Deval Patrick on Marriage Equality

[Ian David]

In the formula, what's the value for:

Good Intentions + Power + Charisma = ?

Our governor claims that he expects it to bring the defeat of the anti-marriage-equality amendment in this year's Constitutional Convention. Speaking to bloggers in Boston Latin's basement room 023 yesterday after his first town-hall meeting, he said he was working with present -- and past -- legislative leaders to make that happen.

I remain to be convinced, but at least the attitude is right.

As a refresher:

* This amendment would stop same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, taking away rights from one minority by putting discriminatory limits in the constitution for that purpose for the first time.
* The ballot-initiative process requires a 25% vote of the 200 member legislature in two consecutive ConCon sessions.
* The last count we saw gave the anti-equality people 56 to 58 votes, plenty to put it on the 2008 ballot, and guarantee a lobbying and vitriol fest for the year and one-half until November 2008.
* The new senate president, Therese Murray, is a marriage-equality supporter, as is House Speaker Sal DiMasi, but she calls for a vote on the matter and ruled out any parliamentary procedures to defeat it.
* Politicians and interest groups on both sides are scrambling to lock in votes before a vote, which could come as early as May 5th.

More:
http://massmarrier.blogspot.com/2007/03/deval-patrick-on-marriage-equality.html