Two GOP Notables Will Defend Marriage Equity

Good Message (0.00 / 0)

And we have to keep in mind that we wouldn't have passed House Bill 436 in 2009 without Republican support in the House, and we won't keep it without continued Republican support.  You know, there was a repeal effort in 2010 and we stopped that one with the help of over two dozen Republicans, several of whom are still in the House.  

This has to be a bipartisan -- in fact, a non-partisan effort.  We'll win if we keep our eye on the message that having "equality" is a proud New Hampshire ideal, and that liberty and justice for all is an American cause.  

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 17:07:52 PM CST

Again: the Democratic Party platform (4.00 / 4)

calls for marriage equality. The Republican Party platform opposes it. So does the entire state Republican Party leadership.

It's wonderful that some Republicans are working for marriage equality. But they haven't been able to get their Party to switch, even to Neutral.

One of the reasons I'm a Democrat is that our Party is on the right side here, and the Republican Party is on the wrong side. And I'm getting tired of people claiming that isn't so.

If both party platforms were Neutral on marriage equality, it would be accurate to call this non-partisan. They are not; it is not.

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by: elwood @ Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 18:03:41 PM CST

[ Parent ]

The Repeal Votes Start In About 50 Days... (4.00 / 1)

...the November 6th election comes in 349 days.  Right now, I'll cheer any Republican who opposes repeal.  

Too many people worked too long and hard, and too many people would be hurt, if we allow repeal to pass.  

So we MUST keep this a non-partisan issue.  We don't win this if we make this into "D" vs. "R."  We can do that next November -- and vote Democrats into office.  But now, we need the Republicans wherever we can get them.

That IS how we won this in 2009, and that is how we'll keep our victory.  This might not be a "non-partisan" issue, but we'll win it by appealing to those who are in office right now to vote in a non-partisan way.  Otherwise, the numbers aren't with us.  

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 19:10:18 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I will cheer those Republicans too. (4.00 / 2)

I did, above.

But I won't say, "See - parties have nothing to do with it." That's dishonest, and the cynicism it breeds when you try, 300 days later, to say that party ID does matter, doesn't fade quickly.

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by: elwood @ Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 19:17:09 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Let's Get The Votes Against Repeal First... (0.00 / 0)

...then talk about parties all we want afterward.  We cannot make this into a party vote, because we're outnumbered 3-1 in the House and the Senate is a lost cause.

By the way, at the beginning of 2009 when House Bill 436 started it had low support.  The Governor was saying he was opposed to gay marriage, and the House and Senate Democratic leadership didn't have it on their agenda.  We won it by slowly gaining Democrats, and some Republicans, to the cause.  

We'll keep it that same way.  And I know of no one who has said

"See - parties have nothing to do with it."

And speaking of that, we still have President Barack Obama to convince.  

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 19:26:59 PM CST

[ Parent ]

We seem to be talking past each other. (0.00 / 0)

I read your declaration that this is a "nonpartisan issue" as "parties have nothing to do with it."

Maybe there is some other meaning you intend...

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by: elwood @ Tue Nov 22, 2011 at 20:15:00 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Yes, Elwood. My Intention... (4.00 / 1)

...is to defeat repeal in January when this issue comes up.  And to do that, we cannot -- cannot -- let this become a "D" vs. "R" issue.  If it does, with the current numbers in the NH House and Senate, we lose.  Many of us have worked too long and hard to let that happen.  

I didn't let gay marriage die a quiet death in the legislature in 2009, as some would have preferred.  I and others kept up the cause until it gained favor with Democrats, and a handful of Republicans.  And I'll try not to let this become a partisan issue in January, which could lead to its repeal.  The party discussions can begin after we stop repeal and have solidified gay marriage.  Then we can go fight another day.  

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Tue Nov 22, 2011 at 21:29:18 PM CST

[ Parent ]

None of the GLB bills signed into law would have passed without some GOP support (4.00 / 1)

We can't make this into a D vs R vote - we'll lose.

Some of these laws that passed (I don't remember which ones) were considered 'votes of conscience.' by the GOP.

It's also one thing to say that Dems are more in favor of our rights than the GOP, but that ignores the R's who are in favor and the D's who are against.

It's also unfortunate that I can't say 'GLBT' bills.

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by: Putney Swope @ Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 21:18:33 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Good Points, Putney (0.00 / 0)

...and the Transgender Equality bill in 2009 DID pass the House, thanks in very large part to Republicans who helped save it; but then was promptly defeated in the Senate, which at the time had 14 Dems and 10 Rs.  

All 14 Dems supported House Bill 436 for gay marriage, and all 10 Rs in the Senate opposed.  We'll pass Transgender Equality eventually, and we've made great strides on equality legislation since 1997 under Republican rule in the House and Senate (putting "sexual orientation" into our statutes and allowing adoption), and most specifically in 2007 with Civil Unions and 2009 with gay marriage under Democratic leadership.

But the important lesson of the past 15 years is that we can win on these issues if we treat them as other than political party issues -- it's about human rights and equality -- for all.    

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 21:30:48 PM CST

[ Parent ]

it did pass the House and.. (4.00 / 1)

The Transgender Equality bill DID pass the House and the O'Brienoids are still angry over that--- almost as angry as they are over the shortlived LLC Tax.

The O'Brienoids are even sticking the 'bathroom bill" label on current gubernatorial candidate Maggie Hassan, who was a State Senator at the time.  She was one of the 24 Senators who killed the bill (HB 415) unanimously.  

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by: TimothyHorrigan @ Tue Nov 22, 2011 at 06:55:48 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Speaking of work, the Capstone Cottages (0.00 / 0)

are coming right along in Durham with the help of some folks from Alabama, earning over-time on a Sunday far from home.

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by: hannah @ Mon Nov 21, 2011 at 17:59:00 PM CST

Elwood you are too kind n/t (0.00 / 0)

note to close readers: this might be sarcastic so think twice before reading to candidates for use in their attacks on each other

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by: JonnyBBad @ Tue Nov 22, 2011 at 08:19:14 AM CST

Five Families (0.00 / 0)

A little off-topic, but I've seen the Five Families phrase before. I'm assuming they're all Republicans, so I'm immediately thinking Sununu and Gregg. Who am I missing?

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by: FrankLloydMike @ Tue Nov 22, 2011 at 08:50:36 AM CST

Rudman? (0.00 / 0)

N/T

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by: Karen @ Tue Nov 22, 2011 at 09:19:15 AM CST

[ Parent ]

citation (4.00 / 1)

http://www.nhinsider.com/press...
"It is time for Congressmen Guinta and Bass, Senator Kelly Ayotte, Speaker Bill O'Brien and Senate President Bragdon to come clean about what really happened," continued Kirstein.  "Calling themselves the five families, a reference to violent organized crime is one thing, but now they are refusing to be honest about a potential violation of federal law."

italics added

note to close readers: this might be sarcastic so think twice before reading to candidates for use in their attacks on each other

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by: JonnyBBad @ Tue Nov 22, 2011 at 09:57:54 AM CST