Short Takes: Pat Robertson tells a straight boy how to defend his virtue; Bill Donohue's Catholic League sitting on $26,000,000 and Barney Frank cracks up Chris Matthews

The Atlantic examines DADT vs. Gay Marriage and catches Maggie Gallagher in a fleeting, lucid moment: "... the inability of those who opposed DADT repeal to kill this bill in the lame duck, even in light of the strong opposition to repeal from troops in the field, is an example of the growing mismatch in culture power -- the power to name reality, the power to determine which stories get told and whose feelings count."

If the number of ads for subscriptions to Sean Hannity tripe is any clue, then Hotair is evidently a website for conservatives, or suckers, or both. But it correctly notes the following in a post entitled: The Lesson of DADT Repeal For Gay Marriage:

We have returned to the pre-Clinton policy of leaving it up to the military as to whether and on what terms servicemen and servicewomen may openly acknowledge same sex sexual orientation.
     Contrary to popular media hype, repeal of the law does not itself require the military to allow open service by gays:

In an apparent ad for Gay Realty Watch, Gayapolis News reasons that gay marriage would lower mortgage interest rates. In an interview by Lori Hahn,  Dr. M.V. Badgett, author of When Gay People Get Married claims that...

...by including all of the rights and benefits allotted to other citizens, mortgage rates would be lowered because of the tax benefits given to married couples, allowing for more disposable income.  That income would increase the purchases in the community and thus increase the value of the surrounding businesses.  It would also allow for health insurance to be purchased as a couple.  This would also increase the amount of income that could be put back into the community and thus reduce mortgage rates.

I doubt Maggie Gallagher and Brian Brown will buy this argument, but I'd pay to see a pack of carnivorous go-getters wearing Century-21 jackets back Maggie and Brian and the politicians they rent into a corner like snarling wolverines or Carrie Prejeans.

ASK PAT!
What should a Christian boy do if his friend makes a move on him? "Don't let him drag you down!" is the Pat answer.


This advice was given during CBN's Bring It On segment. Jesus, talk about mixed messages! Now we at aksarbent are all confused. Thanks a lot for bringing this to light, JoeMyGod. (Flash of insight: If Pat Robertson were as worldly as, say, Rev. Eddie Long, he might have advised something more practical: "Friendship with this pervert? No! Fuckbuddy? Yes!"

Catholics United reveals that Bill Donohue's megaphone, the so-called "Catholic League," has $26,000,000 in assets and pays him about $400,000 per year in salary and benefits. CU's James Salt had this to say about Donohue's recent, successful crusade to have the David Wojnarowicz exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery removed:

“Just in time for his end-of-the-year fundraising efforts, Bill Donohue and the Catholic League have once again manufactured a controversy for their never-ending culture war. During this season of Advent, most Catholics and people of faith are concerned about the sluggish economy and how it affects our families, not Bill Donohue’s crusade against art. If Bill Donohue were truly interested in following Jesus, he’d drop this culture-war shtick and do something more productive for those less fortunate than himself.”

Jersey boy Barney Frank (now representing Masschussetts) gives Chris Matthews an informative summary of the House's lame duck session and makes a surprising confession at 3:23 that cracks Matthews up.