In a unanimous decision that goes into effect in t...

In a unanimous decision that goes into effect in three weeks, the Iowa Supreme Court upheld gay marriage. Hey California: Iowa is freer than you!

Submitted by crazymonk on Fri, 04/03/2009 - 5:00am.

Comments (10)

A: only on this one issue.
B: the constitutional amendment will be out of the state house within a week.

RumorsDaily | Fri, 04/03/2009 - 8:31am

a) Depends on how libertarian you want to get. For example: California - helmet law; Iowa -- no helmet law.

b) Perhaps, but it would take at least 3 years to kick in even if it passed everything right away.

crazymonk | Fri, 04/03/2009 - 8:39am

Rub it in, cmonk. :P

Someday I will stumble upon and bookmark a study about the financial effect of helmet laws on public medical assistance programs. I saw one in the course of my work a while ago, so I know they must be out there.

Lorelei | Fri, 04/03/2009 - 9:35am

Freedom has its costs :)

What's the effect of fast food and smoking on public medical assistance programs?

crazymonk | Fri, 04/03/2009 - 9:50am

The problem is the medical assistance programs. Who said we should be paying for people's bad decisions?

Anonymous | Fri, 04/03/2009 - 12:40pm

You pay for police and fire protection, a good amount of whose work is caused by people's bad decisions.

crazymonk | Fri, 04/03/2009 - 12:42pm

Back to B) -- this guy doesn't think so:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmaHqDHTyC8

crazymonk | Fri, 04/03/2009 - 4:37pm

Somebody probably HAS studied the economic effects of smoking, though I'd have to do some thinking to dig up a study.

Anyway, on the subject of Iowa being freer than California, it later occurred to me that this is the same first step as California -- a state supreme court ruling. So let's wait until the inevitable Christianist attempt to shove through a constitutional amendment fails before we decide Iowa loves freedom more than California.

Lorelei | Fri, 04/03/2009 - 6:21pm

I know people have studied the economic effects of smoking, likely in Canada where it actually has an effect. But my point was that an economic effect doesn't necessarily justify a proscription.

Nate has some interesting analysis about the likelihood of an amendment passing: http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/04/will-iowans-uphold-gay-marriage.h...

crazymonk | Fri, 04/03/2009 - 6:32pm

First-name basis? Forward!

Jon May | Fri, 04/03/2009 - 6:34pm