With one GOP Senator now supporting gay marriage in NY the focus shifts to whether Sen. James Alesi of suburban Rochester can drag two other Republicans into voting for a measure many feel would hurt their relection chances.
While public support for marriage equality is there, its not at a level that support for it is risk free. The Conservative Party has threatened withholding of Line C and that's a real threat in upstate districts that are competitive.
Despite all the "do the right thing" arguments, what proponents need are two Republicans who support the concept and feel secure enough in their race that they can incur the perceived political risk. Frankly, I don't think its a game changer and all will be forgotten by this time next year. Even our own Senator could vote yes and still be reelected easily.
The easiest move for the Governor is to make a quiet pledge to two lawmakers that they won't have to face reelection because a commissionership will be coming their way.
State of Politics Blog
3 comments:
The easiest move for the Governor
The easiest move would be if he put it on the back burner.
Why is this a priority?
Why does he not start with civil unions first?
Talk about still being elected no matter how you vote on this...Cuomo will be reelected no matter what he does.
Thanks, the LGBT community will keep that in mind while we're waiting on the "back of the bus."
Would your grandparents ever refer to their secular marriage as a civil union? Does Hallmark make "Happy Civil Union Anniversary?"
The name has everything to do with it. By creating a second, lower tier of domestic partnerships, it enshrines into law the idea of inequality under the law.
Why do the media sanctioned prostitutes on "Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire" deserve more rights then the millions (yes, millions as we are at LEAST 5% of the population) of New Yorkers who pay taxes at the first class citizen rate.
Who says civil unions are a second lower tier?
I assume they would be a higher tier.
Just like hate crimes laws allow gays to be treated as a higher class of citizens in the eyes of the law.
I hear no arguments from the LGBT objecting to hate crime laws that treat LGBT special.
Just like if gay men are 20 times more likely to contract AIDS, as heterosexual men in this country, we must hide that statistic.
And who is going to stop people from calling it marriage after a civil union law is passed? No one, that's who.
Equal does not mean identical.
By definition, gay marriage is not identical to heterosexual marriage or else we would not need a new law, so why should it not have a different name?
Both sides have repeated all the arguments for years and the voters still are pretty much split down the middle. A referendum in California votes it down and then the courts reverse it. The courts made it law in Massachusetts, not the people.
Didn’t any gay people notice when they were in grade school, being the teachers pet and getting special privileges does not earn you any friends? That goes for firemen and and first responders…businesses that get PILOTs …anyone.
Now go stamp your feet and have a temper tantrum.
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