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Loading ...Vanasco: Uproar in NY Senate – gay marriage gone?
The New York Times is reporting that the Democrats have suddenly – and unexpectedly – lost control of the NYS Senate after two Democrats defected.
This comes after gay marriage advocates were fairly confidently predicting that New York State would have gay marriage by Pride. The State Assembly has already voted in favor; the governor has said he’d sign.The Times said:
“Why Mr. Espada and Mr. Monserrate suddenly defected on Monday afternoon was not immediately clear.
One source of contention among Democrats recently has been Mr. Smith’s support for same-sex marriage. Senator Rubén Díaz Jr., a Democrat from the Bronx, has been outspoken in his insistence that legislation allowing gay couples to marry not be allowed to come to a vote. Some had speculated he might leave the Democratic Party if Mr. Smith were to allow a vote.
But Mr. Diaz did not join Mr. Espada and Mr. Monserrate in the leadership vote on Monday. It was not immediately clear whether the same-sex marriage legislation played any role in the leadership dispute.”
This from the New York Daily News:
“Another rumor du jour is that Diaz, who is furious that the gay marriage bill he opposes appears to be gaining some traction in the Senate, would be angry enough with Smith if the measure comes up for a vote on the floor to join the Senate GOP.
I asked Diaz about that, and he said:
“Today? No. Tomorrow? Who knows? Tomorrow is another day. It’s always another day. You ask me do I plan to do that. I say, no. In the future, who knows what the future brings.”
“The only thing I can tell you, and you can interpret this any which way you want: When I give my word, I keep my word. In order for me to break my word, you have to break yours first.”Here’s how I interpret that:
It’s a (typically) cryptic way of Diaz Sr. confirming the worst fears of marriage advocates – that there was indeed a deal between himself and Smith that the gay marriage bill would not come to the floor in exchange for Diaz Sr.’s support of Smith for majority leader.
And now, in Diaz Sr.’s mind, if Smith brings the bill to the floor, all bets are off.”
PolitickerNY says that the coup is completed; Republicans are back in control. The site says that the revolt happened because of unhappiness with leader Malcolm Smith – it was “chaos,” they said.
Whyever it happened, it seems very unlikely that a Republican-controlled NY Senate will allow gay marriage to come up for a vote.
I’m GLAD they defected and I hope Diaz does as well, I’d rather have a true enemy than an untrue friend. We will prevail on this issue – maybe not this time out – but people remember these underhanded tricks and disloyalty and will make their voices heard in the midterm elections.
Is there any chance of a serious primary challenge against Diaz next year?
Is there any chance of serious electoral challenges to Espada and Monserrate? (I don’t know whether to say “primary challenge” or “general election challenge” because I don’t know whether today’s vote means they’ve switched parties.)
I’m sick of it! Sick of those Republican pigs! Heartless…cruel…
Finally some clarity. Now that they’ve defected their seats become a clear target for a takeover by the Democrats. Too bad though that lesbian couple in their 80s are the casuality of this.
It’s hilarious. How many Democrats are becoming Repubulicans these days? Just goes to show how outdated and in the minority their opposition to marriage equality was. Think about it: Can you imagine becoming a Republican if your truly a Democrat?
Don’t count a serious challenge to Diaz because he’s fairly popular in his district. Monserrate and Espada, on the other hand, have various issues (Monserrate had been arrested for beating his girlfriend, but she backed off pressing charges), could get challengers. Don’t know if this chaos is directly related to the marriage vote. It just looks like naked political advantage that unfortunately directly impacts a key issue for us. I know the rogues have been Latino politicians this time, but let’s not group all minorities as anti-gay, especially when a lot of gays and lesbians are racial/ethnic minorities as are many gay-friendly supporters.
For all of those who’s reaction is temerity: I’d rather try, fail and know who my enemies are than wait for so-called better timing. Every day we wait we lose anyway…what’s the diff?
And agree with the complete and utter stupidity of waging a state by state war. What a waste of time…conservatives always win at the local level. Look at retrenchment in abortion rights in the last 20 years for proof of that.
We need to keep this conversation at the federal level and win equal protection under the law. Plain and simple.
I think it’s rather disengenuous for a member to switch political parties after they have been voted into office. Most are voted into office based on party affiliation. My feeling is that they should have to resign their office.
Sad news from New York. BTW, “Whyever” is not a word — “however” is correct usage.
I think we’re seeing a sea change here. The states most of us probably expected to be cinches for marriage equality (NY, CA) may be the last to the party. Smaller states could lead the way here. Why? Because in smaller states people tend to know one another, they are more likely to support their own, and if they’re like New Englanders, they don’t like outside organizations telling them what to do. The ultimate goal is to create such a knot of conflict across the country in regard to marriage/divorce/custody/reciprocity that the feds will have to step in and unify things. Marriage is the province of the state, and for now, that’s in our favor as I can’t imagine the feds supporting us with only six equality states under our belt.
In the end, CA and NY may be irrelevant if we can eventually pick up NJ, MD, DE, RI, WA, OR, NV, and some of the Great Lakes states. We should pursue opportunity wherever it may lie however unexpected.
Oh, and we really need to keep Maine – here is the website of an opposition group: http://www.mainemarriageamendment.com/ The second they get marriage on the ballot we need to be ready to go. We need to discredit them and have a positive message with the means to get it out there…
The NY gay marriage debate is rather stupid. They already recognize same-sex marriages. The only difference is that you have to go to a different state to get the deed done. The state is losing out on money. Its their loss. Gay marriage is ALREADY legal there. I don’t get why we have this strong opposition to sell licenses for something that is already legal.
Anyone changing party affiliation, or who they caucus with, should immediately lose their seat until they win a special election three months after the announcement. Being able to get away with just changing your party or caucus is plainly anti-democratic. That’s not what people voted for.
this ain’t about us guys… this is about power, about money, about politics. before jumping into conclusions, note this: diaz want even among the pple to attempt this coup…
Allow me to blow your mind:
Nearly all of you will vote democrat again in the next elections because you think that somehow it will protect you from republicans.
You will keep donating to Other Peoples Lawsuits because its easier than directly confronting the majority.
You will continue to support slow, tedious legal and legislative gambles to “win” equality one jurisdiction at a time, even if it means you will all die never having seen equality in this country for you or the next generation.
You will not fight. Period. You have proven this. You will wave rainbows, don festive colors and laugh, smile and dance in the streets to music provide by fund-raisers every time you are defeated and call it a protest while the mainstream laughs at you through the television news footage.
You have not changed tactics in 40 years. There is absolutely nothing to lead one to believe that you will change now.
This is why the word “gay” has become a synonym for “lame, stupid and dumb.” And you accept it.
So keep accepting it. You can be men and women in America and fight as such, or you can be “gay” and follow the “gay” herd. You cannot be both.
You do not have a choice in accepting it.
Because you already have.
Ruben Diaz is a Homophobe, why people like this are allowed to tell us who to marry
I have been thinking about this after politicians have been voting against or stopping a winning vote against ,now “good” politicians will have to suffer but TERM LIMITS at least at then end of their final term they will pass anything