Is this Some Weird Dream?

Friday, April 10, 2009, 8:11
Krusty Konservative
1,562 views
19 comments

lhagman_l Alright, this can’t be real. This has to be some sick joke like the 1986 season of Dallas, right? I mean seriously, I wake up one day and gay marriage is legal. And a few days later I tune in to Steve Deace and he’s all disappointed in Bob Vander Plaats and is praising Christopher Rants. The next thing you know cats and dogs will be getting married. Wait….

Well, we all know now that Bobby Ewing didn’t die, it was just a contract dispute, but gay marriage really is now legal in Iowa, and yes Christopher Rants deserves a lot of praise for his actions yesterday.

Yesterday afternoon, Christopher Rants gave what has to be the best political speech of his career. The speech came right before he attempted to pass an amendment to the human services budget which would have gutted the bill and turned it into the marriage amendment. Rants was told he was out of order, but he then asked for the rules to be suspended, meaning the vote that followed would tell the public who in the Iowa House supports traditional marriage.

The vote to suspend the rules failed, but we did learn that only two Democrats voted to allow a debate on the marriage amendment: State Reps. Dolores Mertz (D-Ottosen) and Geri Huser (D-Altoona). While there are a lot of people out there who are “marriage amendment or bust,” moves like these are important because they let us know who supports an amendment and who doesn’t.

I was able to get my hands on the Democrats’ talking points. Let’s check out their spin.

**After failing to break the rules they supported earlier this year, House Republicans reached a new low today when they tried to gut health care for veterans, seniors, kids and disabled Iowans in order to score political points.

How petty is that. Yes, everyone agrees to the rules at the beginning of every session, but as Rants pointed out, there is a reason why you can ask to suspend the rules. The mere thought that they refuse to even let the Representatives vote on an issue that the public is worked up over is ridiculous and disturbing.

**First, a procedural move made this morning by Rep. Paulsen was ruled out of order because the bill was not filed in time to be considered by the House State Government Committee. It is not eligible for debate or a vote this year.

Paulsen’s use of House Rule 60 was ruled out of order because HJR 6 did not make it out of the funnel.

**This afternoon, Rep. Chris Rants, who wants to be governor, tried to revive the bill again by replacing the Human Services Budget with the ineligible bill.

First, why does Murphy get to call him Chris, I hate writing out Christopher, but I do it… Second, it doesn’t matter if he is running for Governor or not for me. Why can’t we find a way to let the people of Iowa vote on this matter? It seems to me that Murphy and Gronstal don’t trust Iowans, which is ironic because I’m pretty sure Iowans don’t trust them.

**There wasn’t a vote today about marriage of any kind. It was not about marriage of any kind. It was not about supporting marriage between a man and a woman or supporting same-sex marriages.

If you thought Culver was trying to have it both ways, the Democrat legislators are even worse. They want to say they are for traditional marriage, but don’t want to do anything that actually protects it. Heck, Deace even had copies of emails from Democrat legislators to pastors saying that they support traditional marriage, but then they prohibit the House from taking up the issue.

**It was about following the rules of the Iowa House of Representatives. Earlier this year, Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate all agreed to the rules that govern the Iowa Legislature during this General Assembly.

Yeah, didn’t you say that before Pat. Oh, and while we are talking, how are things back home in Dubuque Pat. There sure are a lot of Catholics up there…

**Despite Republican attempts to play politics, my priorities in the closing days of the 2009 legislative session are exactly what Iowans expect—helping middle class families who are struggling to make ends meet and balancing the state budget.

I’m proud that the Republicans were fighting to let the people weigh in on this issue. Heck, it was probably good you guys weren’t busy “cutting taxes” because when you guy do that a bunch of people end up paying higher taxes.

**These are tough times for families across Iowa and that’s why Iowans expect us to work together on the issues that unite us—good-paying jobs, affordable health care…

We could work together, but you guys have not created one permanent job this session. Oh sure, you are trying to seduce companies like Microsoft and Google here, but while you are doing that, you are sticking it to the existing Iowa businesses. Health Care, really? You guys were too busy treating Paula Abdul-Samad and Jack Hatch like n-words, you know master and slaves. This session is about tax increases, labor unions, and the lack of guts to debate a marriage amendment.

I wish I could live in the Democrats’ fantasy land for just one day…

Tags: Gay Marriage

About the Author

Krusty Konservative has written 284 stories on this site.

Herschel Krustofski is the pseudonym for the anonymous author of Krusty Konservative, a blog which focuses on Iowa Politics. Created in February of 2006, Krusty Konservative is the undisputed heavyweight champion of the Iowa blogosphere. Since its conception, Krusty Konservative has never shied from tackling controversial issues, and providing insight to the inner workings of Republican politics in Iowa.

19 Comments on “Is this Some Weird Dream?”

Sandy Greiner wrote on 10 April, 2009, 8:23
Ummmmmmm, Krusty Dear,,,,, that’s not Bobby Ewing’s picture up top. It’s J.R.
Krusty wrote on 10 April, 2009, 8:34
Sandy, That’s actually my photo. And BTW, it was J.R. who was dreaming….
anonymous wrote on 10 April, 2009, 8:40
best written blog post of the year
Anonny Repubby wrote on 10 April, 2009, 8:59
Rants did one hell of a job yesterday. He not only was eloquent but he got all representatives on record. And exposed all those Democrats that “say” they are against gay marriage for being nothing more than party hacks. Good job, Christopher.
Sandy Greiner wrote on 10 April, 2009, 9:13
, That’s actually my photo.

Be still my heart! 8?)

I wasn’t a loyal watcher of Dallas, so I don’t remember the episodes about dreams.
anon gop wrote on 10 April, 2009, 10:15
sandy for governor!
Conservative Demo wrote on 10 April, 2009, 13:47
“It seems to me that Murphy and Gronstal don’t trust Iowans, which is ironic because I’m pretty sure Iowans don’t trust them.”
Krusty

Hmm, well I for one, trust Murphy and Gronstal just fine thank you, but don’t trust Rants one whit.
Central Iowa Conservative wrote on 10 April, 2009, 16:17
Nice post, but one point of correction: gay marriage is not really legal in Iowa. The Supreme Court issued an opinion, not a law. The judicial branch can not act as the legislative branch without violating the constitution. The Iowa Legislature and Governor Lightyear have a responsibility to tell the court to go fly a kite.
Nick wrote on 10 April, 2009, 16:37
/Nice post, but one point of correction: gay marriage is not really legal in Iowa. The Supreme Court issued an opinion, not a law. /

Close, the Court’s opinion on the constitutionality of the gay marriage ban IS legally binding and DOES demand that gay marriages be recognized in the state.

From the opinion of the Court:

/Consequently, the language in Iowa Code section 595.2 limiting civil
marriage to a man and a woman must be stricken from the statute, and the
remaining statutory language must be interpreted and applied in a manner
allowing gay and lesbian people full access to the institution of civil
marriage./
Anonymous wrote on 10 April, 2009, 17:27
From the opinion of the Court:
“allowing gay and lesbian people full access to the institution of civil marriage”

Yep, civil marriage. Note that it does not say religious marriage. It is therefore possible for politicians to support traditional religious marriage, yet be for equal civil rights in civil marriage. Religious rights for religious marriage – Civil rights for civil marriage.

You can understand it like this if you like:
“Give to ‘God’ what is ‘God’s’, give to Caesar, what is Caesar’s.” (quote by someone who was for a little separation of church and state)
Michael wrote on 10 April, 2009, 17:29
[above post is mine]

And yes, I’ll also be waiting to see how constituents vote next election for Gronstal and Murphy. If one issue will push out all others.
Heave Right wrote on 10 April, 2009, 19:43
Nick – And who does the Iowa Supreme Court have to enforce their OPINION? Hmmm?

Point is, the Code of Iowa is not changed by this OPINION. The “justices” can talk ’till their blue in the face, but the law remains the same. It can only LEGALLY be changed by the legislature and governor.
Stu wrote on 10 April, 2009, 19:47
You know whey Rants stood up for marriage is because he is running for Governor and the only being that he needs is the socon Christian right and we all know what he said about Christians a couple of years ago.
anonymous wrote on 11 April, 2009, 10:33
rants stood up for marriage because its the right thing to do, he has always done it in the past, and he is the only republican in the iowa house capable of doing it. stu, you may not like him but he was the only republican in recent times to lead the marriage amendment successfully through a chamber. and he was the only republican smart enough to understand how to get democrats on the record right now in this session on the issue. he deserves our thanks for that.
Mos Def wrote on 11 April, 2009, 15:15
sandy greiner for governor.
MD wrote on 11 April, 2009, 18:54
Chris Rants did a wonderful job with the amendment. I was there to personally and witnessed Christopher’s passion behind his speech. I was very impressed with his ability to 1. Stand up without being bullied. 2. Actually beat the Nazis at trying to lock us out of our own government, requiring them to vote on record to shut us out. 3. Beat the Democrats at their own game. It don’t matter what his motives were. It worked and we are all going to benefit from it on the right side of the aisle in 2010. I heard he took a tour of the Holy Land and has come around to Christianity.
anon wrote on 11 April, 2009, 20:25
Rants was awesome!!! I was there with tears in my eyes.
Anonymous wrote on 12 April, 2009, 9:36
Give me a break that Chrisopher has “come around to Christianity” by going to the Holy Land. Christopher’s wife is a church youth director. Let’s focus on the great job he did and not try to attribute motivations that cut him down in the process.
Anonymous wrote on 12 April, 2009, 20:57
As for Murphy, will Dubuque Catholics side with their Church or their legislator? It will be interesting to see, but I’m cynical enough to believe they side with the legislator. As a Catholic, I can’t imagine how he could receive Christ in the Eucharist this Easter season, knowing he is acting against the doctrine of his Church and with the Iowa Catholic Bishops.