Grassley: Think long-term in gay marriage fight

JOHNSTON, Iowa – U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley said conservatives opposed to the Iowa Supreme Court’s gay marriage ruling should focus on long-term planning.

Grassley acknowledged he’s taking a lower profile on the issue than some Republicans, but he said that’s because a bipartisan approach is needed.

Speaking Thursday night during a taping of the public television program “Iowa Press,” Grassley argued gay marriage opponents should look toward the next election and future legislative sessions.

“It ought to be thoroughly planned,” said Grassley. “I don’t think it should be planned for just this year or next year, because this Legislature is about over. I think you ought to plan what you are going to do for the next election, for the next Legislature.”

Democratic leaders in the Legislature have opposed beginning the process of amending the Iowa Constitution to overrule the state Supreme Court’s April 3 decision. Two consecutive General Assemblies must approve a proposed constitutional amendment before it could be put to voters.

Grassley said social conservatives should begin building the political base needed to deal with the court’s decision.

“If there’s going to be any action taken contrary to the Supreme Court’s decision, then it should be to seek as broad a consensus as possible,” he said.

The four-term Republican senator said gay marriage opponents should realize the issue doesn’t break along partisan lines.
See Grassley: Think long-term in gay marriage fight Chicago Tribune * Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual

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Gay marriage advocate downplays opposition to issue

The Chicago based group that orchestrated the move toward gay marriage in Iowa says it will have observers in 25% of the county recorders’ offices Monday when same-sex couples can first seek licenses to marry — but the group is dismissing the idea there is any opposition to the marriages.

Camilla Taylor is the Lambda Legal attorney who led the Iowa lawsuit which resulted in the Iowa Supreme Court ruling that Iowa’s law saying marriage is between a man and a woman is unconstitutional.

Taylor was asked during a conference call with reporters Thursday if there was confusion among state officials over how they should handle gay marriage issues. Taylor says she hasn’t heard any particular difficulties in working out what the decision means. She says Iowa isn’t the first state to rule that marriage licenses must be issued to same-sex couples, so there is a lot of help available if Iowa officials have questions.

Lambda officials say Iowa has “embraced” the gay marriage ruling, and Taylor dismissed recent attempts in the legislature to bring up a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. Taylor says the state legislature “has made it very clear that the state legislature is not interested in putting discrimination into the constitution and that there are a lot of other issues that Iowans care about. She says there are budget issues and the state is recovering from natural disasters, “so I don’t think there is any will to amend the state constitution.”

Democratic leaders have blocked several attempts to bring up the vote on a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. Taylor was asked if her confidence would change if Republicans won back control or the legislature or if Iowa voters decided to call for a constitutional convention in 2010.

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Radio Iowa – Des Moines,IA,USA

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Gronstal marriage speech is a big draw on youtube DesMoinesRegister.com

he Democratic leader in the Iowa Senate is becoming a bit of a worldwide celebrity as people around the globe listen to his speech on marriage equity.

Video of Sen. Mike Gronstal’s speech Monday had attracted over 65,000 hits on YouTube as of Wednesday afternoon. It was the 10th most viewed YouTube video worldwide, edging out “SpongeBob Burger King” and highlights from the Michigan State vs. North Carolina men’s college basketball championship game. It was still behind a video of Eminem with a Sarah Palin look-alike, though.

Staff said e-mails from around the world have arrived at the Statehouse to thank Gronstal, who some bloggers have hailed as a “hero.” BBC Radio interviewed him Wednesday.

“He is a cult hero as it relates to this change,” said Sen. Matt McCoy, a Democrat who is openly gay. “He’s Iowa’s own version of Harvey Milk. He’s instilling hope and pride and happiness in a community that’s been out wandering in the desert for a long time.”

On Monday, Gronstal told fellow senators he will not bring up legislation this session that would help reverse the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision to legalize gay marriage – and explained why. Gronstal can single-handedly block debate of legislation in the Senate.

Meanwhile, a speech by Senate Republican leader Paul McKinley of Chariton, calling for Gronstal to stop obstructing Iowans’ chance to vote on gay marriage, had racked up only about 700 hits on YouTube.

See Gronstal marriage speech is a big draw on youtube DesMoinesRegister.com

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Gronstal marriage speech is a big draw on youtube DesMoinesRegister.com

he Democratic leader in the Iowa Senate is becoming a bit of a worldwide celebrity as people around the globe listen to his speech on marriage equity.

Staff said e-mails from around the world have arrived at the Statehouse to thank Gronstal, who some bloggers have hailed as a “hero.” BBC Radio interviewed him Wednesday.

See Gronstal marriage speech is a big draw on youtube DesMoinesRegister.com

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Support for Hawaii civil union vote wavering – as usual (why do we keep traveling there?)

The drive to make Hawaii the fifth state in the country to allow same-sex civil unions is on the verge of failing, despite support from most state lawmakers.

Senate leaders had planned a vote before the full Senate as early as Tuesday, but deep divisions have emerged over whether Democrats should take an extraordinary legislative step to revive the measure after a tie committee vote.

A tie vote in committee usually is enough to kill a measure, but the bill could advance under a rarely used provision of the Hawaii Constitution if more than one-third of senators approve.

The Democratic leadership wants more than half the Senate to agree to put the bill before the full Senate. Some rank-and-file senators who support the bill, however, are unwilling to circumvent the normal legislative process.

The measure already has passed the Hawaii House.

Lawmakers’ hesitation comes after more than 6,000 opponents, most of them from religious groups, rallied against the legislation Feb. 22 at the state Capitol. Civil union supporters planned their own event at the Capitol on Saturday.

See Support for Hawaii civil union vote wavering

The Associated Press -

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Out Missouri lawmaker hints at bias in committee spots

Missouri state Rep. Jeanette Mott Oxford, D-St. Louis, was put up for a slot on that body’s Special Standing Committee on Children and Families by the Democratic leadership, but her bid was rejected by the House speaker, Ron Richard, R-Joplin. In a letter to Richard, Oxford wrote: “The only reason cited to me so far as for why I am not on the committee is that ‘some members find me offensive.’ I do not know if this is about my sexual orientation, my stance on Roe vs. Wade, or what.” The Kansas City Star (Mo.)

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Smith: Deal off with dissident NY Senate Democrats, he wouldn’t subject civil rights issues to negotiation,

ALBANY, N.Y. – Senate Democratic leader Malcolm Smith said Wednesday any deal with three dissidents to secure his party’s hold on the chamber majority is officially off.

Smith said he has the support of the Democratic Caucus and has ceased negotiations with the three, Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. and Sen.-elect Pedro Espada Jr., both of the Bronx, and Sen. Carl Kruger of Brooklyn. Their support would give the party a 32-30 majority beginning Jan. 1 after decades of Republican control.

“We’re prepared to wait if we have to to come into the majority,” Smith said. He was flanked by senators Neil Breslin of Albany and Liz Krueger of Manhattan when he made the announcement.

Smith said the three renegades were motivated by “personal interests.” He also said he wouldn’t subject civil rights issues to negotiation, referring to a proposal backed by many Democrats to legalize gay marriage. See Smith: Deal off with dissident NY Senate Democrats
Newsday – Long Island,NY,USA