Governor Snyder of Michigan had the following to say in his State of the State address last night: http://www.michigan.gov/snyder/0,4668,7-277-57577-344537--,00.html I guess I'm supposed to be impressed by this, but I'm not. Seriously, all he had to say on the topic is what I've transcribed above. He practically tripped over himself, rushing to get past the topic. Notice this isn't actually a call to pass the legislation amending the state's civil rights act to add protections based on sexual orientation. It's a call for continuing dialog. Apparently dealing with issues of discrimination in the state doesn't actually mean doing anything but talking. Knowing the Michigan legislature, all the talk will come to nothing. We're more likely to see passage of a bill that allows people to hide behind religion while practicing anti-gay discrimination, than we are to see protections for gay people in this state. Snyder's call to amend the state's civil rights act has been as weak and ineffective as it gets.
Snyder is part of an overall "signal" the Republican Party is trying to make to the general public... i.e. that it is no longer going to be the "Anti-Gay Party" or pander to homophobes. The polls have shifted and the GOP is going to shift with them. Especially since they have nothing to lose....after all, even if they diss the homophobes, most of them will still vote Republican regardless. The GOP knows that.
