Senate Passes the Respect for Marriage Act

More good news:  Last night, the Senate passed the amended Respect for Marriage Act by a vote of 61-36, with all Democrats and 12 Republicans voting in favor of the bill.  (Three senators were absent.)  Now the bill must be approved again by the House before it is sent to President Biden for signing into law.

 

It is important to note that the bill does not require any state to perform same-sex marriages, although at the moment all do. But if they should change their minds - particularly, if the Supreme Court were to overturn its 2015 ruling in Obergefell - all states would still have to recognize marriages legally performed in another state or foreign country.  

The bill as passed by the Senate also explicitly protects interracial marriages; does not require recognition of polygamous marriages; repeals the Defense of Marriage Act (1996); and provides exemptions for churches and other religiously affiliated organizations. 

See the text of the Senate version below the jump.

Queer Hutterite (2016)

The coming-out story of a young man who grew up in a Hutterite colony in Canada.  Which is essentially the same story all of us had to go through:  the conflict between the truths you were taught, and the truth you know within.

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Sunday Drive: Once in Royal David's City

The First Sunday of Advent

. . . they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,

and their spears into pruning-hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

neither shall they learn war any more.

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Waitin' for the Weekend

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A Day of Thanksgiving (1951)

Last year's Thanksgiving table at our house,
which I never got around to posting here.

A week ago, M.P. had a sudden whim at dinner and proposed that we should each name three things we are thankful for each night until Thanksgiving.  This is an excellent idea, and I recommend it to my truckbuddies.  It need not be a religious exercise, just a thoughtful moment of honesty and humility:  an attitude of gratitude is a healthy thing to cultivate.

The same thought is contained in this educational film from 1951 - the sort of thing that smug, self-satisfied sophisticated types roll their eyes and snicker at.  But there is a deep truth here that we ignore at our peril.

Having survived three miserable days without electricity or heat - off and on - in last year's Deep Freeze, my heart really goes out to all those poor people now suffering from lack of the most basic necessities in Ukraine on a scale never seen in America; and winter is only beginning there.

Don't think it can't happen here or can't possibly happen to you; sudden calamity or just simple misfortune can happen to anyone at any time.  Count your blessings while you have them. 

 

All good wishes to my truckbuddies for a safe, warm, and happy Thanksgiving.

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An American Hero

CNN interviews the Army vet who stopped the Colorado Springs killer last Saturday night:

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Horror in Colorado Springs

Another gay club shot up:  5 dead, 25 or more injured.  Nauseating.

 

The 22-year-old shooter is said to be the grandson of a MAGA state representative in California.

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Sunday Drive: Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

A beautiful presentation of the beloved harvest hymn:

 

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Waitin' for the Weekend

The magnificent Steve Kelso.

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Help Request

WTF?

The last few days, Blogger (long since bought up by Google) has been doing weird things behind the scenes that are working my nerves big time.  Unfortunately, there is no official Help Desk to go to, but I am working with a volunteer helper to try to get to the bottom of this.

I'd like to ask my readers, especially my longtime truckbuddies who are familiar with the Blue Truck, to please let me know if they see any strange posts here, or if the BT does not display normally.

Thanks.

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Mormon Church Comes Out for Gay Marriage

 

Huh, that's a shocker.  (Remember the Prop 8 fight?)  Read all about it in the Salt Lake Tribune.

And for your information, the Respect for Marriage Act was first introduced in Congress in 2009. and has been reintroduced several times.  But this year, the bill was finally passed in the House last July by a vote of 267-157, with the support of 47 Republicans.  

Now it's up to the Senate, if 10 Republicans will vote for the bill, and Democratic leaders think the votes are in the bag. So we should have more reason to celebrate soon; in fact, the Senate is holding a preliminary vote today.  So stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed.

Update, 7 p.m.:  The preliminary vote passed 62-37, with 12 Republican senators voting in favor of it.  A final vote on the bill is expected on Friday, after which the Senate version will be sent to the House for approval.

 

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Sunday Drive: Autumn Leaves

As sung so beautifully by Miss Doris Day, 1956:

 

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Waitin' for the Weekend

Thank a veteran today.

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No Red Wave, Just a Puddle

The outcome of the midterm elections wasn't great, but it could have been worse. Republicans will probably have a small majority in the House, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed the Dems will retain control of the Senate.

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Election Day 2022

Here is the live stream from NBC News with nationwide coverage of today's elections:

 

And this is the PBS NewsHour live stream, with perhaps some more thoughtful coverage:

FYI, this NBC News graphic shows the current strength of the parties in both houses of Congress:

Blue = Democrats, Red = Republicans.
Click to enlarge.

And here are election forecasts for the House and Senate from Nate Silver's FiveThirtyEight.com:

Click to enlarge.

It doesn't look good for the Democrats.  Keep your fingers crossed.

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Sunday Drive: This Land Is Your Land/America

As performed by Jennifer Lopez at the inauguration of President Biden last year.

 

By the way, M.P. and I early-voted last week, and I'm happy to report that where we live, the elections office is really on the ball.  Voting was quick and easy, and all the ladies minding the place were super helpful and friendly.  With no lines or crowds, we were in and out in less than 10 minutes.  I'm totally sold on this early vote thing.

If you haven't already voted, please plan to vote on Tuesday. 

The country you save may be your own.

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Waitin' for the Weekend

Biden Warns: The Fate of the Nation Is in Your Hands

Speaking at the Columbus Club in Union Station in Washington today, President Biden gave a stern warning of the grave and imminent threat to democratic government in this election:

Excerpt:

I believe the voices excusing or calling for violence and intimidation are a distinct minority in America. But they’re loud and they are determined. We have to be more determined. All of us who reject political violence and voter intimidation, and I believe that’s the overwhelming majority of the American people, all of us must unite to make it absolutely clear that violence and intimidation have no place in America.

[We] believe in democracy. That’s who we are as Americans. I know it isn’t easy. Democracy’s imperfect. It always has been. But you’re all called to defend it now. History and common sense tell us that liberty, opportunity, and justice thrive in a democracy, not in an autocracy.

At our best, America’s not a zero-sum society – or for you to succeed, someone else has to fail. A promise in America is big enough, for everyone to succeed. Every generation, opening the door of opportunity just a little bit wider. Every generation, including those who’ve been excluded before. We believe we should leave no one behind, because each one of us is a child of god, and every person, every person is sacred. If that’s true, then every person’s rights must be sacred as well. Individual dignity, individual worth, individual determination. That’s America, that’s democracy, and that’s what we have to defend. . . .

Too many people have sacrificed too much for too many years for us to walk away from the American project and democracy. Because we’ve endured our freedoms for so long, it’s easy to think they’ll always be with us no matter what. But that isn’t true today. In our bones, we know democracy is at risk. But we also know this: it’s within our power, each and every one of us, to preserve our democracy. And I believe we will. I think I know this country. I know we will.

You have the power, it’s your choice, it’s your decision, the fate of the nation, the fate of the soul of America lies where it always does – with the people, in your hands, in your heart, in your ballot. My fellow Americans, we’ll meet this moment. We just need to remember who we are. We are the United States of America. There’s nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together.

Read the full text of the President's remarks here. 

My truckbuddy Frank has other pertinent thoughts on the election over at Reluctant Rebel.

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