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Loading ...Polls Show Anti-Gay Amendments Gaining In FL, CA
10.09.2008 5:33pm EDT
(Washington) New polls in both Florida and California show that support for constitutional amendments barring same-sex marriage is gaining strength.
In Florida, a Mason-Dixon poll found that 55 percent of likely voters supported the gay-marriage amendment, while 34 percent were against it. Eleven percent were undecided.The poll indicates that support comes close to the 60 percent threshold needed to pass, indicating it will be those voters who currently are undecided who will tip the balance.
"There just seems to be the trend where the undecided voters just sort of fall down on the anti-gay side," Mason-Dixon polling director Brad Coker told the Orlando Sentinel which sponsored the survey.
Florida already has a law restricting marriage to opposite-sex couples, but supporters of the amendment say the law could be overturned in court.
Opponents say in addition to barring gay marriage it would bar civil unions and would be used to deny partner benefits not only to same-sex couples but also to unmarried couples who live together.
Yes2Marriage, the group backing the amendment, called the assertion it would impact opposite-sex unmarried couples a red herring.
The Mason-Dixon poll of 625 registered voters had a margin of error of 4 percentage points.
In California, a Survey USA poll taken for four TV stations across the state, showed that there has been a shift to support for a similar amendment. The survey found that 47 percent of likely voters would support the measure, known as Prop. 8, with 42 percent opposing it.
The poll is the first in California — one of two states which allow same-sex marriage — to show there is enough support to pass the amendment.
The survey, however, used what is regarded as a small sampling and was taken shortly after supporters of the proposed amendment launched a major ad campaign in the state.
Nevertheless, opponents of the amendment said they were being outspent in advertising and launched a major appeal for money.
A considerable amount of support on both sides is coming from outside California.
This week senior elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made a televised appeal from Salt Lake City for 30 members from each California congregation to donate four hours a week to the anti-gay marriage campaign.
They also called on young married couples and single Mormons to use the Internet by text messaging and blogging to help pass the initiative.
The third state where a proposed amendment to restrict marriage to opposite-sex couples is on the November ballot is Arizona.
A poll earlier this month found that 49 percent of those polled support the amendment while 42 percent are opposed. Ten percent are undecided.
Just in from Advocate.com:
The Connecticut Supreme Court issued a 4-3 decision in favor of eight gay couples who were the plaintiffs in Kerrigan & Mock v. the Connecticut Department of Public Health, effectively legalizing same-sex marriage in the state. Connecticut will now become the third state in the country behind Massachusetts and California where gay couples are allowed equal access to marriage. Similar to California and Massachusetts, out of state couples will be eligible to marry in Connecticut.
God I hope your correct. I was born and raised in Calif. and now live in Fl. Moved here 2.5 yrs ago. I hate it here and want to come home, but will not if 8 passes. I am waiting to see what happens.
I also did some research on the constitutionality of the Prop 8 Constitutional Amendment and agree that if it passes it will be overturned by the CA Supreme Court because gay marriage was approved based on a fundamental tenant of equality in the CA Constitution and that cannot be changed by voter referendums. So why was the amendment allowed to proceed? Here is some history: After investigating further I wanted to know if other initiative constitutional amendments had previously be struck down by the court and I found a research paper on the internet from the CRB California Research Bureau, California State Library entitled, “CALIFORNIA’S STATEWIDE INITIATIVE PROCESS” (May 1997). The following section may be of interest:
“The courts are the principal check on the initiative process, given lack of legislative review and scrutiny. Their role is increasingly controversial. From 1964 to 1996, state and/or federal courts either partially or fully struck down 18 of the 41 constitutional and statutory initiative measures approved by California voters.13 Recent examples of initiatives undergoing judicial review include: Propositions 140 (state term limits), 187 (services for immigrants), 184 (“Three Strikes”), 208 (campaign finance reform), 209 (affirmative action), 213 (uninsured motorists) and 218 (local taxes).
The following are some key court findings that affect the initiative process:
* The Supreme Court has occasionally ordered the Secretary of State not to place a measure on the ballot due to an improper topic (American Federation of Labor v. Eu, 1982).
* The courts will not intervene prior to an election to settle the issue of constitutionality (Brosnahan v. Eu, 1982).
* If an initiative measure affects multiple parts of the constitution, it may be invalid as a “constitutional revision,” which Article XVIII specifies can only be accomplished through constitutional convention or legislative proposal.”
Morgan, the list of states without anti-gay marriage amendments are dwindling. It may get to the dismal point where you only have a choice between Massachusetts and leaving the country (for your vacation). There are only a dozen states without them. And chances are at least 1 or 2 more this November.
This country’s “democracy” consists largely of distracting the ignorant masses with ridiculous referendums on gays, illegal immigrants, and teenage pregnancy (the electoral equilvalent of showing shiny objects to a monkey). It makes them think they actually have power. Meanwhile, the ruling class continues to secretly horde the wealth for themselves.
If Florida or CA get trashed by these antigay amendments, I will never set foot in those states again.
I don’t give my tourism dollar to antigay amendment states.
Don’t worry, there are rebuttals in San Jose, two No on Prop 8 commurcials. Yes on 8 only has that one “it’s gonna happen” trash and you know…I dunno anyone stupid enough to fall for it
I used to belong to the Mormon church… been to the temple, on a mission, and BYU…
They used the same tactics to rouse their members to campaign against and defeat the Equal Rights Amendment back in ‘79. They claim they don’t campaign for individuals, but I remember the bishop’s wife giving a sermon before Bush-Dukakis, in which we were told the Democratic party was equal to socialism, which was equal to communism, and communism is satanic, and all Democrats are inspired by Satan. We were told that we would know the “correct” way to vote. The irony today is that they also believe ALL other churches are inspired by Satan (it’s in their canonized scriptures), yet they are in strong alliance with these same churches, to limit the rights of others.
And what kind of “Christian” church can shell out that kind of dough for political issues as if there is nothing more important on which to spend it? They shelled out the same kind of money from Utah to defeat marriage rights in Hawaii and Alaska.
By the way, for those of Native-American or Polynesian descent, they also believe your ancestors were cursed with dark skin and features because of their wicked ways (the whole story is in the Book of Mormon). They think you descended from some horrible people, yet they will shell out millions to save you from the gays!
I think if more people knew these facts about that church, fewer people would take them seriously.
Yes, Obama should just mention “NO” on 8 and that would really make a HUGE difference!
The NO side will always vote “NO”, they will NEVER be swayed. The “Yes” side will always vote “YES”, they will NEVER be swayed. So, unfortunately it does come down to the undecided voters. And it takes enormous amounts of money to advertise, during a Presidential election no less, and get the word out to the undecided voters! I have donated money to all three campaigns, CA – “No” on Prop. 8, AZ – “No” on Prop. 102 and FL – “No” on Amendment 2! I have also spoken and written to all of my friends and family that live in those States to donate and volunteer and those that live outside of those States to donate.
My next step is that I will stop buying my daily mocha frappuccinos at Starbuck$ and instead donate the money that I would have spent daily (about $5) to “NO” on Prop. 8, since same-gender marriage is legal in California and it’s better for all of us if AZ and FL go down, but CA stays legal!
California – Vote “NO” on Prop. 8!
Arizona – Vote “NO” on Prop. 102! AGAIN!
Florida – Vote “NO” on Amendment 2!
I second Chris Sullivan’s comments about the Mormons and the time to leave.
And it’s no wonder public support is waning in Calif. All I’ve seen in Los Angeles is the continually running ad for Prop 8 that’s filled with lies. Where’s the rebuttal? What’s going on?
Would it be too much to ask of Obama to simply do a 10 second add saying “Vote No on Prop 8″? It would take so little effort on his part, but could literally be the difference between equality and bigotry. Obama wants our vote, then why isn’t he advocating for our equality?
Even if Prop 8 is passed in California (still highly unlikely…cause these polls are like the ones that have McCain ahead of Obama…) the california Supreme Court has already indicated in their ruling that they will nullify the proposition. Their Wisdom? Constitutions CANNOT take away rights of the people. Period. Let them waste their money.
Chim – great to hear people as motivated as yourself and best of luck in your efforts!
I live in Florida, the southern Baptist Crusade in which the elderly move to, to retire. I’m doing everything I possibly can to spread unity and equality for everyone that has been born in the US and some foreigners to stop spreading Hatred. I guess I’ll have to go out in traffic to spread my word of equality, scary as it sounds, that is what I’m going to forced to do.
When the Morons er… Mormons… start dictitating policy in this country, it really WILL be time to leave.