by Chairman Art Torres [courtesy of Party Line]

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

There's no suggestion that all of these are for same-sex weddings; it is June and lots of people get married around this time, after all.  But already the number of licenses issued exceed a traditional week in June.  I think we can reasonably aver that at least 2,000 of these are from same-sex couples.

4,000-plus people's lives and loving relationships have been affirmed in just a couple days.  That's nice.

Meanwhile, Virginia is SCARED OOGABOOGA!!!  Actually, random nuts in Virginia are scared, even though their state has already passed a constitutional ban.  It's worth remembering that, while this is a great week for California, the struggle for recognition and rights is a long way from being over.

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of Blog for America]

The California Supreme Court ruled that it is unconstitutional for the state to deny same sex couples the right to marry.  So, starting this month, gay and lesbian couples all over California will have the ability to marry.  However, a ballot initiative has qualified for the November election that, if passed, would amend California's Constitution to ban marriage equality for good.  The Washington Post takes a look at the potential legal ramifications and confusion that could ensue if this ballot measure were to pass:

On Monday, a ballot measure allowing voters to define marriage as a union "between a man and a woman" was certified for the Nov. 4 election. Two days later, the California Supreme Court refused to rehear the same-sex marriage case or delay its decision legalizing such marriages, effective June 16.

The developments -- victories for both sides of the debate -- have engendered questions, most notably this: If California voters ban same-sex marriage in November, what happens to the thousands of couples expected to wed between the middle of this month and then?

It's a question no one can answer, say legal experts, who can only make predictions as California barrels down this untraveled legal path.

Danny
Communications Director

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

We've heard some pretty creative solutions for easing the budgetdeficit. Now, Governor Schwarzenegger has weighed in with another: lowering the number of annual inspections for smog tests and nail salons,among others, according to the Sacramento Bee. We could care less aboutthe salons, but the drop in smog checks seems troubling when we'retrying to cut back on emissions.

In a move that should raise more than a few eyebrows, the Ken CountyClerk has announced that she will stop performing all weddings on June17, which happens to be the first day same-sex couples can start receiving licenses,according to the Los Angeles Times. The clerk has claimed financialconstraints, but records show correspondence between her office and aconservative Christian legal defense fund. Coincidence?

Our senior Senator Dianne Feinstein was chief peacemaker this weekbetween Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, offering her Washington homefor a private meeting between the two candidates and helping to bringClinton's historic campaign to a close, the San Francisco Chroniclereports.

There's more... 

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

The California Field Poll, long considered the gold standard of state polls, has just released a survey of 1052 California voters that shows the ground has shifted on same sex marriage and by a large margin they support same-sex marriage and will defeat a measure that looks likely to qualify for the November ballot. The results are unmistakable as Field asked a number of questions in a number of different ways over a ten day period ending Monday.

By a margin of 51% to 42% California voters support allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry. Split into a random subsample, by a 54% to 40% margin, voters oppose the idea of changing the California State Constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman, thereby barring marriage between gay and lesbian couples. Another subsample, by a 51% to 43% margin, would vote against a November ballot initiative defining marriage as between a man and a woman.

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]