Thursday, February 21st, 2008...8:39 am
Guns Don’t Kill People; Gay People Getting Married on the Other Hand…
The bill (well it’s two bills, actually, but let’s not get all technical) that would put a ban on gay marriage on the ballot next year seems to be making its way through both houses of the legislature.
The amusing moments in the hoo-hah over this item happened last week when people started asking Tim Bee, who is one of the movers behind the bill, if he had bothered to talk to his campaign chairman, Jim Kolbe, about the measure.
Folks still seem to be thinking that this is about Bee trying to get score some points for his race against Gabrielle Giffords. I don’t entirely buy it. For one, Bee seems to be distancing himself from the bill (“Bill, what bill? I don’t see any bill.”). For another, the “Protect Marriage Arizona” initiative had some of its worst numbers in Congressional District 8.
It seems unusual for folks to be pushing for this so soon after PMA failed. By the way, it is the only such initiative to fail nationwide. Also, there hasn’t been any sort of organized movement here, even among our very politically active gay and lesbian community, to overturn the current gay marriage ban (News flash to bill sponsors: it is already illegal here…).
This effort is once again being pushed by the Center for Arizona Policy. A couple of insiders I talked to suspect that they are pushing for this again, so soon after they infamously lost what people thought would be an easy win, because of the Center’s debts. A ballot measure would be a great way for them to raise some money (even better if the legislature gets it on the ballot and they don’t have to pay for signature gathering). It is dishartening to see so much time and effort being put forward just so a right-wing pressure group can pay its bills.
Maybe I’m missing one of Bee and company’s motives here. They may be just trying to prevent earthquakes.
5 Comments
February 21st, 2008 at 10:21 am
The may be an assumption being made here that Bee is a moderate on issues like these, when he is absolutely not.
I like to use Project Vote Smart’s website because it list both voting records and ratings by key interest groups.
First, his ratings by interests groups are telling on this issue. He was rated a flat out “0″ by Equality Arizona, a human rights organization that, among other issues, advocates for rights for the LGBT community.
Check out this link:
http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=28381
Second, his ratings by the Center for Arizona Policy, that Ted mentions above, is “100″ year after year after year. Making him one of the most conservative members in our legislature on social issues. See same link above.
Second, his voting record shows support for a bill in 2006 that would make it more difficult for unmarried couples (read: Gay and Lesbian couples) to adopt.
Go to this link and look under “social issues”
http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=28381
I think what you will find about Senator Bee is that he is masquerading as a good guy moderate when he is anything but. His education ratings are low, ratings on women’s issue (save for domestic violence) are very low to zero. What seems to make him a moderate to some is that he occasionally busted by the Goldwater Institute and the Arizona Association for Taxpayers for having supported some regulation of business (Employer Sanctions and some of our Govs. budgets).
Take a look at Project VoteSmart a bit more. The record should make our friends at Sonoran Alliance simply giddy.
February 21st, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Kral, as a public school educator, I give Bee a great deal of credit and thanks for his support of schools and children over the years. Let’s not forget that he has virtually always gotten the AEA endorsement (except when an AEA leader was once his Democratic opponent) and that he has been a hedge against the more right-wing members of his caucus who would like to ravage funding for public schools. He has consistently worked with like-minded members of both parties and Napolitano to support public schools. This can not be denied or forgotten!
Let’s also recall that his seeking the Senate seat back when his brother ran for state superintendent saved us from the prospect of Bill McGibbon being elevated from the House to the Senate! YIKES!
Having said all that, Tim Bee is a doctrinaire conservative on virtually every other issue, including gay marriage. He and Randy Graf represented the same district and there are not huge differences between their records. Marian McClure is the closest thing to a “moderate” in LD 30!
Were I Giffords, this is a point I would be making again and again. She will not be re-elected if all she does is talk about her record over the last two years. She must also point out that electing Bee would be a step backwards and would result in the election of someone whose views are not aligned with the interests and needs of our district. This is necessary because Bee will unite his party in a way that Graf could not and will also try to fool independents into thinking he is a moderate…just like Kolbe successfully did!
February 21st, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Rex,
I appreciate your post but the evidence I see does not show him as being much of a champion on education at all.
Project Votesmart again:
In 2006, he voted for the interests of the AEA only 25% of the time!
In 2005, it was 43% of the time.
I would also check out the key legislation he voted on with regard to education. Also, on Project Votesmart.
Again, he doesn’t look like much of a champion here. In comparison to Giffords, its not even close.
February 21st, 2008 at 2:30 pm
The best part of this post is finding out that the Center for Arizona Policy is having financial problems……How bad is it? C’mon, do tell!!!
February 21st, 2008 at 5:17 pm
I would like to know that also Italiana, thanks!
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