After a couple weeks of keeping mum, Gov. Bev Perdue has come out with a statement in opposition to the marriage amendment referendum on the ballot next year:
My top priority is creating jobs. Too many people are out of work and I’ve heard from several business leaders who’ve told me that the proposed constitutional amendment will harm our state’s business climate and make it harder to grow jobs here. I believe that marriage is between one man and one woman: That’s why I voted for the law in 1996 that defines marriage as between one man and one woman, and that’s why I continue to support that law today. But I’m going to vote against the amendment because I cannot in good conscience look an unemployed man or woman in the eye and tell them that this amendment is more important than finding them a job. In addition, a number of legal experts have argued that this amendment, if passed, could eliminate legal protections for all unmarried couples in our state, regardless of sexual orientation. Right now, my focus, the General Assembly’s focus, and North Carolina’s focus needs to be on creating jobs.
The way that Perdue and other Democrats are threading the needle on this issue, it sounds like they would vote for the amendment in good economic times, even though it would (supposedly) still cost the state jobs. OK …
