Author Archives: BosGuy Blog

I know I’ve been hammering away at this Indiana law but the responses from the supposedly moderate Republicans contemplating a run for President of the US I find as sickening as Governor Pence response to America’s reaction to the law.

Gov. Jeb Bush – Monday, March 30, 2015
The Hugh Hewitt Show:  “I think if they actually got briefed on the law, they wouldn’t be blasting this law,” Bush said. “I think Governor Pence has done the right thing. Florida has a law like this. Bill Clinton signed a law like this at the federal level. This is simply allowing people of faith space to be able to express their beliefs. I think once the facts are established, people aren’t going to see this as discriminatory at all.”

Gov. Scott Walker – Monday, March 30, 2015
FOX:  Governor Walker has been uncharacteristically quiet preferring to have spokespeople speak for him which makes me think he probably disagrees with the law but refuses to speak out against it.  Rather he had spokeswoman AshLee Strong issue the following statement, “As a matter of principle, Gov. Walker believes in broad religious freedom and the right for Americans to exercise their religion and act on their conscience.”  I have no idea what he is saying and I think that is intentional.

Carly Fiorina – Monday, March 30, 2015
USA Today:  Fiorina said it was “shameful” how, in her view, liberals have fanned the furor over the Indiana law. “I honestly believe this is a set of liberal political activists who practice a game of identity politics and divisive politics to whip people into a frenzy, and I think it’s very destructive to the fabric of this country.”

Gov. Chris Christie – Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Wall Street Journal:  When asked about the law Wednesday, Mr. Christie said that there should not be “a situation where people perceive that anybody would be denied service.” But he defended Mr. Pence’s character. “I know Mike Pence and he’s got nothing but love in his heart for people,” Mr. Christie said. “I just do not believe that in any way Mike Pence would intend for anything that happened in his state under his watch would be discriminatory toward any person.”  

Today The Center for American Progress distributed a release, indicating that the state of Indiana now stands to lose at least $250 million for passing their “religious freedom” legislation, which is widely seen as legalizing discrimination against the LGBT community.  Despite the fact the legislation is only a week old, the ‘religious freedom” law has tarnished the state’s reputation and made the state a pariah.  As of April 1st, The Center for American Progress details the lost and at risk revenue as follows:

Lost Revenue:
Angie’s List: $40 million
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME, conference: $500,000

At Risk Revenue:
Big Ten football, 2016–2021: $96 million ($16 million per year)
Big Ten men’s basketball, 2020: $8 million
Big Ten women’s basketball, 2017–2021: $10 million ($2 million per year)
NCAA Men’s Final Four, 2021: $71 million
NCAA Women’s Final Four, 2016: $25 million
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 2017 General Assembly: $5.9 million

One should assume this is no joking matter for the state as more companies are now coming out condemning the legislation and indicating their plans to essentially create an embargo on all activity in their state. I think it is safe to say that Governor Pence and the Republican led State legislature in Indiana have done more to harm their state’s reputation and lose more money than they ever expected.  I hope the scrutiny remains and the losses continue to mount.