New Jersey’s Republican governor Chris Christie clarified his position on the state’s new gay-marriage bill today, stating that if it gets to his desk he will indeed veto it. This came just hours before the bill was approved in a Senate committee 8-4 and sent to the full Senate for a vote next week.
While discussing the issue in Bridgewater, NJ, Christie urged lawmakers to put the marriage issue to voters in November. “Let’s put the question of same-sex marriage on the ballot,” Christie said. “It shouldn’t be decided by 121 people in Trenton.”
That way no one suffers any political backlash. Right, Mr. Christie?
If marriage equality does go to a public vote, though, it might have a good chance of winning. According to a Quinnipiac Poll out last week, a majority (52%) of New Jersey residents support marriage equality. Of course, polling numbers and voting numbers often vary wildly when it comes to the touchy subject of same-sex marriage, as witnessed in California’s Prop 8 disaster. So gays in the Garden State might remain in legislative limbo for some time to come.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Alexa
WHY shouldn’t it be decided by 121 people in Trenton? What else are they there for but to to make decisions like this? Why do we have elections then? Ugh.
v
I live in NJ. Most of the straight people here have a live and let live attitude. It’s the religious groups and a small politically active minority who want to defeat it. I think it would pass a state referendum. That said, states can vote “rights” in and out. We need federal recognition and law. We have to stop looking for approval which can be easily rescinded. Rights as US citizens at the federal level is the way.
Libertarian Larry
Christie 2016!
JAW
@mike… Here in NJ a constitutional amendment WOULD be on the ballot for all to vote on.
It would be the first amendment to be FOR same sex marriage and not against it.
The 121 legislators in Trenton were put there by and for the over 8,000,000 residents. so we have already voted.
The big concern I have, is that the people on the right… VOTE… the people on the left go out and answer surveys… yet they are not as apt to vote… If young people across the country voted as often as older folk, we would win.
Joetx
I think we should get to vote on the rights & responsibilities of obese people (e.g., raise their taxes to pay for all the extra services that will be required b/c they are obese).
Ron
@Joetx My thoughts exactly. When do I get to vote on what I think that fat-ass should be allowed to have?
Crysta
Lets vote to raise the taxes of Catholics, since they cause oodles of mental trauma on countless LGBT youth who will later on need years of counseling to get over the abuse thrown on them by hateful adults/peers… (As well as the “adults” who just sit on the sidelines and let it happen…)
STOPTHEWORLDIWANNAGETOFF
WHY LET THE VOTERS DECIDE??
VOTERS ARE RETARDS IN THIS COUNTRY
TJ
Um, its against the bill or rights to vote on civil rights. Also, he said he’d veto it, so even if the state approves, he’ll find some other way to kill it. Time to vote his fat ass out.
Chuck
Oooo, can we have a vote to deny rights to fat people?
Jeff Lassiter
I cannot stand Chris Christie, but seriously? There are way more reasons to dislike him than his weight. Gay people are supposed to be more creative than that. If we want to be taken seriously, then we have to come up with better arguments than “He’s fat.” He is, big deal, but it isn’t an argument.
codyj
Im a Jersey born guy, Florham Park, and its GREAT to know that our ‘Gov’ uses the MOORING MAST at Lakehurst..to ‘de-send’ to his office in Trenton…its the ‘correct’ way for all BLIMPS,an AIRSHIPS’ to go to work,
Chuck
@Jeff Lassiter: I agree except that his ilk pick out one aspect of a gay person’t existence, their sexuality, and use that as a basis for all kinds of discrimination and condemnation. Addressing this man’s obesity is an equally random aspect of who or what he is. Therefore, the point is if he can arbitrarily choose something about someone else to base discrimination on, then turning it around on his would point out the absurdity of what he is doing and what people who think like him are doing.
Danny
So he’s following the rightwing genocidal Nazi idea of violating the human rights of millions of people… what a legacy. Now remember kids you only have to outnumber the people you dislike to get together and vote away their human rights… that is the ugly genocidal message he and other politicians like him are sending to everyone.
Jim Hlavac
The man had the audacity to say that it’s an issue that 1) “Affects everyone” — when it certainly does not — but affects only gay folks and sexually and marriage-wise insecure heteros — and 2) that he doesn’t want to “politicize” the issue — yes, well, nothing like putting it to a public referendum after a year or so of political campaigning, political lobbying, politicians speaking, political PACs, Political groups and political wannabees come out of the closet to make it one big political mess — and 3) not once were Woman’s rights, Black’s rights, Slavery, or even Jew’s access to country clubs, nor even whether fat folks should pay extra affair — matters that truly affect far more people, and “everyone” — put up for a public referendum.
Oh, I don’t care if you hate gay folks, I don’t care if you want to keep up your nonsense, but do it honestly and don’t tell me about a politician not wanting to politicize and issue by putting it to a highly political public referendum.
tj
@ Jim Hlavac
“3) not once were Woman’s rights, Black’s rights, Slavery, or even Jew’s access to country clubs, nor even whether fat folks should pay extra affair — matters that truly affect far more people, and “everyone” — put up for a public referendum.”
I think someone needs to brush up on their American history. Leave it to the states is pretty common when it comes to bigotry happened in the 1850’s regarding slavery and the 1920’s regarding women’s suffrage, then again in the 70s in regards to abortion. When they want to dodge the issue then it goes to “let the people decide” the difference between those movements and ours is that we seriously sit back and allow it to happen instead of demanding equality (i.e. riots, civil wars, marches/not parades, etc)
Catman
I am soooo sick of folks like Christie who want to put people’s rights up for a popular vote,especially when they say it with this pragmatic tone as if they are being neutral and fair. Let me be more specific, people who want to put gay people’s rights up for vote because they sure as hell didnt use the ballot box to eventually let women vote, desegregate schools, and allow different races to marry, just to name a few. I say that New Jersey voters should decide the number of calories one can consume in one day because Chrisite clearly shoudlnt have the right to eat as much as he pleases.
Patsy Stoned
Just hide the gay marriage bill in a box of donuts. This bastard has clearly never vetoed one of those.
CBRad
@Jeff Lassiter: The really creative gay folk aren’t, generally, hanging out on blogs though.
LOL
Let us put the entire Christie agenda up for a popular vote too, then.
Education cuts, tax rates for high income earners, the budget… LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE!
Of course, then Governor 70-inch-waist will come up with some rationale about how the people shouldn’t decide on those issues, since his positions would go down in flames.
rf
Queerty — it appears that Christie didn’t actually say he would veto SSM, eventhough its being widely reported as such. All he is doing is attempting to pass it off to the voters so he doesn’t have to make that decision. It might be a good idea to run a story showing how this veto talk was wrong. Here is the text of what he said, from the AP –
http://www.northjersey.com/news/state/012412_Text_of_Gov_Christies_comments_on_gay_marriage.html
Robert in NYC
It makes no sense then to have a legislature if civil rights can be taken away. Let’s call for a referendum to overturn the tax-exemption of religious cults meddling in the political process. This is who Christie is kow-towing too. What an unfair system we have, some states allowing referenda, even when legislatures pass laws. Republicans don’t even respect the rule of law when courts intervene. They have a very poor understanding of the 14th amendment obviously, but actually believe in mob rule which is what referenda are all about on the issue of civil rights. Mob rule is tantamount to bullying. Clearly, Christie is one such bully and intellectually challenged.
Robert in NYC
It makes no sense then to have a legislature if civil rights can be taken away. I wonder how he’d react to a referendum to overturn the tax-exemption of religious cults meddling in the political process? This is who Christie is kow-towing too. What an unfair system we have, some states allowing referenda, even when legislatures pass laws. Republicans don’t even respect the rule of law when courts intervene. They have a very poor understanding of the 14th amendment obviously, but actually believe in mob rule which is what referenda are all about on the issue of civil rights. Mob rule is tantamount to bullying. Clearly, Christie is one such bully and intellectually challenged.
Cam
I LOVE the excuses the GOP comes up with.
OK, Christie. Since THAT is the reason you gave for doing this, then I guess you’ll all be stepping down so that the people can now vote on every single legislative issue.
Either admit you’re a bigot or don’t, but for him to pretend that there was any other reason is idiotic.
Right Is Right
I’m amazed at all the childish sniping at Christie’s weight here. Is that your best arguement, that he’s fat? That’s not very PC for a bunch of lefties. Well, to all of you Superior Gay Intellectuals: Mr. Christie can lose weight, but there’s no cure for your own despicable elitist bigotry.
It’s no secret that when a politician has run out of ammunition, he breaks out the name-calling in hopes of distracting attention. I expect the name-calling to explode into all forms of “creative” disrespect as Christie gets more popular. In fact, I relish it, so I can keep throwing the word “insensitive” at you hyper-sensitive liberals for carrying on about his weight.
Cam
@Right Is Right:
This is the same tactic you used on the other post. You wrote a post praising Gingrich and people asked you specifically how you could vote for somebody who had said flat out that gays or people interested in gay rights shouldn’t vote for him.
Rather than answering the question you then posted about how you were attacked and a victim for having different opinions.
The same here. There were approximately 3 comments about his weight and 2 of them were tied to politics, i.e. one spoke about denying rights based on weight.
Yet you ignore that as well as the almost 20 other posts to come on here and play the victim and pretend that nobody has said anything about the subject.
Why is it that the GOP keeps trying to pretend to be the party of strength and yet rather than have a political discussion all we ever hear is a repeating chorus of “Boo Hoo, you’re picking on me”.
So, now that I have said that, let me ask you a question, what is your opinion of Christie’s saying he will veto a gay rights bill. Or would you rather not answer?
tjr101
It appears that Politically Incorrect, Chopperman, and Right is Right are all the same sniveling gay Republican apologists. Every single posts from these “individuals” are strikingly similar, deflect the facts and play the virtuous victim.
Riker
@tjr101: I think we all know that Right is Right is the new identity of PIT. The other name you mentioned, Chopperman, I haven’t seen post. However, PIT was never one to use sockpuppets.
Right Is Right
@Cam: It’s not a gay rights bill, it’s a gay marriage bill. And I’m not against gay marriage—I think people should be able to do as they please. Somehow your brain interprets Christie Fan = Homophobic Bigot.
@Riker:
@tjr101:
No disrespect intended, but what in the fuck are you people talking about? Nevermind, don’t answer that. These nonsensical ramblings and code words of yours give me a headache (like, what the fuck is a pit using a sock puppet? Does that make sense to anyone?). See you guys on the HuffPo. At least over there, most liberals will respectfully debate me for my viewpoints rather than viciously attack me. But, like a friend of mine says, most minority groups will turn on their own who don’t tow the line. This has been an interesting and enlightening experience in gay sociology, to be sure.
the crustybastard
There’s a couple of tiny little flaws in Governor Christie’s reasoning.
If it’s presumptively wrong for 121 elected officials to craft legislation on behalf of the entire state*, doesn’t it follow that IT’S EVEN MORE WRONG for 1 person to defeat the decision of the other 121?
Is it Christie’s plan to veto ANY legislation passed by the state assembly on the basis that voters didn’t directly ratify it?
(* which is their job — leading one to the disturbing conclusion that a sitting state governor either (a) doesn’t understand the function of a legislature in a representative democracy, or (b) fundamentally objects to the very existence of legislatures and the organization of his state’s government.)
B
So, instead of having it decided by “121 people in Trenton” he wants it decided by one person in Trenton.
Regarding QUEERTY’s statement, “Of course, polling numbers and voting numbers often vary wildly when it comes to the touchy subject of same-sex marriage, as witnessed in California’s Prop 8 disaster,” it’s worth pointing out an LA Times article http://articles.latimes.com/2008/oct/23/local/me-gaymarriage23 which quoted various polls. As the election approached, support for Proposition Eight increased and just before the election, it was really too close to call.
Another complication is the increasing use of absentee ballots, which can be mailed in weeks before the election. The “no on 8” side had funding problems in late September (went to a fundraiser and they specifically pointed out that focus-group studies showed that the most effective arguments the opposition would use could sway voters very easily, and that they desperately needed more money). They got more funding, but it was a bit late, and during a critical time period, they could not effectively counter the “yes on eight” campaign.
James
@Jeff Lassiter: ok so can we make fun of his name and vote to not allow him in public? Better still make it a crime to name your child with a derivation of its last name (such as “Richard Richards”. And how about their weight? At least that isn’t on its face discriminatory since gays, straight, all religions, all races, etc. have fatasses. Tax them for the extra exhaust their vehicles will make, the extra amount of medical resources they do and will use and so on.
My major problem with these conservative nutjob politicians is that they refuse to do what they have been elected to do when it doesn’t fit squarely in their pragmatic beliefs and ideological views. States want to cry sovereignty when it comes to ENACTING discriminatory or controversial legislation butthen cry how individuals shouldn’t have the right to vote on it when the voters enact it, avowing to overturn it through other legislative means. Give me a break!
“Let the voters decide” is the equivalent of tyranny of the majority….and when it comes to equitable rights and treatment (yes, I said rights since the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled marriage a fundamental right) voters shouldn’t be the ones deciding but our legislators who were elected to represent the people of their respective districts.
Otherwise why do we have governors and legislators and as our economy staggers on the brink of continuing recessionCongress who doesn’t really do much other than argue on ways to defy the President?
“Let the people decide….” when a core issue of an individual’s private and personal life is flawed. Otherwise we could vote that the governor remain physically fit and healthy and maintain a gym membership and so on…. Is it fair? Not at all because we are dictating his life. SO STOP LETTING VOTERS DICTATE OURS!