Well that was fun — and awful — while it lasted: With the final contested elections wrapping up, it looks like Andrew Cuomo, New York’s governor-elect, will be working with a (slim) Republican majority in the Senate. And Cuomo appears to be down for the bipartisan power sharing. And while much of the beginning of Cuomo’s first term will deal with fiscal matters, it’s worth noting the Senate’s new leader Dean G. Skelos, a Republican opposed to same-sex marriage, is at least willing to put the matter to a vote. Again.
power grabs
robert in nyc
Dean Skelos putting marriage equality to another vote means playing to the tea baggers and other right wing scum. It will finally put the nail in the coffin. Marriage equality in our state is dead on arrival. There are still 6 or 7 very conservative democrats who oppose it in the assembly and of course, no republican will support it. Just because Cuomo supports marriage equality means nothing. The votes aren’t there on the dems side.
S E N A T U S
I guess Tim Gil’s anger-obsessed Fight Back New York was effective, huh? We need more smart in our movement.
Jim Hlavac
How politically convenient for Cuomo — he can say he’s “for” something that will probably not happen, when for years when it could he was against it. Then he can blame the Republicans while many in his own caucus are with the Republicans, but can hide behind the Republican’s less nice ways of saying it. Then fool gay folks will support Cuomo & Democrats because they’re “for” us — while actually being more or less in lockstep with the Republicans. Gay folks do have to get smarter politically indeed. Particularly by not always going for the Democrat. Maybe a few more Republicans in office saying silly and stupid things might help us — for the silliness and stupidity would be all the more apparent. For I feel every time someone says such silliness we gain where it matters most at this moment — in the hearts and minds of all our fellow countrymen. But we gain nothing in being the political football to be tossed about.
And we might get a tax cut, too. Right now, show me the money. I’m not worried about Republican posturing. No one is going to be shoving us back into the closet at this point, never mind passing laws against us.
Brutus
@Jim Hlavac: “No one is going to be shoving us back into the closet at this point, never mind passing laws against us.”
I’m not that naïve. Keep your tax cut.
Stefan
There are 4 Democrats who voted no still present, and one (Addabbo) is particularly likely to flip to yes. Also, redistricting reform is working its way through the state legislature, so the Democrats will most likely win back the senate in 2012 and have a larger majority then they did before. At that point they will for sure have the votes to pass marriage equality.
robert in nyc
Stefan, I wouldn’t be too sure about that. we came up short by 8 votes, that’s a huge loss. The four remaining democrats who voted no are extremely conservative, one of whom is a pastor and a homophobe, Ruben Diaz. We would need all of their votes to get it passed, I don’t see it happening until you get rid of them and replacing them with progressives. Not going to happen unless the unthinkable happens and republicans cross the aisle, but I don’t see that happening either.
Stefan
Addabbo is not “extremely conservative”. On the New York City Council he had a very strong gay rights record. It’s suspected that he only voted no out of reelection fears (his district was a Republican one for many years), and now that he won by a good margin, is much more likely to flip (I spoke to his office assistant personally). Diaz and Huntly are for sure NO votes, yes, but even Kruger could be moveable. He said he only voted against the bill because of the response from his district and never said he opposed gay marriage (Addabbo was the same).
As I said before, if not 2011, 2013 for sure.
Schteve
@Stefan: They aren’t likely to win back anything. 2008 was the first time in decades that the senate hadn’t been controlled by Republicans. And unless redistricting legislation is passed before they have to start the actual redistricting, then it will be Republicans who have a say in the senate on how that’s done. Don’t expect them to do Democrats any favors.