Mass legislators LAUGH at referendi. BINDING refernedi!
On Feb 18, 10:32 am, Keith In Tampa <[email protected]> wrote: > And eventually, in enlightened liberal Massachusetts, the legislator's > decision to redefine the term, "Marriage" will come to a public > referendum, whether it is to amend the Constitution of Massachusetts, or > whether it is to codify the term, "Marriage". At any rate, and in either > event, I bet on the People of Massachusetts saying, "Nunya". > > On Sat, Feb 18, 2012 at 10:26 AM, GregfromBoston > <[email protected]>wrote: > > > > > Ya see, here in the enlightened liberal Massachusetts, the court put > > it in the legislature's lap. They ruled that since there is nothing > > in the state constitution that forbids gay marriage, it is de facto > > legal, and invited the legislature to change that. > > > And the NINETY PERCENT democrat legislature did exactly that, and > > tried to amend the constitution, and overrule the court. They missed > > by 2 votes. > > > On Feb 18, 9:10 am, Keith In Tampa <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Another State with legislators who have sold out their constituencies. > > > Watch for a massive "changing of the guard" in the Maryland legislature. > > > > On Fri, Feb 17, 2012 at 7:54 PM, Tommy News <[email protected]> > > wrote: > > > > Maryland House Approves Gay-Marriage Measure > > > > By SABRINA TAVERNISE > > > > Published: February 17, 2012 > > > > > ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Maryland House narrowly passed a law legalizing > > > > same-sex marriage on Friday, delivering a major victory to Gov. Martin > > > > O’Malley, a Democrat, who had proposed it. But its implementation > > > > remained uncertain as its opponents promised to take it to voters in > > > > November. > > > > > The bill, known as the Civil Marriage Protection Act, squeaked by in a > > > > 71-to-67 vote, drawing loud applause and cheers from proponents in the > > > > House. A similar bill had failed in the chamber last year. The measure > > > > still faces a vote in the Senate, where it is expected to pass, before > > > > Gov. Martin O’Malley, a Democrat who proposed it, can sign it into > > > > law. But opponents have pledged to put in on the ballot for a vote on > > > > Nov. 6, a prospect that the bill’s supporters acknowledge is > > > > practically a foregone conclusion. > > > > > The vote, said Anthony O’Donnell, a Republican, the minority leader, > > > > amounted to “beginning a process, not ending a process. The citizens > > > > of Maryland will have the final say.” > > > > > The debate stretched for hours in the 18th century, wooden-domed > > > > statehouse, and was punctuated by emotional entreaties by supporters > > > > of the bill, including several gay and lesbian delegates, who talked > > > > about their own lives, and other delegates who invoked Jim Crow laws. > > > > > “This is the civil rights issue of our generation,” said Keiffer J. > > > > Mitchell Jr., a Democrat from Baltimore. “I’m overwhelmed,” said Luke > > > > Clippinger, one of the seven openly gay members of the Maryland House. > > > > “My voice is still breaking.” > > > > > When asked what the vote meant to him, he said, “It means I’m here.” > > > > > After the vote, lawmakers who voted for the bill — mostly Democrats — > > > > gathered outside the chamber cheering and hugging one another. Soon > > > > after, Governor O’Malley arrived, striding into the crowd in a light > > > > blue shirt and blue tie, congratulating the delegates, and embracing > > > > Mr. Clippinger. > > > > > The bill’s passage would make Maryland the ninth state to allow gay > > > > and lesbian couples to marry. It comes one day after New Jersey’s > > > > legislature passed a similar bill, though it was promptly vetoed by > > > > that state’s governor. New York State legalized same-sex marriage last > > > > year, and this month Washington state did so. > > > > > In order to be palatable to delegates who were undecided, the bill was > > > > amended so that it would not take effect until Jan. 1, 2013, in order > > > > to allow the ballot process to take its course. Though Maryland is a > > > > heavily Democratic state, the party is sharply divided on the issue of > > > > same-sex marriage. > > > > > Of 98 Democrats in the House, as many as 30 — mostly more-conservative > > > > Democrats, known as Blue Dogs, and African-Americans from districts > > > > where churches are strong — had been undecided. > > > > > The bill’s passage was made possible by two Republicans, two Blue Dog > > > > Democrats, and two African-American delegates, none of whom were > > > > initially supportive. In interviews, several of those delegates said > > > > that a key change from last year that won their support was language > > > > protecting religious institutions from being forced to perform > > > > marriages, among other things. > > > > > “People believe that it’s a sin for a homosexual to be married, but > > > > who are they to judge?” said Robert Costa, one of the Republicans who > > > > voted for the bill. “It’s up to God, not government.” > > > > > John Olszewski, a Democrat who was initially opposed to the > > > > legislation, said the religious exemptions made him feel comfortable > > > > enough to vote for the bill. > > > > > “Denying basic rights to folks just isn’t the right thing for us to be > > > > doing,” he said. > > > > > Several delegates said they had been warned by powerful parts of their > > > > constituencies that a yes vote would cost them in the next election, > > > > scheduled for 2014. Among them, Mr. Mitchell said it was a risk he was > > > > willing to take. > > > > > “I’ve heard all types of threats, that in 2014 at the ballot box, > > > > there would be revenge,” he said. “But when that day comes, I know > > > > that for the seven openly gay colleagues, if they are able to have the > > > > same rights as my wife and I have, then I know that my green vote was > > > > the right vote.” > > > > > Opponents to the measure said they were confident they could gather > > > > enough signatures — equal to 3 percent of all the votes in the last > > > > election, or about 55,000 — needed to place it on the ballot. If the > > > > referendum is successful, it would effectively repeal the bill. > > > > > A Washington Post poll published on Jan. 30 found that 50 percent of > > > > Marylanders supported allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry while > > > > 44 percent were opposed. > > > > > “This will go to the people, and the people will make the decision,” > > > > said Pat McDonough, a Republican who voted against the bill. > > > > > Democrats argued that the bill should not go to a referendum, saying > > > > that an issue of civil liberties should not be decided by the > > > > majority. They said that integration probably would not have happened > > > > at the time, if left up to a popular vote. > > > > > More: > > > > >http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/18/us/maryland-house-approves-gay-marr. > > .. > > > > > -- > > > > Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time. > > > > Have a great day, > > > > Tommy > > > > > -- > > > > Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time. > > > > Have a great day, > > > > Tommy > > > > > -- > > > > Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. > > > > For options & help seehttp://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > > > > > * Visit our other community athttp://www.PoliticalForum.com/ > > > > * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. > > > > * Read the latest breaking news, and more.- Hide quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text - > > > -- > > Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. > > For options & help seehttp://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > > > * Visit our other community athttp://www.PoliticalForum.com/ > > * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. > > * Read the latest breaking news, and more.- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more.
