Looks like New Jersey’s Democratic lawmakers are drinking the same tainted water as New York’s: They don’t want to bring gay marriage to a vote unless they’re certain it will pass.
The same reasons you hear New York State’s senators refusing to act on Gov. David Paterson’s demands to vote on marriage are being bandied about across the Hudson River. Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney (pictured), a Dem, told an Atlantic City audience that he backs a play to hold off on marriage until they’ve got enough ducks.
That’s also the opinion of fellow Democratic Sen. Paul Sarlo, who says he won’t bring the bill up for a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee unless he’s assured Democrats can pass the bill on the open floor. This, despite knowing the Judiciary Committee itself has the votes to move it forward. (The entire strategy of holding off until everything is assured has this side effect: Letting lawmakers who would vote yes on the bill sit this round out, because they don’t have to voice their support for something “controversial.”)
But don’t think this is a party-wide stance. As Jersey lawmakers race to pass marriage legislation before Gov. Chris Christie arrives in January, Sen. Loretta Weinberg says Sweeney is backing out of a promise he made to her — and, presumably, others, “to move this important civil rights bill forward.” And in a direct slap in the face to the “we’re too busy” excuses, Weinberg added, “We have the ability in the Legislature to talk about this bill and address the economic crisis at the same time.”
How about we take this to the next level?
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We’ll know more about the outcome of this party hack-ery soon: Jersey’s lame duck session begins today.
terrwill
I just threw up in my mouth on the drive home. I always scan the talk radio shows to see how far from reality the rightwing-nutbag zealots are. On Yawn Hannitys show there is an ad from the “nj repugnatican conserative org.” urging lunatics to call threee of the Rep. senators they are ascared are gonna vote for the Gays to marry as Corizine walks out the door………They mention one senators phone number six or seven times urging to call now……….scum
1EqualityUSA
Queer Union, all factions under one umbrella. It’s a way to sreamline our energies and efforts. Why aren’t queers advertizing on radio to call Senators?
1EqualityUSA
“Cowardice asks the question: is it safe? Expediency asks the question: is it politic? Vanity asks the question: is it popular? But conscience asks the question: is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular- but one must take it simply because it is right.” Martin Luther King Jr. 1929-1968
Daniel
They don’t want to vote unless they have the votes to pass it because any democrat who votes against it would not survive their primary the next time around since most democrats, especially in New Jersey, support marriage equality.
Attmay
No wonder they got voted out.
Heterosexuals think that they’re entitled to special rights because the penis-vagina act results in babies. But what about the infertile, the elderly, and the childfree (those who choose not to have children)? By their so-called logic, why should they be allowed to marry, since to them a marriage license is just a subsidy for procreation?
No special rights for breeders!