Chad’s Morning Brief: Texas Voters and Gay Marriage, Houston Mayor Withdraws Subpoenas of Pastors, and Other Top Stories

Here is your Morning Brief for 10.30.14

Texans and Gay Marriage 

Registered Texas voters narrowly oppose same-sex marriage, but a large majority is open to allowing either marriage or civil unions to gays and lesbians, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.

Asked whether those couples should be allowed to marry, 42 percent say yes and 47 percent say no, the poll found. When civil unions are added to the question, voters are more permissive: 39 percent say they would allow marriage, 28 percent would allow civil unions and 25 percent say they would not allow either sort of formal bond.

“The culture war is a lot more complex than you think,” said Daron Shaw, co-director of the poll and a professor of government at the University of Texas at Austin. “It’s not like people have said everything should be Amsterdam. The way in which you execute it does matter. What you really find is that people are subtle. They appreciate conditions and context.”

Partisan differences show up in the poll responses. A strong majority of Democrats — 62 percent — would allow gay marriages, even with the alternative of civil unions available. Only 14 percent of Republicans would do that, but another 45 percent would allow civil unions. Voters who identify themselves as independents were closer to the Democrats on this question, with 53 percent approving of gay marriage and another 20 percent in favor of the civil unions option.

The most frequent churchgoers — those who say they attend more than one service per week — are most likely to oppose same-sex unions: 55 percent say they oppose both marriage and civil unions for those couples. A majority of other churchgoers, including those who say they attend services once a week, would allow some form of unions.

Houston Mayor Gives In

According to KHOU, the Mayor of Houston has decided to end her attack on churches.

Mayor Annise Parker says the subpoenas of five Houston pastors will be withdrawn.

The announcement came at a 10:30 a.m. press conference at city hall Wednesday.

Parker said she had coffee with out-of-town clergymen on Tuesday, and they helped persuade her on the issue.

"There were broader issues at play," said Parker. "I don't want to have a national debate about freedom of religion."

"This is not about silencing my critics, it's about doing the right thing."

Nearly two weeks ago, the mayor admitted that the subpoenas given to five pastors was "unclear." At that time, city attorneys backed off a request to obtain sermons but still refused to withdraw subpoenas seeking other information from five Houston pastors who publicly opposed an ordinance banning discrimination against gay and transgender residents.

Parker said the language in the original subpoenas was too broad. But she says while the word "sermons" is being deleted from the subpoenas, the request for other speeches or presentations related to a petition drive to repeal the city's equal rights ordinance is appropriate.

I think Parker would have continued with the subpoenas if she wouldn't have had as much heat brought on her that was brought. It should serve as an example that if conservatives join and fight together, big government can be defeated.

You can read the full story by clicking on the link above.

Other Must Read Links:

Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick Campaign in Lubbock

Most Texans Support Voter ID

Wendy Davis on The Daily Show

Democrats Hoping Battleground Texas Can Work

Does Ted Cruz Know How to Win a National Election?

Dems Winning on the Minimum Wage

These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of The Chad Hasty Show. Tune in mornings 8:30-11am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com.