Ashdown on Federal Marriage Amendment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2006
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brett Garner
Office: (801) 983-7383
Cell: (801) 573-4759
Ashdown Calls Amendments "Divisive"

Incumbent "Asleep at the Piano" for Utah's Real Needs

SALT LAKE CITY, UT--Democratic nominee for the US Senate Pete Ashdown released
the following statement on his opponent's repeated, election-year attempts to
amend the US Constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage and flag burning.

"Despite his avowed love of the 'Greatest Constitution in the World,' my
opponent has chosen to sponsor or co-sponsor Constitutional amendments almost
80 times, usually during election years.  This year is no different; because
Senator Hatch cannot win re-election on a platform of unifying Utahns, he will
attempt again to win by dividing Utahns apart.

"This state and this nation have important issues and needs, needs that are
being ignored by Senator Hatch.  He is asleep at the piano for Utahns, refusing
to use his seniority and purported powers to stop--really stop--Divine Strake,
Private Fuel Storage, or nuclear waste coming through Utah to Yucca Mountain. 
As a US Senator, I would fight to stop these horrible, Federally-approved
actions.

"This week he said that the Department of Homeland Security 'shortchanged
Utah.'  There are two responses I have to that, both of which justify a new
Senator for Utah: first, it wasn't DHS that 'shortchanged Utah,' it was Senator
Hatch, who was too busy floating amendments to notice that Utah was being
hurt.  Second, as we have also learned this week, part of the reason New York
lost anti-terror funding was because they faxed their application instead of
electronically submitting it.  We have a national security apparatus stuck in
the 1970s fighting against enemies who are exploiting today's technologies for
the most catastrophic effect.   We already know that Secretaries Chertoff and
Rumsfeld don't even use email.  If Utah--and America, for that matter--had one
Senator knew more about technology, I think our national security would be in
better hands.

Last month, the state legislature failed to fully fund emergency Medicare
vision, dental, and disability benefits for our poorest Utahns. If the
incumbent wasn't too busy boasting about these amendments, perhaps he could
have inserted something into a bill to pay $2 million into this jointly funded
Federal-State program.  If I were in the Senate, the Governor or any concerned
legislator could have called me up and I would be on the Senate floor in a
second.  As Hugh B. Brown stated, 'I am a Democrat because I believe they are
kinder to the poor.'  That's the difference between Republicans and Democrats
this year, both in State and Federal races, and that's why I am a Democrat.

"Regarding the specific question of S.J. Res. 1: government involvement in the
most intimate of affairs should be zero. I stand for the ideal of minimal
government and find no way to reconcile this with interference in matters
between consenting adults. However, if the adults are too closely related, I am
for government involvement in stopping and punishing it.

"The question of medical benefits to same-sex, no-sex, house mates or relatives
is moot when everyone is insured as is covered in my health care
plan. Regardless of what health care system is used, I strongly believe that
states' rights and decisions should be preserved and respected by the Federal
government.

"Under my tax plan all income is taxed equally, regardless of individual
status.  In a free country, individuals should have the liberty to determine
who their benefits are bestowed upon, who inherits their wealth, and who takes
care of their children when they are gone instead of the federal government and
insurance companies making these choices for them.  I would vote against
"message bills" regarding marriage because this is best left to an individual's
faith for definition. This vote would be cast equally against bills that would
ban or affirm any form of marriage."

Ashdown will speak and campaign at the Utah Pride Festival at Library Square in
Salt Lake Sunday afternoon.  Monday at 10:30 AM, he will also speak and
campaign at the Sandy Senior Center 9310 S. 1300 E.  Wednesday he will hold
several campaign events in St. George.