|
A number of things from today's Buffalo News of interest:
Poll shows 53% in N.Y. backing gay marriage:
Senator Alesi is said to be supporting the bill:
"I probably will be making a public statement somewhere in the near future," said Sen. James S. Alesi, a Monroe County Republican who represents part of Rochester. Insiders say he is one potential vote for the bill.
With no hands left to grab their Senators by the unmentionables with, the Republicans are giving up on this issue:
Opponents believe that advocates of same-sex marriage will need to get at least four Republican senators to back the bill. "Even if we did know, we wouldn't say," Duane said of Senate Republicans who might cross party lines.
Senate Republicans say the issue, unlike the budget, is highly personal and will be up to rank-and-file lawmakers to decide on their own.
The Conservative Party, on the other hand, is still fighting: Those who cross party lines can write off future support from the Conservative Party, warned the head of the small but influential political group.
"This is a line-in-the-sand issue for me," party Chairman Michael R. Long said Monday.
Long, who questioned the accuracy of the Siena poll's findings, said the legislation is about "destroying the sanctity of marriage." He said that it also would lead to higher costs for employers who will have to expand pension and insurance benefits for gay workers who marry.
But overall, the insiders are optimistic: "Knowing what I know today, I believe this governor will be able to sign a marriage- equality bill into law this summer," said Alan Van Capelle, executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, the main gay rights lobby organization in New York.
"We'll have a majority with a few votes to spare," predicted State State Sen. Thomas K. Duane, an openly gay Democrat from Manhattan.
Also, as we probably guessed, the article gets on the record statements from 2 moderate Buffalo-area Senators, Stachowski (D) and Maziarz (R), as against the bill. |
