MAINE, FIFTH STATE TO ALLOW GAY MARRIAGE. Man, things are moving quickly, no?
What...another one? BREAKING: NH Legislature passes marriage equality! According to Buster CT1K, a diarist at Daily Kos, the New Hampshire house voted to concur with the senate to support marriage equality. Now the bill goes to the governor for signature. Will he sign? I have no fucking clue.
Vermont legalizes gay marriage. And you know what's really amazing? The legislature voted to override the republican governor's veto of the bill that extends marriage to gays and lesbians. Two-thirds of each chamber voted for justice and decency. I really have to plan a vacation to Vermont.
And if that wasn't enough, there's this: DC to recognize gay marriage in other states. Reuters reports that "[s]ome city lawmakers lauded the move as a prelude to legal same-sex marriage in the U.S. capital." Four states allow gay marriages now. New Jersey allows for civil unions (will full marriage rights be next?), and California, well, the fiht continues. So, which state is next? Sadly, I don't think New York is ready yet, but you never know.
Good for Sallie Mae, although I guess things have gotten so bad here that it's just as cost efficient to move the call centers back to the U.S. rather than off shore them to India. Still, it's a first step. Now if only the government would kill the tax provisions that encourage businesses to move operations abroad and keep the money there. If that happens, Sallie Mae won't be the only corporation to bring back jobs back they outsourced abroad.
Thanks to John for the link.
Pentagon allows coverage of war coffins. CNN reports that the Pentagon will lift its ban on media coverage of the flag-draped coffins of war dead, but families of the dead soldiers will have the final say on whether to allow the coverage. That seems like a sensible plan. I am not happy with Obama's economic team, and I am worried about the planned bank bailout, but he seems to have made so very good decisions (so far) about some other important issues, like lifting this ban so that Americans can't pretend that men and women aren't dying in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Thanks to Mr. Slice for the link.
Illinois governor unanimously convicted, tossed from office.
Update: And it looks like the fine folks in Illinois caught a lucky break. Namely, their new governor sounds like a good guy: New Illinois governor made career as a grass-roots crusader. Yes, Illinois' new governor apparently has built his career "on grass-roots organizing to cut government and protect the little guy." And he's a former tax attorney. What's not to love?