Posted on 06/14/2011 2:48:40 PM PDT by NYer
Senator Roy McDonald, R-Saratoga, told the Times Union Tuesday that he will back a bill legalizing same-sex marriage. He becomes the 31st senator to proclaim his public support for the bill. It needs 32 votes to pass the Senate.
“I’m trying to do the right thing,” he said. “Rather than wait I worked with the governor…I’m not out to alienate anybody. This is driven by compassion.”
“My lifestyle is my lifestyle — I don’t want anyone telling me or my children what to do,” he said. “We’ve got 20 million people in this state…we can’t be paralyzed by social issues.”
“It’s my own evolution,” he said. “I think there’s going to be a vote on Friday.”
McDonald has been the subject of much lobbying on the issue of same-sex marriage, including a billboard on I-787 calling for his support. While he voted against the bill in 2009 and while an Assemblyman in 2007, he had hedged his position this year, as talk of legalizing same-sex marriage has once again intensified.
Monday, Sen. James Alesi, a Monroe County Republican, publicly declared he would vote for same-sex marriage. He said his negative vote in 2009 was “anguishing” and “political.”
The Conservative Party has vowed to yank its endorsement from any senator that votes to legalize same-sex marriage. While McDonald has run on the party’s line in the past, he won re-election in 2010 by more votes than he was afforded by the party’s line. Also, McDonald’s predecessor Joseph L. Bruno proclaimed his support for same-sex marriage earlier this year.
“I respect the Conservative Party, and there are friends in the Conservative Party that I consider friends,” McDonald said. “Senator Bruno’s talked to me about tax caps. I’m not his buddy — I was his colleague. I’m was his supervisor. I’m was his assemblyman. That was our relationship.”
It’s unclear when the bill would be considered on the floor. It has passed the Assembly three times, and currently has 67 co-sponsors; 76 votes are needed for passage. Gov. Andrew Cuomo introduced legislation today, which is now live in the Assembly. Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, R-Long Island, said Republicans will discuss whether to bring it to the floor on Wednesday.
Voting "yes" on this bill, Senator, will mean that your grandchildren will be indoctrinated into the homosexual lifestyle through their schools. Big mistake!
ATTN ALL FREEPERS!
Please email Senator Ruben Diaz, the lone dissenter! Tell him to vote NO!
Email address: diaz@senate.state.ny.us
Great Post....I wish every FR would post the way you did ..It covers the who, what, where, and how...All too often you have to wonder not only what state FR’s are reporting on but the issue and individual as well.
Did anyone let them know that there will be a financial as well as social cost to this for the state? That's because new gay "marriage" partners of state employees will be able to claim state benefits. And in a state that's "functionally bankrupt" already, as Cuomo Jr. had put it (or something to that effect), these extra gay partner benefits could be the tipping point.
Response: That is the ticket, no old bald white guy can tell you or your kids not to commit murder, theft etc. etc.! You told em!
Out with the old mother-father parents bound with a divine oath, in with whoopee teams! Monogamy will fall, with some pushing and prodding by Moose whose faith allows a man up to four wives.
I get closer to moving out every day.
“I’m trying to do the right thing,” he said. “Rather than wait I worked with the governor…I’m not out to alienate anybody. This is driven by compassion.”
And contributions.
We need to primary every republican that considers voting for this. I’m gonna be sick.
Put it on the ballot and watch it go down to defeat. They would never allow it because they know it would lose.
I just emailed this out to a few chosen senators.
I see another supposed republican has defected to the dark side of this issue.
Greg, you responded to me saying stick to economic issues. This is a huge economic issue, open your eyes and see how this will effect NY. And just think, I supported you and helped you from across the state. Never again.
Senator Diaz, Thank you for standing strong against all odds, you have shown that you can stand up to threats to your life and verbal abuse where some others have caved.
So now I understand that we are at a 31-31 tie? Is this correct?
At this point I say that I will reach out to every TEA Party group and Conservative in this state, we will focus on the senators that caved to vote for this Bill. We will find a candidate to primary all of you. This is a promise, and we will defeat you.
Put this issue on the ballot, let the people vote. We are sick and dam tired of you voting to legislate our morality. This sick, perverted, corrupt legislature has to stop this nonsense.
Rus Thompson
http://TEANewYork.com
To go where? Every state in this nation is dealing with issues. Stand up and fight! This is your home state; let Senator Diaz KNOW that you SUPPORT his NO vote.
NO! The governor needs one more vote in the senate in order to pas his bill. Rest assured they will turn up the heat on Senator Diaz. Let him know you support his no vote.
Bingo! In every state where gay marriage was placed on the ballot, it was defeated. Passing a bill is the wimpy way to run government.
In Idaho, we dealt with it in 2006, by passing a Constitutional amendment defining marriage as one man and one woman. Come on out...conservatism thrives here, and we need good people to offset the influx of Commiefornians and Left Coasters of the last decade.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
I have been emailing Diaz, we met last year.
One more vote means 32 votes, there are 62 senators. So we are at a tie right now.
New York is how many billions in debt???
And all they can think about is their little wee wees???
Sorry to say, but this is probably a “done deal” in New York...
After all, it _is_ New York.
Conservatives have as much of a future there, as they do in Massachusetts, Connecticut, or California....
Just sayin’...
I did already, but he is Dem and will vote wih his Dem governor
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.