{"id":20932,"date":"2016-03-29T04:57:04","date_gmt":"2016-03-29T11:57:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=20932"},"modified":"2016-03-29T04:57:04","modified_gmt":"2016-03-29T11:57:04","slug":"squatchs-open-thread-28032016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2016\/03\/29\/squatchs-open-thread-28032016\/","title":{"rendered":"Squatch’s Open Thread 28\/03\/2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

As I was listening to the car radio this afternoon, there was  announcement of a new contest — identify the voice of the news maker of the week.  About 20 minutes later, the sound clip was played.  I recognised the voice immediately. It was that of Ted Cruz.  Now you might say "So what?".  I live in Canada!  The fractious Republican race seems to have taken over here too.  It has been a pleasant sunny day today.  Not the kind of day they like as they go back to work.  OGIM!!!<\/span><\/p>\n

Short Takes<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

H<\/span><\/a><\/strong>uffington Post<\/strong><\/span><\/a> — Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal (R) vetoed a bill Monday morning that would have allowed open discrimination against gay people, a huge victory for the LGBT community and for businesses that had been threatening to boycott the state if Deal signed the law.<\/p>\n

“Georgia is a welcoming state. It is full of loving, kind and generous people. And that is what we should want,” Deal said during a press conference. “I intend to do my part to keep it that way. For that reason, I will veto House Bill 757.”<\/p>\n

The bill would have prevented the government from taking action against organizations or people with “a sincerely held religious belief regarding lawful marriage between… a man and a woman.” It would have opened the door to all kinds of discrimination<\/a> against same-sex couples. A state-contracted counselor, for example, could refuse to provide services to people in a same-sex marriage. Taxpayer-funded adoption and foster care agencies could refuse to place children in their homes. Government employees, a la Kim Davis<\/a>, could refuse to file official forms for same-sex couples.<\/p>\n

While I was out today, I kept hearing about Gov Deal's veto of the so called "religious freedom bill" which is not about religious freedom at all but about discrimination.  At the beginning of March, Deal spoke out against the bill which had not yet reached his desk saying:<\/span><\/p>\n

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“I think what the New Testament teaches us is that Jesus reached out to those who were considered the outcasts, the ones that did not conform to the religious societies’ view of the world and said to those of belief, ‘This is what I want you to do,'” Deal said …  (from Raw Story<\/strong><\/span><\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Good work Nathan Deal!<\/span><\/p>\n

Raw Story<\/strong><\/span><\/a> — The U.S. Secret Service will not allow people to carry guns into the July Republican National Convention in Cleveland, quashing the hopes of more than 45,000 people who have signed a petition saying attendees should be allowed to bring firearms.<\/p>\n

The Secret Service said on Monday it has the authority to preclude guns from sites visited by the people it protects such as U.S. presidential candidates, presidents and former presidents.<\/p>\n

Well we didn't have to wait a long time for an answer on open carry at the RNC in July.  Now, will it hold?<\/span><\/p>\n

YouTube<\/strong><\/span> — Stephen Colbert: Now You’ll Be Able to ‘Binge-Watch the Death of the GOP’<\/p>\n