The politicians who populate Congress are known, more often than not, as stale squabblers holding stalemates above any real attempt at legislative progress.
That said, incremental progress was made in the plight of the less than equals.
11 Republican and 46 Democrat Senators built a well balanced budget plan and force-fed it through the U.S. Senate early Friday. This budget included an amendment allowing the same Veteran’s Affairs and Social Security benefits to married same-sex couples.
Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) was the man responsible for introducing the new-age nugget.
Among the Republican cosigners were Rob Portman (Ohio), Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Richard Burr (N.C.), Ron Johnson (Wisc), Mark Kirk (Ill.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Shelly Capito (West Virginia), Susan Collins (Maine), Bob Corker (Tennessee), Dean Heller (Nevada), and Thom Tillis (North Carolina).
While this budget is not in its final form just yet, it serves as an important metaphor as to where the GOP is regarding same sex marriage.
Many of the 11 elephant adhering Republicans are facing intensely competitive reelection fights in 2016 and they are finally beginning to forgo the legislative opportunity to oppress LGBT people.
These wily senators understand the implications of supporting a budget that supports LGBT people. They have either come around to accepting and representing all good folks in their state, or lay in the defeated truth that they cannot both fight against equality and maintain power.
11 Republican members of the senate, is, of course, not a large number, but it is significant, especially when one considers that most bills that go through or die in the senate end up being nail biters.
Marco Rubio (Fla.), Rand Paul (Ky.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Ted Cruz (Texas) were among the? Republican Senators against the budget. These four are expected to run for president, a foreshadowing of what is to come if we lay down and allow ignorance to lead our country into archaism.
This budget bill is a small part of the big picture, but it is a damn important one.
