- Social:
Catholics for the Common Good
Chairman of Catholics for the Common Good and author of Getting the Marriage Conversation Right: A Guide for Effective Dialogue
PROFILE
William May
Guest
FROM William May
Which Way, L.A.?
Will California's Proposition 8 Survive the US Supreme Court? Much has changed since Proposition 8 passed in 2008 and polls show that if it were on the California ballot now, it would be likely to fail. Today, at the US Supreme Court , Justice Anthony Kennedy, often the decider between his four liberal and four conservative colleagues, acknowledged that Prop 8 has taken the court into "uncharted waters." Liberal Justice Sonya Sotomayor posed the question, "If the issue is letting the States experiment and letting the society have more time to figure out its direction, why is taking a case now the answer?" We search for answers to that and other questions.
Which Way, L.A.?
Same-Sex Marriage, Gender and the Prop 8 Ruling Same-sex marriage has become a national issue since federal Judge Vaughn Walker overturned Proposition 8 , in which California voters banned a practice that had only been legal for a few months. One aspect of Walker's ruling that has been overlooked is the role played by the women's movement. We hear from two journalists and a well-known scholar who's married to another man, but still says the judge's decision was too much, too soon.
To the Point
Same-Sex Marriage, Tradition and the Status of Women If women are equal under the law, then a ban on same-sex marriage is legalized discrimination . That was part of last week's ruling against Proposition 8 in California. Federal Judge Vaughn Walker relied more on the women's movement than he did on gay rights. Are his arguments likely to fly in the US Supreme Court? Is marriage a union of equals? What about the basic traditions of major religions? Are voters wrong to assert those values over the strict rules of law? Should the tyranny of the majority prevail over minority rights? Should such decisions be made by judges or by the political process? We look at some of the basic disputes set off by Walker's decision as it begins the long road through the federal courts.
Recommended
To the Point
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.
To the Point
White House budget proposal slashes and burns President Trump's first budget request is considered dead on arrival in Congress — a familiar development in Capitol Hill. We hear what it reveals about the priorities of the new administration. What's likely to die… and what might survive?
To the Point
Replacing Obamacare: Now you see it… now you don’t As the Senate deliberates replacing Obmacare, health coverage for millions of people is at stake. There've been no public hearings, and a draft measure won't be made public. Is the House version so unpopular that that Senate is hiding a version that looks much the same?
To the Point
Venezuela spirals into economic and political chaos Venezuela, a country whose potential for prosperity is unmatched, finds itself on the verge of civil war. What sustains the repressive government? With time running out, guest host León Krauze looks at what the international community can do to pull the country from the edge of collapse.