From PageOneQ  ... Good news from Arizona ...

History was made Tuesday, Jan. 3, when the first open Lesbian was named to the Arizona Senate. By a unanimous vote during their weekly meeting, the Pima County Board of Supervisors named Paula Aboud (r) to the vacant District 28 State Senate seat for the remainder of the term. Aboud succeeds Gabrielle Giffords, who resigned to run for the Democratic nomination for the open U.S. House seat for Congressional District 8.

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With Aboud?s appointment, Arizona will have three openly Gay and Lesbian individuals serving in the Arizona State Legislature, she will join Ken Cheuvront, D-Phoenix in the Senate and Robert Meza, D-Phoenix currently sits in the Arizona House.

My favorite line of the morning thus far from 2 Political Junkies

This calls for full confession -- in 1991, I spent six months as a legislative intern for then-Congressman Rick Santorum.  I was 20 years old and hopelessly heterosexual.  I was also assigned there after winning a scholarship from the Pittsburgh Foundation. 

It wasn't a bad place to be at the time.  I did find the atmosphere to be a bit too "servant of the cause" for my taste, especially given that I was a Democrat.   I did learn quite a bit (enough to leave DC after graduation and head for graduate school versus trying to work in government). 

Fast forward 10 years ... it is 2001 and I'm a social worker in the Mon Valley for a coalition of human service agencies.  I attend a groundbreaking ceremony for a new housing unit and run smack into Rick.  He sizes me up, shakes my hand and says "Did you work for me at one time?" (or something to that effect).  I confirmed my internship and he pleasantly asked me a few follow up questions.  I was charmed in spite of myself.  Given that I was on the clock, I had left my rainbow button at home. 

Fast forward to now ... I despise what Rick Santorum does in the name of politics, religion and family values.  His behavior and his attitude are reprehensible.  He has a gay staffer for crying out loud!

But I don't hate him (or his lifestyle). 

Sue

This past November, we coughed up $25 to support the Homeless Cat Management Team's fundraiser (yes we feed feral cats) ...   more »