Gay Marriage/Civil Unions in 10 years

[Holmes]

What about the places in the country where there's over a 50% divorce rate? They're totally again same-sex marriage, but if you look at a state that has a really low rate, like Massachussets, it has one of the lowest rate in the country. Inconvenient that you don't say that.

[Holmes]

Holy crap. What a c**nt. Maya Angelou phones Senator Huntley in support of the marriage equality bill, and she replies with "If they gave me a million dollars, tax free, I just wouldn’t vote for it."

But now we know where the bidding starts for her votes. I wonder if she's always asked for a million dollars of if she started lower.

Also, Maryland is taking another step forward. This is what advocates in Maryland have been waiting for. Challenging Gansler's decision on this would be frivilous to the max.

[Holmes]

Maybe. From the source that I read, what I heard is that Maya calls Sen. Huntley, and she replies by totally being closed-minded to her like that. You just don't act mean to Maya Angelou and get away with it.

[Holmes]

Phew... geeez, I was on edge the whole time. I hope Lynch signs it soon!


Also lol, Santa Claus collecting... as in, figurines?

[Holmes]

Hawaii and Illinois should have them by now but sh**t happened. Like, it "died" in the Senate committee in Hawaii by a 3-3 vote, but they revived it near the end of the session and passed it by a 19-5 vote, but the House had to re-vote and couldn't cause the session was over. It sucks they had to have a really conservative Democrat in the Judiciary committee.

Same in Illinois, it could've passed easily, but the conservative members were blocking it from coming to a vote, and their session ended 2 days ago.

[Holmes]

Does Abercrombie support it? I don't know him too much, I should just wiki him.

New Mexico will probably be getting domestic partnerships a la Nevada later this year, Richardson is calling for a special session just for it.

[Holmes]

I think it depends on what Democrat wins... I know some front runners right now support marriage, if one of them wins, I could just see them passing a marriage bill instead, really. They had a similar bill this session but didn't even bother voting cuz that darn TPaw.

And Delaware's not passing anything until their Senate President, Thurman Adams, dies. He decides what bills actually come to a vote and he's an 80 year old rural Dem. Hm.

[Holmes]

I guess New Hampshire isn't a conservative state anymore, and Republicans can stop fantasizing about it?

[Holmes]

That was when the Republicans had control of the legislature. Funny story, they actually became a minority the same year they passed that.

Lynch said this before signing the bill today:

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[Holmes]

Menominee county didn't vote no?

[Holmes]

Take over what? Are you saying the citizens of the US currently live in anarchy or something?

[Holmes]

Could we keep this thread focused on news regarding gay marriages/civil unions and take the endless debate where neither side will ever convince the other elsewhere?

Yay, there's another thread for that now. This thread is free again.

So, uh... shall we call it Rhode Island Of Marriage Discrimination now instead of "Providence Plantations"?

[Holmes]

Ah. If you ask me, both bills go nowhere and Pennsylvania just stays in the status quo. I think he just introduced the bill to get a debate going and to get in local media.

[Holmes]

West Virginia Supreme Court spanks a big argument against same-sex marriage. (And the case actually doesn't even have anything to do with marriage at all.)

Just saying...

[Holmes]

State Supreme Courts would be a no to my knowledge... there are some random federal cases in appeal courts, but I don't see those going anywhere to be honest.

But some states have constitutional amendments, so those can't win in court without federal intervention. The only high courts to rule for marriage were Massachussets, California, Connecticut and Iowa (as well as Vermont and New Jersey, but the courts there gave the options of marriage or civil unions, and they went for the latter at the time).

According to wiki, high courts that also weighed against marriage were Maryland, New York, Washington, Indiana, Illinois, Arizona, Florida and Georgia. All before In re Marriage Cases though, and I know Iowa's court used that ruling as a big precedent.

I do know that Lambda Legal(the legal group that got the unanimous ruling in Iowa) said they wanna have a go at another midwestern state. I bet it'll be West Virginia. They won't go after Pennsylvania because the legislature there isn't favorable to them. West Virginia's is though, considering Democrats there hold supermajorities and they've always nearly unanimously rejected constitutional amendments against it. Or Minnesota, but I don't think they'd go to the courts since the state can just pass a bill themselves, depending on the 2010 elections.

[Holmes]

But you don't disagree that they can pass a bill, right? That's why I said the 2010 race will be important, because the DFL would have to win the governor's mansion, and keep the big majorities in the legislature. But I didn't say they will, I just think that the legal people won't waste time and bring it to the Minnesota courts if it can possilby be done legislatively.

[Holmes]

Sure, I'd like that. The issue hasn't been as big in the Minnesota blogosphere compared to other states'.

[Holmes]

BRTD, you break my heart when you assume that the majority of hispanics are automatically against it. Anyway, it's good to read about a state legislature that's not in New England for once...

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[Holmes]

Depends if churches say they'll end up in jail for not performing the weddings, or if they say that children will learn that marriage is only between a gay couple again.

[Holmes]

Compare: 2008 vs. 2000

I made swing and trend maps for 2008 from 2000.
http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp131/rarohla/2000-2008CAGayMarriageSwingandTrend.png

Man. We could've won, and now I hate how the loss has freaked everyone out and they say putting on the 2010 will be bad because one poll says we'd be at a 1% disadvantage in '10 compared to '12. Sigh. Seriously. If they go grassroots for the next year, run a good and positive campaign with effective rebutals, don't ignore the Central Valley + everywhere outside of San Diego, and have officials up for re-election(statewide or not) stump for them once in a while, it can be won in 2010.

And, I personally think having it on the ballot in a non-presidential year is for the better. Everyone was using their time and ressources for Obama in states near California. It was too late when they realized that their help would've been better with no on 8.

[Holmes]

Golly gee, the haters in Maine sure aren't holding back this year for their referendum.

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Yum, legalizing discrimination in the Human Rights Act.

[Holmes]

The nickname for these things are "people's veto", but I learned that the real name is "people's affirmation" btw.

Anyway, I see the legality of putting the gay marriage issue on the ballot because the legislature did just pass it and all that. But they didn't address the issues of civil unions, adoption, the Human Rights Act, or funding to civil rights programs, so I don't see the legality of putting those on the ballot -- referendums in Maine are for these affirmation things only. Nonetheless, whatever. Maine voters already said they want sexual orientation in the Human Rights Act, so using this to try to remove that is stupid. They're gonna lose votes.

[Holmes]

Marriage equality in New York is not dead. Or at least, as alive as it was before the events yesterday.

Both men discussed the issue with the Post's Fred Dicker on Albany's TALK 1300 this morning. Espada expressed hope that the bill would come to a vote, while Skelos, according to Newsday, "didn't disagree." "We should vote up or down on bills, that's part of the reforms we've brought," Skelos said.

[Holmes]

Joe Bruno, former New York GOP Majority Leader, calls for marriage equality.

[Holmes]

Obama defended DOMA today, said it was constitutional and marriage is not a fundemantal right. And banning same-sex marriage benefits the federal goverment.

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