Gov. Rick Perry
Texas Gov. Rick Perry said today that New York’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage is “fine with me,” the Associated Press reports.
Perry said he’s “an unapologetic social conservative” and personally opposes same-sex marriage. But he said he believes so strongly in state’s rights and the 10th amendment that he supports New York’s decision.
“Our friends in New York six weeks ago passed a statute that said marriage can be between two people of the same sex. And you know what? That’s New York, and that’s their business, and that’s fine with me,” Perry said, according to the AP. “That is their call. If you believe in the 10th Amendment, stay out of their business.”
Perry, who’s likely to seek the GOP presidential nomination, has been under fire of late from LGBT advocates for his decision to host a day of prayer funded by the American Family Association, listed as an anti-gay hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The AP says Perry’s comments today about same-sex marriage could hurt him among tea party voters, who’ve already criticized his not-so-conservative record on other issues. But the comments could also help him among moderates who are increasingly supportive of LGBT equality, especially in a general election.
Perry made the comments to a group of several hundred GOP donors in Aspen, Colo.
BS, he’s just saying that so he can get money to buy his seat of office, don’t believe this phony. Where were all of y’all Gay people at when this joker was reelected?
He wants NY,s Vote
Trust me, I did not vote for him. But what can you expect from a state that claims George W.?
Rick Perry is simply WRONG in suggesting that marriage is a “States’ Rights” issue.
As someone who believes very strongly in marriage equality for Gay couples, I need to point out that the federal government has complicated the issue more than anyone. While it is true that the Constitution says nothing about marriage, there are 1,138 legal benefits, protections, and responsibilities (according to the Government Accounting Office) that the federal government automatically bestows on married couples. Some of this has to do with tax law and Social Security. So it simply wouldn’t do for a Gay couple that is legally married in Iowa to suddenly become UN-married if they move someplace else.
Straight couples have never had to jump through these kinds of hoops. Thanks to the “Full Faith & Credit” clause, if any Straight couple flies off to Las Vegas for a drunken weekend and gets married by an Elvis impersonator, that marriage is automatically honored in all 50 states. Gay couples, however, are held to a different (and hence unconstitutional) legal standard.
The only way marriage can be a “States’ Rights” issue is for the federal government to get out of the marriage business completely, and do away with the 1,138 benefits it grants to married couples, including tax breaks and survivor benefits under Social Security. Tell me how thrilled most married couples would be with THAT.
The equality winds are blowing across the land and the West Texas raised “politician”, with obvious national political aspirations, is just “drafting” behind the equality train ?
He just wants to be able to ditch Anita and go marry his “assistant”.
If Rick Perry doesn’t like marriage, then I support his right not to get married.
Anything else, and he’s just another right wing hypocrite.
What a looser / I have always hated Perry he’s an idiot / That is why this sate is so screwed up because of his sorry A**.
I don’t think marriage vows has a place in 21th century political campaigns. I believe they have an unrelenting wealth of issues to deal with that far surpass debating the morality of whether should have the right to choose who they love or not…especially in…dare I say..America. Come on, read deeper.