Rick Dean
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http://www.detnews.com/2004/politics/0403/10/a01-87733.htm
Same-sex wedding ban fails
Mich. House 8 votes short of putting amendment on ballot
By Gary Heinlein and Charlie Cain / Detroit News Lansing Bureau
LANSING --In their most emotion-charged decision of the year, Republicans in the Michigan House failed to win approval of a proposed constitutional amendment that would have banned gay marriages.
The measure died on a 65-38 vote, eight short of the two-thirds majority necessary to advance it to the state Senate and, ultimately, a statewide vote by citizens.
bro
e out among Democrats and opponents watching from the House gallery after the tally was announced.
"'m incredibly thrilled, said Sean Kosofsky, policy director for the Detroit-based gay rights org
aniz
ation the Triangle Foundation. My right
to have a family does not belong on the ballot. The vote today reflected that.
Kosofsky said backers of the measure used every trick in the book, including threats and bullying to try to win enough votes for passage.
Gary Glenn, head of the American Family Association of Michigan, which strongly supports a gay marriage ban, said his group would continue pressing for House approval and, failing that, would become part of a coalition to launch a petition drive to place the issue on the 2006 ballot.
We are a few points behind at the end of the first quarter, Glenn said. "'ve been doing this kind of thing for 25 years, and this was just the first day. Lawmakers who voted against allowing the people to vote on this issue can expect
an earful from constituents in the next few weeks.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm was pleased at the outcome. We already have a law in Michigan that bans gay marriage, and the governor supports tha
t la
w, press s
ecretary Li
z Boyd said. But the governor does not believe the people want government in their bedrooms. Perhaps now we can focus on issues important to Michigan residents --jobs, our economy, education and health care.
The Michigan vote came as states across the country are considering similar bans on gay marriage. The issue was further elevated last month when President Bush ended months of speculation and announced his support for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution banning same-sex marriage.
Efforts to ban gay marriages have been fueled by decisions by some local officials to declare them legal. More than 3,600 same-sex marriages have been performed in San Francisco in the past three weeks. Those unions are being challenged in court. In Portland, Ore., last week, after a j
udge ruled that same-sex marriage licenses were legal, hundreds of gay couples were issued the licenses.
Party lines
The vote in Michigan was cast mostly along party li
nes. Thr
ee Republicans brok
e rank
s to vote against it, while four Democrats joined Republicans supporting the proposed amendment. Five Democrats didn't vote and offered no explanation why. and one was absent.
One of the Republican opponents was Rep. Leon Drolet of Clinton Township, who said he objects to the government registering disapproval of a lifestyle.
" think we found a minority that could be made into a scapegoat, Drolet said. "t's easy to blame them. We're back on the playground still playing 'smear the queer.'
Chris Kolb, D-Ann Arbor, the only openly gay lawmaker, told colleagues about his seven-year relationship with a male partner.
" don't know if I pop the question what my partner's response would be, he said. " hope some day that if I do that (get married) it will
be recognized by the state.
Proponents of the amendment said activist judges are trying to redefine the centuries-old one-man one woman concept of marriage.
There's a
movement af
oot to red
efine what marri
age is meant to be, Rep. Kenneth Bradstreet, R-Gaylord, said. Will the people decide that, or a handful of judges?
GOP is disappointed
The Michigan Republican Party's State Committee unanimously went on record in January urging the Legislature to adopt the constitutional amendment. Party spokesman Jeff Stormo said the party was disappointed with the House vote.
What the vote shows is that Gov. Granholm did some arm-twisting in her party to make sure that this effort failed, and it shows that she and the Democratic Party are solidly behind gay marriages, Stormo said.
Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Melvin Butch Hollowell said the amendment was inappropriate. It was nothing more than a wedge issue aimed at dividing people. We should be talkin
g about ways of bringing manufacturing back to our state.
To counter Democrat claims the proposal was little more than a means to energize President Bush's conservativ
e base for the N
ovem
ber election, chief sponsor Re
p. Gary Newell, R-Saranac, agreed to switch the proposed vote on the gay marriage amendment from Nov. 2 to Aug. 3.
Also to make the proposal more acceptable to moderate lawmakers, the sponsors agreed to wording that would protect health coverage and other benefits already awarded partners of gay workers in Michigan, particularly at state universities. The original wording could have been interpreted to negate such benefits.
House Republican leaders preserved the right to reconsider the proposal. A similar measure is pending in the Senate. But Tuesday's vote makes it doubtful proponents can marshal enough support to call for a vote by Michiganians on the constitutional amendment.
Detroit News Washington Bureau Chief Alison Bethel contributed to this report.
You can reach Gary Heinlein at (517) 371-3660 or gheinlein@detnews.com.
http://www.detnews.com/2004/politics/0403/10/a01-87733.htm
Same-sex wedding ban fails
Mich. House 8 votes short of putting amendment on ballot
By Gary Heinlein and Charlie Cain / Detroit News Lansing Bureau
LANSING --In their most emotion-charged decision of the year, Republicans in the Michigan House failed to win approval of a proposed constitutional amendment that would have banned gay marriages.
The measure died on a 65-38 vote, eight short of the two-thirds majority necessary to advance it to the state Senate and, ultimately, a statewide vote by citizens.
broe out among Democrats and opponents watching from the House gallery after the tally was announced.
"'m incredibly thrilled, said Sean Kosofsky, policy director for the Detroit-based gay rights org
aniz
ation the Triangle Foundation. My right
to have a family does not belong on the ballot. The vote today reflected that.
Kosofsky said backers of the measure used every trick in the book, including threats and bullying to try to win enough votes for passage.
Gary Glenn, head of the American Family Association of Michigan, which strongly supports a gay marriage ban, said his group would continue pressing for House approval and, failing that, would become part of a coalition to launch a petition drive to place the issue on the 2006 ballot.
We are a few points behind at the end of the first quarter, Glenn said. "'ve been doing this kind of thing for 25 years, and this was just the first day. Lawmakers who voted against allowing the people to vote on this issue can expect
an earful from constituents in the next few weeks.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm was pleased at the outcome. We already have a law in Michigan that bans gay marriage, and the governor supports tha
t la
w, press s
ecretary Li
z Boyd said. But the governor does not believe the people want government in their bedrooms. Perhaps now we can focus on issues important to Michigan residents --jobs, our economy, education and health care.
The Michigan vote came as states across the country are considering similar bans on gay marriage. The issue was further elevated last month when President Bush ended months of speculation and announced his support for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution banning same-sex marriage.
Efforts to ban gay marriages have been fueled by decisions by some local officials to declare them legal. More than 3,600 same-sex marriages have been performed in San Francisco in the past three weeks. Those unions are being challenged in court. In Portland, Ore., last week, after a j
udge ruled that same-sex marriage licenses were legal, hundreds of gay couples were issued the licenses.
Party lines
The vote in Michigan was cast mostly along party li
nes. Thr
ee Republicans brok
e rank
s to vote against it, while four Democrats joined Republicans supporting the proposed amendment. Five Democrats didn't vote and offered no explanation why. and one was absent.
One of the Republican opponents was Rep. Leon Drolet of Clinton Township, who said he objects to the government registering disapproval of a lifestyle.
" think we found a minority that could be made into a scapegoat, Drolet said. "t's easy to blame them. We're back on the playground still playing 'smear the queer.'
Chris Kolb, D-Ann Arbor, the only openly gay lawmaker, told colleagues about his seven-year relationship with a male partner.
" don't know if I pop the question what my partner's response would be, he said. " hope some day that if I do that (get married) it will
be recognized by the state.
Proponents of the amendment said activist judges are trying to redefine the centuries-old one-man one woman concept of marriage.
There's a
movement af
oot to red
efine what marri
age is meant to be, Rep. Kenneth Bradstreet, R-Gaylord, said. Will the people decide that, or a handful of judges?
GOP is disappointed
The Michigan Republican Party's State Committee unanimously went on record in January urging the Legislature to adopt the constitutional amendment. Party spokesman Jeff Stormo said the party was disappointed with the House vote.
What the vote shows is that Gov. Granholm did some arm-twisting in her party to make sure that this effort failed, and it shows that she and the Democratic Party are solidly behind gay marriages, Stormo said.
Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Melvin Butch Hollowell said the amendment was inappropriate. It was nothing more than a wedge issue aimed at dividing people. We should be talkin
g about ways of bringing manufacturing back to our state.
To counter Democrat claims the proposal was little more than a means to energize President Bush's conservativ
e base for the N
ovem
ber election, chief sponsor Re
p. Gary Newell, R-Saranac, agreed to switch the proposed vote on the gay marriage amendment from Nov. 2 to Aug. 3.
Also to make the proposal more acceptable to moderate lawmakers, the sponsors agreed to wording that would protect health coverage and other benefits already awarded partners of gay workers in Michigan, particularly at state universities. The original wording could have been interpreted to negate such benefits.
House Republican leaders preserved the right to reconsider the proposal. A similar measure is pending in the Senate. But Tuesday's vote makes it doubtful proponents can marshal enough support to call for a vote by Michiganians on the constitutional amendment.
Detroit News Washington Bureau Chief Alison Bethel contributed to this report.
You can reach Gary Heinlein at (517) 371-3660 or gheinlein@detnews.com.