We're great at gentrification

Rep. Randy Weber, a Republican from Texas (which explains it all) has filed a bill that is red meat for his base. His "State Marriage Defense Act" says that if a state bans same-sex marriage the federal gov't can't recognize the same-sex marriages in that state. It also shifts the definition of marriage from the state of celebration to the state of residence -- so sneaking off to New Mexico won't help you. I don't know about the prospects for this in the House, but thankfully it has no chance in the Senate and would be vetoed by Obama. And the Supremes would likely stomp all over it.



The Washington Spectator (alas, links only for subscribers) in their January issue reports of a lawsuit to end the Senate filibuster. The defendant is Joe Biden in his role of President of the Senate. One plaintiff is Rep. John Lewis, who was physically beaten during a civil rights march in the 1960s. He says one of his bills passed overwhelmingly in the House didn't get 60 votes in the Senate. Other plaintiffs are undocumented residents of Arizona. Their complaint was the DREAM act, which would legalize their status, passed by a large margin in the House and died in the Senate. The filibuster isn't in the Constitution. It was created in 1805.

The case goes before the CD Circuit Court of Appeals. Prior to the change in filibuster rules last November this court had a slight GOP advantage with several vacant seats. Now that judges can't be filibustered this court has a Dem advantage and there are still two seats for Obama to fill. The constitutionality of the filibuster rests with a court whose makeup was affected by restricting the use of the filibuster.



What's a great way to revitalize Detroit? Bring in the gays! Several years ago I heard of Richard Florida, who studied the success of urban areas and found the most vital had a high creativity index. A big component of that is openness to different kinds of ideas and people. And the most telling component of that is gay people. In addition, we're great at gentrification.

Big problem: Detroit doesn't currently have a gay neighborhood (the closest thing to it is in Ferndale). One would have to be developed from scratch. Perhaps Palmer Park, Midtown, or Downtown would be good areas. Next problem: The state isn't exactly welcoming to gays and the mayor who took office last week was the first to specifically say nice things about us (though there was that gay City Council president who mysteriously disappeared one day (no foul play suspected)). So to make Detroit rise again start saying a lot of nice and helpful things about us.