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The Maryland House of Delegates narrowly approved legalization of gay marriage late Friday, clearing the way for final passage next week and the expected signature of Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley. That would make Maryland the eighth state with a law on the books legalizing gay marriage, though it would have to survive an expected attempt to block it by referendum. In debate before the vote, Delegate Anne Kaiser, one of seven openly gay members of the House, said that she wanted, "Marriage. Nothing more. Nothing less." The final vote tally was 71-67, with the minimum number of votes needed for...

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie kept his vow to veto a bill allowing same-sex marriage Friday as he sent it back to the legislature, reiterating that the voters should decide if they want a societal change as significant as allowing gay marriage. The Republican governor vetoed the bill, titled Marriage Equality and Religious Exemption Act, which the N.J. Assembly passed Thursday, three days after its passage in the state Senate. "I am adhering to what I've said since this bill was first introduced – an issue of this magnitude and importance, which requires a constitutional amendment, should be left to...

ANNAPOLIS — The House voted Friday night to approve Gov. Martin O'Malley’s same-sex marriage bill, sending the legislation to the Senate and clearing what was likely its most formidable legislative hurdle. The chamber voted 72-67 in favor of the bill, which would make Maryland the eighth state along with the District to pass legislation allowing gay marriage. The vote drew cheers from many visitors in the House chamber balcony and touched off a celebration among the bill’s supporters, many of whom exchanged hugs and shed tears after leaving the chamber. “It’s an amazing day here in Maryland,” said Delegate Heather...

LAKE JACKSON, Tex. — Once there was a challenge of a softball game from the Ron Paul clan to the Mitt Romney clan. “They didn’t show up,” Mr. Paul says. “We didn’t schedule it. We really razz them about that, ‘You guys chickened out!’ ” When Mr. Paul’s campaign jet broke down last year in Wolfeboro, N.H., Mr. Romney’s wife, Ann, offered to let Mr. Paul, an aide and one of his granddaughters stay the night at their summer home on Lake Winnipesaukee. When Mr. Romney arrived later, he offered his jet to take them home to Texas. Mr....

OTTAWA (Reuters) - The son of one of the greatest defenders of Canadian unity, former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, has stirred up a hornets' nest by speculating about backing Quebec separatism if the country moves too far right. Trudeau's 40-year-old son, Justin, now a Liberal member of Parliament, said in an interview with the French-language service of the Canadian Broadcasting Corp on Sunday that he was enormously saddened by the direction of the country under Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He said that at some point he might even back independence for his home province, French-speaking Quebec. Referendums in Quebec...

Eight Maryland religious leaders make a pitch for same-sex marriage in a web video released today by Marylanders for Marriage Equality, the latest in a series put out by the advocacy group. Leaders include Rev. Stephen Anderson of the Pilgrim United Methodist Church in Silver Spring who says he wants his gay and lesbian neighbors to have "the same legal protections my wife and I have enjoyed for years." Also featured is Rev. David T. Gilmore, a Baptist minister, who says: “I have not always walked this walk or been a part of this struggle.” Topics Gays and Lesbians Minority Groups...

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Gov. Chris Gregoire handed gay rights advocates a major victory Monday, signing into law a measure that legalizes same-sex marriage in Washington state, making it the seventh in the nation to allow gay and lesbian couples to wed. Gregoire signed the bill surrounded by gay rights supporters. “I’m proud our same-sex couples will no longer be treated as separate but equal,” she said. OLYMPIA, Wash. — Gov. Chris Gregoire handed gay rights advocates a major victory Monday, signing into law a measure that legalizes same-sex marriage in Washington state, making it the seventh in the nation to...

The year 2012 is shaping up as a big one for same-sex marriage. Last week, the Washington state Legislature passed a bill allowing gay marriage, and legislatures in Maryland and New Jersey may follow suit shortly (though New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has promised a veto). North Carolina and Minnesota are conducting referendums this year on constitutional amendments to bar gay marriage, and Maine is likely to conduct a referendum on legalizing it. On Tuesday, the U.S. 9th Court of Appeals reminded us that courts too have something to say on the subject. In a case challenging the constitutionality of...

When gay couples first sought the right to legally wed in California, they argued that they were entitled to all of the benefits of marital bliss. It was only a matter of time before that benefit extended to the right to split up. Even as the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found California's ban on gay marriage unconstitutional Tuesday, one of the state's first gay couples to tie the knot was calling it quits. Robin Tyler filed for divorce from Diane Olson on January 25. The pair were among 14 same-sex couples who originally challenged the ban in 2008. In...

A federal appeals panel in San Francisco ruled Tuesday that California’s Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, a decision that could lead to the Supreme Court’s consideration of the controversial social issue. By a 2 to 1 vote, the panel overturned the proposition, which was approved by 52 percent of the state’s voters in 2008 and amended the state’s Constitution to limit marriage to a man and a woman. “Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California, and to officially reclassify their relationships...

Folks, we're not even being contrary when we point this out. For the 9th Circuit to rule Prop 8 unconstitutional, just as Gingrich is looking again for his footing -- just as Rick Santorum is about to steal his headlines -- is a Gingrichian dream. Look! He agrees: (TWEET FROM NEWT AT LINK) The link goes to the 9th (coincidentally) of Gingrich's solutions for fixing the judiciary, to prevent it from doing things that conservatives don't like -- abolishing courts that make "un-American decisions." He's been on the record wanting this treatment for the 9th circuit for a long, long...

"He could have stopped it, and should have stopped it," Huckabee said. CNSNews.com: Governor Romney should have stood up to the Court and said, "No"? Huckabee: He should've. (August 2008) Old news? Yes — and Mitt Romney hopes it will be ignored or forgotten. How does Romney manage to bury his past political sins? With a lot of help from his former critics — including Governor Huckabee — who seem to suffer from amnesia. But what of the media's duty to vet the candidates? Shouldn't every significant action in a candidate's record be under review? Why is the media —...

In a meeting room at the Palazzo hotel in Las Vegas over the past week, Newt Gingrich mapped out a detailed strategy that would keep him in the presidential race all the way to the Republican convention in Tampa, Fla., in August. The crux of the former House speaker's new plan is math: a complex analysis of each state's delegates, how they're awarded and how many, reasonably, Gingrich can expect to win... The winning candidate needs 1,144 delegates to claim the nomination..... Gingrich's team has studied the convoluted rules. Using targeted phone lists and targeted mail and focusing on more...

FULTON — Rick Santorum declared Friday that only he among the leading Republican candidates can challenge President Barack Obama on health care and beat the Democratic incumbent by firing up the Republican base. Santorum spoke before a crowd of about 300 people at William Woods University as he seeks votes in Tuesday’s Republican presidential primary. The primary does not award delegates, but Santorum hopes he can beat former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in a contest where another major contender, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, is not on the ballot. “Don’t worry about who is the best person to win...

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- The Washington state Senate on Wednesday passed a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage, setting the stage for the state to become the seventh to allow gay and lesbian couples to wed. The measure now heads to the House, which is expected to approve it. Gov. Chris Gregoire supports the measure and has said she will sign it into law, though opponents have promised to challenge it at the ballot with a referendum. The packed public galleries burst into applause as the Senate passed the measure on a 28-21 vote Wednesday night after nearly an hour...

As Washington's legislature works diligently to force homosexual marriage on its constituents, one of the more high-profile corporate entities in the Evergreen State has volunteered to help. In a January 24 statement, Starbucks vice president Kalen Holmes announced that the coffee retailing giant was proudly joining “other leading Northwest employers in support of Washington State legislation recognizing marriage equality for same-sex couples.” Holmes emphasized that the measure, which would legalize homosexual partnerships as equal with traditional marriage, “is aligned with Starbucks business practices” and is “core to who we are and what we value as a company.” The Seattle Times...

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Moving swiftly to stem potential damage to same-sex marriage legislation in Maryland, first lady Katie O’Malley said Friday she regretted her choice of words at a national conference when she said gay marriage legislation in the state failed last year because “there were some cowards that prevented it from passing.”

Maybe they should cut a deal: Gov. Chris Christie can put gay marriage to a popular vote, as long as Democrats can do the same with the millionaires tax, the Port Authority toll hikes and the governor's personal use of state helicopters. The governor's plan is not serious. It is a political dodge. He is trying to provide a safe haven to shelter his obedient Republican legislators. The idea is they could safely vote against gay marriage, saying they only want the people to decide. Imagine how different American history would be if this rule by referendums had carried the...

In the 13 years since he suffered a string of political setbacks and quit the third most powerful job in Washington, Newt Gingrich has been busily laying the foundation for a comeback to an even grander perch. On any given day, the former Speaker of the House can be found on a chartered jet headed to Iowa to train future GOP candidates through his American Solutions group, or in Phoenix discussing ways to lower health-care costs with drug makers through his for-profit Center for Health Transformation. He might also be in Philadelphia, narrating a film produced by Gingrich Productions, or...

Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire supports gay marriage as a state law. Your thoughts? I agree that same sex marriage should be a law. I disagree that same sex marriage should be a law. No opinion at this time

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The Legislature is on the verge of having enough support to make Washington the seventh state to approve gay marriage, according to a tally by The Associated Press.A same-sex marriage bill is expected to be introduced by the end of the week. The AP reached out to all 49 state senators over the past week and found that more lawmakers are firmly supporting gay marriage than opposing it, by a margin of 22-18.The measure needs 25 votes to pass the Senate. The House is widely expected to have enough support, and Gov. Chris Gregoire publicly endorsed...

A new bill that is being considered in Washington, D.C., could make it easier for some same-sex couples that marry in the U.S. capitol to get divorced. The “Civil Marriage Dissolution Equality Amendment Act of 2011,” which was proposed by D.C. council member Phil Mendelson, would make it easier for same-sex couples that are married in Washington to dissolve their marriages if they currently live in a state that wouldn't otherwise recognize their divorce. Current law states that at least one of the married individuals must be a resident of the District of Columbia for at least six months prior...

Of course, it's not just him, most conservatives see it this way... It's fascinating to me how liberals get away with framing this view as "out of the mainstream" when every single state (including liberal states like Maine and California) that put it up for a vote has rejected the opportunity to redefine marriage.

The College Convention 2012 at New England College in Concord, New Hampshire provided a true test of Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum’s religous views regarding gay marriage Thursday. The former Pennsylvania senator was one of four Republican candidates to attend the convention, as Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman and Buddy Roemer also attended the event. New England College has played host to the College Convention since the year 2000. Mr. Santorum countered questions about his views on gay marriage by comparing it to polygamy several times, while not actually defending his views regarding gay marriage. He became engaged in several back...

TEMECULA, California — As a gay-marriage proponent, I was pleased to learn that then-Governor Willard Mitt Romney (R – Massachusetts) issued at least 189 special-issue, one-day marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2005 alone. These documents let these 378 people enjoy nuptials officiated by relatives, friends, and others who normally do not perform weddings. This boost for gay marriage surprised me, given Romney’s numerous contrary pronouncements on the matter. “I agree with 3,000 years of recorded history,” Romney announced as governor. “Marriage is an institution between a man and a woman.” “I oppose same-sex marriage,” Romney declared at Iowa’s December...

Did you know that the Obama administration in the US, and the David Cameron administration in Britain, are threatening to cut off aid to third world nations that do not support gay rights? I do not support foreign aid in principle. But I think that using aid to force gay rights on foreign nations is irresponsible and disgusting. Here are stories on the issue: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15524013 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/06/us-overseas-aid-human-rights Almost all White Christian nations in Europe and elsewhere, embrace gay civil unions of one sort or another, and some support full gay marriage. In Non-White Christian nations, they view the White Christian nations...

A few years after Mitt Romney graduated from Harvard Business School, he returned to share a simple, timeworn lesson in an unusual way. Invited to give a presentation on balancing work and family, he began by telling students that they were like multinational corporations, recalled Clayton M. Christensen, who organized the event. “You have the same question as General Electric,” said Mr. Romney, then a young father and a management consultant. “Your resources are your time and talent. How are you going to deploy them?” He drew a chart called a growth-share matrix with little circles to represent various pursuits:...

At Thursday night’s Republican presidential debate, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum challenged Mitt Romney on the role he played in the destruction of marriage in Massachusetts while he was governor. Here was that exchange: After the debate, Romney issued a challenge that Santorum wouldn’t be able to find any respected legal authorities that would agree with his characterization of Romney’s culpability. Romney, as he has been on so many other things over the years, is wrong. When I contacted Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, for his response to the exchange, he sent me the following statement: “Rick...

Newt Gingrich might be confident he's got the votes to be the Republican presidential nominee, but he may have trouble convincing his own family to support him The gay half-sister of the ex-House Speaker said Wednesday she’s going to stick with President Obama because of her sibling’s stance on same-sex marriage. "He is definitely on the wrong side of history when it comes to those issues," Candace Gingrich-Jones told MSNBC's Rachel Maddow. Gingrich-Jones, a gay rights activist at the Human Rights Campaign, said she and her half-brother are "mutually respectful" of each other, but she would "work really, really hard...

One of my many, many pet peeves is the following statement, which is often said by some Paultard stoned out of his mind on some drug or another: "Ron Paul is the only Conservative running for President!" To me, this is is like fingernails on a chalkboard or watching the latest offering from the FOX Neocon Channel (FNC). Let's take a look at some of RuPaul's (H/T: Mark Levin) "Conservative" thoughts. Let's put this moronic theory to the test, shall we ? *********************************** "I don't think it's very good sign for civilization to still be invoking the death penalty. ....

Last night, Presidential candidate and former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson announced during an on-line Town Hall Thursday night that he supports civil marriage for gay Americans. Having long supported civil unions for gay couples, Johnson's decision to endorse gay marriage is based on "a great deal of deliberation, discussion with the gay community, and a conclusion that government has no business choosing who should be allowed the benefits of marriage and who should not." Announcing his support for gay marriage, Johnson said, "As a believer in individual freedom and keeping government out of personal lives, I simply cannot find...

A gay couple who adopted nine boys have been accused of sexually assaulting two of the children.But another adopted son of George Harasz and Doug Wirth insists his two fathers are innocent, and says his siblings have a disorder in which troubled foster children lash out at adults who try to connect with them.  Married 'fathers' Harasz and Wirth, who say they consider caring for hard-to-place children a personal challenge, adopted three sets of siblings, all boys, since 2000. George's two biological children and their mother also live at the large Victorian home in Glastonbury, Connecticut.       Accused: George Harasz,...

One happy couple who got married in NYC on July 24 Katie Sokoler / Gothamist Six months later, and some conservatives are still freaking out about gay marriage in New York—first, state clerks who opposed the move jumped ship, and now, an upstate judge has ruled that a lawsuit seeking to overturn the marriage equality law can proceed. The gist of the lawsuit, filed by conservative group New Yorkers For Constitutional Freedoms (you may recall them rushing to the defense of another state clerk who refused to marry same-sex couples), is that Governor Cuomo and the Republican majority in the...

ALBANY, NY - A state Supreme Court judge in Livingston County has ruled that a lawsuit challenging the state's same-sex marriage law can proceed. The judge raised questions about whether the June vote to legalize same-sex marriage violated the state's open meetings law. The decision, dated Nov. 18 by Judge Robert Wiggins, took issue with a variety of procedural steps taken by the Senate and Gov. Andrew Cuomo when the June 24 vote was held. The measure passed 33-29, and Cuomo quickly signed it into law.Wiggins, a Republican judge in the rural county outside Rochester, said the Monroe County-based group...

This Wednesday, Nov. 30,.....the Republican State Committee will be voting on an interim Chairman to fill out the unexpired term of Jennifer Nassour. When Nassour resigned, a lot of people were taken by surprise when Frank McNamara, the former US Attorney under Ronald Reagan stepped up to run. But the GOP establishment is taking no chances. They have responded with their own high-profile candidate: Bob Maginn. Maginn worked with Mitt Romney at Bain Capital and ran for State Treasurer in 1998. He is heavily endorsed by the usual RINO crowd, particularly the Romney people. A multi-millionaire, he is running an...

Cardinal O’Brien renews call for support of campaign defending marriage Cardinal Keith O’Brien has urged renewed support of the Church’s campaign against same-sex ‘marriage,’ which he said is tapping into strong and deeply held feelings amongst many Scots. “While tens of thousands of Defend Marriage cards have already been completed and returned many more remain available in parishes,” the cardinal told the SCO this week. “If you have not yet filled out a postcard, calling on the Scottish Government to preserve, protect and defend marriage, I urge you to do so now. Several weeks remain in which our Parliamentary Office...

SAN FRANCISCO (BP) -- Supporters of California Proposition 8 won a major victory at the California Supreme Court Thursday in a case that could have a significant impact on the future of gay "marriage" in America. The justices unanimously ruled that the official proponents of Prop 8 have the right to defend the state constitutional amendment in federal court -- an important decision because the governor and attorney general have refused to defend it. In finding that Prop 8 proponents have what's called legal standing, the justices tossed the issue back to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which...

The California Supreme Court ruled Thursday morning that proponents of Proposition 8 — the voter initiative in 2008 that amended the state constitution to say “only marriage between a man and a woman” is valid in California — have legal standing to defend the measure in court. That means the matter can proceed to the Ninth District Court of Appeals for a ruling on the merits of the measure. The legal question before the Supreme Court was procedural and unrelated to the substantive question of the constitutional validity of Prop. 8. It only assessed whether proponents of the measure can...

It has been 47 years since the passage of the Civil Rights Act, and 46 years since the passage of the Voting Rights Act. And yet the political leaders of this nation of liberty cannot seem to muster the courage and principle to sweep away one remaining example of institutionalized, government-sanctioned discrimination: The 1996 law that denies the right of marriage to same-sex couples. The law, the Defense of Marriage Act, was passed in the heat of election-year fear and bigotry against men who want to marry other men, and women who want to marry other women. It was a...

A recent Eagleton Institute of Politics poll found that word choice matters when gay marriage figures into the question. According to the poll, 52 percent of N.J. residents questioned are in favor of gay marriage, but the number jumps to 61 percent when the question is framed in terms of "marriage equality". Thirty-nine percent oppose legalizing gay marriage, and only 27 percent are against marriage equality. "Framing matters, and we know that," said David Redlawsk, poll director and a professor of political science at the University....

A bill that would repeal New Hampshire’s 2009 law legalizing same-sex marriage would also allow two citizens of either sex to enter into a civil union — even siblings. New Hampshire Republican state Rep. David Bates, the sponsor of the bill, confirmed this to The Daily Caller. Asked about the logic behind allowing siblings to enter into civil unions, Bates responded, “You have that question backwards. By definition in the bill, a ‘civil union’ means a contractual agreement that provides reciprocal benefits and obligations to the parties to the agreement.”

Senate Democrats next week will begin a push to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, the 1996 law that defines marriage for federal purposes and, to date, has meant states don’t have to recognize gay marriages performed in other states. Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy, Vermont Democrat, said Tuesday his panel will take up the Respect for Marriage Act, sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein and co-sponsored by 30 other senators, all members of the Democratic caucus. The issue is bound to face strong opposition from Republicans, who would likely have the votes to filibuster the legislation should it reach...

Adrian Smith, a 54-year-old father of two, posted on his private Facebook account that he disapproves of gay marriage because of his Christian beliefs. He wrote that allowing homosexuals to wed would be "an equality too far." It is important to point out that the comment could only be viewed by Mr. Smith's confirmed friends on Facebook, and was not public. Instead of being allowed to voice his right to free speech, he was brought in front of his employers, the Trafford Housing Trust in Greater Manchester. They declared that he was guilty of "gross misconduct." As a consequence, they...

A block thrown through a home window. Cars vandalized. Hate-filled anonymous phone calls at home and work. Swastikas scrawled on houses of worship. Physical assaults. Dismissal from employment because of political views. Are these examples of retaliation against civil-rights activists in the South in 1954? Attempts by an authoritarian government to quash dissent? No, this is the sort of intimidation that Americans who support marriage as the union of a man and woman can face today. Persecution of opponents is becoming a tool of the trade for some gay-marriage activists, who -- ironically -- seem to view themselves as beacons...

MARION, Iowa — Iowa's status as the only Midwest state where gay couples can marry could be threatened by a special State Senate election being held after the state's Republican governor appointed a Democratic senator to a state post. By appointing Sen. Swati Dandekar to the Iowa Utilities Board, Gov. Terry Branstad ensured that Republicans would have a shot at sharing control of the State Senate, a chamber where Democrats have used their 26-24 majority to block a number of GOP efforts, most notably a proposed constitutional amendment to make gay marriage illegal. Branstad and the Republican-controlled House support beginning...

Ever since liberals drug-tripped their way into thinking that marriage is a right, we've been bombarded with insipid comparisons between gay rights and the civil rights movement. Realistically, democrats started the gay rights movement during the civil rights movement when they had a raunchy love affair with Jim Crow.© (That's pretty clever, if I do say so myself. Kind of want to copyright that. ETA: Done.) This has given rise to a new gold standard in liberal insults: homophobia. Some clever little person realized that a few very vocal anti-gay people turned out to be fruity themselves. An energy-saving light...

A speech by Don Feder at Ave Maria University, September 20, 2011 Hollywood has a penchant for blowing things up – especially the world. Since the 1950s, apocalyptic movies (which come with a variety of special effects) have been all the rage. We’ve met our doom through nuclear war (“On The Beach,” “The Day After”), a worldwide super-plague (“Twelve Monkeys” “The Stand”), global warming (“The Day After Tomorrow,” “Waterworld,”), the earth’s core over-heating (“2012,” “The Core”), overpopulation (“Soylent Green”), a comet striking the earth (“Deep Impact,” “Armageddon”), sentient machines taking over (the “Terminator” and “Matrix” series), rampaging simians (the “Planet...

NEW HAVEN -- A disabled Navy veteran from Connecticut is going to court to try to force the Department of Veterans Affairs to recognize her marriage to her longtime female partner. Carmen Cardona, who filed a notice of appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims on Thursday, plans to challenge the constitutionality of a federal statute -- and its legal cousin the Defense of Marriage Act, the controversial 1996 law that prohibits the U.S. government from recognizing same-sex marriages -- cited when the VA denied her spousal disability benefits, her legal team said.

Today I heard one of the silliest comment from a British ambassador on the radio from Ghana. He was threatening my beloved country Ghana to cut off aid from us in the near future (probably sooner) if we don’t give up our high moral standards and start accepting and embracing gays and lesbians. The government of Ghana is, for now, treating with contempt, the UK’s threat to cut down aid to Ghana if the country fails to recognise the rights of gays.The UK government served notice to African countries, to drop their antiquated anti gay laws or face a...

Research also shows that homosexuals are less likely to enter into long-term partnerships, less likely to be sexually faithful to a partner, and less likely to see their relationships last a lifetime. Incorporating this behavior into society’s concept of "marriage" would lead to a decline in commitment, fidelity, and permanence for marriages across the board. It is no more "discrimination" to bar marriage to a person of the same sex than it is to bar marriage to a person who is already married, a close blood relative, or a child. If same-sex "marriage" is legalized, we can be certain that...