2.08.2012
pretty happy to be a washingtonian today
Marriage equality will be the law of the land within 5 business days.
The outcome of today's vote was a foregone conclusion (over half the house had publicly committed to voting "yea") but some of the speechifying before the vote was pretty illuminating. I hope to post some clips once TVW makes them available. In particular, Rep. Maureen Walsh (R-Walla Walla) really cut to the heart of the matter. Republicans need to listen to what she has to say, if they don't want to lose an entire generation of voters.
Anyway, since this is the work of the elected representatives of the people, rather than those pesky "unelected judges", I assume that Mitt Romney et al. will be cheering this as the victory for democracy that it is. They should come on out to (our) Capitol Hill. The parties are going to be fabulous.
UPDATE--Here is Rep Walsh:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
did you go to any fab parties, or just watch from the balcony?
Does beer and pizza at the pub count?
Actually, I suspect celebrating in earnest will be reserved for later. Opponents have promised a ballot measure to negate this law, which if they get enough signatures (and they will) will be on the ballot in November. I *think* (still learning the intricacies of WA initiative process) that this would forestall implementation of the law until the people vote on it.
I'm cautiously optimistic that the initiative will fail, since 1) polls indicate a majority in the state favor equality and 2) both the presidency and governorship are on the ballot this fall, so turnout will be high. I'd also add to that that turnout around the Sound will probably be more enthusiastic to vote for Obama than turnout in the rest of the state to vote for whichever Republican hobbles to the nomination.
I'm really not a fan of direct democracy--particularly when the issues at hand are the rights/privileges of a minority--but I suppose that having the people vote on this would put the issue to bed forever, and that is probably a good thing.
in CA, prop 8 passed with 52%. the homos blamed the LDS (and other churches) church for putting so much effort into its passage.
all it took was 2 out of 100 to end with a different result.
this was the Obama election, where black turnout was at levels never before seen. even secular blacks generally oppose gay issues a rate equal to the evangelicals.
it was the black Obama turnout that passed prop 8. Obama brought folks out who always stayed home while the religious right always shows up. it wasnt the churches that passed prop 8. it was the presence of Obama.
if 8 was on the ballot in 2010, or even 2012, it would not pass. the electoral mood is changing.
oh, and that pub (if its the same one) makes a great pizza.
WA will also be voting on whether to legalize marijuana this November. I think that could go either way in terms of affecting the votes on marriage.
If I was a social conservative with money to burn, I'd probably be dumping a ton of it into the smaller cities and Puget Sound suburbs this fall. I will be interested to see if that happens.
Post a Comment