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Friday, November 26th, 2010
Iowa Republicans say state spending and jobs will take precedence over social issues such as gay marriage at the upcoming legislative session.
Although many Republicans have been strongly opposed to the legalization of gay marriage in Iowa, House Speaker-elect Kraig Paulsen says he thinks voters are most concerned about reducing the size of government and creating jobs.
Tim Albrecht, a spokesman for Gov-elect Terry Branstad agrees, saying the Republican stressed jobs in his campaign because that’s what people care about most.
Full Story from The Chicago Tribune
Click here for gay marriage resources in Iowa.
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Tags: economy, Gay Marriage, gop, ia, iowa, marriage equality, republicans, same sex marriage
Thursday, November 4th, 2010
While they succeeded in ousting three of Iowa’s seven supreme court justices, NOM will have a hard time pushing forward in any marriage repeal attempt, thanks to state Senate leader Mike Gronstal.
Despite sweeping GOP gains in Iowa government Tuesday, one Democratic senator will thwart efforts to allow Iowans a vote on gay marriage. Republicans will occupy the governor’s office and will control the Iowa House next year, and there’s a chance that final results could give Republicans a 25-25 deadlock in the Iowa Senate.
But Senate Democrats will maintain at least equal power – which will give Majority Leader Mike Gronstal authority to prevent a vote on a marriage amendment to the state constitution.
Full Story from Joe.My.God
Click here for gay marriage resources in Iowa.
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Tags: ban, constitutional amendment, Gay Marriage, gop, ia, iowa, marriage equality, mike gronstall, same sex marriage
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010
Former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad is returning for a fifth term after a 12-year break. Voters elected the Republican on Tuesday over first-term Democrat Chet Culver, whose loss made him the first incumbent Iowa governor to lose election since 1962.
Branstad campaigned on promises to rein in government spending and cut business taxes. He called for making Iowa more friendly to entrepreneurs and told voters he’d create 200,000 jobs within five years.
Those pledges played well in a state with unemployment of nearly 7 percent, the highest Iowa has seen in decades.
Full Story from the Washington Post
Click here for gay marriage resources in Iowa.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
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Tags: anti gay, Gay Marriage, gop, ia, iowa, marriage equality, republican, same sex marriage, terry branstad
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010
With 1095 precincts reporting, Iowa voters have rejected the idea of calling a constitutional convention. Sixty-seven percent of voters said “no” to the idea that was being pushed by a group of influential Republican strategists.
Every 10 years, Iowa voters get a chance to remake the state’s government through the constitutional convention. In 2000, the last time Iowans voted on whether the state should convene a constitutional convention, only about 32 percent supported it. However, following last year’s Iowa Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage, many conservatives began openly advocating for a convention to be called as a quick method to reverse the ruling.
Despite the attention, though, the convention only garnered 33 percent support.
Full Story from the IA Independent
Click here for gay marriage resources in Iowa.
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Tags: constitutional convention, Gay Marriage, ia, iowa, marriage equality, same sex marriage
Thursday, October 28th, 2010
If event attendees are any indication of ballot totals following midterm elections Tuesday, three Iowa Supreme Court justices up for a retention vote next week will overwhelmingly maintain their seats.
At least 150 people filed through security at the Linn County Courthouse Wednesday afternoon in order to stand in support of the justices, who have been targeted by several national anti-gay groups for their unanimous 2009 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in Iowa.
An hour later and five blocks east, supporters of the movement to oust the justices numbered 20 – and were nearly matched in numbers by counter-demonstrators. Supporters on both sides view the conflict as fundamental to the fabric of an ideal society, albeit for differing reasons, and emotions ran high when those of opposing views met face to face.
Full Story from the Iowa Independent
Click here for gay marriage resources in Iowa.
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Tags: bus tour, cedar rapids, Gay Marriage, ia, iowa, judges, marriage equality, national organization for marriage, nom, same sex marriage
Monday, October 25th, 2010
Two Polk County judges are the targets of an automated phone campaign that urges voters to remove them from the bench. The calls to Polk County households advocate a “no” vote for District Judges Robert Hanson and Scott Rosenberg, for their roles in Iowa’s same-sex marriage case.
The one-minute message is financed by the West Des Moines-based Everyday America PAC, which promotes socially conservative values. The phone message opens with a pre-recorded male voice:
“We are concerned citizens of Iowa who believe our great state is in a downward spiral. One aspect of the downward spiral is that of single individuals assuming power to override our will by usurping legislative powers and duties.”
Full Story from the Des Moines Register
Click here for gay marriage resources in Iowa.
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Tags: election, Gay Marriage, ia, iowa, judges, marriage equality, polk county, robocalls, same sex marriage
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010
Two Iowa Supreme Court judges defended their ruling in a same-sex marriage case and say opponents are wrong to claim the court was obligated to refer the issue to the state Legislature.
Chief Justice Marsha Ternus and Justice David Baker on Wednesday told the editorial board at The Gazette in Cedar Rapids that opponents misinterpret the Iowa Constitution when they argue the court was wrong in 2009 when it struck down a state law that banned marriage by same-sex couples. Some opponents contend the court was obligated to send the matter back to the Legislature.
Baker says the court would have overstepped its role if it told another branch of government to take up the issue.
Full Story from WQAD
Click here for gay marriage resources in Iowa.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
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Tags: decision, Gay Marriage, ia, iowa, judges, marriage equality, same sex marriage, supreme court
Thursday, October 14th, 2010
A faith-based Iowa coalition slammed the effort to oust three state Supreme Court justices Wednesday and pointed to comments about gays attributed to a Mississippi group that has bankrolled the campaign. The Interfaith Alliance of Iowa denounced the Iowa For Freedom campaign and its financial arm, the American Family Association, as an attempt to bully the justices because of last year’s decision that allowed gay and lesbian couples to wed.
The Interfaith Alliance, which supports same-sex marriage, pointed to purported comments by association leaders that a “sexually abnormal individual” should not hold public office.
Interfaith Alliance leaders also cited a purported statement by one group leader that claimed gays should not serve in the military, because sex with one another is a form of domestic terrorism.
Full Story from the Des Moines Register
Click here for gay marriage resources in Iowa.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
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Tags: election, Gay Marriage, ia, interfaith alliance, iowa, judges, marriage equality, same sex marriage
Friday, October 8th, 2010
Governor Culver and the top two Democrats in the Iowa legislature are scheduled to attend a fundraiser tonight for the Fairness Fund, a political action committee that backs candidates who support gay rights.
Gay marriage was a subject in last night’s debate between Culver and Republican rival Terry Branstad. The candidates were asked what kind of impact same-sex marriage has had on the state and Culver answered first. “It has not had an effect on the state of Iowa, other than allowing people to make their own decisions,” Culver said.
Branstad pointed to statements Culver made in the 2006 campaign. “Governor Culver has switched his position from supporting one-man/one-woman marriage since the court decision,” Branstad said.
Full Story from Iowa Radio
Click here for gay marriage resources.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
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Tags: fairness fund, fundraiser, Gay Marriage, goveror chet culver, ia, iowa, marriage equality, same sex marriage
Thursday, September 30th, 2010
Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Marsha Ternus said Thursday that she and two other justices have no plans to launch a counter-campaign against gay rights opponents seeking to unseat them for supporting last year’s unanimous decision legalizing gay marriage.
Ternus told the Telegraph Herald of Dubuque that she and justices David Baker and Michael Streit don’t want to set an example for judges by campaigning and raising money.
“How would you feel, as a litigant, to appear in court and know that the opposing party’s attorney gave money to the judge’s re-election campaign and your attorney didn’t? Is that the kind of system Iowans want? I just hope they think about it. This is way more important than whether any one judge is retained or not,” she said.
Full Story from The Chicago Tribune
Click here for gay marriage resources in Iowa.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
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Tags: campaign, Gay Marriage, ia, iowa, judges, marriage equality, same sex marriage
