Discussion: Pence Backs Down: Calls For Clarification Barring Any Kind Of Discrimination

system1 · March 31, 2015, 3:25pm

Discussion for article #234864

berkshire_boy · March 31, 2015, 3:37pm

This news conference is painful to listen to. It is a train wreck for this potential GOP Presidential candidate. Defensive, disingenuous, and dissembling.

jviscont1 · March 31, 2015, 3:38pm

Indiana legislators should stick to having ALEC write their proposed laws, cuz this one is a mess.

antisachetdethe · March 31, 2015, 3:45pm

“Let me make this perfectly clear…”

Where have we heard that before?

jinmichigan · March 31, 2015, 3:47pm

No one should hold their breath that Indiana repubs will fix this.

edhedh · March 31, 2015, 3:48pm

hey, just indiana republicans governing. 3 months into the republican mode and just look at the bs that they are trying to pull around the country. mandate, my ass. if they had enough guts to run on what they are trying to do, they would have been crushed. absolutely clueless.

doremus_jessup · March 31, 2015, 3:48pm

javaman · March 31, 2015, 3:55pm

Pence is still taking a maximalist position.

“OK, you’ve beaten me back! Let’s narrowly define this state RFRA with another statute!”

But the statute itself is not scheduled to be repealed, and it doesn’t sound like he said a peep about extending protected class status.

Let’s see if this keeps following him.

whatithink · March 31, 2015, 3:58pm

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,

THEN WHAT THE FUCK IS THE POINT OF THE LAW???

cincypix · March 31, 2015, 4:07pm

“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,” Pence said.

“Anyone” meaning any white conservative Christianist. And while the law itself will not deny services, true-believers will be free to do as they please, as Pence refuses to include LGBT as a protected group.

dr_coyote · March 31, 2015, 4:15pm

No mercy. His mind isn’t changed and psychotic billionaires (thank you Citizens United) still own his ass. Take him down.

avattoir · March 31, 2015, 4:23pm

If not for this, there’d have been something. He’s a gubernatorial IED practically indistinguishable from Corbett.

It cannot qualify as amazing that this dimwitted clod has managed to bumble along this far. Raw Pences burble up from the primal ooze like Tolkien orcs. The conservative movement methodically shapes them into pipe bombs for the Republican election machines to deploy them in laying siege to democratic institutions, and from there they’re protected by the bureaucratic momentum that inheres in government power.

But they’re made from such volatile materials, with so many endemical weak points, and so inflexible, they’re prone to breakdown and instability exposure detonation whenever they actually try to DO anything.

avattoir · March 31, 2015, 4:25pm

I got a fever, and the only prescription is more lipstick!

thehatter · March 31, 2015, 4:26pm

Actually, if the ‘Religious Freedom’ law is not repealed then the Governor’s proposed solution is meaningless. The ‘Religious Freedom’ act specifically says that the citizens of Indiana can assert a religious exemption to any law (even another state law) if their religion forces them to disagree with it. So, if your religion says that LGBT people (or women for that matter. See Wahhabism) are not a protected class then a plain statute cannot protect them from discrimination in Indiana. Perhaps Pence is proposing a Indiana constitutional amendment to protect gays? THAT would be ironic.

jeffgee1 · March 31, 2015, 4:37pm

“Clarifying” a law that he wanted and signed. Is there something unclear about it? Did he not really think through the whole thing before posing with the bigots and homophobes at the signing ceremony?

paulw · March 31, 2015, 4:39pm

Watch the “clarification” bill run along the lines of “if someone doesn’t actively stop you from going to another business that might not discriminate against you, they’re not denying you services.”

sonsofares · March 31, 2015, 4:39pm

I’m actually hoping for pushback from the law’s supporters because it’s plenty clear to them!

liberaljesus · March 31, 2015, 4:51pm

boy you talk about runnin like a dog with his tail tucked underneath…Sunday he couldnt tell George Stephanlopolis that he didnt support discrimination of gays and lesbians by businesses but 48 hours later…crying like a pussy!

krusher · March 31, 2015, 4:55pm

“Pence stressed that the law, which bars Indiana from forcing businesses to serve customers based on religious objections to sexual orientation, currently does not allow discrimination.”

Huh? The second part of the sentence contradicts the first part–or am I stupid?

slbinva · March 31, 2015, 4:57pm

It’s a sad commentary when The Onion gets its satire from the actual news without having to make any goofy twists to it…