Micciche's Freedom to Discriminate and Hate Bill

Addendum/Correction: I've left the original post intact, but Micciche's bill might just exclude clergy, which is still unfortunate because they are already protected. This is a bill that is in search of a problem and seems to be submitted just to pander for votes.

The price of oil has plummeted to under $40/barrel, the state is operating at a deficit of billions of dollars and Gov Walker has proposed cutting the PFD, instituting a state-wide sales tax and maybe even a state income tax to fix the train wreck that the state is facing.

So with these pressing matters, what does State Senator Peter Micciche begin the legislative session with? A bill that does Kim Davis one step better.

Micciche's bill would allow state officials to refuse to marry someone for any reason.  Don't want minorities getting married?  No problem.  Don't want Jews, Muslims or Atheists to tie the knot? Micciche is behind you.  Can't stand Mormons or Catholics? Micciche want you to hate away! Think that God might be displeased if same-sex couples want to exercise their constitutional right?  His Arrogance, Peter, knows better than the US Supreme Court and has your back.

Let's be certain here.  Right now, by law, it is OK if you are clergy or a private citizen, you don't have to solemnize the wedding for anyone. You are 100% completely free to marry or not marry anyone you want. Micciche's bill allows a person employed/appointed by the state to refuse to solemnize a wedding for absolutely any reason.  WTF?!? If you are hired by the state to do a job for the public, either do it or find a different line of work. Here's a link to the bill here.

Go figure, maybe we should allow Peter not to do his job, he's been doing such a bang-up job after all. He was the swing vote on replacing ACES, now the state gives more way to the oil companies than it receives in revenue (to be fair, ACES needed to be tweaked for times when prices are low, like they are now and will be for quite some time). He was on the finance committee and was all for the Taj MaHawker, the way expensive no-bid LIO Palace the Republicans leased. As a member of the finance committee, Peter also approved of a $ million dollars in new furniture (including waste bins that automatically open).  As a mid-level manager of ConocoPhillips mothballed LNG plant in Nikiski, Peter has had his entire political career subsidized by his employer. Generous time off to attend meetings and such and then handsomely rewarded for his efforts to broker sweetheart deals for his company.

But Peter is good at bluster. He helps rescue pets, gets artificial Christmas Trees (brought to you by ConocoPhillips) installed in the park and such.  Gotta keep the base happy; a picture with a tin tree or a neglected puppy guarantees votes. And that is all this bill does, give the homophobic base the right to discriminate. It's good for some more votes.

Anyone wanna bet that Micciche is going to run against Don Young or Lisa Murkowski?

Here are some wishes: that no legislator introduces any bill until the budget mess is figured out; and that no legislator (or aid) goes on any junkets during the session.  Just maybe they can take care of business and not have (yet another) hugely expensive special session like the've had to have these last few years.