The Threatened Veto

[antonyh]

I need some help trying to understand the veto threat to the Hate Crimes Bill. I want to see if a case can be made that the Religious Right are directly involved. Here is what I have so far:

On May 3, 2007, the Executive Office of the President issued a veto threat. Here is the veto threat (http://www.house.gov/hensarling/rsc/doc/SAP_HR1592.pdf) (pdf). This was right before the vote in the House of Representatives.

On May 2, 2007, the Republican Study Committee wrote the President asking him to veto the Hate Crimes Bill. Here is the RSC letter (http://www.house.gov/hensarling/rsc/doc/050207_HateCrimes_RSCLtrToPres.PDF) (pdf)

According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Study_Committee), the Republican Study Committee "has long had ties to groups making up the most conservative elements of the Republican Party, such as the National Rifle Association, the American Family Association, Focus on the Family, Concerned Women for America and the conservative magazine National Review, as well as the libertarian Cato Institute."

I am trying to establish a couple of connections:

1) Did the letter from the Republican Study Committee precipitate the veto threat?
2) How much influence does the Religious Right have in the Republican Study Committee? Did they use their influence in getting the RSC to write the above letter?

According to HRC Backstory, the White House still promises to veto the Hate Crimes Bill:
http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2007/07/following-the-n.html

[Steven E. Webster]

Antony,

You need something besides the White House weekly calls with Dobson and other religious right leaders? That's pretty well known.

My belief is that George W. Bush, all on his own, would not be an opponent of LGBT people and finds the Religious Right's homophobia distasteful--he just goes along with the Religious Right program to maintain his power with "his base."

The same was true of the senior George Bush who confessed to his Episcopal priest that he felt guilty about casting votes against black civil rights when he was a congressman from Texas--but he felt he had to do it for the sake of keeping political power.

Of course, Bill Clinton did much the same--"selling us down the river" with his support of "Don't Ask Don't Tell" and the "Defense of Marriage Act."

Steven Webster

[antonyh]

Antony,

You need something besides the White House weekly calls with Dobson and other religious right leaders? That's pretty well known.

My belief is that George W. Bush, all on his own, would not be an opponent of LGBT people and finds the Religious Right's homophobia distasteful--he just goes along with the Religious Right program to maintain his power with "his base."

The same was true of the senior George Bush who confessed to his Episcopal priest that he felt guilty about casting votes against black civil rights when he was a congressman from Texas--but he felt he had to do it for the sake of keeping political power.

Of course, Bill Clinton did much the same--"selling us down the river" with his support of "Don't Ask Don't Tell" and the "Defense of Marriage Act."

Steven Webster

I know that in general that the American Family Association have three million constituents and that the Republicans want the Jesus Machine to work for them. I'm looking for more specific information to make the connections below. I want to add a "Veto Threat" page to the hate crimes site.

[sjbouza]

How would a "veto override" work? What is the margin of votes in the Senate for them to be able to override Bushs Veto?

This man is heading for a fall. I hope it comes VERY SOON!!! But we all know they will find some way to blame the "homosexual agenda".

Thanks for the help on the above questions.

Scott

[antonyh]

How would a "veto override" work? What is the margin of votes in the Senate for them to be able to override Bushs Veto?

This man is heading for a fall. I hope it comes VERY SOON!!! But we all know they will find some way to blame the "homosexual agenda".

Thanks for the help on the above questions.

Scott

There are not enough votes in the House to over ride a veto.

[antonyh]

Updated Article:

http://www.hatecrimesbill.org/the_veto_threat.html

[Zerbie]

There are not enough votes in the House to over ride a veto.

How far short are we?

Any potentially swayable reps we can lobby?

[antonyh]

How far short are we?

Any potentially swayable reps we can lobby?

I just hope President Bush is listening. Check out these videos by Reps from Texas:

CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2007/07/03/sot.hate.crime.suicide.cnn

abc13:
http://ww2.abc13.com/global/video/popup/pop_playerLaunch.asp?clipid1=1558386&at1=News&vt1=v&h1=Rep%2E+Sheila+Jackson+Lee+recalls+Ritcheson%27s +testimony&d1=403867&redirUrl=www.abc13.com&activePane=info&LaunchPageAdTag=homepage

I don't know which reps could be turned, but I'm sure we'll have to find out if the President vetos this Bill.

You can analyze the roll call here:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2007-299

[tdogg]

In the local news yesterday, was a report of a young Fijian man who immigrated here about 7 years ago. He was enjoying Tuesday afternoon with friends, and later the group encountered another group and apparently had words. The other group were spewing racial and homophobic comments on this young man's group, and an altercation ensued. The young Fijian (26 years old) was punched in the head by a member of the 2nd group, fell to the ground, knocked unconscious and taken to the hospital. It was reported that his closest relatives here were making the decision to take him off life support as there was no brain activity. I have not heard anything further.

They are looking for the members of this second group. A charge of involuntary manslaughter will apply, and possibly additional hate crime charges. This young man was bright, loving, happy and now, because a handful of hateful people he is on the verge of dying, or his dead. His life is over at age 26, because of his race and his perceived homosexuality (his friends are adamant he is not gay). Disgusting. I hope the muderers are found and true justice prevails.

THIS IS WHY WE NEED THE FEDERAL HATE CRIMES BILL PEOPLE

I expect nothing less than Bush's veto. It will be another notch in his belt of heartless cold and self-serving decisions.

[BrentRichards]

Antony,

You need something besides the White House weekly calls with Dobson and other religious right leaders? That's pretty well known.

My belief is that George W. Bush, all on his own, would not be an opponent of LGBT people and finds the Religious Right's homophobia distasteful--he just goes along with the Religious Right program to maintain his power with "his base."

The same was true of the senior George Bush who confessed to his Episcopal priest that he felt guilty about casting votes against black civil rights when he was a congressman from Texas--but he felt he had to do it for the sake of keeping political power.

Of course, Bill Clinton did much the same--"selling us down the river" with his support of "Don't Ask Don't Tell" and the "Defense of Marriage Act."

Steven Webster

Bingo, on all counts.

[antonyh]

In the local news yesterday, was a report of a young Fijian man who immigrated here about 7 years ago. He was enjoying Tuesday afternoon with friends, and later the group encountered another group and apparently had words. The other group were spewing racial and homophobic comments on this young man's group, and an altercation ensued. The young Fijian (26 years old) was punched in the head by a member of the 2nd group, fell to the ground, knocked unconscious and taken to the hospital. It was reported that his closest relatives here were making the decision to take him off life support as there was no brain activity. I have not heard anything further.

They are looking for the members of this second group. A charge of involuntary manslaughter will apply, and possibly additional hate crime charges. This young man was bright, loving, happy and now, because a handful of hateful people he is on the verge of dying, or his dead. His life is over at age 26, because of his race and his perceived homosexuality (his friends are adamant he is not gay). Disgusting. I hope the muderers are found and true justice prevails.

THIS IS WHY WE NEED THE FEDERAL HATE CRIMES BILL PEOPLE

I expect nothing less than Bush's veto. It will be another notch in his belt of heartless cold and self-serving decisions.

Satendar Singh was removed from life support and died at 4:55 p.m. on Thursday.

http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/259354.html

He is the third man to die of homophobic violence since the passage of the Hate Crimes Bill in the House on May 3, 2007. The other two are Sean Kennedy and Aaron Hall.