Gov. David A. Paterson will announce on Thursday plans to introduce legislation to legalize same-sex marriage, according to people with knowledge of the governor's plans.
Mr. Paterson's move, which he first signaled last week after Vermont became the fourth state to allow gay and lesbian couples to wed, reflects the governor's desire to press the issue with lawmakers in Albany as other states move ahead with efforts to grant more civil rights to homosexuals.
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We all knew it was only a matter of time until the debate came to be, so the more important question is whether this bill has any chance at passing.
There's no doubt that this will get out of the Assembly. Shelly Silver supports the bill and a similar version easily passed in 2007. The Senate is a bit more tricky. We know that the Gang of 3 generally resists efforts and gay marriage was an important part of their rebellion against Malcolm Smith as Majority Leader in January. One key strategy might be to empower issue-orgs against Republicans in moderate/Democratic regions. We can go after the remaining Queens/Long Island Republicans on this issue a lot more effectively than against the zealot anti-equal rights Democrats in our own caucus.
What are your thoughts on the bills chances in 2009? |
