Nathan Deal makes a forceful, biblical case against Georgia’s ‘religious liberty’ bill (Atlanta: inclusive, metro)

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

Left-of-center website Daily Kos reported Monday that a lobbyist and fundraiser for the Republican Governor's Association who has talked with Governor Deal and his aides said that the governor wants to veto the bill for the sake of the Georgia economy, amongst many other reasons, but that the governor is trying to find some type of middle ground solution that will make everyone on both sides of this increasingly heated religious liberty debate happy.

The problem is that there can be no middle ground when the question of compromise basically is, "What percentage of your home can I burn to the ground?" There is exactly one right answer, and that is zero.

[Fubarbundy]

Originally Posted by Pemgin

Go on...

Would rather he didn't since it's a well known lie, and runs the risk of this thread getting more off topic and being locked.

If the bill in question won't legitimize discrimination against the LGBT community as it's supposed to, then what's the point? Religious liberty is already enshrined in the constitution, if it comes to litigation.

Hopefully these are the religious truths about same-sex marriage that can finally gain traction:

• Scripture in the original languages contains no prohibition of homosexuality, but does record same-sex marriage. "If we take a closer look, reading the scripture in the original Hebrew and Greek, we discover that God never condemned homosexuality, and that same-sex marriage existed in those times... To tell an LGBT person that the Bible is Good News, but that their ability to love on a spousal basis means they are sinful and perverted in God's eyes is a gross contradiction in terms.

• The ancient biblical references of homosexuality were uttered in the context of same-sex practices of Hellenistic cultures and other cultures surrounding the people of Israel. This kind of sex without love was often practiced in lieu of going to female prostitutes, and also by heterosexual men. It is a discriminating misconception of our times to transfer that specific prohibition of such practice without love, to what's being addressed now: durable, long term, same-sex marriage.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by chuckshere

It's very hard to believe Governor Deal would undo all of the work he's done in helping GA get the film and TV business it has. That is a major part of the legacy of his administration. It could turn out to be the biggest thing he's known for accomplishing. Surely, he understands how important the veto is.

These are some excellent points.

I think that the probability that Governor Deal will veto this bill (which was likely very high to begin with) probably increases with every new report of some major business and/or massive industry that threatens to leave our state and take all of the massive amount of economic activity that comes with it.

[bhammaster]

Disney and Marvel are the latest to say they are pulling out if the bill passes. This is pretty big.

[toll_booth]

Deal. What's the holdup. Veto the damn thing already.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

Deal. What's the holdup. Veto the damn thing already.

he is probably waiting untill at least after sine die tomorrow so reps dont take out "revenge" on any other bills.

[Airforceguy]

I thought I would bring what is happening in North Carolina to everyone's attention. The general assembly there just struck down a law in Charlotte protecting that city's transgender community. It also just passed a law that forbade the cities of North Carolina from extending protections to LGBT and from raising their minimum wages. Their governor signed the bill tonight and already there are calls for companies to boycott N.C. The fallout from this situation brewing in North Carolina may also impact Gov. Deal's decision...
Gov. McCrory signs bill overruling Charlotte transgender ordinance | WNCN

[magnetar]

North Carolina's reputation has pretty much been completely shattered in the course of a few hours. Every third tweet in my timeline is about it.

[stan4]

Originally Posted by bhammaster

Disney and Marvel are the latest to say they are pulling out if the bill passes. This is pretty big.

Right.

And at the end of the day it won't be any one's moral or religious convictions that the decision will be based on. It will be the money.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

Deal. What's the holdup. Veto the damn thing already.

Originally Posted by jsvh

he is probably waiting untill at least after sine die tomorrow so reps dont take out "revenge" on any other bills.

Like another poster stated earlier (I think it was Gulch), I don't think that Governor Deal can actually veto this bill until after the Georgia General Assembly legislative session ends (after Sine Die which occurs on this Thursday, March 23rd at midnight)....That's because I don't think that this bill (like most bills) will actually reach the governor's desk for him to review until after the legislative session is over.

After the bill actually reaches his desk, if he ultimately is going to veto this bill, Governor Deal possibly will want to take his time in announcing his decision to veto the bill so that it does not appear that he is biased against the bill.....Politically, this is important because a very large majority of legislators (66% of the Senate and 58% of the House) voted to pass this bill out of the legislature and send it to his desk for his signature.

To the large legislative majority that supports the signage of this bill into law (a large legislative majority that the governor has to keep a good working relationship with so that he can get things done and state government can continue to function during the final two legislative sessions of his administration, even if he may personally dislike or disapprove or the legislature's actions) and the majority of the electorate that voted for those legislators, Deal cannot appear as though he is biased against the bill before the start of the review process, no matter how controversial (and offensive) it may seem in the media, to the business community and to much of the outside world.

To the very large part of the Georgia electorate that very strongly supports this legislation, Governor Deal also cannot appear as though he is going to quickly sell them out to the big business and progressive/left-of-center interests that strongly oppose it....Especially in this particular political environment where many conservative voters have a strong dislike for the big business interests who they feel have aligned against them with progressive and left-of-center groups (like the LGBTQ community which many social and religious conservatives absolutely despise).

The scenario that might give Governor Deal the political cover he needs to veto this bill in this environment where deeply conservative interests dominate might be to wait for an extended period of time and let the process play out of numerous groups, companies and entire industries announcing that they will abandon the state and take their jobs and their tens-of-billions of dollars in economic activity with them.

It is probably best if Governor Deal allows a demonstration of the irreversible damage that would actually happen were he actually to sign this bill into law.

Several weeks of major business and industry announcing that they will abandon the state if this becomes law might just significantly lessen the appetite for this type of risky political stunt in future legislative sessions.....Which is important because, whether or not Deal vetoes the current religious liberty bill, the supporters of this law plan to come back next year and put together an even stronger religious liberty bill that more directly addresses individuals and small businesses.