Nebraska Same-Sex Marriage Ban

[Coyote]

SCOTUS just declared Nebraska's ban illegal!

[Coyote]

Douglas, Sarpy County clerks ready to issue same-sex marriage licenses

In a statement, Ricketts said: “The U.S. Supreme Court has spoken and ruled state same-sex marriage bans to be unconstitutional. While 70 percent of Nebraskans approved our amendment to our state constitution that defined marriage as only between a man and a woman, the highest court in the land has ruled states cannot place limits on marriage between same-sex couples. We will follow the law and respect the ruling outlined by the court.”

[Stargazer]

While 70 percent of Nebraskans approved our amendment to our state constitution that defined marriage as only between a man and a woman

A majority of Omahan's supported same sex marriage in the most recent World Herald poll... we really need to get out of this state.

[Professor Woland]

While 70 percent of Nebraskans approved our amendment to our state constitution that defined marriage as only between a man and a woman

A majority of Omahan's supported same sex marriage in the most recent World Herald poll... we really need to get out of this state.

Ricketts was wrong for another reason, if you took the total number of Nebraskans who favored marriage equality or at least civil unions, it was more than half, which meant that more than half of the people in the state opposed the ban as written. Ricketts is an awful governor, probably the worst this state has had in the 36 years I've been alive. Pitiful.

[Louie]

I agree. Even though last time I brought it up I was lampooned.

[lmdramos]

Ricketts is and the AG are pathetic.

[S33]

Ricketts is and the AG are pathetic.

I'm sure they simply have further political aspirations to run on a republican ticket.

They are just doing as is expected of them.

As always, politics is the poison of our society.

[Professor Woland]

Ricketts is and the AG are pathetic.

When you're governor of a state like Nebraska (small population, not on the coast) your first obligation, before even competent administration, is not to embarrass the state. If you're Texas or Florida, you're already big enough that embarrassing events in your state don't effect your fortunes at all. If you're Nebraska you absolutely cannot look like you're pandering to SoCons. After the death penalty decision, we got a ton of good national press; these idiots are going to try to reverse it. After the lower court ruled that the same sex marriage ban was unconstitutional, these idiots couldn't help themselves, they had to appeal. We have things we can offer companies looking to expand or relocate, it does nothing to entice them to come here if we look like slack jawed yokels.

[Linkin5]

Ricketts is and the AG are pathetic.

I'm sure they simply have further political aspirations to run on a republican ticket.

They are just doing as is expected of them.

As always, politics is the poison of our society.

If Ricketts has plans of anything more grandeur he has done a horrible job thus far, the guy's vetoes have been shot down now three times and he is trying to buy illegal drugs. I really can't see him voted again anywhere with the absolute failure he has been to his Republican constituents.

[GetUrban]

Ricketts is and the AG are pathetic.

I'm sure they simply have further political aspirations to run on a republican ticket.

They are just doing as is expected of them.

As always, politics is the poison of our society.

If Ricketts has plans of anything more grandeur he has done a horrible job thus far, the guy's vetoes have been shot down now three times and he is trying to buy illegal drugs. I really can't see him voted again anywhere with the absolute failure he has been to his Republican constituents.

It's not that he has necessarily been a failure to his constituents....just that the party is out of touch with reality and the direction the country is heading.

[Omababe]

Ricketts is an awful governor, probably the worst this state has had in the 36 years I've been alive. Pitiful.

I'm surprised that it's taking people this long to realize this! I guess he and his family are the ones backing the death penalty action. His vetoes have been overridden how many times? And this by a rather conservative legislature.

LOL, you probably don't remember Kay ("I will not raise taxes") Orr. She was a Reagan darling, and probably the last rabid neocon Governor we had until Pete. Even personal appearances by Ronnie could not get her re-elected.

[nebugeater]

Ricketts is an awful governor, probably the worst this state has had in the 36 years I've been alive. Pitiful.

I'm surprised that it's taking people this long to realize this! I guess he and his family are the ones backing the death penalty action. His vetoes have been overridden how many times? And this by a rather conservative legislature.

LOL, you probably don't remember Kay ("I will not raise taxes") Orr. She was a Reagan darling, and probably the last rabid neocon Governor we had until Pete. Even personal appearances by Ronnie could not get her re-elected.

I am guessing as close as the election was between her at Ben N. she would have won if not for the major snow storm across much of central and western Nebraska. Not a good or a bad thing just a reminder.

[RNcyanide]

Ricketts is an awful governor, probably the worst this state has had in the 36 years I've been alive. Pitiful.

I'm surprised that it's taking people this long to realize this! I guess he and his family are the ones backing the death penalty action. His vetoes have been overridden how many times? And this by a rather conservative legislature.

LOL, you probably don't remember Kay ("I will not raise taxes") Orr. She was a Reagan darling, and probably the last rabid neocon Governor we had until Pete. Even personal appearances by Ronnie could not get her re-elected.

I am guessing as close as the election was between her at Ben N. she would have won if not for the major snow storm across much of central and western Nebraska. Not a good or a bad thing just a reminder.

Wikipedia also cites her support for a low level nuclear waste dump in boyd or keya paha county as something that hurt her.

[GRANDPASMUCKER]

Ricketts is and the AG are pathetic.

I'm sure they simply have further political aspirations to run on a republican ticket.

They are just doing as is expected of them.

As always, politics is the poison of our society.

If Ricketts has plans of anything more grandeur he has done a horrible job thus far, the guy's vetoes have been shot down now three times and he is trying to buy illegal drugs. I really can't see him voted again anywhere with the absolute failure he has been to his Republican constituents.

It's not that he has necessarily been a failure to his constituents....just that the party is out of touch with reality and the direction the country is heading.

I think you are mistaken. I am a life long Republican and I think our party has attracted the crazies and too often the crazies think they are speaking for all of us. Were not all bad people. I was totally against gay marriage and have been my whole life but Friday when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of it I accepted the ruling. I did not pull my hair out or run around bitching all week end 0r run and post a bunch of anti gay rants on the internet. I accepted the Supreme Courts ruling. This thing has been hard fought on both sides and the highest court in the land ruled against my side. I accept it and I shake the other sides hand. Any other type of reaction by the loser is poor sportsmanship and sour grapes. I have always been a big fan of our Republican mayor who represents us well. Today she sent out an order granting full health benefits to city employees gay partners. Shes a good sport and she knows her side lost fair and square and she stepped up and extended her hand to the victors. Pete Rickett's story has not been written yet but hes getting off to a bad start. The best thing about Pete Ricketts is he did us all a big favor by knocking out former Nebraska attorney general Jon Bruning. Jon Bruning is hard core crazy. I walked out of the post office last week and there was someone standing there collecting signatures to get the Death Penalty reinstated in Nebraska. I told the lady no way was I signing that petition because I was glad the death penalty was eliminated. Sometime over the weekend I heard on TV that Pete Rickets and his Dad had each kicked in $100,000 to fund the petition drive. That is a big time act of poor sportsmanship on Petes part.

[daveoma]

I don't agree with everything you said Grandpasmucker, but as a gay democrat born and raised in Nebraska, I respect and appreciate your honesty and civility.

[RNcyanide]

Ricketts is and the AG are pathetic.

I'm sure they simply have further political aspirations to run on a republican ticket.

They are just doing as is expected of them.

As always, politics is the poison of our society.

If Ricketts has plans of anything more grandeur he has done a horrible job thus far, the guy's vetoes have been shot down now three times and he is trying to buy illegal drugs. I really can't see him voted again anywhere with the absolute failure he has been to his Republican constituents.

It's not that he has necessarily been a failure to his constituents....just that the party is out of touch with reality and the direction the country is heading.

I think you are mistaken. I am a life long Republican and I think our party has attracted the crazies and too often the crazies think they are speaking for all of us. Were not all bad people. I was totally against gay marriage and have been my whole life but Friday when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of it I accepted the ruling. I did not pull my hair out or run around bitching all week end 0r run and post a bunch of anti gay rants on the internet. I accepted the Supreme Courts ruling. This thing has been hard fought on both sides and the highest court in the land ruled against my side. I accept it and I shake the other sides hand. Any other type of reaction by the loser is poor sportsmanship and sour grapes. I have always been a big fan of our Republican mayor who represents us well. Today she sent out an order granting full health benefits to city employees gay partners. Shes a good sport and she knows her side lost fair and square and she stepped up and extended her hand to the victors. Pete Rickett's story has not been written yet but hes getting off to a bad start. The best thing about Pete Ricketts is he did us all a big favor by knocking out former Nebraska attorney general Jon Bruning. Jon Bruning is hard core crazy. I walked out of the post office last week and there was someone standing there collecting signatures to get the Death Penalty reinstated in Nebraska. I told the lady no way was I signing that petition because I was glad the death penalty was eliminated. Sometime over the weekend I heard on TV that Pete Rickets and his Dad had each kicked in $100,000 to fund the petition drive. That is a big time act of poor sportsmanship on Petes part.

I love your civility on this issue. Thanks for that. We need more of it.

I don't care how people feel about it, honestly. If you are happy for me, good for you. If you believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman only, that's cool too; I respect your opinion as long as you are nice about it. If you don't want to help me file my paperwork or bake my wedding cake or arrange my flowers because it hurts your sensibilities, that's fine, I don't think you should be forced to provide for me. I think it's stupid when people come down on those florists and bakers and whatnot for not wanting to cater to gay weddings.

[GetUrban]

Ricketts is and the AG are pathetic.

I'm sure they simply have further political aspirations to run on a republican ticket.

They are just doing as is expected of them.

As always, politics is the poison of our society.

If Ricketts has plans of anything more grandeur he has done a horrible job thus far, the guy's vetoes have been shot down now three times and he is trying to buy illegal drugs. I really can't see him voted again anywhere with the absolute failure he has been to his Republican constituents.

It's not that he has necessarily been a failure to his constituents....just that the party is out of touch with reality and the direction the country is heading.

I think you are mistaken. I am a life long Republican and I think our party has attracted the crazies and too often the crazies think they are speaking for all of us. Were not all bad people. I was totally against gay marriage and have been my whole life but Friday when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of it I accepted the ruling. I did not pull my hair out or run around bitching all week end 0r run and post a bunch of anti gay rants on the internet. I accepted the Supreme Courts ruling. This thing has been hard fought on both sides and the highest court in the land ruled against my side. I accept it and I shake the other sides hand. Any other type of reaction by the loser is poor sportsmanship and sour grapes. I have always been a big fan of our Republican mayor who represents us well. Today she sent out an order granting full health benefits to city employees gay partners. Shes a good sport and she knows her side lost fair and square and she stepped up and extended her hand to the victors. Pete Rickett's story has not been written yet but hes getting off to a bad start. The best thing about Pete Ricketts is he did us all a big favor by knocking out former Nebraska attorney general Jon Bruning. Jon Bruning is hard core crazy. I walked out of the post office last week and there was someone standing there collecting signatures to get the Death Penalty reinstated in Nebraska. I told the lady no way was I signing that petition because I was glad the death penalty was eliminated. Sometime over the weekend I heard on TV that Pete Rickets and his Dad had each kicked in $100,000 to fund the petition drive. That is a big time act of poor sportsmanship on Petes part.

I also thank you for your civility and am glad there are still people like you left in the GOP. I hope they can wrest control of the party back from the Ted Cruz-like factions.

[RNcyanide]

Ted called this ruling the 'darkest 24 hours in American history,' and will have this issue be front and center of his campaign. Because gays getting married overshadows 9/11, Oklahoma City, and Pearl Harbor. I can't wait for the wonderful apology he'll be forced to make.

[jessep28]

1. Best case scenario with all of this is that the decision just accelerated the separation of the civil and religious aspect of marriage. In a couple years, things settle down and life will go on.

2. Worst case scenario, this gets dragged out for years. Gay rights activists push to make LGBT individuals/couples a protected class, and conservative states try to pull stuff like re-defining marriage as a contract.

[RNcyanide]

There will be a segment of the population who won't let this issue die. They'll try to find every loophole and technicality to exploit in order to undo it. They'll slap some pretty title on it, like Restoration of Religious Liberty Act or something dumb like that.

[S33]

I'm surprised that it's taking people this long to realize this! I guess he and his family are the ones backing the death penalty action. His vetoes have been overridden how many times? And this by a rather conservative legislature.

To be fair, some of us wait to form an opinion until we find out who the guy really is. Most people I know vote along party lines, which is intellectual laziness of the highest order.

[Erik]

I'm surprised that it's taking people this long to realize this! I guess he and his family are the ones backing the death penalty action. His vetoes have been overridden how many times? And this by a rather conservative legislature.

To be fair, some of us wait to form an opinion until we find out who the guy really is. Most people I know vote along party lines, which is intellectual laziness of the highest order.

Yep. On both sides of the aisle too.

I have friends in both Fremont and CB that have banners of the confederacy and repost every far right 'masculine' meme on the web. It's like they are doing whatever they can to let everyone know they dont have a single sissy bone in them.

I call those guys 'Monster Truck Republicans'

Btw. I am in absolute love with what Stothert is doing so far.

[S33]

Btw. I am in absolute love with what Stothert is doing so far.

Stothert is a great example. When she was elected Mayor, I remember her getting a lot of negative attention, simply for the "(R)", and I remember a handful of people on this forum specifically, who had their minds made up before she was even sworn in. Since then, she is still a conservative republican, but is a damn good mayor who does her best to represent all her constituents equally.

As far as the confederate flag-waving idiots, they are just best ignored. I see the same |expletive| on my facebook, a bunch of idiots who are suddenly expert historians of the confederacy, but who also would have no idea what the Emancipation Proclamation is, if you asked them.

Not even worth anyone's time.

[RNcyanide]

Btw. I am in absolute love with what Stothert is doing so far.

Stothert is a great example. When she was elected Mayor, I remember her getting a lot of negative attention, simply for the "(R)", and I remember a handful of people on this forum specifically, who had their minds made up before she was even sworn in. Since then, she is still a conservative republican, but is a darn good mayor who does her best to represent all her constituents equally.

As far as the confederate flag-waving idiots, they are just best ignored. I see the same |expletive| on my facebook, a bunch of idiots who are suddenly expert historians of the confederacy, but who also would have no idea what the Emancipation Proclamation is, if you asked them.

Not even worth anyone's time.

It's a great example of how people are so quick to judge a book by the cover. Many in the gay community were against her, simply, as you put, because of the (R). On Facebook, the digs they tried to put into her had little to nothing of substance. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why they were so eager to keep Suttle on board. Then, once elected, she visited Pride that year to make it known she was there to help them, she helped get antidiscrimination legislation for the city passed, and here she is extending city employee benefits to same-sex spouses.

I think what helps her do this is that she said a while back, she has no intention of running for a further state-wide or national office, such as governor, representative, or senator. Her actions would really put her at odds with nearly everyone not living in Omaha or Lincoln.

[S33]

I think what helps her do this is that she said a while back, she has no intention of running for a further state-wide or national office, such as governor, representative, or senator. Her actions would really put her at odds with nearly everyone not living in Omaha or Lincoln.

Agree. It's as if she is "serving" the public, instead of furthering her political and professional aspirations.

[Erik]

I think what helps her do this is that she said a while back, she has no intention of running for a further state-wide or national office, such as governor, representative, or senator. Her actions would really put her at odds with nearly everyone not living in Omaha or Lincoln.

Agree. It's as if she is "serving" the public, instead of furthering her political and professional aspirations.

Yep. She's earned a major kudos from me along with my votes.

[RNcyanide]

I think what helps her do this is that she said a while back, she has no intention of running for a further state-wide or national office, such as governor, representative, or senator. Her actions would really put her at odds with nearly everyone not living in Omaha or Lincoln.

Agree. It's as if she is "serving" the public, instead of furthering her political and professional aspirations.

Basically, she's pulling the polar-opposite of a Pete Ricketts.

[lmdramos]

I have to admit...I miss judged her...but she has been wonderful for Omaha and I hope she gets reelected when the time comes.

[Louie]

I am a fan of her for sure. She is willing to find middle ground, which is quite rare anymore thanks to partisan politics. Probably more visible at higher levels. I'm definitely surprised, but ultimately happy and she will probably get my vote next go round. And I am left leaning. The dems would have to come up with a super star to prove to me that she doesn't deserve a second term.

[Omababe]

I call those guys 'Monster Truck Republicans'

LOL, I have to remember that one! (I work with a couple of guys like that.)

Btw. I am in absolute love with what Stothert is doing so far.

So why can't she and her administration do anything about the violent crime in Omaha? If I were in her shoes that would be one of my first priorities!

[Brad]

So why can't she and her administration do anything about the violent crime in Omaha? If I were in her shoes that would be one of my first priorities!

I would guess the same reason Daub couldn't, then Fahey couldn't, and then Suttle couldn't...

[S33]

So why can't she and her administration do anything about the violent crime in Omaha? If I were in her shoes that would be one of my first priorities!

Despite what you may wish to believe, this violence is not something the mayor, her staff, or all the police in the world can fix. its up to that community to solve their own problems.