Political Discussions
Vermont Legalizes same sex marriage!!!
Posted by Anok • 4/07/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: gay marriage
Now we have Connecticut, Massachusetts, Iowa, and Vermont Hooray!!!
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/07/AR2009040701663.ht...
MONTPELIER, Vt. -- Vermont has become the fourth state to legalize gay marriage _ and the first to do so with a legislature's vote.
The Legislature voted Tuesday to override Gov. Jim Douglas' veto of a bill allowing gays and lesbians to marry. The vote was 23-5 to override in the state Senate and 100-49 to override in the House. Under Vermont law, two-thirds of each chamber had to vote for override.
Let's get California back - and keep on movin'!!!!
User Comments
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Hooray! More progress being made in this critical area of human rights is good news.
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If they want to do that, so be it, but we really need to stop having liberal judges overturning the will of the people (i.e. Connecticut). The way this issue is being played is heads I win (gay marriage supporters win a referendum); tails you lose (gay marriage opponents win the referendum but get overruled by liberal judges).-
Yeah, it's so awful to afford equal rights when there are a handful of bigots who don't want those rights afforded to people they don't like.
The "will of the people" also didn't want to give blacks any rights, or women any rights either.
I guess we shouldn't have overturned that! -
IN this case.. a "handful" would be the majority... -
No - the "handful_ are the special interest groups that put out false advertisement campaigns trying to get people to ban gay marriage.
Most people don't actually care if homosexuals can get married or not - until some extreme religious group tells them that allowing gays to marry will teach their kids to be homos, or get them molested or force everyone to have gay marriages and other such nonsense.
In CT specifically, there was overwhelming support to have gay marriage legalized a while ago - the Governor refused to sign it into law, and opted for civil unions instead.
When gay marriages were allowed to be legal in CT, the residents had a chance to change that ruling, by voting for a constitutional convention - allowing the citizens to amend the state constitution - the anti gay marriage crowd was out in full force supporting this ballot question - and again, and overwhelming majority shot it down full well knowing that it disallows any constitutional amendments for another 20 years. -
So you are touting the rights of the voters because they were in majority in CT.
And then you are against that being the case when the majority voted against it in CA.
Why don't you just say it like it is.
You don't care about majorities, you want your oppinion to be law. -
Actually I was refuting what you said with actual facts.
But ye, I want equality regardless of what the majority thinks. Not one single civil liberty, right, or act of equality has ever been won by popular vote in the US.
Not ONE.
If we left it up to popular vote, women would still be in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant, and blacks would be in the fields, and homosexuals would be in jail.
Oh, and you wouldn't have been able to immigrate and have any rights, either. Because this country after it was established hated immigrants, and treated them like slaves. Back in the day the only thing worse than being black was being an Irish immigrant.
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Yeah it's so awful to destroy democracy so a handful of disgusting perverts can cram their lifestyle down the throats of other people and force them to accept it.
Since you mock the "will of the people" you must admire dictatorships like Nazi Germany and the USSR.
I guess we shouldn't have defeated them!-
So just because you think it's "disgusting" and "perverted" it should be against the law?
Lemme guess, you like raunchy porn, and rough anal sex with your inflatable doll. Oh, wait, I forgot, those perverts are "shoving" themselves down your throat, I stand corrected, you must be very busy indeed. *ahem*
Oh, and just so's ya know, not ONE civil liberty has every been won by popular vote. Not race equality, not the right to vote, (regardless of owning property), not gender equality, nothing. Not ONE civil liberty was ever won by popular vote. -
I personally think smooth jazz is disgusting and perverse, but I will defend your right to listen to it.
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The significant thing about Vermont, as I understand it, is that it is the first time a legislature passed such a law. No one can cry about judges, even if judges in some areas have just been protecting equal rights. In the end, it really will work better if legislatures act. On that note, DC City Council might be considering such a measure soon.
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Does the DC metro area offer marriage licenses?
I get a little confused about how DC works for residents - so it would help if you helped me out on that
It's not a "state" but sometimes it seems to act like one. I is confusered 
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DC metro area includes three different jurisdictions, DC, northern Virginia, and southern Maryland. I am talking about DC, aka the District of Columbia.
Of course, it issues marriage licenses, driver licenses, and so on and so forth. Who else would do that? In fact, we have home rule, although all bills passed by the city council are still subject to Congressional review, which sucks. Maybe someone in Congress will notice that DC has the highest bond rating with Standard and Poors. Something is working right here, but still Congress likes to treat us like its little plaything, of course without paying enough money for its share of street repairs, etc.
We are very much like a state, except the rest of the states tax us without giving us any representation. -
Yes, Mark. Vermont is important because it is the first legislature to pass such a bill. As you say legal marriage for gays in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Iowa was the result of court rulings. The Vermont bill cannot be overruled by its governor and the first gay marriages are scheduled for September.
Opponents of gay marriage condemned the vote, and signaled that they would launch a public relations counterattack with television ads including New Hampshire where lawmakers are poised to vote on a gay marriage law too.
Now, anti-same-sex marriage forces are trying to stoke a backlash. A group called National Organisation for Marriage argues that same-sex marriage threatens religious liberties and the freedom of speech. An example video link www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp76ly2_NoI
In fact the next is likely to be New Hampshire, whose house of representatives has voted in favour and the bill has now gone to its senate. In Maine, the state legislature is scheduled to begin committee hearings later this month. In New York and New Jersey, both their governors have promised to sign any bills passed by their legislatures.
Other states laying the groundwork for bills in favour of same-sex marriages include Illinois, Washington state, Maryland and Rhode Island. -
Mark, I always thought that DC issued things like licenses, but under certain states - not as "DC"... but what you're saying is that DC issues licenses as it's own....authority...?
For example, Boston issues licenses, but it's a Mass license. -
This is what I've been able to extract from what I have read. The situation in D.C. is unique because after the legislation receives final approval from the council (next month), the bill is then subject to a 30-day congressional review. That review could be the new Congress' first opportunity to re-examine the Defense of Marriage Act, which bars federal recognition of same-sex marriages and allows states to do the same. I hope that the Obama Administration and Congress will repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which was signed into law by President Bill Clinton.
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I think they will. The new administration seems keen on repealing the laws that restrict state's and individual rights.
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Yes Anok, DC acts like both a city and a state---locally. It even has a National Guard unit. The only way it differs is in its Congressional representation, and in the fact that Congress can interfere whenever it feels so inclined.
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Here's the link
www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iCYEBD8j3zSNg5aTUJuwZ_4YEIpwD97E...
DC is trying to be able to recognize marriages performed elsewhere. -
DC has approved recognition of same-sex marriages in other jurisdictions, but it is also considering allowing same-sex marriages in its own jurisdiction.
Some in Congress could try to make an issue of this, but many could avoid the issue by simply respecting DC Home Rule and leaving it up to us. You don't have to openly support gay marriage to let DC laws stand. You just have to believe in democracy.
By the way, one good place to learn about DC and regional politics is the Friday edition of the Kojo Nnamdi Show on WAMU. See wamu.org/programs/kn/, which includes a link to the live show and later the podcast. -
Mark - that makes my head hurt
Why don't we just make it a state? -
That would require a Constitutional ammendment. Since such a change would result in two more Democrats in the Senate, it ain't gonna happen.
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Ah yes, nothing like political games to keep a segment of the country unrepresented...
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Disgusting perverts?
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080628205430.htm
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080917145418.htm
They're just being who they are. What's perverted about that? -
Check out the Current Items in the Action Center on the National Organization for Marriage website.
www.nationformarriage.org/site/c.omL2KeN0LzH/b.3496985/k.7F71/Advocacy_Cent...
Check out their talking points too
www.nationformarriage.org/site/c.omL2KeN0LzH/b.4475595/k.566A/Marriage_Talk...
Why Marriage Matters PDF English Protestant
www.nationformarriage.org/atf/cf/{39D8B5C1-F9FE-48C0-ABE6-1029BA77854C}/ProtestantEnglish.pdf
English - Catholic
www.nationformarriage.org/atf/cf/{39D8B5C1-F9FE-48C0-ABE6-1029BA77854C}/CatholicEnglish.pdf
English - Jewish
www.nationformarriage.org/atf/cf/%7B39D8B5C1-F9FE-48C0-ABE6-1029BA77854C%7D...-
Oh...my God they are freaks.
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There is an interesting article in today's NY Times comparing this debate to the discussion that followed Roe v. Wade. Apparently some on the Court are quite happy to leave this to the states, and they think the same should have been done with abortion earlier. Less of a shock to the system. Gives people a chance to work out the issues at a local level, and then get used to the results. www.nytimes.com/2009/04/12/weekinreview/12liptak.html
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It's a good article, and I understand what they're getting at, but at the same time, can you really compare the gay marriage debate with the abortion debate?
One involves the perception of a loss of life, and one doe snot at all. Although I understand the comparison the author was making...to me, it's a little too apples and oranges for my taste. -
The comparison lies in both fights revolving around cultural mores. Both are part of the culture wars. (And, seen from the left, both involve human rights.)
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I get that, but I think it's a stretch. Gay marriage doesn't involve the highly inflammatory "killing of babies" argument. You know what I mean?
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Actually, I don't. For those who are dead set against it, the idea of gay marriage can be pretty awful, just not on the level of "murder." Still, they see it as an "abomination against God and nature," so to speak.
Be that as it may, the larger point of the piece was about how the public discourse was affected by the dynamic of either battles in the states or an all-or-nothing decision by the Supreme Court. -
One of the reasons I noted that it was a stretch - was because the article mentioned how the numbers for the abortion debate have been left stagnate for years regardless of legislation, whereas public opinion about gay marriage swings - sometimes dramatically - after legal action/media coverage has occurred.
The reason for that,in my opinion, is because abortion arguments involve an emotive issue that is non negotiable, whereas public opinion about homosexuality and morality regarding sexuality changes, and changes often.
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How can anyone argue with logic like that? "if you are happy with another person of the same sex, is your problem. But same sex marriage will bring more problems in long terms." Thanks, Marty McFly.
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LMAO Omiller
And he spammed it, too!
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Uh-oh. N.Y. is jumping on the bandwagon:
Gov. David A. Paterson will announce on Thursday plans to introduce legislation to legalize same-sex marriage, according to people with knowledge of the governor’s plans.
Mr. Paterson’s move, which he first signaled last week after Vermont became the fourth state to allow gay and lesbian couples to wed, reflects the governor’s desire to press the issue with lawmakers in Albany as other states move ahead with efforts to grant more civil rights to homosexuals.
The action in Vermont, where state legislators overrode Gov. Jim Douglas’s veto of a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, came less than a week after the Iowa Supreme Court granted same-sex couples the right to marry.
cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/paterson-will-introduce-same-sex-marr...-
Go North East!
w00t!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We rock, we know it, we're awesome and we show it! Yaaay!
(*Ahem* make a cheerleader crack and I'll be doing some high flying kicks alright....where the sun don't shine!!) -
You gol' dang librels are ruinnen this country.
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Hahahaha! (You made me snort!)
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Never mind Vermont — what about IOWA!
I'm getting some interesting reactions to a blog about how Iowa is ahead of New York on this issue.
And I'd love to hear what you all think.
www.i-cant-believe-im-not-bitter.com-
Apples and oranges IMO. While Iowa is certainly interesting, given its location, the decision there was made by the court, not the *legislature*, as was the case in Vermont, even if a unanimous court decision is pretty significant.
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Places that "need" big businesses give tax breaks. Places that need culture legalize gay marriage. it's how the world turns-
Have you actually thought about all the stereotypes you're playing with here? You've set up a bizarre dichotomy of business versus culture as something parallel to heterosexual versus homosexual. All culture is gay and all business is straight? [groan]
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actually just making fun of incentive-based/arbitrary governance.
Hope i didnt offend anyone else
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Morality will previal in America, and Marriage Equality will be the norm.
Discrimination IS THE abomination.
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