Senate Passes Hate Crimes Bill; Larry Craig Opposes

Moments ago, the Senate voted 60-39 to end debate on the Matthew Shepard Act, which expands federal hate crimes laws to include violence based on a victim's sexual orientation, gender, disability, and other factors. The AP reports:

The Senate attached hate crimes legislation to a must-pass Pentagon spending bill Thursday, but opponents predicted it ultimately would fail.

"The president is not going to agree to this social legislation on the defense authorization bill," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. "This bill will get vetoed." [...]

The Democratic-controlled House passed the same hate crimes legislation as a stand-alone bill earlier this year despite Bush's veto threat. That makes a repeat of 2004, when the Senate passed a similar amendment to the same bill only to see it stripped out during negotiations with the Republican-led House, less likely this time around. President Bush, who says the bill is not needed, could then be faced with vetoing the vast defense authorization bill containing the same provision.

The White House had no immediate comment Thursday.

Notably, Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) voted against the legislation.

UPDATE: See the full roll call here.

Comments

[MI6troll]

For pure entertainment, demanda85 is having one of her meltdowns on the Bill Orally thread.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/09/27/bill-oreillys-black-com_n_66184.html

[only1Demvoter]

Ml6 : Yeah... Demented's on a tear. -ralph

[SydsDad]

Remember the time she bitch-slapped you and had you sputtering?

Good times...

[MI6troll]

Never happened, Betty.

There was the night, however, that you tried to suck up to her because none of the other trollz were about.

The same night she realized what a putz you are and left you standing alone.

[Ramirez]

M16:
Thanks for the headsup and the link. I'm a big fan of Amanda meltdowns.

[gallstones]

Sorry, I didn't read any meltdown.
Are you sure you linked to the right thread?

[Ranta]

NAYs ---39
Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Craig (R-ID)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Hagel (R-NE)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lott (R-MS)
Martinez (R-FL)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Stevens (R-AK)
Sununu (R-NH)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)

Not Voting - 1
McCain (R-AZ)

This list shows why icanoclastic thinking is something the Republicans can't get past. Other than Hagel would you like to have a beer with any or these assholes?

[eliandbo]

all crimes are hate crimes, the person who commits the crime hates the law.

[MarkKienan]

Hate Crimes are designated as such in order to allow appeal to federal authorities.

Some victims of crimes in small town america cannot get justice in their local community. Take for example a gay man who has his house spray painted with the work FAG repeatedly. Say the local sheriff looks the other way while laughing about the matter.

Designating crimes based on a person being a homosexual would allow that gay man to appeal to justice at the federal level.

This is what Hate Crime Laws are about.
So what can one conclude about those who oppose them?? Only that they want to allow local law officers in small communities the opportunity to deny appeal to federal authorities. THis speaks for itself.

[WILLJLA]

wow the solid south hey i got an idea try and secede again and we'll kick your ASS one more time LOSERS,AsSHOLES AND HATERS

[MI6troll]

I suggest we let them go.

The blue states send money to the red states.

We get to keep Austin, though.

[springsm]

I don't know that I would want to have a beer with Hagel either.

[planetfotheApes]

Once again the child-like, mindless Liberals are upset that the Constitution and Bill of Right were not successfully devalued.

Listen Homosexuals, my constitutional rights are more important than whatever trouble you are having with the way you choose to engage in sex.

Leave my Bill of Rights alone.

Once more mindless, child-like Liberals are manipulated in to fighting for the destruction of their own basic rights.

The only thing a bill like this accomplishes, is to further America's slide into an Orwellian police state. It further empowers the elite, wealthy few that pull the strings behind this criminal government.

This Bill is simply another attack by the wealth elite on the Constitution. Of course the mindless, childlike Liberal supports it.

[MI6troll]

...and the Michigan Militia makes an appearance.

[jfredmuggs]

The child-liking Michigan Militia. Jesus, where do they find this manner of scum with enough brain cells functioning to operate a simple computer?

[Stevelagain]

homosexuals are already protected from violence by existing laws on the books. They don't require special laws and don't need special laws nor "deserve" them. Maybe Craig's vote makes far more legal and moral sense than this article suggests.

[jfredmuggs]

Well, now is as good a time as ever Stevie. Why don't you type up a quick list of just what exactly our homosexuals do "deserve?"

[JohnJames]

ApePlanet - You've been living in that "Orwellian" police state for quite a while now. Federal hate crime laws have been on the books for years. They just don't include one of the most common causes of hate -inspired crimes - people's sexual orientation. Not too rational if we're going to have such laws at all. I know, I probably lost you with the rational part.

[planetfotheApes]

Great logic. Since bad laws are already on the books, there is no need to oppose additional bad laws. Did you injure your two brain cells coming up wit that one?

That is pure, mindless, childlike Liberal magical thinking. Just like supporting the funding of additional socialist programs when the country is already bankrupt many times over.

The mindless childlike Liberal says, "Hey, we are already bankrupt, so we might as well spend more money."

[pangardenguru]

well your name certianly speaks for itself.

[nunzia]

That man is soooo sick.

[John]

But Larry. You're gay. Why would you vote against your very own interest on this issue?

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

He'd rather suck up than sucked off?

[jfredmuggs]

He's been humiliated in public, somebody's going to have to pay.

This is why he must go, the chip on his shoulder is going to get worse and worse.

[planetfotheApes]

Maybe he has respect for the Constitution. Maybe the Bill of Rights is more important to him than his desire for man on man sex.

[ADVOCATE4ZPG]

Craig and his ilk have only respect for the rights of those who are DOMINANT, financially, sexually, legally, et al. For an extended interval he has enjoyed a certain measure of dominance and is very reluctant to give it up! He is not governed by ethics, merely by the simple desire to exercise power over other people!

[jezuzhchryst]

dearest planetapeshit~ Larry's desire for man on man sex drives him pretty hard ..... an airport bathroom .... cumon there dude, that is a real damn hard down and dirty place to get some young guys weenee in your mouth.... that's what the hand under the stall meant ... gimme gimme gimme~~~ I do admire his over 60's sex drive though!

and good luck with the colorblind equal opportunity sociey you dream about .....

[anangryamerican]

The USA is embarrassingly ignorant when it comes to voting....­give them someone they can have a beer w/..but who will screw their unions, health care, and kids educations, and give massive tax breaks to the megarich, and they vote AGAINST their own interests.­..go figure! REALLY!

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

"Men are moved by two levers only: fear and self interest."
-- Napoleon Bonaparte

In a split decision, fear wins out. Evidently.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

The Senate couldn't find 7 more votes for a "must-pass" Pentagon bill to make gay-bashing veto-proof (at least in the Senate), and this self-loathing toe-tapper isn't one of the SIXTY voting to end debate, so this must-pass gonna-get-vetoed bill can friggin move forward?

Aaaaaaaarr­rrrrgggggh­hhhh !!!!!

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

On the upside, 9 Republican Senators put Pentagon funding and/or gay-bashing AHEAD of being a Bushrovian suck-up.

9 out of 49. Ooooooooh.

When it gets to seventeen, call Ms. Pelosi so we can IMPEACH DA BUMS.

*** TROOPS OUT or BUSH OUT ***

It's just that simple.

And P.S., The Whiteout House would rather stomp gays than support the troops. Disgusting.

[jfredmuggs]

There's money to be made bashing homosexuals. The rank & file donors to the Rethugs just love that stuff.

[Qbear]

Note to Senate janitors

Wear two pairs of latex gloves when you clean Larry's voting button, he uses his HANDS to pick up disgusting pieces of toilet paper, from a busy NASTY airport terminal restroom..­.just saying.

[jfredmuggs]

This is so disgusting, do you think this guy's going to be able to beat the rap? I'm not sure anymore that the charges won't stick and he's gone.

[anangryamerican]

Just shows everyone how uninformed the Idaho VOTERS are...they should be ASHAMED!!!!! Just like the SOUTH that carries BUSH!!!!!

[eman]

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

this guy is the PERFECT repub lican.

1000% hypocritical-

[lornejl]

Craig is a repig, he would vote for the death penalty for toe tapping in airport bathrooms.

[Crozier]

My Christian clerical impulse is to pity this self-loathing individual who works to adulterously behave in a psychosexual normative way in an appropriate manner.

Let us be clear. Whether this man were homosexual or heterosexual, conservative or liberal, it would seem that supporting hate crime legislation would be unanimously supported by all except theocon fascists.

Oops. By a wide stance, this man fits that description as well.

[dianaw]

I am not surprised by Craig's vote. I was incensed when gay rights organizations and the ACLU started supporting Craig as a victim of police harassment. What a joke! It's certainly true that policemen harass the gay population in all sorts of ways, but Craig deserved everything he got at the Minneapolis Airport. He's championed those tactics his whole political career. It's time for him to start reaping the consequences of his actions, not just in the bathroom, but in his degradation of the Senate.

Diana

[MI6troll]

Poor pathetic rentedlecturn.

He's posting "replies" to posts made 1 1/2 - 2 hours ago on pages 3 & 4.

[lornejl]

Haha ! Thats funny ;)

[ownsthepodium]

It's nice to know you guys are interested enough to follow me along. It's good to know you seek higher intelligence.

[SpookyTooth]

I just took him for a dumb drunk spilling really cheap bourbon on his keyboard while he spewed his hatred at being a nothing trapped in a cave with cheap bourbon and a sticky keyboard.
Now I realize he is a drunk hate-filled cave-dwelling ASSHOLE with a sticky keyboard from the cheap bourbon.

[JamesR.]

LOL I went back and replied to her. It's a psycho thing with JoannieQ. She is on a hatred thing now. I think she should post a link to her shitty Blog nobody reads so readers can decide for themselves.

[MI6troll]

Do they still allow that blog?

One or two of them were taken down by blogspot.

[ownsthepodium]

You realize at this point no one has a clue what you're babbling about nor what thread you're on.
No, on second thought, you don't.
And nice trying to cover your ass for replying to me where ever I post. That was worth a chuckle.

[Tommie27]

Did Craig actually say Nay,or did he just TAP HIS FOOT TWICE!! Hmmm.