Maine becomes state #5 to allow gay marriage

D_Ireonsyd_Colonrinse

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Ok, here's the updated scorecard.

Same-sex marriage is now legal in:

Maine

Massachusetts

Connecticut

Iowa

Vermont



Civil unions legal in: New Jersey, New Hampshire

Domestic Partnerships legal in: California, Washington, Oregon


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Last Thursday, the Maine state Senate passed a gay marriage bill. Yesterday, legislation went to, and was passed by, the state House. Today, it went back to the Senate to "square" the two bills... and now, democratic governor Baldacci has signed it into law.

Anti-gay groups are now poising to put a "gay marriage ban" referendum (like California's Prop 8) to the voters, hoping that voters will reject the state legislation (this was not passed by the state Supreme Court, like CA, but voters can still try to override the state, have the "final say" at the ballot box -- and a voter proposition could then be challenged in court as "unconstitutional". I love our checks and balances system of government!). I don't yet know what the recent polling is in Maine regarding acceptance of same-sex marriage, but this gay marriage thing is certainly moving like a freight train.


New Hampshire may be next. Their republican governor is "on the fence" about signing legislation, but NH may become state #6. Watch for this coming soon.

D.C. passed legislation yesterday recognizing gay marriages in other states, though Pelosi has warned Congress to "stay out of the gay marriage" issue completely.
 
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jason_els

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Please note that gay marriages performed in any state or country where it is legal to do so are recognized as legal in the state of New York. There are many gay New Yorkers who enjoy legal marriage in their state.

Yes, New Hampshire will likely be next. That will leave Rhode Island as the only New England hold-out and, well, Rhode Island politics are like New York's; anything worth doing takes forever and loads of political maneuvering.
 
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houtx48

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i feel the fundie pain. Maggie must be crapin in her supersized bloomers. perhaps Jugs for jesus was a prognosticator for the future of marriage 'in a country where you have a choise''
 

D_Ireonsyd_Colonrinse

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I'm personally sorry if I said anything bad against Miss California (Carrie Prejean).

She seems like a decent enough girl. I'm having a changing of heart about this idea of attacking a girl just because her opinions are different from mine.

We are, slowly, winning this gay marriage battle. Gays and gay supporters don't need to get defensive about a Miss California. She's entitled to her opinion. Let the gay marriage foes have their say. I don't want to stifle dissent. Hopefully the gay community can rise about snarky attacks on character and choose a more graceful path.
 

B_bi_mmf

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Another big step forward.

Hopefully the people of Maine will be as sensible on this issue as their legislators and governor have been!
 

sparky11point5

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I like her rack :)

I'm personally sorry if I said anything bad against Miss California (Carrie Prejean).

She seems like a decent enough girl. I'm having a changing of heart about this idea of attacking a girl just because her opinions are different from mine.

We are, slowly, winning this gay marriage battle. Gays and gay supporters don't need to get defensive about a Miss California. She's entitled to her opinion. Let the gay marriage foes have their say. I don't want to stifle dissent. Hopefully the gay community can rise about snarky attacks on character and choose a more graceful path.
 

D_Ireonsyd_Colonrinse

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houtx48:

I heard Dallas was pretty gay.

Maybe gay marriage would happen quicker if you Texans carved Dallas out of Texas and declared Dallas its own state.

Then, the Dallas Supreme Court could vote in gay marriage.

It would be quicker this way.

Then every gay and bisexual and sexually libertarian midwesterner for miles around could flock to Dallas, the new Mecca (we need at least one state in the union that's nothing more than a huge structure of strobe lights and glitterballs and Budweisers and neo-disco music, a state that never sleeps). Dallas could become the oasis in the middle of Conservative-Land.
 
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deleted142346

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houtx48:

I heard Dallas was pretty gay.

Maybe gay marriage would happen quicker if you Texans carved Dallas out of Texas and declared Dallas its own state.

Then, the Dallas Supreme Court could vote in gay marriage.

It would be quicker this way.

Then every gay and bisexual and sexually libertarian midwesterner for miles around could flock to Dallas, the new Mecca (we need at least one state in the union that's nothing more than a huge structure of strobe lights and glitterballs and Budweisers and neo-disco music, a state that never sleeps). Dallas could become the oasis in the middle of Conservative-Land.

I thought this already happened in Austin?:smile:
 

Trinity

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Ok, here's the updated scorecard.

Same-sex marriage is now legal in:

Maine

Massachusetts

Connecticut

Iowa

Vermont



Civil unions legal in: New Jersey, New Hampshire

Domestic Partnerships legal in: California, Washington, Oregon

Dominoes, Will, dominoes.

It seems predominantly legislatures and the courts are deciding in the states for gay marriage. When the people vote, it is against gay marriage.
 

pym

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It seems predominantly legislatures and the courts are deciding in the states for gay marriage. When the people vote, it is against gay marriage.

Do you oppose these advancements in human rights, trans?
Would you vote AGAINST........given the chance?
If so.....why?
I would think that a Dude posing as a woman would be all for this.
 

B_VinylBoy

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It seems predominantly legislatures and the courts are deciding in the states for gay marriage. When the people vote, it is against gay marriage.

And what is the point of all of this?
Sometimes, it's up to authority to make decisions that will benefit the public even if it's unpopular with some of the masses. Are we to assume that discrimination and ignorance against a social demographic is tolerable just because some people in America are in support of it?
 

Trinity

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And what is the point of all of this?
Sometimes, it's up to authority to make decisions that will benefit the public even if it's unpopular with some of the masses. Are we to assume that discrimination and ignorance against a social demographic is tolerable just because some people in America are in support of it?

The point was clear and valid. A minority of elected or appointed officials are over-ruling the majority vote or not allowing the people to decide.

I don't believe former constitutional law professor and President of the United States Barack Obama believes it is discrimination nor ignorance to believe marriage is between a man and woman and to support civil unions for gay couples.
 

Bbucko

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We live in a Republic, not a mobocracy. If it were left up to "the people" to dictate civil rights, we wouldn't have very many.

But Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont's efforts to advance marriage equality were legislative, not judicial. Since when are our elected representatives unqualified to decide issues of public policy? That sounds like their job to me.
 

sparky11point5

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Trinity is <can't ... make ... fingers ... move > right!

Well, half-right <that's better>.

Nate Silver had an excellent article on this (google it yourself, lazy git). However, it varies state by state (blue to red, natch) and is shifting year by year in favor. Thus, states will gradually shift from marginal opposition to marriage equality ('gay marriage' sounds like it involves show tunes) to marginal support. His statistical model predicted support in New England and a few other states, such as Iowa, Hawaii, DC.

New England -- first in tolerance! Go Sawx!

So, over time, the same answer -- marriage equality will become a national reality, although with some states using civil unions.

I think there is another issue here, though. Legislatures make laws (nominally in response to the needs and wants of the populace) and courts interpret the laws, including the Constitution and our explicit rights as citizens. Rights were never subject to a popular vote for other groups. (Well, we voted in 1860, but it took 3M dead to resolve the issue.) Imagine how Alabama would have voted in 1954 on desegregation?
 

nedly32

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Could sombody in laymens terms explane how this will effect benifets ,are those newlyweds entitlments the same as hetro thanks ned sorry my grammer and typing suck but I believe and hope you understand what i mean dam phyc drugs make me slow so please do forgive.
 

arkfarmbear

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Where are the Bible-thumpers? Even on LPSG there have got to be some to tell us what the Bible supposedly says about this issue.
At the same time, please explain God's command that those married in the eyes of God cannot have those vows "put asunder" by any man?
I say let's follow the Biblical codes and make divorce and adultery, with death by stoning in the public square, as the penalty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

B_VinylBoy

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The point was clear and valid. A minority of elected or appointed officials are over-ruling the majority vote or not allowing the people to decide.

No shit, although that's not the case in every single state.
But beyond this, you can harp on this factoid, or we can REALLY get to the reason why you think this matters? Your choice. Quite frankly, I'm sick of watching you jump up and down on the small issues when they're all part of a bigger picture. That's essentially what you do everyday on this board with all of your so-called "Fact Checks" and Politico mumbo jumbo.

So, are we going to get down to business or are you going to essentially wave your banner of victory on the trivial shit?

I don't believe former constitutional law professor and President of the United States Barack Obama believes it is discrimination nor ignorance to believe marriage is between a man and woman and to support civil unions for gay couples.

Again, another minor, pigeon-holed and pathetic point.
Just because the President doesn't "believe" in it doesn't mean that it won't happen. Again, he left this decision to states to make on their own and they're doing just that.

Besides, beliefs (no matter how popular) do not dictate what is fact. Discrimination is treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit. Denying two men or women to marry, by definition, is discrimination.

discrimination definition | Dictionary.com

So Trinity... I ask you again. Are we going to get to the heart of the matter or are you going to continue to waddle in the rhetorical bullshit? :rolleyes: