here in florida, we also have Amendment 2...and while it is not technically a gay marriage amendment, (gay marriage is banned by law here, in four separate laws)...the supporters of amendment 2 are focusing on trying to make it a gay marriage issue. the amendment, (the wording of which, on the ballot, is very confusing to the uninformed) states that only a marriage between one man and one woman will be recognized. however, what many people fail to realize is that this would also include domestic partnership arrangements for straight couples. luckily here, altho i rarely watch tv...i have only seen the pro amendment 2 tv ad once and the against amendment 2 ad several times. the latest poll figures here, show the race is very tight. the good news on that front is that four years ago, there was another constitutional amendment that did pass that changed the percentages required to pass future amendments. previously it was only a simple majority to pass, 51%. now, new amendments will require a 60% majority to pass. that will definitely help in such a closely divided issue as this, because if say, 52% vote FOR amendment 2 and 48% against, the amendement still fails.
i have also seen way more yard signs saying NO on 2, than the yes on 2 signs. in fact, there were two signs nearby, across from the veterans hospital here of the yes on 2 variety. the next day when i went by, the signs were gone and have not been replaced.
Arizona was the first state in the nation to reject, by ballot, the Anti-gay marriage amendment, back in 2006. They're back again, and it seems they've spent the last two years raising a lot of money.* The Prop 102 says simply: "Only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state."
Of course, this is already the law, but... you know how it goes. Some people want to make it consitutional.
If I turn the TV on in the evening, there's a good chance I'll see, over the course of a couple of hours, 3, sometimes 4 ads in favor of this proposition. It's painful, of course, and especially so in light of the fact that I've only seen one commercial one time opposed to the proposition.
It's with chagrin I confess it was my mother, and not me who noticed this: In all the ads there are couples, and in every single case, it's the male in that couple who announces: "We're voting YES!" While the female stands mutely by, with a blank expression on her face.
I have an uneasy feeling this initiative will indeed pass this time, and that of course saddens me.
On a brighter note... Obama and McCain (here in Arizona, McCain's home state) are running a pretty tight race ... too close to call, really. Also, it looks as if Obama is NOT considering our governor Janet Napolitano for a cabinet post, should he be elected -- not so good for our country, but good for our state. Jan Brewer, the republican who would fill a vacancy, should one be left during Janet's final term, ain't no Rosie Moffard. Heck, I doubt she even has one Kachina doll to her name.
We also have a proposal on our state ballot (or maybe it's county) that wants to make it so that no vote at all on an issue counts as a "no" vote. Geezopetes, I hope to hell THAT doesn't pass! Oy. "Silence translates to dissention?" Since when? I don't know the particulars of this ... don't know if it will be counted by numbers of actual ballots cast, or what (if, should this proposition actually pass, would it mean that in future elections, if there were five ballots cast, which, say, had a school bond item on them, and three people just didn't check anything in that box, and two checked "yes" the bond would be defeated?
Which brings me to another topic ... there's a book out there right now, suggesting the opposite of what we've grown up hearing. The author suggests that if we don't know what the issues are, or who the candidates are, it's our responsibility, as citizens to NOT vote.
... in a weird way, there seems to be some reason in that line of thought. Of course, the ideal is that we're SUPPOSED to educate ourselves, but those who don't? Should they just stay home, come election day? ----------------------- *I just looked it up:
"Supporters of this year's measure have raised nearly $7 million to promote it and spent about half. Opponents have raised about $400,000, most of which they've already spent."
