Freedom Democrats

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: January 31, 2007 - 12:01 am ET

(Tallahassee, Florida) Legislation that would prohibit anti-gay discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations has been introduced in the Florida legislature.

Currently, the Florida Civil Rights Act protects against discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap, or marital status The Deutch/Skidmore Civil Rights Bill would add "sexual orientation" and "familial status" as additional protected classes. Florida's Fair Housing Act currently protects against discrimination in housing and public accommodations based on race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, familial status, or religion.

The legislation, introduced in the Senate by Ted Deutch (D-Boca Raton) and in the House by Kelly Skidmore (D-Boca Raton) would add "sexual orientation" and "marital status" as additional protected classes.

"All of Florida's civil rights laws should be consistent," said Palm Beach County Human Rights Council President Rand Hoch. The council had lobbied for introduction of the bills.

"Discrimination based on sexual orientation, marital status and familial status in employment, housing and public accommodations should be prohibited statewide."

In Florida, local laws prohibiting discrimination against gay men and lesbians in employment and/or housing exist in 17 local jurisdictions, including Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties, and the cites of Key West, Miami Beach, Orlando, Tampa, West Palm Beach and Wilton Manors.

In a meeting with the Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation Council Vice President Deidre Newton asked the legislators to co-sponsor the rights bills.

"Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation, Florida is not one of them....yet," said Newton .

In May, 2006, the Gallup organization asked 1,002 randomly selected adults aged 18 and above whether gay men and lesbians should have "equal rights in terms of job opportunities." 89 percent of Americans favored equal employment rights. Only 9 percent disagreed.

Please see http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/01/013007flort.htm for complete details on this story.

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 4:23 PM | Permalink

A Cap Times Editorial

Written by The Editor of Madison, Wisconsin Capitol Times

Jan. 30, 2007

Ever since Hillary Rodham Clinton made a bumbling attempt more than a decade ago to reform our dysfunctional health care system, federal officials have stood on the sidelines and watched as things grow worse.

This country needs a universal response to the crisis of 45 million uninsured Americans and at least that many underinsured. But it is neither wise nor moral to wait for the feds to get their act together.

Smart supporters of heath care reform recognize that it is time to let the states experiment with solutions. And U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, has taken the lead on this front.

Make no mistake, Baldwin remains a supporter of the necessary federal reform: a single-payer health care system. But she understands that the political will necessary to create a single-payer system has not been developed at the federal level.

So she has joined two Republicans, Ohio Sen. George Voinovich and Georgia Rep. Tom Price, as well as two fellow Democrats, New Mexico Sen. Jeff Bingaman and Massachusetts Rep. John Tierney, in sponsoring federal legislation to allow states to experiment with various efforts to reduce the number of the uninsured through a federal-state partnership.

Under the plan, Wisconsin could enact a state-based single-payer system, while Iowa could set up a system based on health savings accounts and Minnesota could set up a system of tax credits.

Ultimately, the systems that work best will provide inspiration to other states and the feds. The key is to ensure the flexibility to allow successful experimentation, and Baldwin's legislation does that.

The road to comprehensive health care reform is a long one, but this bill is a sure step in the right direction. Tammy Baldwin is to be commended for advancing it.

Please see http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/index.php?ntid=116831&ntpid=0 for complete details on this story.

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 4:11 PM | Permalink

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: January 20, 2007 - 12:01 am ET

(Tallahassee, Florida) Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) is being urged to issue an executive order prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in state employment.

In a letter to the governor, the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council says that executive orders have been used in 28 states to ensure equal employment opportunities for the LGBT community - Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

Council President and Founder Rand Hoch, in the letter, suggests Crist use Governor Arrnold Schwarzenegger's Executive Order as a model.

"Throughout his long career in public service, Charlie Christ has been a leader on civil rights," said Hoch.

"As Florida's Attorney General, he proposed and worked to pass the Marvin Davies Civil Rights Act which now provides the Attorney General the authority to take action when a pattern or practice of discrimination has occurred or when discrimination is an issue of great public interest."

In May, 2006, Gallup reported that 89% of Americans agreed that gay men and lesbians should have equal rights in terms of job opportunities.

Crist easily won the Florida gubernatorial race last November.

Throughout the campaign was dogged by questions about his sexuality. The rumors that he is gay began several years ago but intensified after he began the race to replace Jeb Bush.

Early in the campaign when asked about the rumors a radio show Crist insisted he is straight. Nevertheless, appearing on another station, independent gubernatorial candidate Max Linn said it was common knowledge in Tallahassee that Crist is gay.

The governor's office acknowledged receipt of the Council's letter but had no comment on it.

Please see http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/01/011907florida.htm for full details on this story.

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 12:01 AM | Permalink

From The Miami Herald

MIAMI-DADE

BY STEVE ROTHAUS
srothaus@MiamiHerald.com

Carlos Alvarez's campaign to change the Miami-Dade charter and become a strong mayor takes him tonight to Unity Coalition, the county's leading Hispanic gay civil-rights group.

But before gay activists support Alvarez in the Jan. 23 referendum for strong mayor, they have a few questions:

• Would Alvarez appoint a county liaison to the gay community?
• Would he defend Miami-Dade's 1998 gay-rights law if opponents sought repeal?
• Does he support providing insurance benefits for partners of gay county employees?
Alvarez said his answers may surprise those who think his politics are ``to the right of Attila the Hun.''
• Yes, he would appoint a gay liaison, as other large cities including New York and Los Angeles have done.
• Yes, he favors keeping the county's gay-rights ordinance. ''I would never support anyone trying to repeal it,'' he said in a Monday meeting with The Miami Herald's editors.
• Yes, he supports domestic-partner insurance benefits, like those offered by Miami Beach, Broward and Palm Beach counties, and Key West.

Alvarez said he ''doesn't have a problem'' with gay civil unions, but he believes marriage should be between a man and a woman.

During Alvarez's successful 2004 campaign for mayor, he told The Miami Herald that he didn't recall being asked to sign a Miami-Dade Christian Family Coalition pledge to oppose gay marriage and domestic partnerships.

The former Miami-Dade public safety director also said at the time that he opposed gay marriage, but did not know enough about domestic partnerships to take a position.

As a result, Miami-Dade's organized gay community strongly supported Alvarez's mayoral opponent, former Miami-Dade Commissioner Jimmy Morales, who had campaigned and voted for the county's gay-rights law.

''There is a perception by people that [Alvarez] hasn't spoken clearly enough about these issues,'' said ''Ron'' Saul Brenesky, vice president of Unity Coalition, which will host the bilingual open meeting with Alvarez. ``He has a wonderful opportunity to tell the world, the leadership, how he feels about these issues.''

After Alvarez speaks about the strong-mayor initiative, the floor will be open.
''It will be a forum for him to answer our concerns,'' Brenesky said. ``There will be two outcomes: He is either a mayor who is concerned about our issues or a mayor who doesn't understand or is uncomfortable with our issues.''

Brenesky believes that the mere fact that Alvarez is campaigning to Unity Coalition means that the mayor is trying to be open-minded.

"I think he does want to discuss it. He agreed that it should be in our venue, where we can get as many of the leaders and activists together. It makes him look, in my opinion, as an individual who is reaching out.''

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 9:49 AM | Permalink

By Beth LaMontagne
blamontagne@seacoastonline.com
Portsmouth Herald/SeaCoastOnline

PORTSMOUTH -- After a confusing and hectic start to his first New Hampshire campaign stop, former Sen. John Edwards told the approximately 800 people at the Little Harbour School Friday afternoon the future of America lies in their hands.

Edwards, a Democrat from North Carolina, called on the group to become a pro-active citizenry that tackles problems like universal health care, poverty and global warming.

"It's time for Americans to be patriotic about something besides war," he said.

But before Edwards even entered the building, he spoke to a group outside who were turned away because the room was filled to capacity. According to the Edwards campaign, more than 1,000 people were unable to get in, but only about 100 were outside to hear Edwards' impromptu speech.

When the former senator entered the gymnasium, he was greeted by a Foo Fighters song and a standing ovation.

Edwards opened his speech by acknowledging most Americans have been unhappy with the way the country has been run over the past four years, but he said change does not come from complaining, nor are problems always solved by politicians.

"I'm talking about all of us taking personal responsibility for America," he said. "That's what's got to happen to achieve the change we so desperately need."

This is Edwards' second presidential primary bid, having lost the Democratic nomination to John Kerry in 2004 and later serving as his running mate. During his last campaign, the former North Carolina senator focused largely on poverty and labor issues.

On Friday, Edwards said he is still passionate about helping the working class, but he also spoke at length about improving America's image around the world.

One way to achieve this, he said, is to increase diplomatic efforts in Iraq, not send more troops.

"There's no military solution to what is happening in Iraq," he said. "The solution is political."

American foreign policy should include involvement in humanitarian efforts as well as protecting military interests, Edwards said, criticizing the country's lack of attention to the genocide in the Sudan and the African AIDS crisis.

"We need to be the example to the world," he said.

During the town hall portion of the event, questions ranged from campaign finance reform to immigration and trade issues. The two topics that received the most reaction from the crowd, however, were health care and gay marriage.

Edwards was not specific about how to provide universal coverage, but he promised he would have a universal health care plan at some point during the campaign. He also dodged the question of gay marriage, saying he saw the need for equal rights for same sex partners, whether through civil unions or equal benefits, but that he personally struggled with legalizing gay marriage.

Overall, the crowd seemed pleased with Edwards; many flocked around him to get an autograph or shake his hand after the event.

"It was wonderful, better than I expected," said Elyse Barry of New Castle.. "I love his values. I'm not sure our whole country is ready for his very humanistic values, but it really resonates with me."

Jim Bresler was visiting from California and decided to include Edwards' visit in his trip.

"I think he's genuinely committed to doing good in the world," he said. "It's obvious to me he can speak off the cuff on these issues because he's thinking about them."

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 9:04 AM | Permalink