Congressman Ford is once again standing up for Tennessee values by voting to protect the sanctity of marriage.As the Associated Press reports, "The House on Tuesday rejected a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, ending for another year a congressional debate that supporters of the ban hope will still reverberate in this fall's election.
The 236-187 vote for the proposal to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman was 47 short of the two-thirds majority needed to advance a constitutional amendment. It followed six weeks after the
Senate also decisively defeated the amendment, a top priority of social conservatives."
I am proud to say that Congressman Ford was one of 187 that voted in favor of having a constitutional amendment to define marriage as being between one man and one woman.
This is not surprising, as seeing how Congressman Ford has always been against same sex marriage.
- During his first run for Congress, Harold Ford Jr. declared his opposition to gay marriage. "Ford, asked his position on gay marriages, replied: 'Same-sex marriages, I'm opposed to.'" -- Memphis Commercial Appeal, 10/21/1996
- Ford speaks out on gay marriage in 1996: "Ford: I'm opposed to the same-sex marriages and would support the efforts to maintain that position." -- Memphis Commercial Appeal, 10/29/96
Further, Ford's voting record on the issue, matches his rhetoric:
- Voted YES for proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to marriage, which declares that marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. -- H.J. Res. 88, 07/18/2006, Failed 187-236
- Voted YES for passage of the Marriage Protection Amendment. This amendment would amend the constitution to provide that "marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman." -- H.J. Res. 106, 09/30/2004, Failed 186-227
The Congressman's stance has been unwavering, even through tough times:
- Ford supports the traditional marriage ballot initiative that's on the ballot in Tennessee this year. "The president's standing, it might help in a couple house races here and there but I'm not even sure it will make that much of a difference. I was just speaking with Harold Ford, the moderate Democrat running in Tennessee. He is for the traditional marriage ballot initiative that's on the ballot in Tennessee. So, he is avoiding the damage that way. A lot of other Democrats will do the same thing on the local level." -- Howard Fineman, MSNBC's Hardball, 06/05/06
- Congressman Ford voted in favor for a ban on same sex marriages: "GREENFIELD: Ohio was one of those states and the measure was credited or blamed for turning out enough social conservatives to give President Bush the state and thus the White House. This year six states have same-sex marriage bans on the ballot but only one of them, Tennessee, has what can remotely be called a competitive senate race. For the record, Democratic candidate Harold Ford Jr. voted for a ban on same sex marriages. It is hard to see this swelling conservative turnout in other states." -- Jeff Greenfield, CNN's Situation Room, 06/01/06
- Gay and lesbian activists in San Francisco advocate a boycott of a Ford fundraiser, because of his support of the Marriage Protection Amendment: "LGBT activists are turning up the heat on a brewing controversy over a fundraising gala planned for December 3 in San Francisco for Congressman Harold Ford Jr. (D-Tennessee). Ford was among a minority of House Democrats who voted in support of the Marriage Protection Amendment, which would have enshrined into the U.S. Constitution a prohibition of same-sex marriage and may have endangered civil union and domestic partner benefits." -- Bay Reporter, 11/23/05
- Tennessee Journal asks if Van Hilleary is wrong about Ford's position on gay marriage: "A San Francisco fund-raiser that was scheduled Saturday for Tennessee senatorial candidate Harold Ford Jr. was 'postponed' after San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and others involved in the event became aware that Ford voted for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. They apparently agree with Republican Van Hilleary that Ford is 'wrong on gay marriage.' … But since Newsom and Hilleary have different views, one of them is wrong about Ford being wrong. Right?" -- Tennessee Journal, 12/05/05
So the next time you hear Bob Davis, Bob Corker, Van Hilleary, or Ed Bryant say Harold Ford Jr. is wrong on marriage or that he has values out of touch with Tennessee, set them straight with the facts!
Harold Ford Jr. always has, still does, and always will support marriage being between one man and one woman.
Lets protect our traditional values this fall by electing someone we can trust.
199 Days
Days of Congressional Inaction on Ethics
Above is the number of days that have passed since Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to bribing Congressman.
It is also the number of days in which Congress has failed to pass an ethics reform bill that would limit private travel, ski and golf junkets, and would call for a full disclosure of expenses by lobbyists on members of Congress.
It is time for Congress to step up and pass an ethics reform bill that would do all of the above. In addition, it is time to end the pork barrel spending system as we know it and establish an independent ethics commission that would review ethics complaints against members of Congress.
I am proud Congressman Harold Ford Jr. is fighting for that reform!
Read Congressman Ford's call for reform of the House rules here!
