Gay Marriage Updates By State

[scream4ever]

I dunno man.

The math sounds good and all that, but I believe there is still a trend showing more support in polls than exists at the ballot box. I chalk it up to the desire by poll respondents to sound politically correct. I hope to be proven wrong in November...

The precedent in Washington is good. We've never lost a referendum vote there on gay rights.

Maine however, it took three tries to get the anti-discrimination law past voters. After the second loss in 2000, the community was devastated and totally disillusioned. We were laughed at and teased by the religiocons at our most painful moment. We lost the will to even try, and it took another five years to get up again and finally win in 2005. That could be a possible consequence of loss again in Maine. If the same pattern follows, we'd be looking at victory in 2017. In any event, it is inevitable no less. The great thing about inevitability is, there is absolutely nothing the other side can do in the long run to stop us.

In California Prop 22 passed with 61% of the vote in 2000. In 2008 Prop 8 passed with just 52% of the vote. That averages out to a more than 1% difference each year. In addition, Nevada approved the ban on gay marriage in 2000 with 70% of the vote. Two years later when it needed to be approved again, it passed by 67%, a 1.5% difference each year.

The situation in Maine with the anti-discrimination law was different. All three times it was passed by the legislature, and in 2000 we barely lost (and from what I heard our side ran a VERY poor campaign). This year our side is on the offense, and we have been actively campaigning for 3 years. We wouldn't have gone to all this trouble if we didn't believe we would win would we?

 

[Just_Believe18]

Hurray, hurray! Equality for gays!

 

[TickTockMan]

Sure, but Scream is a lot more optimistic than I am this time. Maybe it's a product of my hopes being dashed too many times, but I still firmly believe we are very close to winning a referendum at some point soon.

I am a jaded enough person not to get my hopes up, but I do think he makes good points. Personally I hope S4e is right, but at this point I am thinking more along the lines that you are.

 

[scream4ever]

I am a jaded enough person not to get my hopes up, but I do think he makes good points. Personally I hope S4e is right, but at this point I am thinking more along the lines that you are.

Remember too that I'm going by the linear model. Support is likely growing at an accelerated rate (as has been measured in most national polls on the issue).

I also believe that the repeal of DADT will sway some people on marriage equality. Gays serving our country open and honorably will prove great justification for them to marry (this should be used in campaign ads IMO).

 

[scream4ever]

New Hampshire may table gay marriage repeal bill again this year:

http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2012/02/02/41612

 

[Kulindahr]

David Bates had a nightmare about being sodomized by gay marriage activists.

A whole new perspective on "In your dreams!"





Only place it would ever happen to him.

 

[hotatlboi]

New Hampshire may table gay marriage repeal bill again this year:

http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2012/02/02/41612

Good for them, about time a large group of Republicans made a sensible decision on this.

 

[scream4ever]

I think their caucus is fractured on this issue quite frankly, and a veto threat by the governor just brings that out. We may see a GOP governor in NH someday soon, then we best hope to win back one of the houses for the Democrats.

If the special elections that have already occured among House members are any indication, the Democrats stand to make BIG gains in the New Hampshire House this November.

 

[72-Jay]

Not sure if this one has been posted yet here or not:

A bill has been introduced for civil unions in Colorado. Still has to pass both the House & Senate, if it does the Governor indicated he will sign it. A similar bill failed last year in the House Judiciary Committee.

(note: civil unions are as far as lawmakers can go because gay marriage is banned due to an amendment in the Colorado constitution)
News Link

 

[Kulindahr]

Not sure if this one has been posted yet here or not:

A bill has been introduced for civil unions in Colorado. Still has to pass both the House & Senate, if it does the Governor indicated he will sign it. A similar bill failed last year in the House Judiciary Committee.

(note: civil unions are as far as lawmakers can go because gay marriage is banned due to an amendment in the Colorado constitution)
News Link

That's okay -- five years of people having civil unions, and it will become evident how stupid it is to make the distinction.

What some supporters ought to do in four years or so if this passes is to do away with marriage in Colorado and have civil unions be the only thing.

 

[frankfrank]

^ The trouble with that is that ALL Colorado relationships would then be entirely invisible under federal laws regarding taxation and anything else.

And, as a sorry "bonus" to this all, the Righties would definitely have "ammunition" for their claim that we are out to destroy marriage.

 

[72-Jay]

So the only true fix would be to "undo" that amendment in the Colorado constitution which defines marriage as "the union of one man and one woman" (approved by voters in 2006).

I know that type of thing can be done, but its not easy to do. Requires another amendment? to invalidate the existing one?

 

[scream4ever]

So the only true fix would be to "undo" that amendment in the Colorado constitution which defines marriage as "the union of one man and one woman" (approved by voters in 2006).

I know that type of thing can be done, but its not easy to do. Requires another amendment? to invalidate the existing one?

I'm sure by 2016 it will be passable, as will a repeal of the amendment in Oregon and defeating a referendum in Maryland.

 

[scream4ever]

"Some of the conservative states, unfortunately, may be a generation or two away from repealing theirs."

Or else the Supreme Court will beat them to it sometime in the 2020's

 

[72-Jay]

Or else the Supreme Court will beat them to it sometime in the 2020's

I'm sure there's some where that will be the case...

 

[hotatlboi]

If a conservative fills in for Ginsburg you can just forget it.

She will probably retire in Obama's second term.

 

[Kulindahr]

^
And, as a sorry "bonus" to this all, the Righties would definitely have "ammunition" for their claim that we are out to destroy marriage.

No, no -- it would be the "Restoring Sacred Marriage Act of 2012", acting to take marriage out of the hands of the undependable government so the churches can safeguard it as God intended.

 

[Kulindahr]

Civil unions are the half-way house for bigotry.

How would making everyone have civil unions be bigotry?

 

[Kulindahr]

So the only true fix would be to "undo" that amendment in the Colorado constitution which defines marriage as "the union of one man and one woman" (approved by voters in 2006).

I know that type of thing can be done, but its not easy to do. Requires another amendment? to invalidate the existing one?

Or the Tenth Circuit hearing an applicable case and declaring it unconstitutional.

Or...

Or else the Supreme Court will beat them to it sometime in the 2020's

Sure hope so... Here's hoping for an LGBT justice! That would be cool. With no loyalties to depend on, I'll bet he would support marriage equality as well. I know that our governor waited for his 2nd until introducing the bill which just passed.

Is there a qualified gay veteran, preferably officer, who is a straight-line libertarian, available? I'd love to see the GOP try to fight against a (good-looking) war hero whom the NRA could give an A or B grade to. It would be so awesome to see a pick who would uphold all our rights, not just the ones preferred by a particular political special-interest group.

Actually, a brilliant pick would have been the judge killed in the Giffords shooting.

 

[Kulindahr]

It's our opponents move where Perry v. Brown goes next.

They have until Tuesday to petition the 9th circuit for an en banc hearing on the Prop 8 decision.

Otherwise, on to the Supreme Court we go!

Theoretically they could just quit, and it would stop right where it is.