Traditional definition of marriage AND non-discrimination
Is it possible that, as one step toward the rescue of our republic, we might declare a sort of truce on our other differences. I choose the word truce here specifically because it must be totally mutual. The demand to legalize gay marriage, in spite of
the widespread public unreadiness and discomfort with the concept, is probably the best example. At the very least, legislative or referendum battles over this question create a distraction from the imperative work of reducing spending and averting fisca
catastrophe. In many cases, they lead to an atmosphere so hostile that people who might, and one day soon must, agree on fiscal matters cannot or will not even talk to each other.
On gay rights, I expressed support for the traditional definition of
marriage, and for the protection of Indiana's existing statute against judicial overthrow, but I also issued an executive order barring any discrimination by state government on the basis of sexual preference.
Raised women and minority contracting in public positions
The rise of women to fully equal status with men was a great triumph of the last half century. Men, who tend to work in fields such as manufacturing and construction suffered a disproportionate share of the recession's job losses, compared with women,
who are more prevalent in education and government. If one were starting a gender equity movement today, it would clearly be on behalf of young males.
We should celebrate the nation's great success in removing the historic barriers to women living
to their full potential, and turn together to the real threats of our era. On one front, we have achieved truly perfect equality; if America goes bankrupt, the sexes will share the misery in very equal measure.
Race and gender records are always more
open to interpretation, but our administration put extra effort into successfully raising the level of minority contracting, and into the recruitment, appointment, and election of women and minorities into significant public positions.
