Walking the Wrong Line

It didn’t take long before “moderate” Republican Governor Scott Walker proved once again, you can’t say “moderate” Republican without quotes or contorting your face. When we last left our hero, he was busting unions in Wisconsin, while leaving the other ones – the ones who kinda sorta supported him to begin with – completely unbusted. Now, he’d like to tell you who you can’t visit in the hospital.

First, some quick background. In 2009, the Democratically led WI legislature amended a law that allows same sex couples, once registered with the county, to secure some of the rights you and I get when we marry other straight people. The Wisconsin Family Action (again – family is right there in the title eh?) didn’t like this, and last year decided they would spend their time bringing a law suit alleging WI’s 2006 constitutional ban on gay marriage, was being violated by the 2009 legislative action allowing for some domestic benefits to be extended to gay couples. In other words when you ban gay marriage in your state, you give right wing groups a legal path to make all sorts of fun occur.

Don’t think it can happen? Meet Washington resident Janice Langbehn, who pays taxes and falls in love with other people, just like you and I do. When her partner Lisa of 18 years suddenly collapsed while on vacation to Florida, she was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s emergency room. Jackson has a policy of allowing only blood relatives and spouses to visit those in the trauma center, neither of which was Lisa’s partner Janice. Nevermind that they had been together for almost two decades. Nevermind that they were raising a family, and had adopted children together. No blood, no marriage, no visit. Now you know why people get upset when gay marriage laws are voted down.

Lisa died without Janice having a chance to see her partner, or to say goodbye. Picture yourself travelling out of state, being in the same hospital as your loved one who is dying just yards away, and being denied that final moment with them.

Now picture yourself voting for those who want to keep it this way. That’s right. The party of less government wants to stand between you and your loved one, as you both go through one of the hardest moments each of you may ever have to face together. Because nothing says family values like denying hospital visitation.

Let me recap: Conservatives, who lose their collective minds when judges find that state constitutions are being violated by denying marriage benefits to gays, are asking a judge to find that Wisconsin’s Contistution is being violated because when those same rights are granted. Put another way, the same groups that coined the phrase “activist judges” when it goes against their political beliefs, are indeed asking for some judicial activism in Wisconsin. Unless, you have a friend in government who can actually halt the state’s defense of the law suit? I mean, surely there isn’t anyone in a position of power who wouldn’t empathize with couples like Janice and Lisa right?

Enter Scott Walker. From Milwaukee’s Journal Sentinel:

Gov. Scott Walker believes a new law that gives gay couples hospital visitation rights violates the state constitution and has asked the state to stop defending it…

In case you're looking for more Scott Walkher accomplishments, you can find them here.