Ohio4Fred

From the San Francisco Sentinel

Fred responds to a question from Hank Plante. Plante is a newscaster at KPIX.

HP: What is your position on civil unions or domestic partnerships for gay couples?

FT: I don’t think they are a good idea. I do think that states have the power under our Constitution to make their own determination with regard to the matter. So I’m a believer in federalism. I think the federal government’s power ought to be limited to what is set out in the Constitution with regard to the federal governent’s power. The states in regard to matters that are traditionally states matters ought to be free to make those decisions themselves even if Fred Thompson might disagree with with them. Now if they have significant interstate ramifications or national issues involved that is another story, but you have to decide those things on an issue by issue basis.

Geoff Kors of the EQCA responds to Thompson’s stance,

It is clear former Senator Fred Thompson is appealing to the most extreme elements of the Republican party and it is out of step with the country on this issue. It is out of step with California. 80% of Californians support giving rights to Lesbian and Gay couples, over 2/3 of the country. For him to come to San Francisco and make that statement was a deliberate attempt to appeal to the worse elements in his party and go into the politics of fear and hate that the public is sick and tired with President Bush and yet he is going to the right of President Bush on this issue.

Once again we see Fred Thompson stand up for federalist principles. While disagreeing that civil unions/domestic partnerships are a good idea, he wants those decisions left up to the state. I’m not sure what Mr. Kors means by Fred is appealing to “the most extreme elements of the Republican party”. Since the States would have the power to make their own decisions, then technically California in essence could honor and recognize civil unions or domestic partnerships. That’s the great thing about federalism. What is wanted in one state, may not be wanted in another — and the states are free to make those choices and decisions. Thompson admits that his personal beliefs have no bearing on any decision made by the states. While he may disagree with the idea, in no way does he agree that the Federal government has a right to intervene in any State decision, unless it poses a “significant interstate ramification” and even then it’s going to be on an “issue to issue basis”.

Apparently Mr. Kors has no desire to listen to Fred Thompson. The fact he is unwilling to hear him out because he is a Republican is pathetic. And we’re supposed to believe that progressives are the most open minded people out there. But over and over again we see the same derangement syndrome from liberals. Obviously because Fred Thompson and other conservatives disagree with something, that automatically means we fear and hate it. How telling that Mr. Kors calls those who support the Constitution “the most extreme” among us. Completely shameful if you ask me.

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 3rd, 2007 at 11:07 am and is filed under issues, Editorials / Guest Columns. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.