Thread: Gov Walker says No hospital visitation for gay couples

Originally Posted by Unique POV

Gov. Walker: No hospital visitation for gay couples | Strange Bedfellows — Politics News - seattlepi.com

I'd like to take this oppurtunity to thank Gov Walker. The more extreme people of his ilk get in trying to marginalize the rights of gay citizens... the more people begin to see it for what it really is. This isn't about defending marriage. It is about discrimination and trying to prevent a certain class of people from obtaining their constitutional right to be treated equally under the law.

Once again, I totally agree!
This Governor may be a God send to demonstrate how absolutely stupid and prejudice people who want to refuse gay people their equal rights are!

This is so extreme that it is laughable! How can anyone refuse an adult to see anyone they want? How can anyone refuse a person's right to see a loved one in a hospital based ONLY on his/her sex?

This is so crazy, that only the most ridiculous, brainwashed people would support this position!

Pure idiocy.

The whole gay marriage issue is bullshit. If one is against gay marriage, then don't marry someone of the same gender. And then, STFU.

"Problem" solved.

Originally Posted by MattInFla

Pure idiocy.

The whole gay marriage issue is bullshit. If one is against gay marriage, then don't marry someone of the same gender. And then, STFU.

"Problem" solved.

At least we agree on this one!

Originally Posted by Unique POV

Gov. Walker: No hospital visitation for gay couples | Strange Bedfellows — Politics News - seattlepi.com

I'd like to take this oppurtunity to thank Gov Walker. The more extreme people of his ilk get in trying to marginalize the rights of gay citizens... the more people begin to see it for what it really is. This isn't about defending marriage. It is about discrimination and trying to prevent a certain class of people from obtaining their constitutional right to be treated equally under the law.

This sort of action is moving the Republican Party from being serious party with serious positions to a party of petty, bitter, punishment-minded citizens with revenge on their agenda.

A good reason to get the government out of marriage entirely.

Originally Posted by Unique POV

Gov. Walker: No hospital visitation for gay couples | Strange Bedfellows — Politics News - seattlepi.com

I'd like to take this oppurtunity to thank Gov Walker. The more extreme people of his ilk get in trying to marginalize the rights of gay citizens... the more people begin to see it for what it really is. This isn't about defending marriage. It is about discrimination and trying to prevent a certain class of people from obtaining their constitutional right to be treated equally under the law.

I wonder if he'll allow non-married heterosexual couples visitation? If he does, then it's discrimination pure and simple.

Originally Posted by Prince of Space

A good reason to get the government out of marriage entirely.

I have no problem with government being involved in marriage so far as civil law is concerned, and as the keeper of records and registers and court of law. I really have no desire to see each church deciding property rights, divorce rules, and inheritance rules for their members. That mess would become a quagmire! If that were to become the law of the land then we really would have a land where men could marry their burro, women are enslaved, and children are married at age 7.

Did anyone actually read the provided material?

Gov. Scott Walker wants Wisconsin to abandon legal defense of a new state law that gives same-sex couples the right to visit partners who are hospitalized.
...
Republican State Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen has refused to defend the law, saying he believes the registration procedure violates Wisconsin’s constitution.


“Governor Walker, in deference to the legal opinion of the attorney general that the domestic partner registry . . . is unconstitutional, does not believe the public interest requires a continued defense of this law,” says a brief from Walker, filed by his counsel Brian Hagedorn.

...
A gay rights group called Fair Wisconsin will continue to defend the 2009 law.

Shame on those who mischaracterized this, and those who enabled them by not calling them on it.

Originally Posted by Commodore

Did anyone actually read the provided material?




Shame on those who mischaracterized this, and those who enabled them by not calling them on it.

What is mischaracterized? It looks pretty accurate to me. Gov. Walker's team gave him the answer he wanted, which is in contradiction to the way it is supposed to work. In America, courts decide the law, not governors.

Originally Posted by noahath

I wonder if he'll allow non-married heterosexual couples visitation? If he does, then it's discrimination pure and simple.

I think that's the whole thing though, other than recognized marriages a lot of hospitals/insurance companies themselves don't allow visits from non spousal entities or next of kins, leave alone states per their own laws.

If in WI the law now states (or whatever he may have signed) recognises that only husband or wife may visit then that pretty much ends the discussion on it until or unless the law is changed.

If not then i guess it depends on the specific wording of the law.

Originally Posted by Traveler

I think that's the whole thing though, other than recognized marriages a lot of hospitals/insurance companies themselves don't allow visits from non spousal entities or next of kins, leave alone states per their own laws.

If in WI the law now states (or whatever he may have signed) recognises that only husband or wife may visit then that pretty much ends the discussion on it until or unless the law is changed.

If not then i guess it depends on the specific wording of the law.

If that's what the law currently states, then I have no problem with it ... for now; although it just highlights that laws often don't keep pace with change (whether that be social, technological, etc).

I'm not sure what the law required for Wisconsin, but here in Australia a "de-facto" couple is legally recognised after two years of living together in the absence of marriage. This recognition pertains to all legal matters, such as division of assets should the r'ship cease; the transfer of assets to the surviving party should one party die without a will; tax purposes, etc. This also now applies to gay couples.

Originally Posted by Traveler

I think that's the whole thing though, other than recognized marriages a lot of hospitals/insurance companies themselves don't allow visits from non spousal entities or next of kins, leave alone states per their own laws.

If in WI the law now states (or whatever he may have signed) recognises that only husband or wife may visit then that pretty much ends the discussion on it until or unless the law is changed.

If not then i guess it depends on the specific wording of the law.

There's a difference between a couple who has the ability to enter into a contract that can provide such protections but has chosen not to, and a couple who desires to entire into a contract to provide such protections... but is denied their 14th amendment right to do so.

Originally Posted by Traveler

I think that's the whole thing though, other than recognized marriages a lot of hospitals/insurance companies themselves don't allow visits from non spousal entities or next of kins, leave alone states per their own laws.

If in WI the law now states (or whatever he may have signed) recognises that only husband or wife may visit then that pretty much ends the discussion on it until or unless the law is changed.

If not then i guess it depends on the specific wording of the law.

From the article: "A Democratic-controlled Legislature, in 2009, approved a new law in which same-sex couples can sign domestic partnership registries with county clerks “to secure some — but not all — of the rights afforded married couples,” the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported."

So, right now, it is the law of the land. It has been challenged in court. If no one defends the law then the judge will have no choice but to find for the plaintiff, and the law will be found unconstitutional.

Part of the oath of office for a Governor is that he will defend the laws of Wisconsin. He is refusing to defend this law, which is a Wisconsin law.

One more reason to recall this meatstick from office with a recall asap.