Best Part of Ariz. Anti-Gay Bill? No One Liked It

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer "did the right thing" last night, writes Jonathan Capehart in the Washington Post, but her veto of Arizona's anti-gay bill—which would have allowed businesses to refuse service on religious grounds—is far from the best part of the story. "Never before have I seen such full-throated tri-partisan opposition to a piece of anti-gay legislation," Capehart writes. "By tri-partisan I mean Democrats, Republicans, and corporations." It was no surprise that Democrats were against the bill, but for both Republicans and businesses to also oppose it is nothing short of "remarkable." Among those urging Brewer's veto: John McCain, Mitt Romney, Jeff Flake, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, the Super Bowl Host Committee, and corporations including Apple, Marriott, American Airlines, and Delta Airlines.

• "The proposed Arizona law shows how quickly America’s corporate leaders, and even some Republicans, have counted dollars and counted votes and realized that power lies with gay people and their straight allies who can’t stand anti-gay bigotry—and won’t patronize those who are selling it," writes Joan Walsh on Salon. "This is a stunning turnaround from 10 years ago, when Karl Rove encouraged Republicans to put anti-gay-marriage measures on state ballots to turn out the right and buoy George W. Bush’s reelection against John Kerry in 2004. There was no downside for Rove 10 years ago."
• "Maybe we have reached a critical historical juncture," writes Gail Collins in the New York Times. "Struggles for human rights always begin with brave men and women who stand up, isolated, against the forces of oppression. But, in the United States, victory really arrives on the glorious day when the people with money decide discrimination is bad for business. Thanks, Arizona."

(More Arizona stories.)