Most recently a fundraiser
for a faith—based program on
aging in Milwaukee, Evertz
has also worked for a Catholic
AIDS ministry and advised
then—Governor Tommy
Thompson on HIV/AIDS pol-
icy.

Both Smith and Johnson
are concerned, however, about
the contradictory message
delivered in the preliminary
numbers from Bush’s detailed
budget proposal. “They are
flat-funding Ryan White and
making drastic cuts in pro-
grams that provide medical
coverage to the uninsured and
under-insured,” said Johnson.
Smith said his organization
will work with Congress
through the appropriations
process to get the funding lev-
els raised, as they have had to
in the past.

The Evertz appointment
has effectively ended the
Bush’s honeymoon in the eyes
of socially conservative
groups who were key in his
election. '

Rightwing leaders say they
are- angry and so are many of
the voters who will be impor-
tant to the Republican Party in
House and Senate races in
2002, according to a report in
the Washington Post.
Moreover, they’re worried
that this could lead to more
objectionable appointments.

“This is another case of
Republicans trying to ingrati-
ate themselves with natural
opponents, and a thumb in the
eye of supporters,” Richard
Lessner of the Family
Research Council (FRC) told
the Post. “President Bush may
think the Log Cabin
Republicans delivered him the
election. If that is the case, he
is sorely deluded.”

“While the Bush "adminis-

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' Republican continued from page two

tration may see the Evertz
selection as a conciliatory
effort towards homosexual
activists, it is creating confu-
sion and frustration for mil-
lions of pro-family, social
conservatives,” Dr. James
Dobson said in an FRC state-
ment. “I hope the White
House will reconsider the
potentially harmful message it
is sending Americans regard-
ing the issue of homosexuali-
W-”
“We are very concerned
about the fact that he is an
activist — that he opposes the
Boy Scouts, supports homo-
sexual marriage — all the
homosexual agenda,” the Rev.
Louis P. Sheldon of the
Traditional Values Coalition
told the Post. “Evertz’s whole
approach is homosexuality is
a viable life alternative.” The
White House, he said, is the
ultimate spot for visibility.
“We don’t want this to
become the leak in the dike.”
Bush has still not addressed
the issue himself, but his
spokespeople insist Evertz
was chosen because he was
the best person for the job and
his sexual orientation had
nothing to do with the deci-
sion.

Openly gay former
Wisconsin representative and
Bush supporter Steve

Gunderson responded to the
religious organizations’ objec-
tions in an interview with the
Post. “We ought to cut to the
chase: Is the real reason they
are opposed is that they don’t
want anyonewho is openly
gay serving in a Republican
administration?” '

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House Votes to Repeal Anti-Gay Death Tax

WASHINGTON—The
Republican-led House of
Representatives voted to
repeal the federal estate tax —
known as the death tax — mov-
ing a step closer to lifting a
heavy, discriminatory burden
on gay and lesbian families
across the country. '

“This is a major step for-
ward in something positive
and tangible for gay and les-
bian Americans everywhere,”
said Rich Tafel, executive
director of Log Cabin
Republicans. “Until we. repeal
this discriminatory tax, gay
Americans will continue to
face hardship and possible
bankruptcy at the moment of
greatest need — when a loved
one dies.”

The bill, HR 8, which
repeals the tax over 10 years,
passed the House on a vote of
274-154. While 215
Republicans voted for repeal
and were joined by 58
Democrats and one independ-
ent, another 150 Democrats
voted with 3 Republicans and
one independent to keep the
tax in place.

Under current federal tax
law, when a gay or lesbian
spouse dies, his or her estate is

5 taxed at a rate of up to 55%

before it is passed on to the
surviving spouse. When the
second spouse
remaining estate is taxed again
up to 55% before it can be
passed on to any children.

idies,  the“

Because gay‘ and lesbian
couples have no marital bene-
fits or exemptions under cur-
rent law, they must assemble
expensive wills and estate
plans to ensure a spouse and
family are protected in case of
death. The death tax is an
added burden which can wipe
out savings and pensions and
force the immediate sale of a
home or closure of a small
business. Democratic alterna-
tives which would raise the
threshold for the tax would be
cancelled out by inflation — in
less than a decade by some
estimates — leaving millions of
people vulnerable again to the
devastating effects of the tax
within a few years.

“This isn’t about the David
Geffens of the world, it’s
about average gay and lesbian
Americans who deserve fair-
ness,” Tafel said. “If you’re a
lesbian couple that owns your
own home and runs a small
business as your sole source of
income, this is about you. If
you’re an elderly gay couple
with two homes and retire-
ment savings, this is about

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you. If you’re a 30 year-old

‘ lesbian or gay man who start-

ed contributing to your 401(k)
at age 22, and you plan on
owning a home and having a
family with your partner, this
is about you.”

“This discriminatory tax
makes the lack of equal bene-
fits ‘for gay couples even
worse,” Tafel said. “Death
should not be a basis for taxin-g
anyone. We are committed to
this issue, not only to end dis-
crimination in the short term,
but to protect generations of
gay and lesbian families to
come.”

Log Cabin Republicans is
the nation's largest gay
Republican organization, with
state and local chapters
nationwide, a full-time,
Washington office and a feder-
al political action committee.

   

  

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- Mountain Pride Media - Board Member ’99, ’00 ’
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