Federalism and Gay Equality

Not such a bad model, according to the latest press release from the left-wing National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Money quote:

The 2007 state legislative season has been the most productive in the history of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights movement and, as a result, for the first time more than half the U.S. population will live in jurisdictions that outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, according to an analysis of Census data and current laws released today by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. In addition, nearly 40 percent of the population will now live in jurisdictions that protect transgender people from discrimination - a sevenfold increase since 2000, and one-fifth of all Americans will live in states that offer same-sex couples broad rights under state law, more than an eightfold increase since 2004...

Five years ago (in 2002) just one state, Vermont, with 0.2 percent of the population, offered broad protections to same-sex couples. When the bills passed this session take effect, seven states (California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon and Vermont), with 20 percent of the population, will offer broad protections to same-sex couples.

Meanwhile HRC burns up the cash.