Posted on 06/16/2005 10:27:31 PM PDT by neverdem
BOSTON, June 16 - More than a year after gay marriage became legal in Massachusetts, Gov. Mitt Romney said Thursday that he would support a newly proposed amendment to the state Constitution that would overturn that right.
"My view is that marriage should be defined as a relationship between a man and a woman," Mr. Romney said at a news conference, adding, "I hope that this amendment will ultimately be the one which the citizens have an opportunity to vote on."
Mr. Romney's endorsement of the amendment is likely to inject new vigor into the efforts of gay marriage opponents, who failed to block a court decision that allowed the marriages to begin in May 2004.
At that time, most opponents of same-sex marriage supported a two-pronged amendment that would ban gay marriage but create civil unions for same-sex couples. That amendment passed its first-round vote in the Massachusetts Legislature in March 2004 and is scheduled for the second required vote this fall. If passed, it would go before voters in November 2006.
But because some new legislative leaders now favor gay marriage, the compromise amendment has been given slim chance of passing its second round.
As a result, gay marriage opponents have proposed the new amendment, which, because it was not initiated by the Legislature, would require a lower threshold of legislative support to get on the ballot. The new amendment needs to get signatures from 65,825 residents on petitions, and then the support of only 50 of the Legislature's 200 members, in each of two consecutive sessions, before it can be brought before the voters in 2008. Proponents of the measure say they have 60 votes.
The new amendment, drafted by a coalition of conservative groups led by the Massachusetts Family Institute, would generate some unusual consequences.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
later pingout.
This is VERY GOOD NEWS ... the way I see it, this more conservative Amendment may force the wafflers to accept the 'compromise' as the less bad version in the fall. It may cause Mass. to at least go to that middle route ...
"Still, Arlene Isaacson, co-chairwoman of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus, said she was concerned that some legislators who had planned not to support the compromise amendment this fall might support it now on the theory that establishing civil unions would be better than losing out on both marriage and civil unions."
... so overnight, the ballgame changes in Massachusetts.
Well done Gov Romney!!
It's really amazing that Massachusetts happens to have a sturdy conservative governor like Romney. Liberal Mass. could very easily have gotten a Pataki type or even a Gray Davis type. The fact that they have Romney as governor during this same-sex marriage fiasco is so fortunate.
They could view this as a challenge to judicial activism and fiat from the bench.
Heh, well. Mitt is a good leader, likable, electable, a good candidate. A President Romney will appoint conservative judges; you can take that to the bank. But he's only reasonably conservative, running to the right at the moment just enough to be viable for GOP primaries. Should he win the nomination, he'll run back to the center. Just warning you.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
we know who is ruling this country now..... /sarc
Homosexual Agenda Ping.
A little late, eh, Governor Romney? Well, I really don't know anything about the man, and it must be vicious living in Massachusetts (motto: Welcome to Massachusetts, home of "gay" marriage, a weapon of MASS destruction!)
I'd like to see a referendum, every other state that has had one has slammed same sex "marriage" to the ground.
Freepmail me if you want on/off this pinglist.
make that "3 times" sorry........typo
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