30.  

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (r – family values) via Twitter:

Just landed in tuscon on way to tuscon coutry day school and the basis school–two great charter school examples of what is possible about 4 hours ago from TwitterBerry

I suppose spelling is among those possibilities. One of the first things they teach school children in Tucson, Arizona is how to spell Tucson.

Former Speaker of the House (and paragon of family values) Newt Gingrich (r – who me?) posted about Roy Blunt (r – lobbyists) last week via Twitter:

I’ll be in Missouri on Thursday to support Roy Blunt for U.S. Senate. He’ll be a terrific Senator. Follow him @RoyBlunt 4:58 PM Sep 22nd from TwitterBerry

Roy Blunt (r – lobbyists) appeared to enthusiastically respond:

Thanks Newt. RT @newtgingrich I’ll be in Missouri on Thursday to support Roy Blunt for U.S. Senate. He’ll be a terrific Senator. 10:01 AM Sep 24th from mobile web

Great night for our campaign. RT @newtgingrich Had a great event in St. Louis tonight for Roy Blunt’s Senate campaign. 11:39 PM Sep 24th from mobile web

It can’t be about being an effective politician.

It must be about piling up those “family values” endorsements. Or irony impairment with overly dramatic music.

Via Steve Benen at Washington Monthly:

Huckabee, Gingrich urge political engagement in Va. Beach

…Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee urged Christians to get involved in politics to preserve the presence of religion in American life.

“I think this is one of the most critical moments in American history,” Gingrich said. “We are living in a period where we are surrounded by paganism…”

Yes, yes, let’s preserve Mike Huckabee’s and Newt Gingrich’s view of what life in America should be like:

Arkansas’ Mike Huckabee (r) – one gets the feeling he won’t do so well in Missouri

A sitting governor intervenes in the parole process, setting up the release of an individual who then goes on to commit another horrible crime. Sound familiar? Well, our political media will only cover a story like that if that governor is running for president, right? Think again….

Mike Huckabee (r) – this is really rich!:

Huckabee took thousands in gifts, records show

A $1,000 pair of cufflinks from a supporter, tens of thousands of dollars of clothing from a wealthy Little Rock businessman and thousands in gift certificates and cash from staff and appointees were among the lavish gifts given to Republican presidential candidate and unexpected frontrunner Mike Huckabee while he was governor of Arkansas.

The gifts fell within Arkansas’s ethics rules but have raised questions among the governor’s political opponents and ethics analysts at a time when scrutiny of the candidate is intensifying, and are at odds with the humble persona Huckabee has adopted on the campaign trail….

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich Acknowledges Having Affair During Clinton Impeachment

…Gingrich, who frequently campaigned on family values issues, divorced his second wife, Marianne, in 2000 after his attorneys acknowledged Gingrich’s relationship with his current wife, Callista Bisek, a former congressional aide more than 20 years younger than he is.

His first marriage, to his former high school geometry teacher, Jackie Battley, ended in divorce in 1981. Although Gingrich has said he doesn’t remember it, Battley has said Gingrich discussed divorce terms with her while she was recuperating in the hospital from cancer surgery.

Gingrich married Marianne months after the divorce…

Gingrich comment on shutdown labeled ‘bizarre’ by White House

Speaker: Clinton ‘snub’ was a factor

November 16, 1995

Web posted at: 12:15 p.m. EST

…As the government budget standoff continued Thursday, House Speaker Newt Gingrich indicated the Republican hard line was due, in part, to a “snub” from President Clinton during their recent trip to Israel for the funeral of assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta called the Gingrich comment “bizarre…”

…But Gingrich went a step further Wednesday by saying the incident contributed to the government shutdown…

On the other hand, for aspiring republican presidential candidates, waving bay leaf smoke and dancing around a fire at the Summer solstice is a really bad thing. Go figure.