marriage equality in NY State

[rm]

As I've mentioned before, even earlier today, marriage equality stuff in NY State is weird.

Due to unrelated political drama in the state capital, the issue has largely been side-lined, along with the rest of the legislative agenda for a while now. And, since NY State recognizes same-sex marriages performed elsewhere, there's been a certain lack of urgency on the subject.

Our assembly as passed a bill for marriage equality three times. But our state senate is notoriously conservative and this has largely been a fight no one wanted to have or thought we could win.

Well, the fight is happening right now. And no one knows what the outcome will be (very weird for a state body that hashes everything out in private before anything happens in public, often leaving public debates meaningless on done deals).

But it seems the discourse on the bill is remarkable in and of itself.

ETA: voting is happening now, after a long, rambling and pretty weird speech from Senator Duane, a gay man who has been at the front of this fight for a while.

ETA2: watching the vote now. It looks like we're going to lose.

ETA3: "The bill is lost."

ETA4: and now there will be nattering about "momentum" from the bigots; cowards one and all.

Comments

[maryling.livejournal.com]

I live in the district of probably the only Long Island senator to vote yes. (Currently unable to check the vote.) Heartbroken that so many people just don't get it.

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen the tallies, but I'm almost positive that my own LI senator votes no. (I'd love to be proven wrong)

[maryling.livejournal.com]

Roll posted below: http://rm.livejournal.com/1762306.html?thread=17084674#t17084674

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Marcellino doesn't really surprise me. Sadly.

[newsbean.livejournal.com]

* Eric Adams (D) — YES “This is about love.”
* Joseph Addabbo (D) — NO
* James Alesi (R) — NO
* Darrel Aubertine (D) — NO
* John Bonacic (R) — NO
* Neil Breslin (D) — YES
* John DeFrancisco (R) — NO
* Ruben Diaz (D) — NO “Sen. Smith, it is better to keep your word.”
* Martin Malave Dilan (D) — YES
* Tom Duane (D) — YES
* Pedro Espada (D) — YES
* Hugh Farley (R) — NO
* John Flanagan (R) — NO
* Brian Foley (D) — YES
* Charles Fuschillo, Jr. (R) — NO
* Martin Golden (R) — NO
* Joseph Griffo (R) — NO
* Kemp Hannon (R) — NO
* Ruth Hassell-Thompson (D) — YES
* Shirley Huntley (D) — NO
* Craig Johnson (D) — YES
* Owen Johnson (R) — NO
* Jeffrey Klein (D) — YES
* Liz Krueger (D) — YES
* Carl Kruger (D) — NO
* Andrew Lanza (R) — NO
* Bill Larkin (R) — NO
* Kenneth LaValle (R) — NO
* Vincent Leibell (R) — NO
* Tom Libous (R) — NO
* Elizabeth Little (R) — NO
* Carl Marcellino (R) — NO
* George Maziarz (R) — NO
* Roy McDonald (R) — NO
* Hiram Monserrate (D) — NO
* Velmanette Montgomery (D) — YES
* Thomas Morahan (R) — NO
* Michael Nozzolio (R) — NO
* George Onorato (D) — NO
* Suzi Oppenheimer (D) — YES
* Frank Padavan (R) — NO
* Kevin Parker (D) — YES
* Bill Perkins (D) — YES
* Michael Ranzenhofer (R) — NO
* Joseph Robach (R) — NO
* Stephen Saland (R) — NO
* John Sampson (D) — YES
* Diane Savino (D) — YES
* Eric Schneiderman (D) — YES
* Jose Serrano (D) — YES
* James Seward (R) — NO
* Dean Skelos (R) — NO
* Malcolm Smith (D) — YES
* Daniel Squadron (D) — YES
* William Stachowski (D) — NO
* Toby Ann Stavisky (D) — YES
* Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D) — YES
* Antoine Thompson (D) — YES
* David Valesky (D) — YES
* Dale Volker (R) — NO
* George Winner (R) — NO
* Catherine Young (R) — NO

[dulcinbradbury.livejournal.com]

Fuck you, Senator McDonald. May you be caught with a prostitute two weeks before your next election comes up.

[manycolored.livejournal.com]

Indeed. Or caught with his boyfriend. That would be nice.

[maryling.livejournal.com]

My senator's Craig Johnson, God bless him. And my apologies to Senator Foley, the one other senator on the Island to vote yes.