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
| Published by |
 |
Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/04/grassley-thin…
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.
See Gay marriage advocate downplays opposition to issue
Radio Iowa - Des Moines,IA,USA
| Published by |
|
Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/04/gay-marriage-…
Iowa gay marriage ruling spurs activists
(Des Moines, Iowa) Gay couples will likely be getting married soon in Iowa, and activists on both sides of the issue claim the sight of same-sex unions in the nation’s heartland will spur other states to take action.
What’s less clear is whether the action taken will result in legislation to …
Tags: Activists, Des Moines, Gay Couples, Gay Marriage Ruling, Heartland, Iowa Gay Marriage, Legislation, marriage, Moines Iowa, Same Sex Unions, SpursIowa Supreme Court to issue gay marriage ruling
(Des Moines, Iowa) The Iowa Supreme Court announced Thursday it will issue its long awaited ruling on same-sex marriage Friday morning.
The court heard arguments in December in a challenge to the state ban on same-sex marriage.
In 2007, Polk County Judge Robert Hanson struck down the state Defense of Marriage law, …
Tags: County Judge, Des Moines, Friday Morning, Gay Marriage Ruling, Iowa Supreme Court, Judge Robert, marriage, Marriage Law, Moines Iowa, Polk County, Robert Hanson, same sex marriage, State BanPoll: Connecticut voters back gay marriage
A slim majority of Connecticut voters support a recent state Supreme Court ruling to allow same-sex couples to marry, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday.
The poll also gave U.S. Sens. Joseph Lieberman and Christopher Dodd their lowest approval ratings in the survey’s history.
Fifty-two percent said they support the Supreme Court’s gay marriage ruling, while 39 percent oppose it. Nine percent are undecided.
But voters strongly oppose amending Connecticut’s constitution to ban same-sex marriage, 61 percent to 33 percent. That had been one of the last hopes for opponents of gay marriage.
See Poll: Connecticut voters back gay marriage
Newsday, NY
| Published by |
|
Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2008/12/poll-connecti…
