It's Time to Legalize Gay Marriage in New Jersey
In 2006, New Jersey passed an important Supreme Court law that sought to procure equal rights for gay and lesbian couples, but the civil unions law hasn't fulfilled that specific edict. Garden State Equality has posted a new website (http://www.civilunionsdontwork.com/) that documents the failings of the current civil union law, and the testimony from same-sex couples is one and the same: the current law has loopholes that companies use to deny basic human rights to gay and lesbian couples. The recent ruling in California that allowed gay marriage should serve as a wake-up call to New Jersey's legislature: We need to recognize full marriage equality for gays and lebians and leave the second-class citizenship to Jim Crow laws of the past. I fully support marriage equality in New Jersey and encourage others to do the same.
Rob Andrews Plan for Iraq: Worth a Look
Congressman Rob Andrews, for whom I encourage every New Jersey Democrat and Independent to vote on 3 June, has a real, thoughtful analysis of the Iraq civil war -- and how to get U.S. troops out of that seemingly endless war. Andrews' plan argues that the U.S. should leave a swathe of Iraq under the control of 75,000 Iraq troops and see how the Sunni and Shia leaders there unite to secure their own country. He calls for the total transition of U.S. troops in a reasonable timeframe, between 12-18 months. Andrews also considers that a tripartite state, with a decentralized federal government, may be a needed alternative to a strong central government.
This plan is multifaceted and complex, much as the situation and cultural context is on the ground in Iraq. Andrews needs to continue to present such policy-driven plans to the press and media because a policy-oriented approach, straight from the horse's mouth, is in distinct contrast with Lautenberg and his lack of a concrete, comprehensive plan for Iraq.
For more on Andrews' speech on Iraq, see here:
http://www.robandrewsforchange.com/iraqspeech
