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New York Gay Marriage Vote Alters Political Battle Lines
WSJ ^ | 6/27/11

Posted on 06/27/2011 1:43:15 AM PDT by markomalley

New York's decision to permit same-sex marriages sets the stage for battles in half a dozen other states and could propel gay rights as a political wedge issue in the 2012 elections.

The new battle lines were already being drawn as states such as Minnesota prepared to take on the same-sex marriage issue in the near future and as the New York law put fresh pressure on President Barack Obama to articulate a clearer position on the topic.

Gay-rights advocates, who celebrated Sunday at parades across the country, said New York's move—a bill permitting same-sex marriage that was championed by Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo and passed by a Republican-led state Senate on Friday—marked a turning point in the nearly 20-year political and legal debate over the definition of marriage. "This is an immense win that brings giant momentum to the movement to end marriage discrimination in the U.S.," said Evan Wolfson, president of national gay rights group Freedom to Marry.

After the gay-pride parade Sunday in New York, Mr. Cuomo said, "I think you're going to see this message resonate all across the country now. If New York can do it, it's OK for every other place to do it."

Opponents said they would go on the attack against Republicans who support gay marriage. Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, said New York's move was a "disaster for the Republican party," and that his group planned to spend $2 million over the next 18 months to defeat the legislators who supported it.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: homosexualagenda; moralabsolutes
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To: justice14
Civil marriage, which is what we are talking about, has nothing to do with "love."

It has to do with access to divorce courts, the need for which makes tragic sense since often one member of the socially necessary pact to bring children into the world and raise them fails miserably in performing the responsibilities to which he or she has agreed.

There is never ANY need for two men performing acts that can never bring about children to have access to divorce courts.

But the "gay marriage" debate is never spelled out as such. It presents the image of it being a ceremony with a cake and a minister and tux & such and there is no law keeping gays from doing this now.

21 posted on 06/27/2011 7:37:18 AM PDT by Tribune7 (We're flat broke, but he thinks these solar shingles and really fast trains will magically save us.)
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To: campaignPete R-CT

This was not about four New York State Senators. It was about the finance and real estate establishment in New York City deciding that the time for gay marriage was now. The New York GOP cannot say “no” to them, because they are the GOP’s only source of real support in a state without a meaningful social conservative base, and with a huge combination of Democrat interest groups (public employee unions, trial lawyers, and New York City social service organizations) and the 21st century yellow dogs (upscale Manhattanites and suburbanites who think Republicans are all backwoods bigots).

The bottom line is that the real vote wasn’t 33-29, it was really something more like 48-14; a clear majority of Republican State Senators wanted it to pass, but were allows a symbolic “no” vote for consumption at home.


22 posted on 06/27/2011 7:57:03 AM PDT by only1percent
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To: markomalley

Thank God I’m eligible to retire.


23 posted on 06/27/2011 8:41:56 AM PDT by Help!
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To: only1percent

if the Ny state GOP thinks that their future is the “Dede Scozzafava” model ... they will now be give another chance to find out how wrong they are.


24 posted on 06/27/2011 9:32:12 AM PDT by campaignPete R-CT (Palin '12 begins in '11. In western New Hampshire pour moi.)
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To: Sacajaweau

NY is the new Sodom and we all know what happened to the old one.


25 posted on 06/27/2011 10:03:10 AM PDT by Maryhere ("HE comes to rule the earth")
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To: campaignPete R-CT
I don't think that's the right way to look at it. The gay marriage law was a result of powerful business conservatives going one step further in the libertarian strain of their thinking ... and, of course, Bloomberg just doing what he does with everything -- using his personal contribution budget to push pieces around the board.

Dede had no conservative or libertarian bone in her body, and I doubt Bloomberg knew or cared who she was. She was a moderate to begin with who went even more squishy as she chose the get-along-to-go-along path in the Assembly. (Assembly Republicans who play ball with the Democrat majority get to make a little rain for their districts; those who do not, get very little pork or influence for their districts.)
26 posted on 06/27/2011 10:15:40 AM PDT by only1percent
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To: only1percent

for the average man on the street in NY, you can:
A. Ignore politics OR
B. Do what little you can on state Senate races.

I know folks who are working to gain control of the party in the north country and remove their local lefty RINOs. It is easy to sit on the sidelines and say they are engaged in a fool’s errand. Saland voted for this cuz the Dutchess conservatives have played a passive game. They were enablers who allowed this to happen.

If I were still over in Dutchess, I would prefer to take Saland’s scalp than to take your more sophisticated approach. Justice demands it. Times FOUR.


27 posted on 06/27/2011 10:32:39 AM PDT by campaignPete R-CT (Palin '12 begins in '11. In western New Hampshire pour moi.)
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To: Maryhere

NY is the new Sodom and we all know what happened to the old one.

As well as Massachusetts, DC, Vermont, New Hampshire, DC, Connecticut and Iowa.


28 posted on 06/27/2011 10:41:09 AM PDT by trumandogz
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To: Siena Dreaming

“Ken Mehlman, former RNC chair, is the reason this bill passed.”

Bush’s Fault!

You are correct. He got big-name hedge fund money to buy off the votes in the Albany statehouse on this. Enough RINOs caved, game over.

With enough bogus polling data and cultural intolerance (eg shaming and slamming in the media and hollywood anyone who stands up for traditional marriage) they will wear down the political elites in any Democrat/liberal friendly state.


29 posted on 06/27/2011 11:09:12 AM PDT by WOSG (Herman Cain for President)
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To: markomalley

And they say America is in decline. :)


30 posted on 06/27/2011 11:21:08 AM PDT by Tzimisce (Never forget that the American Revolution began when the British tried to disarm the colonists.)
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To: markomalley
Mario Cuomo Patched Things Up With Ed Koch For Andrew

The NY Times has a long feature on the relationship between former NY governor Mario Cuomo and presumptive 2010 gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo that includes quotes like "He’s thick skulled; he won’t listen to me. Tell him what to do" (supposedly what Mario told a consultant about Andrew) and "There was this sense of rivalry — Andrew seemed to feel that his dad talked a good game but that he, Andrew, got things done" (someone who worked under Andrew Cuomo at HUD). But what's interesting is how the 1977 mayoral campaign comes into play.

Back in 1977, Mario Cuomo was battling Ed Koch for the NYC mayorship, and there were nasty campaign posters saying "Vote For Cuomo, Not The Homo." When Andrew Cuomo was running for attorney general in 2006 (after his failed 2002 gubernatorial run and divorce from Kerry Kennedy), the NY Times reports, "Mario approached George Arzt, a former press secretary to Mr. Koch, at the Regency Hotel in New York and told him, “‘I’d like to patch things up with Ed,’ ” Mr. Arzt recalled. “I asked him what he had in mind. And he said, ‘Could Ed endorse Andrew?’" Which Koch did do.

Koch, for his part, told Esquire, "The signs said, VOTE FOR CUOMO, NOT THE HOMO. Andrew says he didn't do it, and I believe him. Mario says he thinks he now knows who did it. I was very angry at the time. Primary races always end in anger. They're different than the general election: They're like a civil war — it's brother against brother. But I've forgiven them. I'm eighty-five now, and grudges take your energy away. I've forgiven them all."

Legalize Gay Marriage - Vote Homo Not Cuomo <<--- UTube Ad

The already circus-like race for New York governor just went from one ring to three.

Independent Kristin Davis, the former New York madam, is now calling out Democrat Andrew Cuomo for not taking a stronger stance for gay rights.

“It’s outrageous that New York has not legalized same-sex marriage,” Davis says in a new ad. “Andrew Cuomo says he supports it, but when the marriage equality bill was before the Senate, he was asked to call three undecided Democratic senators and declined. A vote for me sends a strong message to Cuomo: we demand gay marriage now.”

She ends the ad with a catchy phrase: “Vote homo, not Cuomo”:

According to CBS News, the line is a play off a campaign slogan used by some supporters of Andrew’s father Mario in the 1977 New York mayoral election against Ed Koch: “Vote for Cuomo, not the homo.” The reference was meant to advance rumors about Koch’s sexuality.

from a left wing political site the evening of the big celebration:

Andrew Cuomo 2016 speculation heating up Politico ^ | 06/26/11

With his successful push to pass a gay marriage law, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo overnight became a national contender, putting down a major marker among the liberal party base that dominates the primaries.

“Most politicians, including most Democrats, have been afraid of this issue. Andrew is the first national figure ever to embrace it so enthusiastically,” said Richard Socarides, the president of Equality Matters and a former Clinton White House adviser. “Clearly, this establishes him as the most important progressive leader of our party, setting him up very well for 2016.”

Come 2016, “Cuomo is the only one who will be able to say ‘I delivered for you’ before everyone else realized it was politically popular, and that will be an invaluable asset,” Socarides said, adding, “it also has the benefit of being true.”

Cuomo supporters already have fanned the flames privately of his prospects on the national stage: Rumors of his White House ambitions started circulating in New York even before he was elected last year by one of the largest margins in state history — some of them date to the days when he was managing his father’s own multiple flirtations with a national run. ..........

Of the early potential Democratic contenders, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley says he supports gay marriage but stopped short of making a major push for the legislation earlier in the year, while Virginia Sen. Mark Warner is opposed. Hillary Clinton, if she runs, would still have her commitment to civil unions but not gay marriage from the 2008 race hanging over her — and at least until the end of next year, when she’s said she’ll be done at the State Department, she won’t be able to make any new comments on the issue.

“It gives him an authenticity and a strength with progressives that will provide a real base — not just gays, but progressives in general. Other people can say they’re for same sex marriage, he got it done,” said Democratic political consultant Bob Shrum. “I think it will always now be a hallmark of his political persona.”

Cuomo’s push on gay marriage wasn’t in a vacuum — it came at the end of a tough legislative session when New York progressives were forced to swallow major budget cuts, tough on unions rhetoric and a refusal to even consider renewing the state’s expired millionaire’s tax.

That’s part of the persona he’s crafting too, as Cuomo sets himself up as a governor who’s pushed the party to the left on social issues and toward the center-right on economic issues. It’s a message with both primary and general election appeal, though being so far out-front on gay marriage could be a problem in a November national election.

“He’s created a profile that I think would make him a very effective candidate,” Shrum said. “He’s right on the social issues, and he will be even more right by 2016 than he is now in terms of Democratic primary voters, and in terms of the country, frankly. He’s created a profile of economic stewardship in a very difficult period that is very strong, he’s managed to deal with unions without getting into the kind of destructive confrontations that people like Scott Walker have.”

.......

Joe Trippi, the former Howard Dean and John Edwards adviser, said it’s not too early to start the 2016 clock — and, pointing to Michael Dukakis in 1988, noted there’s a precedent for an ethnic Northeast governor appealing to Democrats far away from home.

“I understand 2016’s a long way off, and who knows where things will be then, but certainly, he has to be somebody that the party looks to for leadership once you get past Obama’s reelection,” Trippi said. “He’s putting his stamp on what kind of party he thinks the Democrats should be.”

.

31 posted on 06/27/2011 12:45:23 PM PDT by Elle Bee
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To: trumandogz

Do we not need to fast and pray for the church in America...In 1963 we aloud prayers out of schools and in 1973 we aloud abortions....And this is just a tast of what is to come.God save America


32 posted on 06/27/2011 3:22:31 PM PDT by primrose (PRIMROSE)
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To: trumandogz

Do we not need to fast and pray for the church in America...In 1963 we aloud prayers out of schools and in 1973 we aloud abortions....And this is just a tast of what is to come.God save America


33 posted on 06/27/2011 3:22:34 PM PDT by primrose (PRIMROSE)
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To: trumandogz
Do we not need to fast and pray for the church in America...In 1963 we aloud prayers out of schools and in 1973 we aloud abortions....And this is just a taste of what is to come.God save America
34 posted on 06/27/2011 3:23:26 PM PDT by primrose (PRIMROSE)
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To: trumandogz
Do we not need to fast and pray for the church in America...In 1963 we aloud prayers out of schools and in 1973 we aloud abortions....And this is just a taste of what is to come.God save America
35 posted on 06/27/2011 3:23:35 PM PDT by primrose (PRIMROSE)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; ColdOne; Convert from ECUSA; ...

Thanks markomalley.
The new battle lines were already being drawn as states such as Minnesota prepared to take on the same-sex marriage issue in the near future and as the New York law put fresh pressure on President Barack Obama to articulate a clearer position on the topic.
Here's his position on every issue:
Image and video hosting by TinyPic "Death to America!"

36 posted on 06/27/2011 5:52:48 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (It's the Obamacare, stupid! -- Thanks Cincinna for this link -- http://www.friendsofitamar.org)
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To: MrB

[[then their internal voice will be silenced.]]

I gotta dissagree here- the voice will still be there, which will just further enrage these devients, and they’ll lash out more and more at heterosexuals in an attempt to silence the voice which never will be silenced- which iof course will just make them madder and madder and more militant


37 posted on 06/27/2011 9:13:59 PM PDT by CottShop (Scientific belief does not constitute scientific evidence, nor does it convey scientific knowledge)
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To: markomalley

the goventrment’s ONLY rokle, whicvh it arbitrarily took upon itself btw, in marriage, whether it be federal or state govenrment, is to allow peopel to be married to BEAR AND RAISE future taxpayers which will support the government. The govenrment does NOT have the right to dictate laws that coddle to people’s ‘feelings’- it is their role to PROTECT people, NOT to coddle people’s delicate feelings. State govenrment is set up to LISTEN to the WILL OF THE PEOPLE of the state, and put things to a citizen vote- NOT to enact laws, other than actual protection laws, that coddle some minority group’s FEEL:INGS about an issue.

The role of marriage is a CHURCH institution, NOT a government ione- the governmenbt took it upon themselves to take over htis institution- they wrestled the Holy priviledge of marriage from the church, and are slowly but surely taking it fully away from the church- you watch, in no time, the govenrtment will make it illegal for a church to refuse to violate God’s law of marraige by refusing to marry two men or women.

Yes God allowed this vote to go hte way it did, but ask yourselves WHY God allowed it? Folks- God IS removing His blessings upon this country as we becvomem ore andm ore immoral, and He is handing this nation of sinners over to their own sin, which is a VERY fearful thing- but htose sliding down into immorality are too dense to realize just how seriously God takes sin- they are too dense to learn from history- too dense and too stubbornly welded to their sin to turn from their sin and turn to the OPNLY one hwo save them, and indeed the rest of htis country-

Sin IS winning, and we WILL reap what we have sown UNLESS we have a strong voice come from out of the wilderness with a thundering voice to bring about the old revivals of times past- but I don’;t see that happening any time soon though unfortunately


38 posted on 06/27/2011 9:29:08 PM PDT by CottShop (Scientific belief does not constitute scientific evidence, nor does it convey scientific knowledge)
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To: CottShop

I must not have been clear - I understand that the conscience will never be silenced (Rom 2:14-15),

I was stating that they BELIEVE it will be silenced if only everyone else is shouting “gay is OK”.

This is why they hate Christians so much. It used to be that society’s norms was the external voice telling them that they are aberrant. Now, society is saying they’re OK. Only the Christians, those who know the Truth, are left saying “that’s wrong”.

They’re thinking - “now, if only we can get rid of THEM, I won’t be feeling this way about my behavior”


39 posted on 06/28/2011 5:27:30 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter knows whom he's working for)
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To: campaignPete R-CT

Sorry Pete, the NY Republican Party leaderhsip really wanted to pass this, it just took this long for them to figure out how. My Senator Steve Sellout Saland is probably retiring, this is his scorched earth lovely parting gift to the NYSGOP heirarchy.

The blame here is to be spread far wider than the core-4. What is an appropriate conservative response when the GOP wants to sell us out in favor of the GLBT vote?


40 posted on 07/08/2011 9:34:08 AM PDT by lowtaxsmallgov (This Administration has absolutely no idea how to grow an economy)
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