Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Schewel on the Marshall-Newman amendment

Mark Warner’s Secretary of Commerce and Trade -- Michael Schewel -- shows his grasp of an issue, as well as his command of language, in a short-but-sweet piece published in Sunday’s Washington Post.

In “The Economics of Discrimination,” Schewel weighs in on the Marshall-Newman amendment, also known as the “marriage amendment.” His words aren’t part of a political agenda to accumulate power. They are about reality.

“...Capital One, for example, is one of Virginia’s biggest and best employers. It provides domestic-partner benefits for unmarried employees’ partners, both for same-sex and heterosexual couples. The Marshall-Newman amendment could prohibit Capital One from providing these benefits.”

“...Virginia tried the economics of discrimination once before. It didn't work in the 1950s and '60s, and it left our state’s economy at the bottom of the national heap.”

3 comments:

Kathy said...

Thanks for pointing out Michael Schewel's excellent piece. Florida is sort of a Benoit Mandelbrot of economics. Some consider his work heretical, and others take his theories on almost as religion.

It's encouraging to see this work invoked it in an applicable domain. Even better though, Michael sums up with wrong and bad for business.

Vivian J. Paige said...

Another reason to Vote No.

This amendment just fails in every aspect.

F.T. Rea said...

kathy, vivian,

Mike Schewel appears to be genuine guy. He’s not so much of a self-promoter, as most who’ve tasted power and want more. He seems to understand why he is for, or against, a concept. And, he can articulate his thinking without using a lot or words.