by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

From another chapter of the "Arnold and McCain Feud", McCain officially endorses the end of marriage equality. Today the Destroy Marriage propaganda operation released this statement from McCain (h/t CapAlert):

"I support the efforts of the people of California to recognize marriage as a unique institution between a man and a woman, just as we did in my home state of Arizona. I do not believe judges should be making these decisions."

How very "Maverick" of him.  He's really taking it to those "agents of intolerance" by, um, supporting their agenda. That will show them!

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

We all knew this was inevitable, but now it's official: the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage will appear on the November ballot.

An initiative that would again outlaw gay marriage in California has qualified for the November ballot, the Secretary of State announced Monday.

California Secretary of State Debra Bowen said a random check of signatures submitted by the measure's sponsors showed that they had gathered enough names for it to be put to voters.

The measure, known as the California Marriage Protection Act, would amend the state constitution to "provide that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."

If approved by a majority of voters on Nov. 4, the amendment would overturn the recent California Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in the state. It is similar to gay marriage bans that have been adopted in 26 other states.

OK, fine.  Bring it on.  We're going to win this thing.  And the benefit will rebound on those Democrats who believe in equality and justice.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Peter Schrag

Among the many Democrats applauding the California Supreme Court's May 15 decision striking down the state's barriers to same-sex marriage, there must have been more than a little anxiety. Among conservatives condemning it, there had to be just a bit of unarticulated joy.

Both for the same obvious reason: the possibility, as after a similar decision in Massachusetts in 2004, that it would re-energize religious-right support for a dispirited Republican Party that has been at the short end of virtually every major national issue in recent years. The decision, one Democrat said, would have been better-timed in 2009.

Ironically, it also loads some GOP hopes on the backs of Latino voters, many of whom tend to be conservative on social issues such as abortion and gay rights. The paradox can't be lost on the most vehement of the immigration restrictionists.

In addition, of course, there's the near certainty that the "California Marriage Protection Act," an initiative that would probably overturn the court's decision, will be on the November ballot.

Nonetheless, 2008 may not be 2004, even on the issue of gay marriage.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

The California Supreme Court today just overturned California's ban on mariage equality. CMR will have more later, but this means California will be the second state in the nation to allow all couples the right to marry.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

The California Senate, by a party line 22 to 15 vote, has just given final passage to AB 43 (Leno), The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act that would restore marriage in California as "a legal contract between two persons," replacing the language installed by the legislature in 1977. The bill passed the Assembly in June by a 42 to 34 vote. It now goes to the Governor who has until October 14 to decide whether to sign it, veto it, or allow it to become law without his signature.

AB 43 bill redefines marriage in California as a union between two persons, making it gender-neutral, and thereby permitting same-sex marriages in the state.

It does not require any clergy or religious official to solemnize any marriage in violation of his or her right to free exercise of religion.

This bill contains a legislative finding and declaration that it does not amend or modify Section 308.5 of the California Family Code, enacted by the initiative Proposition 22, passed by the voters in 2000, that declares only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Doubleheader Today as Senate and Assembly Meet in Marathon Sessions

By Frank D. Russo

The California Assembly started yesterday at 10 a.m., and aside from an hour and a half break for caucuses and lunch at 1 p.m., continued on until 9 p.m. when the dust settled, they had disposed of 147 bills, some of them flying past as fast as an express train, and others of them, such as AB 43 (Leno) to end the state's denial of marriage licenses to gay couples receiving lengthy debate. At 6:38 p.m., there was an announcement by the presiding officer that dinner was available, but there would be no break in the consideration of measures. As far as we know, no food fights developed, as lawmakers grabbed some sustenance, and carried on through the final 25 bills of the evening.

All this on top of 116 measures dealt with Monday by the Assembly and another session starting at 9:30 a.m. when both the Assembly and Senate will be in simultaneous debates.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Legislation to bring marriage equality to California has reached Governor Schwarzenegger's desk once before and stands a good chance of making it again. Democrats in California really want to see marriage equality, and despite his self-serving election year scribble of the veto pen during the last go-around, most of us suspect that the governor secretly supports marriage equality too. We at CMR have done our part to get the governor on our side publicly, from appealing to the governor's desire to see California's economy prosper, to noting trends that make a vote against equality problematic into the future, to highlighting real life cases of anti-gay discrimination that impact thousands of LGBTIQ Californians every year, including prominent members of the governor's own staff. While we remain hopeful that the governor will embrace our message and do the right thing, we aren't holding our breath in anticipation.