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Hillary Clinton backs same-sex marriage
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U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton receives applause upon her departure from her last day in office at the State Department in Washington February 1, 2013.
Credit: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque
WASHINGTON |
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a potential 2016 presidential candidate, said on Monday she backs marriage rights for gay Americans.
In a video for the gay rights advocacy group Human Rights Campaign, Clinton said she supports gay marriage "personally and as a matter of policy and law."
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender "Americans are our colleagues, our teachers, our soldiers, our friends, our loved ones, and they are full and equal citizens and deserve the rights of citizenship. That includes marriage," Clinton said in the 5-minute-long video posted on YouTube (youtu.be/6RP9pbKMJ7c).
Her comments come amid a wave of similar declarations from other politicians, both Democrats and Republicans, and as the Supreme Court is considering two gay marriage cases.
President Barack Obama last year announced his support for gay marriage, which is already permitted in nine of the 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Earlier this month, Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, also addressed the issue, saying the 1996 law he signed defining marriage as between a man and woman was unconstitutional and should be overturned.
The Republican Party opposed gay marriage in its 2012 convention platform, but some notable Republicans have broken ranks.
Among them is Ohio Senator Rob Portman, who on Friday became the most prominent Republican lawmaker to support gay marriage, influenced, he said, by learning that his son was gay. Republican leaders, however, were quick to reiterate their opposition to gay marriage.
During her unsuccessful campaign for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, Clinton said she supported civil unions for gay couples but did not say she backed same-sex marriage.
Clinton has been coy about her political future after stepping down as secretary of state earlier this year, but polls show she maintains her popularity as a potential Democratic presidential nominee in the 2016 election.
Explaining how her view had changed, Clinton cited her human rights work during her four years as the top diplomat and her own faith. She also cited the happiness she and her husband felt when their daughter, Chelsea Clinton, married a few years ago.
"I wish every parent that same joy," she said.
(Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Fred Barbash and Mohammad Zargham)
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We can’t afford the “Marriage” entitlements for Heterosexual couples now and no surprise a liberal wants to enlarge that entitlement / handout.
Get the government out of Marriage. It is a religious term that has been hijacked.
Instead, the government should embrace the word “Parent” as raising children actually brings a benefit to society. I don’t care if you are Hetero (your own or adopt) or homo sexual (adopt). You should receive Survivor Benefits from Social Security if your spouse dies until your children turn 21. You should receive Tax breaks, because we need a higher American population before China and India take over the worlds economy.
Then this is no longer a political issue, government saves $, and those who need it with a legitimate social value receive credit where it is due.
Ban all abortion. Homosexual couples can raise unwanted pregnancies.
America needs to be at a population level of 550 Million citizens within the next 30 years or China and India’s economies will surpass ours and we will have almost 0 economic political might. Just another #3 economy…
The second best thing about freeing slaves in America? It increased population, and all the sudden you had business booming as African Americans started to buy “Wants” not just what their owners thought was a “Need”. The North prospered, even though everyone thought it would sink the North.
it is the same principals. Want to fix Social Security? Want to fix National Debt? Increase population, Increase qualified immigration. Decrease printing new money to offset the pressure of higher demand.
There, i just fixed USA for you.
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