A day after New York turned back gay marriage rights, a New Jersey senator said the Garden State would pick up the slack next week. State Sen. Ray Lesniak, a Democrat, told a group of protesters  the state’s Judiciary Committee would vote on a marriage rights bill on Monday. If all goes according to plan, the bill will be considered by the state’s Senate next Thursday.

“On Thursday the full Senate is going to vote on marriage equality,” said Lesniak, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.” And God be willing, we’ll have 21 votes.”

Time is of the essence in New Jersey because lame-duck Gov. Jon Corzine has promised he would sign any marriage rights bill that came across his desk. Governor-elect Chris Christie, who will be sworn in on January 19, has assured he would veto any bill.

This is a 180 degree turnaround from what New Jersey pols were saying late last month. Then there was talk about the time not being right for a marriage equality conversation.

What will happen? Will New Jersey lawmakers follow their Empire State colleagues and put the smack down on same sex marriage? Will they take an opportunity to show New Yorkers how rights are really done (and ensure gay dollars for a state that has financial woes)? I’ve made too many predictions when it comes to marriage  (have to say I’m surprised the defeat was so crushing in New York), so I’ll hush. New Jersey residents? What say you?

Looks like marriage in New Jersey is a no go. There was talk that Democrats, who run both houses of the Legislature, were going to compose a bill for lame duck Gov. Jon S. Corzine to sign; he said a gay marriage bill would get his John Hancock. Well those Democrats are now making the “maybe it’s not time” argument and if not now don’t expect much in the future. The Garden State’s new governor, Christopher J. Christie, has made it clear he’s not for the institution.

Predictably gays in New Jersey are feeling funky.

“If the Democrats don’t enact marriage equality now, after years of telling us to wait, wait, wait, it will cause a huge schism between the state Democratic Party and not just the gay community, but the entire progressive base,” said Steven Goldstein, head of Garden State Equality. “And it could change the political landscape of New Jersey permanently.”

If only. Yes New Jersey gays will rightfully wonder what it takes for Democrats to make a push for marriage, but this is typical. They ask that we work to get them elected, say with tears how their best professor in college was gay, and take a gratuitous shot at the GOP. We do our duty, volunteer, vote and such, to only be told, with those same tears, that now is not the time.  We get hopping mad, talk some noise about the people united will never be defeated or the revolution won’t be televised, but return to the very pols who keep pushing us off.

Maybe it’s time to remember the words of writer Michael Joseph Gross:

“The national gay rights movement is trapped between activism and politics, between anger and ambition. We are trapped between wanting equal rights and wanting to get invited to parties at the White House.”

1. Why does  anyone care what former New York Times reporter Jayson Blair thinks?

2. Should  lame duck governor Jon Corzine sign a gay marriage bill?  At first blush, I say no.

3. Why do people always include the word “hot” when they use the term Latin band.

4. Will pushing for gay marriage save New York’s David Paterson?

5. This story about  premature aging for some who are on HIV medications, proves again why safe sex is important. Wear a condom peoples.

6. Congratulations to Charles Pugh and Sandra Kurt. Local elections are just as critical as the national ones.

7. No work for me today. Levi Johnston is apparently in New York for his Playgirl photo shoot.

8. Anyone have any Palm Springs Pride stories? Please if you want to moan about how ashamed you are about Dykes on Bikes or some other “freaks”, keep the diatribe to a minimum. We all know gay marriage would be the law of the land if gays and lesbians just wore J. Crew and acted right.

9. Discovered Hill Street Blues on Hulu. I’m screwed.

10. Too many books. Not enough time.

And – surprise! – MSNBC took back it’s call for Mike Bloomberg for Mayor of NYC. With almost half the precints reporting, he’s tied with Bill Thompson.

“We believe that government should allow people the freedom to marry whomever they love,” Corzine said in his general-election kickoff speech June 2.

Corzine has made his comments in an effort to differentiate himself from his Republican opponent, Christopher J. Christie, who said he would veto a bill allowing same-sex marriage.

“New Jersey is undergoing a sea change in how politicians are looking at marriage equality,” said Steven Goldstein, chairman of Garden State Equality. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that when a candidate campaigns on an issue, it’s not only because he or she believes in the issue, but also because the candidate believes it’s a political plus.”

In 2005, Corzine said in his campaign that “the fundamental and traditional view of marriage is between a man and a woman.” In 2006, he signed a civil-unions bill that granted equal rights to gay and lesbian couples.

Read the full Philly.com story here.