Tim Kaine on abortion, stem cells, same-sex marriage, civil unions, and labor issues.

"Promote abstinence; ban partial-birth abortion
I will reduce abortion in Virginia by enforcing current Virginia restrictions, passing an enforceable ban on partial-birth abortion, ensuring women’s access to health care (including legal contraception), and promoting abstinence-focused education and adoption. We should reduce abortion in this manner, rather than by criminalizing women and doctors.
Source: Campaign website www.kaine2005.org, “Issues” Nov 8, 2005

I have a faith-based opposition to abortion
I have a faith-based opposition to abortion. As governor, I will work in good faith to reduce abortions by:

1. Enforcing the current Virginia restrictions on abortion and passing an enforceable ban on partial birth abortion that protects the life and health of the mother;
2. Fighting teen pregnancy through abstinence-focused education;
3. Ensuring women’s access to health care (including legal contraception) and economic opportunity; and
4. Promoting adoption as an alternative for women facing unwanted pregnancies.

Too often politicians are interested in scoring political points, rather than in reducing the number of abortions. Many of the legislative proposals introduced in the General Assembly, like the ones to require unnecessary building standards for doctor’s offices that perform abortions, are just political grandstanding. They encourage division and lawsuits rather than contributing to the goal of reducing abortions.
Source: Campaign website www.kaine2005.org, “Issues” Nov 8, 2005"

WASHINGTON - While Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine said he supports the $500,000 allocation in the budget bill lawmakers approved last month to fund adult stem cell research in Virginia, he does not want to see taxpayer money used for embryonic stem cell research.

“I don’t think we should be publicly funding it in Virginia,” Kaine, who is Catholic, said Tuesday during his monthly appearance on WTOP radio. “You will not see me proposing that. I think there are huge advances that can be made in adult stem cell research. I think that’s the way to go.”

The state also saw the swearing-in today in of a new governor, Democrat Tim Kaine, who opposes both same-sex marriage and civil unions. He has promised to sign the measure that places the amendment on the ballot after the Senate passes the proposal once more. Even more depressing is that measures that would have limited the scope of the amendment's discrimination were deep-sixed. (WashBlade):

Kaine spokeswoman Delacey Skinner said that the governor-elect will sign the bill to call for a referendum. Kaine supports the amendment and opposes civil unions, she said. She added that he is interested in discussing measures “to make sure people can still be able to contract with each other.”

However, efforts to limit the scope of the vaguely worded amendment were defeated. Del. Kristen J. Amundson’s (D-District 44) amendment, which received only 35 votes, would have eliminated all language except for: “Only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this Commonwealth and its political subdivisions.”

Del. Vivian Watts’ (D-District 39) amendment was also rejected by a vote of 36 to 60. She proposed including a clarification that the amendment would not change “any other right, benefit, obligation or legal status pertaining to persons not married.”

Kaine:"I am saddened that the House leadership has chosen the Washington style path of partisanship by rejecting a good and capable man...The Secretary of the Commonwealth has no - I repeat, no - role in the enforcement of Virginia's right-to-work law, a law I strongly support."

I added the emphasis. I could see a guy making a statement--though I still think it would be a sad comment--that he would enforce the laws of Virginia, which includes right-to-work. But to say publicly he STRONGLY SUPPORTS anti-union laws is unacceptable.

.."Supporting Right to Work laws which make it impossible to organize a union is one of them. It's just not ok for workers to have no opportunity to stand up for themselves against abusive labor practices

Kaine opposes Va. amendment

Governor, activists decry gay union ban for different reasons

JOSHUA LYNSEN
Thursday, April 13, 2006

Gov. Tim Kaine is urging Virginians to vote against a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage because he fears it could have unintended consequences.

Kaine, a Democrat, issued a statement this week publicly opposing the amendment that goes to voters Nov. 7. In the statement, Kaine said he believes "marriage is between one man and one woman" and that condition is clear under current state law.

"But I am concerned that the broad wording of the proposed constitutional amendment goes much further than that, threatening the constitutional rights of individuals to enter into private contracts, and also threatening the discretion of employers to extend certain benefits, such as health care coverage, to unmarried couples," he said. "For those reasons, I will vote against the marriage amendment in November, and I urge other Virginians to vote against it as well."

link

A Bad Amendment

Even if you oppose gay marriage, Virginia's ban would go too far.

Sunday, September 17, 2006; Page B06

SINCE 1998, 20 states have adopted constitutional amendments banning gay marriage. But not all of them have been drafted so expansively, and so carelessly, as the measure that will appear on Virginia's ballot in November, which would recognize no "union, partnership or other legal status to which is assigned the rights, benefits, obligations, qualities or effects of marriage." The amendment is muddle-headed and absurdly broad, duplicates what is already in state law and carries the germ of a thousand unintended consequences. Virginia voters should reject it.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) opposes gay marriage, but he shares with its defenders the concern that the wording of Virginia's amendment could imperil the rights of individuals to enter into private contracts or employers to extend benefits such as health care coverage to unmarried couples. Plenty of the state's most prominent employers might face a more vexing recruiting environment if the amendment is approved.

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