Gay Marriage/Civil Unions in 10 years

[Holmes]

Oh, and now the meme against marriage equality is that Obama doesn't even support it and it makes beauty pageant winners cry in exchange for money and possibly the chance to pose nude, lie about it and get away with it again.

And in New Hampshire, the Republicans' arguments are that the bill doesn't give photographers and caterers the right to deny to work at the marriages. Photographers and caterers.

[Holmes]

What's going on in NH now, anyway?

It's on the governor's desk. I'm guessing he's waiting 5 days for it to become law without his signature.

Not yet. There's a long process in New Hampshire where a passed bill has to go to some committee in the House to be looked over for grammar errors and stuff, then a Senate committee, then it needs to go to the Secretary of State for something similar, then it goes to the governor. It can take from a day to a month.

The civil unions bill was passed at the end of April, and was only able to be signed at the end of May.


edit: http://www.spot-on.com/archives/schmidt/2009/05/california_republicans_should.html

[Holmes]

!!!!!

Well kinda!!

He said he wants even MORE protection to the churches to decide what to do what they want, "like Vermont and Connecticut" he said. Whatever. Exciting!!

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gUUXsl3sakXbS8W1AYb4xSxxEMIgD9866GHO0

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[Holmes]

I know! I contacted like every senator and the governor a few times. I felt part of it.

[Holmes]

I dunno, with John Lynch, centrist hero extraordinaire now supporting marriage equality...

[Holmes]

Ahh, it's that one guy... I forget his name. That one senator. Well if it's the guy who I'm thinking about, then it wouldn't be that big a deal. But if it's someone else, then good.

News from New Hampshire:

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So HB 73 is the one to watch in the next couple of days. I've heard that Lynch's amendments give religious organizations the right to discriminate, and I thought about it a little bit... and then I realized that they always had the right to discriminate, against anyone they want. I mean, if a gay couple wanted to marry in a religious building, I'm sure they would have a close relationship with the priest/rabbi/whatev who would marry them, and they wouldn't choose some random church in the middle of nowhere anyway...

[Holmes]

At least 10/13 DC council members back marriage equality + Pelosi not acting on any bill + possible backlash for Congress from the public if it does act on it + a very supportive mayor = marriage equality in DC's future

[Holmes]

Haha. In states like New Hampshire and Maine, legislators enact marriage equality, and in South Carolina, they do stupid things like that. It shows a regional divide.

Look at this, a 9 year old Denver child organized a rally tomorrow Cute.

[Holmes]

Oh man. Marion Barry and Chaffetz are the only ones fighting to stop DC. And they think they'll win, especially cause Obama "supports them" or something. Delicious.

[Holmes]

Mmyeah, he was either lying 13 years ago when he (probably) had no ambitions and was just a local politician, or lied a year ago when he had national ambitions. I'll go with the latter.

Not that it matters right now. I doubt he'll budge on the issue, he can only do small things at the moment like a justice pick. But justifying themselves with Obama is adorable.

ALSO I'm really excited for NH's vote on the protections. It should all be done in a week. I wanna see how Republicans will vote, cause the state Democratic party leader said "Do Republican leaders really want to be on record opposing protections for churches and clergy?" They probably will.

[Holmes]

And we'd need to get Donald Carcieri replaced by Chafee or Generic Democrat in 2011 first too, right?

Not even. The votes are there. It's the Senate and House leadership that won't bring it up to a vote. They'd fit in more in a place like Arkansas or Kentucky than Rhode Island, really.

The House Majority Leader(Gordon Fox) is really the only leadership in the legislature that supports it, and he's too afraid to act. But apparently the current Speaker of the House is gonna retire or something in 2010, and Fox seems to be in line for the next Speaker. That plus new governor is why people are saying 2010 will determine a lot of things for Rhode Island.

Personally, I know they could do it right now, just bring it to a vote.

[Holmes]

Is that link about the rally where they bussed a lot of out-of-state haters into NYC and Dan Choi made out with his boyfriend?

[Holmes]

I think that's the problem. People see opposition and they freak. I mean I'm not happy with it either but that's not the point. But I remember when the exit polls had black support at 70%(which is pretty hillarious) and people jumped on that. African-Americans are still seen as enemies and it's ridiculous, there are a lot of black allies. Then there was Miss California and people jumped on that, and she became a conservative darling and a victim. People just need to chill and stuff will happen. I mean California passed prop 8 and it was supposed to devastate the movement but here was are half a year later with like 5 more states that allow it and at least one more will by the end of the year, plus DC very likely soon as well.


Key Maryland senator to co-sponsor legislation legalizing same sex marriage next year

[Holmes]

Ah hell, we're shafted into being on the "no" side again. It's so hard being the positive side when everyone will be shouting "NO NO NO"

[Holmes]

Ahh damn... well ok, I'm ready.

And they're setting up baricades. Sounds encouraging.

[Holmes]

Oh man, 188-186 for HB73 in the House. Apparently it's going to a Committee of Conference.

[Holmes]

Apparently about 10 of our votes didn't show. The other side was prepared.

The bill is NOT dead. They voted by a lot to keep it alive. The conference starts Wednesday. The final votes are probably June 3. There's two weeks.

[Holmes]

TOTALLY UNEXPECTED! The New Hampshire State House voted against protecting churches, NOM is SO HAPPY! It was a victory against religious freedom!! That's what they're all about! Now we gotta write all about it on the Nation Review Online Blogs and orgasm all over until they pass the bill for good in two weeks!

These people are delusional, but oh well. They're actually helping us immensely. Congrats on delaying the inevitable by 2 weeks.

[Holmes]

He can't sign a bill that both chambers don't agree on?

And lol, Republicans introduced a bill in Congress that wouldn't let them allow same-sex marriage. sigh @ them. Politico says Boren introduced it and put an R beside his name, let's make that stick.

[Holmes]

I think prop 8 will be overturned tomorrow, and if it is, I'm gonna be taking a break from tracking this battle for a while(except to learn what happens in New Hampshire). Some people would be furious if it was overturned(not that it affects them anyway) and I don't wanna read what they have to say. And if I were in California right now, I probably wouldn't even go out too much either. But 90% of Santa Cruz is awesome anyway but still.

I know I sound paranoid but yeah.

[Holmes]

Cool, so now there's also a seperate class of priviledged gay couples in California too.

[Holmes]

Me, actually. But now I know to never believe the Supreme Court when they say that my unalienable and fundamental right to a pursuit of happiness is guaranteed by the equal protection clause of the Californian constitution.

I don't care if they say that they still think I deserve the right in their dissent or opinion. I'd rather they not. I spit on them.

[Holmes]

Sen. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery, today announced plans to introduce a bill that would offer "full and equal marriage rights to same-sex couples in Pennsylvania." The measure also would recognize same-sex marriages conducted in other states.

"There has never been a more propitious time for Pennsylvania to embrace equality and enshrine the civil right of all Pennsylvanians to marry," Mr. Leach said.


... I know I said I would take a break for a while after the decision but. Looks like no. The bill will go nowhere soon probably, but debate has now begun and interest is sparked.

[Holmes]

Perhaps another night, I'm holding off calculus studying as is...

I'm sure Pennsylvania will remain in the status quo for a while, unless... I dunno. New York and New Jersey need to do it first, and a few election cycles need to pass too. Then again, 3 years ago, saying it would happen in New Hampshire in 2009 when Democrats were a small minority in the legilsature was laughable.

[Holmes]

It's those kinds of arguments that are losing badly in the Northeast.