Comments on: NH House Takes Up Competing Marriage Bills

By: Timothy Kincaid

Timothy Kincaid — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 23:12:14 +0000

Trevor, you may wish to be secretly pleased about Wyoming. Sixteen Republicans (39%) joined all Democrats to defeat an anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment. Had this been a party line vote, it would be on the ballot.

By: John

John — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 22:45:18 +0000

Then you’d be wrong, Trevor. Even though a large majority of Republican voters did support such amendments in states where they have passed, sizeable minorities did not. Let’s not forget that large numbers of Democrat voters also voted for these amendments in these states as well.

By: Trevor

Trevor — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:07:03 +0000

I disagree. I find it perfectly reasonable to assume all Republicans will vote against same-sex marriage ALL the time (cynicism). This is the only responsible assessment of the likely voting outcome. Granted a few Republicans may vote for marriage equality. Like all cynics I’ll be secretly pleased when and if my assumptions are disproven.

By: Pender

Pender — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:09:38 +0000

Yeah, the Granite state has a libertarian streak a mile wide. Could be that they (rightly) see civil rights and equality as libertarian causes — getting the government out of the business of judging us morally for things that do not affect anyone but ourselves.

By: Timothy Kincaid

Timothy Kincaid — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 01:47:38 +0000

Suricou Raven,

We cannot blindly assume that Republicans in New England are anti-gay.

In the 2007 vote in the house for civil unions, 5 Democrats voted no and 26 Republicans voted yes. We don’t know how that would translate when it comes to marriage, but it does show that we cannot make assumptions.

By: Suricou Raven

Suricou Raven — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 01:16:42 +0000

None, I would guess. If the legislature approved civil unions in 2007, what is the chance they will ban them again now?

As states go, it’s a quite blue one. 58% democratic, 40% republican (2% empty, and one lonely independant).

At the same time, that’s 40% who are sure to vote against gay marriage – so it wouldn’t take many democrats dissenting to prevent passage of that bill.

I’m guessing that this is going to be a party issue, and the parties are balanced enough that each will be able to block the other.

By: Joel

Joel — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 19:52:42 +0000

Which one is most likely to succeed?

And…

TALK ABOUT OPPOSING VIEWS!