CA: conservative business org opposes Prop 8

Prop 8

There were never be more proof that money talks and bulls#$% walks.

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by: Robert M @ Fri Sep 26, 2008 at 08:10:02 AM CDT

Levis cites BOTTOM LINE...too.

This on FORBES:

Levi Strauss & Co. is putting its famous pockets behind defeating a ballot initiative that would outlaw same-sex marriage in California.
The San Francisco-based jeans maker said Thursday it will co-chair with Pacific Gas & Electric a group trying to drum up opposition to Proposition 8 in the business community.
Chief Executive Officer John Anderson said the move is consistent with Levi's long history of supporting civil rights causes.
The company ended racial segregation of its California factories in the 1940s and was the first Fortune 500 company to offer health benefits to the domestic partners of its unmarried employees.
Levi Strauss has pledged $25,000 to Equality for All, the coalition leading the No on 8 campaign, says company spokesman E.J. Bernacki. Robert Haas, the company's chairman emeritus, and his wife have given $100,000, Bernacki said.

and MANY others.

Two labor unions, the California Council of Service Employees and the California Teachers Association, each have given $250,000. Telecommunications company AT&T has given $25,000.

and then the VICA board above says it all... they would lose dedicated, talented workers if the amendment passes....

PROTECT All our MARRIAGE RIGHTS... NO ON PROP 8

It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.

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by: Orion45 @ Fri Sep 26, 2008 at 11:17:05 AM CDT

interesting take on promoting california businesses via gay marriage

Nice to see a conservative group actually living up to their political beliefs keeping out of people private lives and putting the needs of business first. As opposed to trying to write so called religious beliefs into the laws that affect everyone no just those who hold their narrow religious rules.

Seems like gay marriage would be a great draw to same sex couples who want to work and live in a place where their relationships are treated in a valid way.

This also seems an interesting take that gay marriage actually makes sense to the business community. Simplifies their human resource costs and policies and acts as a draw for qualified employeess. I wonder what outreach the No on Prop 8 campaign is making into the business communites/chamber of commerce/business groups. This could certainly carve off a section of Republican supporters of the measure or undecides.  

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by: grahamep @ Fri Sep 26, 2008 at 13:21:05 PM CDT

Wow. Just...wow!

Could this signal the the final breakdown of the unholy alliance between economic and social conservatives?

This is big news.  

If same-sex marriage survives a public vote in California, then it is only a matter of time, maybe ten years or so, before it is legal everywhere in the U.S.  As so many others have said, more succinctly and eloquently than I, there is a strong conservative argument for formally recognizing committed same-sex relationships.  Now it's finally happening.

25 years ago, during time of Reagan, Jesse Helms and Jerry Falwell, this was inconceivable.  Back in those horrible days, when I first stepped into the gay support group during my second week in college; barely able to breathe because it was such a terrifying step, I could never have imagined, even in my wildest fantasies, that this day would arrive in my lifetime.  

So I repeat.  Wow.  Just...wow.

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by: Smartypants @ Fri Sep 26, 2008 at 14:26:50 PM CDT

They're safely out of power.

On some level, the plutocratic wing of the Republican party (and the conservative movement) knows that they have to keep promoting the interests of the theocratic wing in order to get any of their policies put into practice.  It's the Ben Stein approach -- treat the fundamentalists like useful morons, pretend to agree with them, and they'll cooperate when you come back to pick their pockets.  VICA is stepping a bit out of line here, but can get away with it because they're relatively peripheral.  Right-wing business groups with real, widespread power would avoid taking this stance.

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by: M @ Fri Sep 26, 2008 at 15:27:09 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I think they are following Schwarzeneggar's direction.

I know that a while back, the Governor said that gay marriage "should be between a man and a woman".  When the courts said that banning gays and lesbians from marriage is unconstitution, Governor Schwarzeneggar said that gay marriage will be good for California's economy.

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by: Blood From Machines @ Fri Sep 26, 2008 at 14:36:08 PM CDT

The Governator's excuse

for vetoing marriage equality bills passed by the legislature twice was that it should be the courts to declare the previous ballot initiative unconstitutional rather than the legislature changing it (though I don't know that he's insisted that the legislature should be unable to overturn initiative-passed laws generally).  At least he's being consistent, now...

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by: M @ Fri Sep 26, 2008 at 15:33:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Another group vote to oppose Prop 8

A religious group comes out in favor of civil marriage.

Board of rabbis opposes California anti-gay-marriage initiative
12:27 PM, September 26, 2008

Proposition 8 is stirring great fervor this election season, as supporters and opponents of gay marriage gear up for their Nov. 4 duel at the ballot box. Now comes the latest group to weigh in - the Board of Rabbis of Southern California.

The board - a collection of leaders from the Reconstructionist, Reform, Conservative and Orthodox movements - this week declared its opposition to the measure, which would amend the California Constitution to define marriage as only between a man and a woman. Leaders of the board said they wanted protect the civil rights of gay and lesbian couples.

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by: Karen in Kalifornia @ Fri Sep 26, 2008 at 16:32:05 PM CDT