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What was a defeat for all the peoples of California, Arkansas, Arizona, and Florida, may be turned to a victory for the people of New York.
The Democrats had a good day last Tuesday. They managed to eke out a majority in the Empire State's upper house to complement their long-standing majority in the lower house.
In 2007, the Democratic House passed a bill to allow gay marriage with the backing of then-governor Elliot Spitzer. The Senate tabled the measure knowing it did not have enough support to pass the Republican lead chamber.
Now, however, things may change as the Democrats control the Senate. The roadblock are four Senate Democrats who may end-up caucusing with the Republicans (only in New York folks). The real pressure comes from New York's relatively new governor, David Paterson, who does support gay marriage legislation as does the new Democratic Senate leader (who may, or may not depending on the four rogue Democrats, become the majority leader).
The Senate's holdout is not supported by New Yorkers themselves. In the latest Quinnipiac poll on such things, only 21% of New Yorkers oppose any sort of legal recognition of gay unions. 31% actually support civil unions while an astonishing 42% support full marriage. New York state itself already recognizes gay marriage and civil unions legally performed outside the state.
So if the four Democrats can be moved from their position, New York could have a gay marriage law relatively quickly.
The problem is that nothing ever happens quickly in New York. Widely recognized as the most dysfunctional legislature in the country, New Yorkers have learned not to expect the state government to do anything on time. With billions of dollars being lost in tax revenue, the state is facing an enormous fiscal crisis that is already commanding the full attention of the government.
The four senators in question are:
Ruben Diaz, Sr. and Pedro Espada, Jr. of The Bronx, Carl Kruger of Brooklyn, and Hiram Monserrate of Queens. If you're a New Yorker, or better still, in their district, let them know how you feel.
The Democrats had a good day last Tuesday. They managed to eke out a majority in the Empire State's upper house to complement their long-standing majority in the lower house.
In 2007, the Democratic House passed a bill to allow gay marriage with the backing of then-governor Elliot Spitzer. The Senate tabled the measure knowing it did not have enough support to pass the Republican lead chamber.
Now, however, things may change as the Democrats control the Senate. The roadblock are four Senate Democrats who may end-up caucusing with the Republicans (only in New York folks). The real pressure comes from New York's relatively new governor, David Paterson, who does support gay marriage legislation as does the new Democratic Senate leader (who may, or may not depending on the four rogue Democrats, become the majority leader).
The Senate's holdout is not supported by New Yorkers themselves. In the latest Quinnipiac poll on such things, only 21% of New Yorkers oppose any sort of legal recognition of gay unions. 31% actually support civil unions while an astonishing 42% support full marriage. New York state itself already recognizes gay marriage and civil unions legally performed outside the state.
So if the four Democrats can be moved from their position, New York could have a gay marriage law relatively quickly.
The problem is that nothing ever happens quickly in New York. Widely recognized as the most dysfunctional legislature in the country, New Yorkers have learned not to expect the state government to do anything on time. With billions of dollars being lost in tax revenue, the state is facing an enormous fiscal crisis that is already commanding the full attention of the government.
The four senators in question are:
Ruben Diaz, Sr. and Pedro Espada, Jr. of The Bronx, Carl Kruger of Brooklyn, and Hiram Monserrate of Queens. If you're a New Yorker, or better still, in their district, let them know how you feel.