Pence Backs Down, Calls For Clarification Barring Any Kind Of Discrimination

[DonViejo]

Last edited Tue Mar 31, 2015, 01:09 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: TPM

By DANIEL STRAUSS Published MARCH 31, 2015, 11:32 AM EDT

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) said Tuesday that he wanted to see legislation on his desk this week clarifying that the controversial religious freedom bill he signed into law did not allow businesses to deny service to anyone.

Pence made the announcement at a widely televised press conference the same day that the Indianapolis Star ran a front-page editorial urging state lawmakers to change the legislation.

"After much reflection and in consultation with leadership of the General Assembly, I've come to the conclusion that it would be helpful to move legislation this week that makes it clear that this law does not give businesses the right to deny services to anyone," Pence said at the press conference. "Let me say that again. I think it would be helpful and I'd like to see on my desk before the end of this week legislation that is added to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act that makes it clear that this law does not deny services against anyone."

Earlier in the week top Republicans in the state legislature said they would look to add a clarification to the law.

-snip-

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/mike-pence-wants-clarification-law

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Indiana governor insists religious freedom law ‘has been smeared’ — but vows to ‘fix’ it this week

REUTERS
31 MAR 2015 AT 11:54 ET

Indiana Governor Mike Pence said on Tuesday he will “correct” the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act this week to make it clear that businesses cannot use it to deny services to same-sex couples.

Pence, a Republican, said the law he signed last week had been widely misconstrued and mischaracterized, but he said he was calling on the state’s Republican-controlled General Assembly to send a new law to his desk this week to fix it.


“We will fix this and we will move forward,” Pence told reporters at a nationally televised news conference.

“I believe it would be appropriate to make it clear that this law does not give businesses the right to deny services to anyone,” he said.

more
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/03/indiana-governor-insists-religious-freedom-law-has-been-smeared-but-vows-to-fix-it-this-week/

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Then what is the purpose of it? What does it accomplish?

[arcane1]

16. Branding. That's about it. Oh, and it feeds the good old religious persecution fantasy.

[VWolf]

22. Yep. Pool 'ol Pence,

martyred by the 'librul' media.

And the 'librul' business owners.

And the 'librul' NCAA.

[charin]

2. Backpedalling to please corporate masters nt

[DonViejo]

6. I can live with him back pedaling to "please corporate masters" in this case....

and thank those "corporate masters" for standing against discrimination against the members of my community and any other community.

[Ed Suspicious]

12. Agreed.

[King_David]

36. +1

[Veilex]

17. "Backpedalling to please corporate masters" - And you know what?

Those corporations are trying to please an angry citizenry. So who's the real master here?

[Blue_Adept]

21. And just as important is..

the fact that there are a lot of people that are gay that WORK at these corporations at all levels that would themselves be discriminated against potentially.

It's good PR, but it's also the right thing to do.

[joshcryer]

35. Aww, evil corporate masters wanting social equality.

How utterly horrible! Would it be that we didn't have corporations but a giant government entity that implemented these laws for the will of the people!

[yellowcanine]

3. They need to just repeal it. "A little less discrimination" is not acceptable.

Any attempt to "clarify" etc. is just going to make it more likely that there will be more litigation and only the trial lawyers will benefit. Republicans are always braying about "tort reform" but they make things worse with bad laws.

[Veilex]

19. "They need to just repeal it" - or alter the existing language of the bill itself.

Adding legislation to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act will not remove the offending language...and leaves a door open to use that language in the intended offending way.

[Cryptoad]

4. only purpose I can now

would be to give the neocon "christians" somewhat of a blessing for being a bigot in their private lives.......

[BlueCaliDem]

5. Money talks. No matter how many protests were launched against

the Republican discrimination law, they were totally ignored - until Indiana was faced with a huge boycott that would cost that State tens of millions.

Sickening that this is the only reason why Gov. Pence is backpeddling, and for no other reason.

Still, they - meaning, the moneyed people threatening a boycott of the State - should continue to push until Republicans in Indiana REPEAL that neo-Jim Crow law.

[Ed Suspicious]

15. This is the real takeaway. If you want to get something changed, you better get business behind

you or your calls will fall on deaf ears. How do you get businesses behind you? Hit them in the pocketbook.

[Gothmog]

7. Governor Dense lied all through the press conference

I listened to most of the conference on Sirus radio and Governor Dense sounded really bad

[yellowcanine]

8. "We want to make it clear that Hoosier hospitality is not a slogan, it's a way of life," Pence said.

Has to be hands down the funniest statement I have read regarding this debacle.

"We just did a dipshit move but we don't want anyone tho think that we might be dipshits."

Just to be clear, Governor, it is not "Hoosier hospitality" which is in question. Nice try though.

[LeftinOH]

9. Well, um.. that was the whole, pandering, point of it.

As if religious freedom in Indiana was in danger prior to this? The whole "point" of this legislation was to further conservative goals ..which happens to be anti - anything gay.

[TheCowsCameHome]

10. "After much reflection....."

Yeah. Like seeing your political ASS handed to you on a silver platter.

Idiot.

[cosmicone]

11. He can't put the toothpaste back in the tube

A full repeal is the only thing that will control the damage. Anything else will be seen as playing games.

Besides, a lot of the damage done will be irreversible. Arizona is still reeling from its attempts at legalized discrimination.

[King_David]

37. I agree, no letup until fully repealed

Bigotry must be repealed .

[calimary]

13. Not Far Enough.

"pence backs down"??? HOW? All he did was basically play with himself at the podium today. It's NOT the law that's bad. It's YOUR misperception. YOUR mischaracterization. YOU are the ones at fault because YOU'RE just reading it wrong. We're sorry we have to go through this because YOU are misreading it and misinterpreting.

Yeah, well, YOU too, pence. But I forgot one word. Please kindly add a "FUCK" in front of the "YOU" in this case. K?

[AlinPA]

29. Exactly!

[SansACause]

14. This is really the only thing the Tea People can do.

They can't govern. Their economic policies are devastating to their states. Their education policies are laughable. All that they can really accomplish is to pass a stack of religious-themed laws in order to please the people who voted them in.

[samsingh]

18. in addition to be a bigot, is he a coward now too. he should stand his ground and alienate alot more

people and take the gop primary slate down the shit hole where they belong and where they fit in.

[graegoyle]

20. Standing up for religiosity...

On bended knee for money.

The religionists who back him; can they see through him, now?
And can the others see this act for what it is: Pandering to both religion and money.

One cannot serve two masters.

[TwilightGardener]

23. I think he should run for President. I mean, this went so well...

he's obviously brilliant.

[Zorra]

24. It appears that we won, but it ain't over 'til it's over. nt

[handmade34]

28. no way

ok , so there is an amendment to protect the LGBT community... NOW it is all about discriminating against Women!!! if it was not about discrimination... there would have been no need for any kind of law in the first place... this is a law to make sure that Fundamental Christians' rights supersede women's rights

we have NOT won!!!!

[geek tragedy]

25. at this rate, he'll be officiating same-sex marriages himself, full retreat nt

[King_David]

38. LOL

[blackspade]

26. back peddle, back peddle....

[Adsos Letter]

27. Repeal it Governor Pence.

Just dump it in the trash bin of bad ideas and be done with it.

[handmade34]

30. nothing short of

full repeal is acceptable...

[blkmusclmachine]

31. 100% of the aim of this bill and its signers is/was to sanction in new Jim Crow laws against

gay Americans (and, really, anybody else, too). The bills signers know it. And everybody else knows it. Don't be fooled by the Republicans lies.

[Trillo]

32. Would "anybody else" also include sentient artificial intelligence

likely owned by a few large corporations. I know it seems tinfoil, and you probably just did a double-take on my "ridiculous" predicate and twisting of what you said, but should self-aware machines exist now or in the future, could there one day be a time when "anybody else" morphs to "everybody else"?

[appalachiablue]

33. Yes the new James Crow Jr. and the new John Birch Jr. The JBS is still active,

founded by Robt. Welch and Fred Koch Sr. in Indianapolis in 1958. Neo-Birchers, Neo-Nazis, ah!

[Beacool]

34. I don't really get this law.

If you own a business, don't you want to make money? Why would anyone care about the sex lives of their customers?

[cosmicone]

39. Exactly. Green is the only color and creditworthy is the only orientation

a business should care about.