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September 14, 2009 09:27 PM UTC

Polis Seeks "Defense of Marriage Act" Repeal

  • 29 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

From the Colorado Independent Friday:

Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Polis has signed on as a lead co-sponsor of legislation that will be introduced next week to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage exclusively as the union between one man and one woman, The Advocate reports. The bill’s sponsor, Democratic U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, plans to unveil a full repeal of the 1996 federal law – including elimination of a section telling states not to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states – Tuesday at the Capitol…

Nadler said the bill has more than 50 House supporters so far, including Polis and U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, a Wisconsin Democrat, but the Washington Blade reports that Massachusetts Democrat Barney Frank – the senior openly gay member of Congress – isn’t among them.

Frank said he has “strategic differences” with supporters of the DOMA repeal. “”It’s not anything that’s achievable in the near term,” Frank told the Blade, adding that Congress has enough on its plate with a host of other gay-rights proposals, including overturning the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and passing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Frank also said he thought Nadler’s plan to recognize gay marriages in states that outlaw it could “stir up unnecessary opposition” in Congress.

Comments

29 thoughts on “Polis Seeks “Defense of Marriage Act” Repeal

  1.    Unfortunately, this will stir up the wing nuts. Even if an outright repeal were to pass the House (a possibility), there is no way the Dems get to 60 in the Senate.  And I imagine some of the right wingers would love nothing more than to filibuster such a bill.

     The better approach: take the most offensive section of DOMA (e.g., the denial of federal benefits to lawfully-married same sex couples like joint income tax filing, social security benefits, and immigration law protections) and repeal that section by running repeal measure as an amendment to a “must-pass” piece of legislation.

    1. I disagree on your reading of the senate. I’d love to see the GOP caucus even try to get to 40 votes and filibuster this thing. They’ll end up eating each other alive and looking like bridge trolls on national television, especially since there’s no way senators like the ladies from Maine can afford to be lumped in with mad men like Inhofe or DeMint.

      I think the trolls will rant from the floor and stir the dust up with the haters, but if the GOP leadership actually goes to bat against DOMA repeal, I’ll be (pleasantly) surprised. I’m tired of the haters driving the national conversation and agenda.  

      1. If voters reject the repeal, then Snow and Collins vote for cloture.  In addition to the remaining 38 Repubs, at least thre of the following Dems would vote against cloture:  Ben Nelson, Robert Byrd, Mary Landrieu, Jim Webb, Mark Begich, Harry Reid, Evan Bayh, Blanche Lincoln, Bob Casey, and/or Kay Hagen.

          DOMA was only enacted 13 years ago, and I still remember the overwhelming margins by which it pased both houses with a substantial number of votes from Dems.

        1. I wonder if there have been any recent polls on that in Maine. Didn’t one of our Polsters head out there? Time for an update from the ground level.

          Regardless, if Harry Reid doesn’t let it get to the floor, then that’s that.

          But I think the country has come a long way in those 13 years.  

            1. Hey Everyone,

              Right now, there has not been any public polling. I will toss some up once there is. We have been on TV for 3 weeks unanswered by the other side. We hear they hit tv this week, and also had a massive faith rally with Dobson and others yesterday.

              Snow and Collins have punted this issue to a states rights issue. We keep working on them but all and all we doubt they will come out to support us.

              See our ads at

              http://www.youtube.com/watch?v

              http://www.youtube.com/watch?v

              – Andy Szekeres

                1. They punt any ballot question like this as a states issue.  There is a culture here in Maine where federal pols do not get involved  in state ballot campaigns.

                  I would assume Olympia could be moved.  

    2. .

      [I don’t know if that’s the case,

      but he is in a position to know if the votes are there.  So is Congressman Frank.]

      If he knows that there’s no chance of passage, and if he knows in advance that any time or “idiosyncratic credits” or “political capital” invested will be wasted,

      how is this the right thing to do ?

      In what way is this NOT an empty symbolic gesture ?

      .

      1. Because sometimes bills get introduced several times, over several years, before they gain enough support to finally pass. It’s also got a better chance of passing this year than it does next year.

          1. No, he’s a Congressman. Congress has an agenda, and right now it’s health care. Passing bills successfully matters. Fucking up one bill prevents all your other bills from passing as well.

            To an activist, the goals are completely different. Activists put pressure on Congressmen. Not the other way around.

            Come up with a smarter analogy. I’m almost certain you’re capable of it.

              1. between Barney Frank and Jared Polis, I’ll go with Barney Frank every single time. Frank gets bills passed, Polis doesn’t.

                A serious gay rights bill would cover DADT, ENDA, and DOMA. It would be very hard to pass, requiring months of solid campaigning and arm-twisting, but it’s certainly worth doing. And it won’t pass unless we’re willing to devote everything to it, which means ignoring other issues.

                The civil rights act didn’t pass because good and kind people wished hard enough. It passed partly because Kennedy had been shot, partly because of the countless protests some of which resulted in very violent images, and partly because of strong Congressional leaders who steamrolled the opposition. We don’t have any of that, which means it’s going to be even harder. How hard are you willing to work for it? How hard is Polis willing to work for it?

    1. If you are a member of a gay or lesbian couple that desperately needs to file joint federal tax income forms, receive inheritance rights, use a spouse’s health benefits, etc; then you might think that this is the most important thing facing congress.

  2. ‘including elimination of a section telling states not to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.”

    I believe that language is merely permissive…other states don’t have to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states, but they are not prohibited from doing so.  

    1. which is why the law tells, rather than requires, states not to follow the Full Faith and Credit clause. DOMA establishes that states don’t recognize other states’ same-sex marriages, which would be the default position, unless the states enact recognition.

    1. Here’s what Polis had to say a few months ago about the timing:

      President Obama needs to honor his promise to repeal this law and end its needlessly divisive and harmful impact on our nation. I again call on him to work with us in Congress to help pass legislation, ending this hateful and divisive law.

      As the New York Times editorialized yesterday, “busy calendars and political expediency are no excuse for making one group of Americans wait any longer for equal rights.”

      http://coloradoindependent.com

  3. The last administration and the Republican majority made attempts to curtail rights of certain Americans, as well as the rights of the states in which they live.

    It’s only right to remove said legislation and further extend their freedom to live their lives as they see fit.

    I guess the opponents of this legislation are against freedom. Why do they hate America?

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