According to Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage, "same-sex marriage advocates were shocked" when the New Hampshire House rejected the SSM Bill.
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[Click here to read more below the fold.]
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In a mailing, Brown asked marriage supporters to urge Lynch to veto the proposed legislation.
As one blogger wrote: "We were hardly even watching since we thought the vote was such a sure thing." State Democratic Party chair Ray Buckley has been pressuring legislators for weeks in an effort to push this bill through. I'm told the shocked look on his face after the House vote today was unforgettable.
There is already talk of the parliamentary wrangling to come as proponents seek to salvage the bill. More details will follow, but we need to keep the pressure on, urging Governor Lynch to keep his word and veto the bill today.
Working closely with CPR Action on the ground in New Hampshire, NOM has helped sponsor grassroots organizing efforts and hard-hitting TV ads that played a major role in today's victory. For the first time, supporters of same-sex marriage are feeling the heat from their constituents, and Governor Lynch knows that the people of New Hampshire oppose same-sex marriage -- because thousands and thousands have called or emailed to tell him.
Today's victory is further evidence of the success that we can achieve, even in the Northeast. But the fight is far from over, and we have other battles on our hands yet this year.
Brown asked marriage supporters to email Governor Lynch to ask him to veto the House Bill 436 which would redefine marriage in New Hampshire.
Now that the House rejected the religious liberty amendments [Governor Lynch] proposed, it's time [for him to keep his] word, veto the bill, and move on. We don't need to drag this out as same-sex marriage advocates pressure and arm-twist in order to switch votes.
The people of New Hampshire don't want same-sex marriage. That message came through loud and clear as pro-gay marriage candidates were trounced twice in special elections in recent weeks.
Email New Hampshire Governor John Lynch, click here.
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See: Huge victory for marriage in New Hampshire.
Also see: New Hampshire: 64% Support Marriage as union of a man and a woman.
There seems to be some information lacking from your report Chairm; let me help you with your accuracy:
ReplyDelete"Today by a vote of 207 to 168 the New Hampshire house voted to create a committee of conference with the Senate to work out the details of the two different versions of HB73. The committee will be made up of members of the House and Senate who support passage of HB73. They will meet in the coming weeks to work out the difference's.
Freedom to Marry advocates remain confident of final passage of the marriage bill this session. We very narrowly missed today, but the House voted by a wide margin to keep the bill alive and to work out remaining concerns. We expect to see another vote in the next two weeks, and there is very good reason to remain positive."
"The people of New Hampshire don't want same-sex marriage."
ReplyDeleteI am a New Hampshire resident, and everyone I know has no problem with it. That's coming from a very large circle of Catholic republicans that make up large numbers of the Granite State, not bleeding heart liberals that people accuse of Massachusetts.
I am a New Hampshire resident, and everyone I know has no problem with it. That's coming from a very large circle of Catholic republicans that make up large numbers of the Granite State, not bleeding heart liberals that people accuse of Massachusetts.x
ReplyDeleteMaybe. Of course you don't know everyone in the state, and I won't get into the question of whether all the people you know form a statistically representative sample.
But I think there is also a good possibility that there are people you know who do oppose it, or have strong reservations, but are unwilling to tell you that because they think it will hurt you feelings, or because they think that it will cost them your friendship, or, perhaps, that you will then tell others about their opposition, and expose them to possible retribution. Not saying that you would, just that they may think that, and with what we've seen in California and in the Carrie Prejean controversy, I don't think they can be blamed for thinking that.
"Of course you don't know everyone in the state..."
ReplyDeleteNo, but I did...(insert cheesy reference to VOM poll here)
All kidding around aside, it is the old republicans that are dragging their feet on this, but since New Hampshire is primarily democrat now that fact itself is a reflection of the public's opinion, this subject included.
Remember, New Hampshire didn't have a threatening civil action filed against them supposedly forcing people hands like was accused in other states. This state brought civil unions and marriage equality to a vote and affirmed them through the legislators. Those legislators are in power because people changed their minds on how government was working after being conservative since the inception of the country.
This state brought civil unions and marriage equality to a vote and affirmed them through the legislatorsWhat I think New England legislators feel now is not that their constituents support them on this, but that even if they oppose SSM they don't feel strongly enough to vote them out of office for it. Whether or not this is true remains to be seen, but that's the perception of many legislators.
ReplyDeleteThose legislators are in power because people changed their minds on how government was working after being conservative since the inception of the country.Oh, come on, John, if you know anything about politics historically, you know that on this generality (liberalism vs. conservatism) the public has flip-flopped back and forth repeatedly over the years in every state at various times, though New England has shown a definite trend toward liberalism in recent decades.
If you want to see just how many legislators were voted out of office that had anti-gay views take a look at the 2006 election in Massachusetts. Almost without exception any candidate that was backed by MFI for having an anti-GLBT stance lost their election.
ReplyDeleteYes, the trend is going more liberal, that was my point in bringing up New Hampshire. Even they started to bend to the trend, and they were the most conservative of all, that was the point I was making if that got lost.
I hear that tomorrow will be a new round for the Granite State on this issue, I'll try to make it back to comment some more then. Will you have a new post?
Pity you guys took away the ability to get emails when there is a new comment on a thread you have been following. I don't have time to come back and check through what's been said as often as I'd like, but sites that update like this are much easier to follow.