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The vote on CACR28, a constitutional amendment limiting marriage to one man and one woman just took place in the New Hampshire House. The Judiciary Committee's report of Inexpedient to Legislate was upheld by a vote of 201-135.
First, Rep Bates (R-Windham) tried to have the bill "special ordered" until March 17, after many towns have town meeting or SB-2 votes. This is Bates' and other Republican's initiative to drum up support for a "referendum" type vote on marriage equality. They are hoping to have the out of state money flowing into their coffers as a result of trying to make NH what it is not--a referendum state.
Rep. Bill O'Brien((R-Mont Vernon), after arguing in favor of the special order asked for a roll call. The special order failed 141-191.
Interestingly enough, none of the Sunday State House columnists thought Nancy Elliot's (R-Merrimack) pronouncements in Judiciary last week were worth mentioning. Even though she said some horrible things about the Nashua school system that are not proven true and very, very damaging.
Maybe because the video went viral, appearing everywhere from Huffington Post to Perez Hilton's site, they didn't feel the need to mention it.Or maybe they just assume the usual IOKIYAR. I don't know.
Tom Fahey, however, does mention another weird thing going on with the repeal bills that I didn't know about.
WHO'S CALLING? That's what Rep. Anthony DiFruscia wants to know. After his home phone rang last weekend with more than 120 calls on the gay marriage issue, he's got the Attorney General on the case.
It didn't exactly take a CSI crew to get to the bottom of this. He asked some callers to hit the star-69 function, which calls a number back. It was a state representative's home. Others reached a number listed to the office of the Eagle Foundation in Manchester, he said. Others looked at their caller ID and saw a row of 1s.
The Eagle Foundation office did not return calls Friday. The Washington-based non-profit's Web page states it was formed to "counter current political trends in the U.S, that undermine our liberty, the family, moral values, conservative principles."
Hmmm. I think marriage equality actually strengthens the principles the Eagle Foundation supposedly supports.
The vote to uphold killing CACR28 (constitutional amendment to limit rights) and HB1590 (repeal) is Wednesday. You can contact your state rep here to show your support for the Judiciary Committee's decision.
A few weeks ago, I was asked participate in a debate that would be broadcast by the local cable access station. I would be debating a columnist for the local paper, a man who is a vigorous and vocal homophobe. I chose not to participate, because I refuse to give this man's views any credence at all.
With all the hue and cry and warrant articles set to either take away or put a minority's civil rights to a "popular vote", it is interesting that a recent poll obtained by nhpoliticalreport.com (subscription required) shows
* A whopping 59 percent of Republican voters say they support either civil unions or full on gay marriage as opposed to the 40 percent who don't support any legal recognition.
This is a bi-partisan civil rights issue. Trying to make it a wedge issue and even forcing the article onto town warrants will undoubtably backfire, as well it should.
Also, according to Pindell, the poll tilted towards conservatives (76%) and more males than females.
Economists are quick to tell us that our economy is showing signs of recovery. This seems to mean that Wall St. is doing well. Main St. doesn't seem to be ready to tap dance just yet. The unemployment rate for New Hampshire was seven percent in January. Those statistics are skewed to be lower than the real numbers of unemployed. They don't count folks who haven't been able to find a job long after their unemployment benefits ended, or those who weren't eligible in the first place. The real number is perhaps as high as 14%. More NH families are using food stamps than ever before. Our homes aren't worth what they used to be, though foreclosures seem to be slowing down. In other words, for the most part, the news isn't good. NH folks are having a tough time, and tough times always seem even tougher in the north country.
(Bumped. This is the New Hampshire I know and love. - promoted by Dean Barker)
For those keeping count at home ... Londonderry rejected the vote to discriminate tonight. WMUR:
LONDONDERRY, N.H. -- The Londonderry Town Council unanimously rejected a petition Monday night to consider challenging the new gay marriage law in New Hampshire, which took effect Jan. 1. Since then, opponents have launched an effort to challenge the law by raising the issue at town meetings around the state.
Before the public hearing, a group of about 30 students rallied in support of marriage equality outside of Town Hall. (Gotta love the next generation - they really get it.) Inside, students and other testifiers exposed the vote to discriminate for what it really is.
By the end of it, the Town Council had unanimously rejected Rep. Al Baldasaro's attempt to have Londonderry challenge marriage equality. Baldasaro had submitted a petition with 1% of registered voters in the town, the percentage required in order to have the matter considered by the town council. Londonderry Town Council had the option to accept or deny the petition; if someone collects signatures from 5% of registered voters in the town the petition is automatically added to the town ballot
Citing a variety of reasons - not the least of which is that if Baldasaro really wants a vote on the definition of marriage then he should be willing and able to collect the required 5% signatures - the council decided that he should have to follow the established town charter requirements instead of circumventing them.
In agreement with the council's position is Londonderry Protects Marriage Equality, a group of concerned community members who have come together to take a stand against discrimination. You can visit them here on the web or here on Facebook if you want to send a congratulations.
Londonderry will be on watch for the next couple of weeks as they wait to hear whether Al got the other signatures.
...the legislator behind the drive, insisted the petitions should be characterized not as "an anti-gay movement" but as a mechanism to enhance democracy by making sure legislators are representing their constituents.
Rep. Baldasaro:
So because I disagree on something that's pushed down my throat, I'm supposed to roll over because, representative, you think it's normal? I'm sorry you got the wrong person.
..."I wanted to make sure everyone understood here, that this legislature sold the rights of $10,000 per kid under title four, when they said that homosexual couples, not married, can adopt."
"So we sold each kid to a homosexual couple that's not married for $10,000," Baldasaro said.
..."What about the Muslims now?," he asked."Everyone's praising the Muslims. They're killing us. What about them, they want three, four wives. We're discriminating against them."
and:
When reached Monday Baldasaro said he stands by his comment and that Buckley "can kiss my ass."
..."Why wouldn't I put it out there? I stand by the statement and I have nothing to hide. It is the truth and it is my right to free speech," he said.
With the exception of John H. Sununu, the NHGOP was quick to distance itself from GrokGate. I wonder what will happen in the case of one of their elected party members.
Apparently a bit more than just "So we sold each kid to a homosexual couple that's not married for $10,000,":
"What about the Muslims now?," he asked."Everyone's praising the Muslims. They're killing us. What about them, they want three, four wives. We're discriminating against them."
In Nascar lingo, the "Silly Season" is the period near the end of the season when the also-ran drivers try to get new rides with the also-ran teams. This traditionally began in September, around the time of the race here in New Hampshire. In recent years, the Silly Season has been happening earlier and earlier.
The NH Republican Party is starting its silly season very early this year. The new legislative session is three weeks old and Daytona is almost a month away. The NH GOP released two very bizarre press releases this week, both triggered by a meeting between Revenue Administration chief Kevin Clougherty and various leading State House Democrats, including Speaker Terie Norelli. Understandably, the Republicans felt excluded, but did they simply choose to invite Clougherty to meet with members of their caucus? No, not really...
I spent the day in Concord, first at the hearing of HB 1590, and then at the hearing of CACR 28. Both were heard by the House Judiciary Committee. In both cases, over a hundred people were present, though more attended the CACR hearing.
I've never seen such appalling behavior in committee hearings before.
Today, New Hampshire legislators are being asked to vote to discriminate.
As Rep. Jim Splaine has already explained, HB 1590 is an attempt to repeal marriage equality and CACR 28 is a ploy to define marriage in a way that discriminates against same-sex couples.
But the homophobic contingent that wants to take away rights from families and overturn marriage equality doesn't just want the legislature to vote to discriminate - it wants to give its own followers an opportunity to do so as well.
"Let NH Vote" - a town meeting strategy designed to pressure the legislature to pass CACR 28, a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman - will pop up in many towns this spring.
This campaign is about taking away rights from families and overturning marriage equality, pure and simple. Even though the bigot bills at the State House today will be voted down, it's important that we educate people about the real intent of the town meeting vote to discriminate.
Do NOT call it an anti-gay, thinly disguised 2010 GOTV operation. It's Democracy Enhancement!
[Rep. David] Bates, the legislator behind the drive, insisted the petitions should be characterized not as "an anti-gay movement" but as a mechanism to enhance democracy by making sure legislators are representing their constituents.
...He challenged any legislator who would not support approving the amendment so it could be voted in "as much as possible, a statewide referendum."
"Rather than representing the people, they're attempting to thwart the will of the people," Bates said. "They are in fact choosing tyranny rather than democracy."
In other news, founders like James Madison, awash in Classical learning, consciously emulated the representative democracy of the Roman Republic over the radical democracy of Athens in their great experiment.
By now I'm sure you've seen news of this obvious state GOP GOTV vehicle principled conservative mission:
Socially conservative lawmakers and activists Tuesday kicked off an ambitious effort they hope results in a constitutional amendment that outlaws marriage for gay and lesbian couples.
Organizers announced petitions were in the field to place nonbinding warrant articles about marriage before town meeting voters in at least 60 percent of communities.
...State Rep. David Bates, R-Windham, a leader of "Let NH Vote" campaign, urged the Legislature to support a proposed constitutional amendment on marriage and follow the will of voters on these petitions.
My question is: why do the state Republicans want to increase the divorce rate?
Over the past decade or so, divorce has gradually become more uncommon in the United States. Since 2003, however, the decline in divorce rates has been largely confined to states which have not passed a state constitutional ban on gay marriage. These states saw their divorce rates decrease by an average of 8 percent between 2003 and 2008. States which had passed a same-sex marriage ban as of January 1, 2008, however, saw their divorce rates rise by about 1 percent over the same period.
Don't (so-called) conservatives cherish the sanctity of marriage? It's all so confusing.
Many of my fellow conservatives have an almost knee-jerk hostility toward gay marriage. This does not make sense, because same-sex unions promote the values conservatives prize. Marriage is one of the basic building blocks of our neighborhoods and our nation. At its best, it is a stable bond between two individuals who work to create a loving household and a social and economic partnership. We encourage couples to marry because the commitments they make to one another provide benefits not only to themselves but also to their families and communities. Marriage requires thinking beyond one's own needs. It transforms two individuals into a union based on shared aspirations, and in doing so establishes a formal investment in the well-being of society. The fact that individuals who happen to be gay want to share in this vital social institution is evidence that conservative ideals enjoy widespread acceptance. Conservatives should celebrate this, rather than lament it.
That this statement is about as far as you can get from today's NHGOP is telling.
A long-time reader emailed to let me know that a friend in Rye got a knock on the door today from someone "with a petition to put gay marriage on the ballot."
Since there isn't a way to put it on the state ballot, presumably this is either some town/local-based GOTV scheme for the GOP.
Anyone who sees or hears more about this, please let us know. If you get solicited, ask who is behind it.
(btw, it's the second of January already, and I'm still waiting for my marriage to be threatened by Teh Gays and their new rights. This is SO not going down as advertised!)
Join us New Years Eve at the State Capitol in Concord as we celebrate equality and witness history taking effect as the first gay and lesbian couples get married in New Hampshire at 12:01 A.M. Festivities begin at 10:30 P.M..
If you want to get married or volunteer e-mail info@nhftm.org
I'm usually a glass-half-empty kind of thinker about politics and policy.
But the joy that will come here on New Year's Day, joy still denied to so many in this country, makes me really proud to be a Granite Stater.
Do you think that the 200 billion dollars left over from the bank bailout should be used for a stimulus package to create jobs or should it go to reduce the federal budget deficit?
New Hampshire's marriage equality law goes into effect the first of the year. But already there are attempts to repeal it. Emboldened by the success of ballot measures in California and Maine, some state representatives have already put in bills. One, sponsored by Rep. Al Baldassaro (R-Londonderry) and co-sponsored by Rep. Jordan Ulery (R-Hudson), would repeal marriage, but allow for civil unions.
Ulery:
"Marriage isn't an equal rights issue," he said. "I don't believe it's a right at all. It's a privilege."
Along with the law repealing marriage equality, a constitutional amendment to ban marriage equality is being introduced. One of the co-sponsors is Rep. Daniel Itse (R-Fremont). In the article, Itse claims the legislature didn't have the authority to pass marriage equality. The constitutional amendment does not allow for civil unions, either.
"Civil unions are not part of the equation," said Itse, who said gay marriage is "against the laws of nature."
Okay. Now imagine people like Itse, Ulery and Baldassaro in leadership positions, which they will be if the NH House goes from a Democratic to a Republican majority in the next election.
Local races are not big and sexy, but there are many "swing" districts in the state. Please, when you decide to put time, energy and money somewhere, consider supporting Democratic candidates for State House and State Senate. It will do little good to have a great congressional delegation in Washington, DC, if there isn't the same in Concord.
Millions of dollars poured into Maine to defeat equality there. The same groups and players will be pouring money into the coffers of candidates willing to overturn what we have in New Hampshire.
