Iowa Senator: Gay Marriage Is Bad Because More People Might Get Insured!! // Update: Sen. Greiner Retiring

(Greiner)

(Originally written on 06/27/13): You might have forgotten, but the U.S. Supreme Court issued rulings on Section 3 of DOMA and Proposition 8 yesterday. That led to several rallies across the country (including here in Iowa City). Not only that, but it seems like every politician is being asked their opinion on the subject.

Case in point?

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa): "I am glad..."

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa): "It doesn't make much difference what my feelings are."

U.S. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa): "I am disappointed..."

But this blog post is really about Iowa Senator Sandy Greiner (R) of Keota, IA. Part of her senate district included part of my own Johnson County, but she's not my state senator. I've written about her once before. That was back in February 2013 when she and 17 other Senate Republicans sponsored an unsuccessful resolution to constitutionally ban Iowa's gay families.

TheIowa City Press-Citizen reached out to her to get her opinion of the DOMA decision. According to the PC, Greiner is unsure about whether or not she will sponsor another anti-gay constitutional amendment, citing tepid public support for that type of resolution. But she still doesn't like same-sex marriage... because same-sex marriage leads to more insured Iowans!:

Greiner stands by her position that expanding gay marriage is increasing health care costs by extending benefits to more partners. “We’re just adding to the pool of people, and that has been my contention all along. I hate to say I was prophetic, but I was,” she said.

What does Sen. Greiner have against insured Iowans? Or is it just insured gay Iowans that she has a problem with?

I mean, if I hypothetically married a woman instead of Husband Mark and placed her on my family insurance plan (keeping in mind that Husband Mark has his own insurance and hasn't been included onto my health insurance in years), would Sen. Greiner still be concerned about one more person receiving health insurance? Probably not.

I never hear people complaining about people like me placing my children on my health insurance plan. They usually just have a problem with the idea of placing my husband on my health insurance plan. Why is that?

And where does she get the idea that it costs more to have more Iowans insured? It's not like it's free for me or pretty much anyone else to insure our family members. Would she rather people go to the Free Medical Center or the local emergency room for our health care needs? Doesn't that drive up costs?

Updated on 06/28/13: Speaking of Sen. Sandy Greiner, I just learned from the Bleeding Heartland blog that she is retiring from the Iowa Senate next year. Will the Democrats be able to win her senate seat? There are slightly more Republicans than Democrats in that district, but also a good chunk of unaffiliated voters.

(Iowa Senate District 39 -- Sen. Greiner's District)