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Monday it was Nike, Boeing, Microsoft, RealNetworks, Vulcan and Puget Sound Energy joining the campaign to approve Referendum 71. On Tuesday the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce joined the campaign to approve Referendum 71!
Seattle – September 15, 2009 – The Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce voted today to join major employers and more than 170 labor, nonprofit, senior citizen and community groups across the state in support of the campaign to approve Referendum 71. …“This law is about the rights and responsibilities of adults in committed relationships raising families, running businesses and owning property. Diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace, and in our state as a whole, are core values in our business community,” said Tayloe Washburn, chair of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce. “We must protect and enhance them if we want to attract, retain and grow the talented workforce needed to stay competitive in the global economy. Supporting the Approve R-71 campaign sends the right message about the economic environment we have and want. ”
The entire press release is below the fold.
According to Dominic over at The Stranger, SCC’s spokeswoman Christina Donegan says “A major factor in our decision to support it is that it would likely have a positive impact on proponents’ fundraising efforts. We look forward to working with the campaign to support their efforts.”
I hope this excellent news inspires people to DONATE, because the anti-domestic partnership campaign’s wholesale use of NOM rhetoric makes me fear they’re about to get a big infusion of cash from undisclosed sources.
Referendum 71 asks voters to approve or reject the domestic partnership law. Vote Approved on Ref. 71 to preserve the domestic partnership law.
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Related
* Major Washington businesses endorse the domestic partnership law as editorials roll in
* Religious Leaders & Faith Communities Wholeheartedly Support Washington’s Domestic Partnership Law
* Straight seniors rely on domestic partnerships
Seattle – September 15, 2009 – The Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce voted today to join major employers and more than 170 labor, nonprofit, senior citizen and community groups across the state in support of the campaign to approve Referendum 71.On the November 3 ballot, a vote to approve on Referendum 71 upholds the domestic-partnership bill (SB 5688) that was passed in 2009 by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Christine Gregoire. The law extends basic fairness and equality under state law for registered domestic partners who are either same-sex couples or heterosexual couples where one or both partners is at least 62. It does not sanction or encourage same-sex marriage.
“This law is about the rights and responsibilities of adults in committed relationships raising families, running businesses and owning property. Diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace, and in our state as a whole, are core values in our business community,” said Tayloe Washburn, chair of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce. “We must protect and enhance them if we want to attract, retain and grow the talented workforce needed to stay competitive in the global economy. Supporting the Approve R-71 campaign sends the right message about the economic environment we have and want. ”
The Boeing Company, Microsoft Corporation, Nike, Puget Sound Energy, RealNetworks and Vulcan expressed their support of approving R-71 in a joint statement issued yesterday. Visit http://approve71.org/ to read more and to see the full coalition.
3 Comments
That’s encouragingI always thought we needed more than just the support of the newspapers, unions and liberal churches in order to have a chance of winning. That’s one of the reasons why we lost I-677 in 1997 (for those of you under 30 – that was our ill-fated attempt to pass an anti-discrimination law by intiative. What were we thinking?) This time around, we have the support of much of the business community. That may make a difference.
Even more encouraging is that the Seattle Police Officers Guild is urging the approval of R-71. Here’s the link:
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seat…
That’s the same police union whose president, only 16 years ago, travelled to Washington DC to urge Congress to keep intact the ban against us in the military.
Has any corporate entity come out to reject Ref-71?I have been seeing a great many clubs, civics organizations, business groups, religious groups, charitable organizations, etc. supporting efforts to approve Referendum 71 and thereby allowing “everything but marriage” domestic partnerships to take effect. Other than a very few churches such as Mars Hill and Antioch Bible (both homes to rabid homophobes), I have yet to see any prominent group come out against the measure.
Is there any real opposition to it in this state?
the largest opposition comes in the form of low voter turnoutthis is an off-year election, which typically means abysmal voter participation. further, of those who voted in the august primary the average age was something like 59 years old. so in other words, the greatest endorsement the other side has is the potential lack of participation from our supporters. this is why it is so important to a) inform everyone you know about the referendum and why they should approve it, and b) make sure you know that they have properly filled out their ballot and mailed it in on time. oh yes and c) donate to wafst or volunteer with wafst so we can reach people that don’t have people like you to personally tap them on the shoulder.