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My personal musings about anything that gets on my radar screen--heavily dominated by politics.

2006-03-25

Same-Sex Benefits Moving Through the Colorado Legislature

and I think the smart move is for Republicans to abstain.

Today, the Colorado House of Representatives tentatively approved a proposal to give same-sex partners legal rights in Colorado, overriding Republican complaints that the measure would degrade marriage.

The next vote on House Bill 1344 could send it to the Senate. The bill proposes putting the question of legal rights for domestic partners on the November ballot.

Get that? This bill merely puts the issue on the November ballot.

It's my opinion that the smart move is to allow this bill to go to the voters. There has not been one--NOT ONE--instance in which the voters of a state voted to give such benefits to same-sex couples, even though a couple of legislatures and one Court have granted such rights. Given that history, I'm pretty comfortable that the voters of this state will not be the first to do such a thing.

So why an abstention? Because smart politics allows the voters to be the ones to smack this down, while an abstention assures that there is no way that this could be used against a GOP lawmaker (for "voting for it.")

Of course, not all of the GOP base is into "smart politics;" there will be those who do not see this forest for the trees. But they will have the opportunity to speak their voice at the ballot box in November.

And they need to see that their voices come through loud and clear.
Posted by: Michael / 3/25/2006 01:05:00 AM

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