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Gay Marriage Battle Shifts to NJ
As if being caught between the Phillies and the Yankees weren't enough, New Jersey now has another battle to look forward to: gay marriage. After the issue went down in defeat in Maine Tuesday, activists on both sides are eyeing the state as the next battleground in the fight over same-sex matrimony as the Democrat-majority legislature is pressured to legalize gay marriage before Republican Chris Christie—who opposes the idea—replaces Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine. New Jersey already recognizes same-sex civil unions, but activists remain unsatisfied with the separate term. Maggie Gallagher, president of prominent anti-gay marriage group the National Organization for Marriage, says, "New Jersey is at the very top of our list," (though some gay-rights advocates have indicated their focus is shifting to other issues, like the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would ban gender- or sexuality-based discrimination at work). Gallagher also said her group will back anti-gay marriage candidates in Iowa and New Hampshire, two states that recently recognized same-sex marriages. Leslie Gabel-Brett of the gay-rights organization Lambda Legal said that while Maine felt like a setback, "We now have five states where same-sex couples can marry. Six years ago, we had none."
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Taking this debate to New Jersey is so gay.
Not surprising that Corzine and the NJ Dem machine would try to ram something like this through the state legislator, but it could have been alot worse... Corzine could have won re-election, and us NJ residents would have to suffer 4 more years of terrible leadership.
Not to mention the fact that Corzine said just before the election that if re-elected, he would seek to reimpose the 800% toll increase that went down in flames a year ago when the citizens of NJ rallied against it. As a lame duck governor, he'd have been able to ram it through the Dem-controlled NJ congress, and there would have been nothing we the people could do about it this time around.
800% toll increases projected over the next 10 years... and they say Republicans are the ones who put tax burdens on the middle class lol!
You need to take some math classes, or stop lying!
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/corzine_and_lawmakers_discuss.h tml
http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20091030/UPDATES01/91029088/1013/SPORTS0 8/Corzine I won t revive toll hike plan but I might try to squeeze more money from Turnpike
Oh sorry.. it said 800% by 2022, so 12 years not 10... BIG difference there!
So, who's lying now Freddy?
nightdragon09,
You totally misread the article. Nowhere in the article does it state that "he would seek to reimpose the 800% toll increase", which is what you stated. That was Christie's reply. What it says he stated is "So maybe we just need to scale it back," he said,". Scaling it back is not the same. Besides, you stated "he would seek to reimpose". That is quite a bit different than what Corzine said "Corzine had said in an interview he *may revisit* his plan to lease the New Jersey Turnpike to raise cash"
Do you see the difference? Do you understand how your partisan glasses only let you see what you want to see? You automatically took Christie's statement as gold truth - "he's going to sell the Turnpike, sell the Parkway and raise the tolls 800 percent. It's what he's always wanted to do". That's just fear tactics. Apparently, it's very effective on certain types of people.
Way to call the BS, FatFreddy. Geez, refuting the GOPs crap claims is a full-time job
So's refuting all the Dem's and MSM's crap claims like "Rush Limbaugh is a racist because some guy who made up random quotes attributed to him said so,"... or, "The healthcare bill will not fund abortions, nor will it apply to illegal aliens, even though we are currently fighting tooth and nail to have any language stripped from the bill that specifically and explicitly bars illegals from receiving any kind of benefits or coverage with taxpayer dollars."
I m still mad about Maine. why was the president not there to help us? We were told we would have his support
CAN YOU HERE ME NOW.
Just a lucky guess but maybe because he does not support Gay marriage?
crymeariver is right... during the debates, both the President and VP stated that marriage should remain between a man and a woman. Guess you libs must have missed that while you were too busy fawning over Obama' and getting tingles up your legs every time you heard him speak.
Obama is a liar. It really doesn't matter what he says.....chances are he'll do something else the next day.
Sorry Plantalie,
the only liar is you sweetie.
You lie continuously and often.
In Black and White.
We catch you doing it every hour,
every day with every posting.
You are obviously a sociopath with no feelings of shame.
Too bad.
Oddly, we don't feel the need to agree with every single opinion or belief with everyone in the democratic party. Weird, huh? I know that's a foreign concept to you, but the fact that I may or may not agree with Obama on a single issue doesn't negate the fact that we generally agree. It's called independent thought, you might want to try it sometime.
There should be no State sanctioned marriage, at all.
I agree 100% freddy... marriage is a religious sacrament, and the neither the State nor Federal Gov't has the right to dictate the terms of marriage based on whatever is PC at the moment, not to mention the fact that it also kinda violates that whole separation of church and state clause in the Constitution.
Simply allow couples who engage in civil unions the same state benefits that married couples get, and problem solved... but that's just not good enough for the Rainbow Connection crowd.
There should be no State benefits for ANY married couple or civil union. There should only be legal contract between the two parties. The State should not imply or impose any provisions of that contract.
Why do you care? Really? And don't give me that tired old saw about the sanctity of marriage until you outlaw Bubba and LouAnn's ability to marry, breed and produce more alcoholic, spouse-abusing, tax-dodging, spawn. The right's interest in what goes on in the bedrooms of gay couples is just a little creepy.
According to the aricle: "New Jersey already recognizes same-sex civil unions, but activists remain unsatisfied with the separate term."
Now that's what is really creepy, zerbit. In other words, what they are really after is the redefinition of the word marriage. All that BS about wanting the same privileges that hetero couples have, like being able to visit their partner in the hospital, or being able to have rights to inheritances, is just psychobabble.
If that is what they are after, then the civil-union already available in NJ would suffice. Since it doesn't, that tells me that there are underlying goals, which can only mean the destruction of the societal norms such as hetero-sexual marriage and/or the intentional destruction of religious beliefs and dogma in which marriage is founded.
Now I'm more than ready for the attacks that the GLBT will heap on my statement. But instead of attack, explain why civil unions are unacceptable and why "activists remain unsatisfied with the separate term".
hey zerbit... no one gave two sh!ts what the hell went on in anybody's bedroom, gay or otherwise, until the Hollywood crowd started coming out of the closet and pushed their alternative lifestyles in just about every form of media and entertainment there is, from movies and TV shows to books, magazines, even music as well.
You're always saying how people should stay out of other peoples' private lives... well then how about you start by keeping your private lives just that... PRIVATE! When you start going on TV or taking to the streets and proclaiming you're gay or whatever your sexual preference may be, and you say it "loud and proud"... then your private life is not longer private, is it?
Hey freddy,
I could see the agument that the state has a compelling interest in promoting stability in the relationships of its citizens, regardless of gender (or number for that matter).
it is not purely religious if the government gets involved
married couples get:
1) Federal tax break if one works (penalty if both work)
2) Similar state tax break
3) State common property rights
4) federal and state 'next of kin' recognition
imagine granting those privledges to some people and denying it to other people because you dont like the way they play pinochle.
Nothings good enough, got to keep throwing it down the throats (no pun intended) of everyone even though 98.9% of America don't want gay marriage. Take your balls (no pun intended) and go home, leave America alone or go somewhere that wants gay marriage like Europe.
Why do you lie?
What makes you better than me MaliciousDisorder? Or are you just being an asshole as a joke?
That is so mean..... Im Canadian and my lover is mexican and we need to come to your country. so pass this health care bill so we can get the gender reassignment operations we need and be married in your country. and never worry about the government throwing us out. I'm sooooo looking forward to raising are family in your country with free health care and welfare.
. I just Love Mrs Polosi she need to be presedent.
Nope, he's a genuine a-hole, but whether or not he's a PAID a-hole is the question.
Personally, I would not vote against gay marriage but the fact that its been voted down 31 times by the voters and never once passed by the voters does give me pause about making it the law of the land by the courts or by legislatures. I live in New Jersey and there is no initiative and referendum process here to let citizens put something on the ballot. So, in my opinion, that ought to make the Governor and the legislators more cautious about controversial issues.
Why? The law only applies to a minority of U.S. citizens so of course the majority is going to vote it down. That doesn't make it right. If denial of citizenship for LEGAL immigrants from Mexico were placed on the ballot tomorrow do you think it would pass? It's the venue of the courts and legislators to protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority.
Where do you draw the line? If we can't have democracy who gets to determine what people are too dumb to vote for themselves?
we need to be recognized so all my liberal friends need to come out and embrace are life style. say YES to gay marriage. stop the discrimination NOW
i think all religious based marriages should be called 'marriage' and legally they should ALL (Gay straight, bi, whatever) be called 'domestic partnerhsip'
this way we can teach our kids whatever we want about 'marriage'
and we can also say that all have equal right to form 'domestic partnerships'
Yes, and give federal benefits ONLY to domestic partnerships/civil unions and not religious 'marriages' (make it possible for those who have reilgious marriage ceremonies to also register for a civil union at the same time).
P.S., I'm married, but if they did this, we would go out and get "unioned" immediately. We're lifelong partners for love, but we got married for the benefits.
Good point, johnny. I'm an atheist, there's nothing otherworldly and godly about the union I have with my husband, but I would definitely get "unioned" as well. Those benefits are necessary for everyone and denying them to homosexuals is no different that not allowing mixed-race couples to enjoy the legal benefits of a legal partnership. I forget...is it legal to lynch homos? They are a scary bunch, I must admit.
This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
Guess the Christian churches will be asking for more "Faith Based Initiative" tax money ...it is expensive to keep increasing air time for evangelical TV, come up with hush money for the victims of child molestation, and fight to prevent equal rights for all.
Pass the plate two more times, put the hand out to the taxpayers to pay for "good work", buy the reverend a new Mercedes, engage in business and politics....and never pay taxes.
seemoreglass
would outlaw all non profits or only the faith based ones?
so a YMCA can get tax benefits for operating a Gym
but a Catholic Youth Organization or Jewish Community Center offering the same exact service would be denied the tax benefit because they are faith based?
pls clarify just how you would make it work
Good point.
Don't forget to invite our President to put his support for gay marriage where his mouth is and make a few high-profile stops in NJ.
If he can stump for Dem candidates and his health care bill, then surely he can find the time to back gay marriage ---oh wait, I forgot - he supports "same-sex unions" but not gay marriage...my bad.
He is so hot !!!!! i know he will be in NJ for us. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Why are the civil rights of citizens being put up for a general vote?
because many years ago legal notions like property held in common and religious notions like marriage got caught up in the same framework
they need to be separated, let people practice whatever form of marriage that suits their religion but establish common property rights based on civil unions or domestic partnerships
This is such a colossal waste of time. People who say the feds should stay out of the debate are obviously terrified that Washington will actually do the right thing and pass domestic partnerships. It's just more delay and more delay. Disgusting display of injustice and unfairness. BOKO
it should be pretty easy for the feds to tell the states the can not recognize common property, next of kin status, or give away tax breaks, based on sexual orientation or preference
seems like a chicken came home to roost and is roosting in the white house bwawk-bwawk-ba-caaa
Thank you.
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