Assemblyman Mark Leno’s bill, AB 43 was just debated on our floor, passing by a vote of 42-34. It is the latest incarnation of the effort to legalize marriage of same gender couples. The debate was a very calm one, over an hour, with many "mike’s up" as several members of both parties spoke to both sides of the highly controversial bill. We took up the issue late in the day, perhaps to miss out on the press cycle today? I think everyone knew it would pass out of this chamber again, I was guessing 43 aye votes this time around.
It still astounds me that the vote of Californians in 2000, by a nearly 2-1 margin, for Prop. 22, is defied this way. Also, the contortions that proponents go through to find a legal argument, or a moral "civil rights" one is fascinating. Civil rights of voters and families seem to come in last a lot these days.
June 5th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Miss a press cycle? There was a full press contingent in the Assembly covering the debate. Given that a majority of Californians support marriage equality, Democrats are proud to put this measure forward.
As for the reasoning on Prop 22, Mr. Laird debunked that effectively on the floor. And by that logic, perhaps Republicans wouldn’t be too excited about pushing redistricting, which has been rejected NINE TIMES by California voters.
June 6th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Prop. 22, defining marriage as “the union of 1 man, and 1 woman”, was
approved by a landslide majority of 1,709,303 votes in March of 2000.
Prop. 22 also won 52 of 58 California counties, including Santa Clara,
Sacramento, Monterey, Los Angeles and Contra Costa.
It is genuinely sad to see the “Democratic” party of Jefferson and
Jackson thumbing its nose at this clear-cut expression of popular
Democracy.
June 6th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Almost as sad as seeing the so-called party of individual liberty and freedom trying to force government intervention in matters of the heart.
June 6th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Matters of the heart…how touching…do you mean like the little hearts of babies your party doesn’t mind stopping?
A “debunking” of Prop. 22 on the Assembly floor is hardly sufficient to legislate in direct opposition to what an overwhleming majority of Californians had to say on the issue. And the incredible arrogance of it all is that the Democratic party doesn’t even feel the need to go out to the public to explain itself. If citizens weren’t glued to channel 75 to watchdog the government they increasingly distrust, they will never know how in the world their legislators could blatantly disregard their votes on this matter.
Antics like this fuel distrust and lack of participation at the polls, AND are much to blame for voters’ exodus to the DTS ranks. In an excellent article by Lisa Vorderbrueggen on May 26, 2007 (unless Steve considers her a liar like he does the Fresno Bee), she shows that since 2003, Democrats statewide have lost 66,421 voters, and Republicans have increased their ranks by 20,499.
In a state full of Reagan Democrats, it is exactly this type of arragance on the part of Democratic legislators that will ultimately be their undoing.
Respect the voters, protect democracy, and you will win the trust of the electorate. Riding the wave of an evaporating majority will be the party’s undoing. California Democrats can’t hide behind the national party issues forever.