After a dinner with the Empire State Pride Agenda (ESPA) on Sunday, Senator Charles Schumer (NY) revealed his “evolved” support for marriage equality and a repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). As of 2004, Sen. Schumer supported only civil unions.

Sen. Schumer’s office confirmed his support this morning:

“It’s time. Equality is something that has always been a hallmark of America and no group should be deprived of it. New York, which has always been at the forefront on issues of equality, is appropriately poised to take a lead on this issue.”

ESPA Executive Director Alan Van Capelle issued the following statement:

“I want to thank Sen. Schumer for his support of marriage equality and the repeal of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. Like a majority of New Yorkers, Sen. Schumer recognizes that only marriage equality provides same sex couples the status, protections and rights afforded to all other Americans. We look forward to working with him to win marriage equality in New York State and around the country.”

Sen. Schumer speaks below at the HRC Gala dinner earlier this year. While he doesn’t mention DOMA or marriage equality, he does voice support for hate crimes legislation, repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and passing ENDA.

A Washington Post editorial today comes out in favor of the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA), which would allow gay Americans to sponsor their foreign-born partners and provide a legal path to U.S. citizenship.

The strain of the status quo on gay and lesbian binational couples should not be discounted. Because their relationships are not legally recognized by the United States, some couples have resorted to illegal marriages where the foreign nationals marry Americans to get green cards that allow them to stay in the country permanently. In other cases, Americans have exiled themselves to be with their partners. Sixteen countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, South Africa and the United Kingdom, allow residents to sponsor same-sex permanent partners for legal immigration. American gays and lesbians should not have to choose between their country and their partners.

Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy who introduced the bill spoke recently on Vermont Public Radio…

For more on the UAFA…

– Immigration bill to unite gay binational couples with path to citizenship
– Urge judiciary committees to take action on gay immigration bill (UAFA)

In what has to be one of the hardest-hitting news interviews in recent memory, John Stewart takes it to Jim Cramer on tonight’s Daily Show exposing the hypocrisy of CNBC and Cramer himself. And this from a comedy news show. Frankly the other news networks should be embarrassed.

Watch and enjoy…

Part 1

Read the rest of this entry »

Not surprisingly, a number of states — many of them conservative — are at odds with the easing of stem cell research restrictions put into effect by President Obama ealier this week. Currently Alabama, Georgia, Maryland, Montana, North Dakota and South Carolina have bills that would impact stem cell research.

As reported by AP…

While Louisiana already bans the destruction of fertilized embryos, the courts have not yet weighed in, Charo said.

In Georgia, a measure that would ban some forms of stem cell research on fertilized embryos is moving quickly through the state Senate. The bill would outlaw the destruction of fertilized embryos, which the legislation defines as a person. It is expected to face a vote in the full state Senate on Thursday.

Similar “personhood” measures have cleared one chamber each in Montana and North Dakota.

They come in the wake of a Colorado ballot initiative that said human life begins at conception. It failed to win voter approval last year.

David Prentice, senior fellow for life sciences at the Washington, D.C.-based Family Research Council, said Obama’s announcement Monday that he will free federal funds for embryonic stem cell research will rally conservatives.

“This is the beginning,” Prentice said. “I think there will be more to come.”

Many would suggest that any state that hampers or bans stem cell research shouldn’t be able to enjoy the fruits of its research. While I certainly wouldn’t go that far, the state should be penalized in some way without harming its constituents.

The true irony here is that nearly half of those states have some of the highest rates of heart disease and incidences of diabetes in the nation. Chronic conditions that could easily be reduced by breakthroughs in stem cell research.

It brings back that tired but true refrain “always voting against one’s self interest.”