Marriage_Evaluating+the+policy


 * Evaluating the Existing Policy**

**Goal** What is the goal of the policy? If you don’t know what it’s supposed to do, you can’t measure its success or failure. What problem or problems is this policy supposed to address? Does it address the causes or affects of the problem? ==The goal of this project is to have a bill supporting domestic partnerships and civil unions to be recognized in the Judical House Committee and go to either the Senate or House of Reps. for a vote. It is also to inform others about the history of gay-rights (or lack of) in Rhode Island.==

** R **** IVALS ** Who supports this policy? Who opposes it? Rivals are great sources of information but make sure you double check their facts. Gay right organizations and those in the LGBTQQ community support the struggle for equal rights. Religious organizations, big businesses, and parts of the goverment openly oppose gay rights.

** A **** DVANTAGES **   What are the policy’s benefits? What is good about the policy? Will it achieve (or has it achieved) its goal? Does it protect people from harm? Does it ensure people’s liberties? If gay marriage is passed, it will open up a new door to equal rights. The outside view of the LGBTQQ community may change and those in the community may become more accepted in the culture. The policy will allow same-sex couples over 1,400 rights that they currently don't have. LGBTQQ people may then be in less harm from hate crimes, and discrimnation. ** D **** ISADVANTAGES **   What are the policy’s costs? What is bad about the policy? Is it inefficient? Is it expensive? Does it cause harm? Does it intrude on people’s liberties? Are their potential consequences that may cause damage? The policy may be expensive for some businesses. They will have to include gay couples in their benefits. ** E **** VALUATE THE ALTERNATIVES ** One alternative is to do nothing. Most serious problems have various policy proposals. Evaluate them. Look at their goals, advantages, and disadvantages (i.e. complete a version of this sheet for each alternative). The only other alternative to addressing same-sex marriage rights in Rhode Island is to do nothing, which is currently going on. By doing nothing, nothing is accomplished. Discrimination is more widespread on something that is outlawed (like viewing drugs as inapporiate because they are illegal). If something is not seen as the "norm" of society it is less likely to be accepted.