Showdown looms over NY gay marriage

[WillParkinson]

Showdown looms over NY gay marriage

(Albany, New York) The New York State Assembly is expected to pass a marriage equality bill this week, but once again the legislation will likely be bogged down in the Senate.

The bill was unveiled last month by New York Gov. David Paterson (D) and introduced in the Assembly by Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell, a Manhattan Democrat.

The bill would amend the domestic relations law allowing civil marriages between same-sex couples and is similar to one that passed the Assembly in 2007 and was stonewalled by the then-GOP controlled Senate.

Democrats now control the Senate, but State Senate Majority Leader Malcolm A. Smith (D) has said he does not have the votes to pass marriage equality legislation and will not bring the bill to a vote.

http://www.365gay.com/news/showdown-looms-over-ny-gay-marriage/

[brendan120678]

1. He doesn't even want to try?

What a coward!

[Libertyfirst]

2. He is afraid to make the Dems take a stand.

[Smarmie Doofus]

3. Advocates a "go slowly" approach. Wha?

>>>>>Both Smith and Paterson have been outspoken supporters of marriage equality, but while Smith wants a “go slowly” approach, the governor has said a vote should be held this session.>>>>

How slowly does he want to go?

What exactly is the disadvantage of bringing it to a vote, even if it may fail by a vote or two?

How likely is it that the DEMS will ever again simultaneously control the assembly, the senate and the governorship in our lifetime?

Let 'em vote. I want to see who stands where. Also, I want to see how much pressure the allegedly pro-equality Bloomberg is willing to bring to bear on the republicans senators he just helped reelect. ( 500K $$$ to NYS Senate Campaign Committee, folks).

[imdjh]

4. I was really shocked when I met an acquaintance's parents

He's from some lake in upstate NY. His dad is the retired president of the local employment venue. They appear to be educated and sophisticated people, and were very nice. Then my friend dropped the bomb on me- they are apparently high-end Baptists and homophobes, which is amazing when you consider that his sister presents stereotypically as Lesbian and has lived with a woman since college, ie 30 years together. But they aren't gay and we don't talk about it, even if they live and breathe women's basketball. Sure, it's possible she's straight, it's possible she's the reincarnation of the Queen of Sheba.

I just find it amazing in this day and age, that someone can be educated, successful, socially acceptable and active and have his head up his ass about gay people.

"Deeply held beliefs." Deeply held beliefs didn't stop him from perpetrating a fraud on the American people for his entire career. I can't go into it, but it's one of those historical things that everyone knows as fact, that isn't really true.

[RomanHoliday]

5. WTF? This is not even a political risk in New York.

The polls show that people favor it. Let's get the ball rolling already.