Maine Senate passes Gay Marriage Bill
By KLVentures
@KLVentures (119)
United States
May 1, 2009 9:49pm CST
Yesterday, the Maine State Senate voted 21-14 to redefine marriage to allow for gay marriage ( LD 1020 ). The bill will now go to the state house where it is expected to pass as well. Maine Governor Baldacci has not made his position known on this bill as he is unsure of which way the political winds blow. The general consensus seems to be that he will probably let it go into law.
Both sides of the issue admit that if the bill passes, traditional marriage supporters will be able to get this issue on the November ballot as a statewide referendum. The senate had the option of sending this issue directly to the voters where they know it will eventually end up. This option was proposed and rejected by the senate.
This is what really annoys me. The legislature had defined marriage in 1997 as the union between a man and a woman. In that piece of legislation, they stated that the reason for the state role in marriage was because of its value to society. It is obviously up to the people to determine what is of value to society. So why is the legislature trying to push through this piece of legislation before allowing people to vote on it?They obviously want to make this issue a fait accompli by the time it is presented to the voters. By the time voters get to vote there will already be gay marriages that have been performed. The issue will be redefined as taking the right to marriage away from people as opposed to changing the definition of marriage.
They know that the will of the voters will ultimately decide this issue but they are basically saying that we do not care what the voters are going to do. They are pushing through the changes now regardless of voter sentiment. I hope that the voter's remember the actions of these legislator's in the 2010 election. I find it curious that while the state is facing huge budgetary problems that they have time for this issue. Perhaps they want to get it out of the way when their elections are over a year away?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
2 May 09
I don't even think this should be up for vote. It is a civil rights issue. They are living under the same roof, sharing expenses and all...they have a right to the same benefits as a married couple. They are committed as a couple and often have bought property together etc. They want to get married as opposed to living together...they should be able to. It doesn't hurt anyone else or change or challenge any one else's beliefs. Why in the heck are people so afraid and against this? I really don't understand the issue with it at all. I have a friend who is gay and has been with his partner for a long while. Why in the world can they not marry? They are more committed to each other than some couples that have been married for years!?! They can't help that they are gay...it was not a "choice" as many of you would believe. Who'd choose to be treated the way they are anyway? It is horrible how these people are treated.
1 person likes this
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
2 May 09
I understand what you are say. Still, the foundation of marriage has changed considerably over the years. Back when I was a kid, divorce was virtually unheard of....now it is so easy thanks to no-fault divorce. Back when I was a kid, mixed races could not marry....now they can. Change is not easy for many but sometimes it is a result of correcting something we have been doing wrong all along. As for those living together rather than getting married...that is their "choice". They do have the option of getting married if they wanted to. Gay couples have no options at all. It is not fair to them. If they love their partner and want to get married and live their lives together, then they should be able to and they should be able to have the same financial benefits as any other couple. There is no reason this should bother anyone else as it doesn't affect anyone else. It does not have to be a religious thing. they could get married by a JP. I just don't understand why anyone cares. People should be worried about and paying attention to their own marriage and not what the neighbors are doing. the world would be a much happier place. They are in love. It isn't a crime.
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
3 May 09
I've already said much of what I think about this subject in my comment but I wanted to add that since it will come up as a referendum eventually what's so wrong with it being passed by the legislature now? Myself, I'm not sure why anyone not directly affected by this would care to vote in a referendum about it or why anyone would be so afraid of it!
Annie
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
3 May 09
"I've already said much of what I think about this subject in my comment but I wanted to add that since it will come up as a referendum eventually what's so wrong with it being passed by the legislature now"
nothing annie, this is a state issue in fact and the legislature acted with in their constitutional reponsability. If it goes to a referendum than the people will of course diced directly and again it will be the prooper course.
@Adoniah (7513)
• United States
2 May 09
I kind of thought that the people of a state had the right to decide what was right for their state. They elected officials that were supposed to do stuff for them in their name. If the officials did not do what they wanted, then they could vote for or against it for themselves. That is the way it is set up. It does not matter what the issue is, majority rules.
I always considered the folks in Maine pretty savvy folks. If they want to vote against something their Reps voted in, then they should have that right. And come election day, they can do something about some of those Reps too.
Shalom~Adoniah
