Will Iowans Uphold Gay Marriage?

[Political Tiger]

The Iowa Supreme Court ruled today that same-sex marriage is protected under that state's constitution.

As in California, there will of course be an effort to amend the state constitution to prohibit gay marriage. In Iowa, however, the hurdle to amending the constitution is fairly high: it will have to be approved by two consecutive sessions of the state legislature and then by a majority of the voters. Most likely, this means that Iowans won't vote on the issue until 2012.

This is good news for defenders of marriage equity, because while you might know it from Proposition 8's victory last year, voter initiatives to ban gay marriage are becoming harder and harder to pass every year.

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/04/will-iowans-uphold-gay-marriage.html

[Veruca Salt]

1. It shouldn't be able to be amended into the states

constitution anyway in my opinion. How can a state take away civil rights? It's also why PropH8 should never EVER have been brought to ballot. Maybe next CA can bring an amendment for reinstatement of a ban on interracial marriage. Asshats.

[tbyg52]

3. That's right. Amending a Constitution to take away civil rights is barbaric. nt

[TheWraith]

6. The highest ranking guy in the IA state legislature has said no go on any amendment.

That he won't even allow debate on it to come to the floor.

[cali]

2. It'll stick.

thankfully, it's difficult to amend the Iowa Constitution and by 2012, it'll be far less of an issue then it is now.

[FreeState]

4. It won't happen by 2012 either - it has to be brought to the floor first

And Democratic leadership has already pledged it won't make it out of comittee. So they have to get GOP majorities in the House and Senate first to bring it to the floor..

[LeftHander]

5. In wisconsin one vote in 2004 lead to the amendment...

If Iowa was going to make a amendment it should of been at the height of Bush and GOP power.


Wisconsin's barely made it through two consecutive years...I highly doubt Iowa will be able to see this as a amendment before SCOTUS declares such amendments unconstitutional.