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[bob_arctor]

WASHINGTON - A Senate committee approved a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage Thursday, after a shouting match that ended when one Democrat strode out and the Republican chairman bid him "good riddance."

"I don't need to be lectured by you. You are no more a protector of the Constitution than am I," Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., shouted after Sen. Russ Feingold (news, bio, voting record) declared his opposition to the amendment, his affinity for the Constitution and his intention to leave the meeting.

"If you want to leave, good riddance," Specter finished.

"I've enjoyed your lecture, too, Mr. Chairman," replied Feingold, D-Wis., who is considering a run for president in 2008. "See ya."

Amid increasing partisan tension over President Bush's judicial nominees and domestic wiretapping, the panel voted along party lines to send the constitutional amendment — which would prohibit states from recognizing same-sex marriages — to the full Senate, where it stands little chance of passing.

Democrats complained that bringing up the amendment is a purely political move designed to appeal to the GOP's conservative base in this year of midterm elections. Under the domed ceiling of the ornate and historic President's Room off the Senate floor, senators voted 10-8 to send the measure forward.

Among Feingold's objections was Specter's decision to hold the vote in the President's Room, where access by the general public is restricted, instead of in the panel's usual home in the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Specter later said he would have been willing to hold the session in the usual room had he thought doing so would change votes.

Not all those who voted "yes" support the amendment, however. Specter said he is "totally opposed" to it, but felt it deserved a debate in the Senate.

"Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman," reads the measure, which would require approval by two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of the states.

"Neither this Constitution, nor the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman," it says.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has scheduled a vote on the proposed amendment the week of June 5.

The issue has ignited a cultural and political debate over what constitutes marriage and the legal rights of gay partners.

Earlier this week, Georgia announced it will appeal a judge's ruling that struck down its voter-approved ban on gay marriage. Gov. Sonny Perdue said he will call a special legislative session if the state Supreme Court doesn't rule on the issue soon.

The Georgia constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage was approved by 76 percent of the state's voters in November 2004. On Tuesday, however, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Constance C. Russell ruled the measure violated the Georgia constitution's single-subject rules for ballot questions.

The issue has been on the political radar across the nation for more than two years.

On Election Day in 2004, a presidential year, initiatives on gay marriage and civil unions were on the ballot in 11 states, driven in part by opposition to the Massachusetts state Supreme Judicial Court's recognition of same-sex marriage and Republican calculations that the issue would send conservative voters to the polls.

Two states — Louisiana and Missouri — had approved bans earlier in the year.

If anyone can find a complete transcript of this (I'm sure Feingold gave as good as he got), please either post or link it.

Wonder if Feingold got in any digs about the illegal wiretapping/data mining.

 

[Crisis]

Fuck Arlen Specter. That's all I've got to say.

 

[winter]

Arlen Specter is a good senator but sometimes I think his party has such a stranglehold on him that his actions don't reflect the way he feels.

 

[maynerd]

I'm glad they got their priorities straight. We can't have these gay people getting married. I mean...if we allow them to get married...what's next people marrying animals?

 

[Crisis]

Not all those who voted "yes" support the amendment, however. Specter said he is "totally opposed" to it, but felt it deserved a debate in the Senate.

FLIP-FLOP!

 

[Kai Dracon]

That boys kissing boys and girls kissing girls is spun up into such a firestorm issue at a time when there are so many infinitely more dire threats to basic survival on Earth, is another testament to the fundamental insanity of the human condition.

 

[Cool]

FLIP-FLOP!

That is not a flip flop, Arlen Spector is just putting it to the floor for debate, if he blantantly says he is just doing it to have it debated and that he wants to vote against it, it is not a flip flop, especially if he expresses this all at the same time. It can be a way of making it clear to the public and to the social right that marriage should be controlled by the state like it always has been.

I really do not think it'll have the votes, there are enough moderate Republicans (Chafee, Spector, etc.) in the senate to side with the Democrats and vote aginst it. Not only that, when Arlen Spector was appointed to this committee to be the chairman, the Republicans were all pissy about it because of how centrist he is on social issues and in general.

The point is, Spector is definitely not the poster boy for bashing on gay marriage and certainly should not be the one who is attacked. If there is anyone you should be pissed at, it should be the social righties like Frist and Santorum. Spector is just doing his job and upholding his promise to his party he made when appointed to his job he serves on the judicial committed when it caused so much controversy because of how moderate he usually is.

Besides, wouldn't you rather have a centrist like Spector than some righty? Atleast we have someone like Spector who is willing to stand up and hold the NSA accountable and hold hearings for the wiretaps unlike some right wing Republican who would just say "oh well, if Bush did it, I'm sure it is ok."

Even though I am a Democrat myself, I got to stand up for my senator who has been good at working with both sides.

 

[Hitokage]

I agree, but the problem is that there aren't enough sane republicans to go around.

 

[Cool]

I agree, but the problem is that there aren't enough sane republicans to go around.

Well, this issue is a pretty big contradiction on their part. They are amending for the issue of marriage which has always been an issue controlled by the state, and they are always complaining and rallying for state's rights.

 

[Incognito]

FWIW, the vote is scheduled for 6-06-06. Coincidentally, that's the date Ann Coulter's new book reaches bookshelves across the nation.

 

[bob_arctor]

FWIW, the vote is scheduled for 6-06-06. Coincidentally, that's the date Ann Coulter's new book reaches bookshelves across the nation.

Even more coincidentally, that's the date the Omen re-make debuts. Hmmm...

 

[bob_arctor]

Besides, wouldn't you rather have a centrist like Spector than some righty? At least we have someone like Spector who is willing to stand up and hold the NSA accountable and hold hearings for the wiretaps unlike some right wing Republican who would just say "oh well, if Bush did it, I'm sure it is ok."

Even though I am a Democrat myself, I got to stand up for my senator who has been good at working with both sides.

I happen to think he's just the "good cop" of the bad cop/good cop equation. He puts on a nice show but that's about it. There will be no accounting of anything.

 

[Macam]

I happen to think he's just the "good cop" of the bad cop/good cop equation. He puts on a nice show but that's about it. There will be no accounting of anything.

Exactly. Specter is the kind of person you want to like, but it's all a toothless show which is what makes bob's bolded quote somewhat amusing. It's correct technically, but Specter hasn't actually taken any real action to back up his inquiries and while there's no way of knowing whether Feingold would if he were in the same position, by all accounts, it certainly seems far more likely.

 

[Crisis]

That is not a flip flop, Arlen Spector is just putting it to the floor for debate, if he blantantly says he is just doing it to have it debated and that he wants to vote against it, it is not a flip flop, especially if he expresses this all at the same time. It can be a way of making it clear to the public and to the social right that marriage should be controlled by the state like it always has been.

I really do not think it'll have the votes, there are enough moderate Republicans (Chafee, Spector, etc.) in the senate to side with the Democrats and vote aginst it. Not only that, when Arlen Spector was appointed to this committee to be the chairman, the Republicans were all pissy about it because of how centrist he is on social issues and in general.

The point is, Spector is definitely not the poster boy for bashing on gay marriage and certainly should not be the one who is attacked. If there is anyone you should be pissed at, it should be the social righties like Frist and Santorum. Spector is just doing his job and upholding his promise to his party he made when appointed to his job he serves on the judicial committed when it caused so much controversy because of how moderate he usually is.

Besides, wouldn't you rather have a centrist like Spector than some righty? Atleast we have someone like Spector who is willing to stand up and hold the NSA accountable and hold hearings for the wiretaps unlike some right wing Republican who would just say "oh well, if Bush did it, I'm sure it is ok."

Even though I am a Democrat myself, I got to stand up for my senator who has been good at working with both sides.

Well, I didn't post that trying to be super-serious about it. The term "flip-flop" (which I actually hate) to me means that someone said one thing, then did another. However, it seems to me that if he didn't agree with it, he shouldn't vote for it. That he did tells me that he's clearly whipped at the core by his Republican thug overlords. If he didn't feel like it was right, he shouldn't vote to push it forward just because the neo-Cons on his side of the aisle wanted him to. I'd gladly take a party of more moderate Republicans like Specter, because these crazy-ass neo-Cons are obviously ruining everything. That said, Arlen Specter is no hero for bringing in the telecommunication companies. By all accounts he should be bringing in people from the NSA itself to explain themselves, not the telecommunication companies. Wasn't it Arlen Specter who also refused to swear in those oil executives? He's not as moderate as he seems in public.

 

[Incognito]

Well, I didn't post that trying to be super-serious about it. The term "flip-flop" (which I actually hate) to me means that someone said one thing, then did another. However, it seems to me that if he didn't agree with it, he shouldn't vote for it. That he did tells me that he's clearly whipped at the core by his Republican thug overlords. If he didn't feel like it was right, he shouldn't vote to push it forward just because the neo-Cons on his side of the aisle wanted him to. I'd gladly take a party of more moderate Republicans like Specter, because these crazy-ass neo-Cons are obviously ruining everything. That said, Arlen Specter is no hero for bringing in the telecommunication companies. By all accounts he should be bringing in people from the NSA itself to explain themselves, not the telecommunication companies. Wasn't it Arlen Specter who also refused to swear in those oil executives? He's not as moderate as he seems in public.

Didn't swear in Abu Gonzalez, either. He's all talk when the cameras are pointed on him. When push comes to shove though, he crumbles like a house of cards. But I agree with everything you said.

 

[Cool]

If you look at Senate votes, Spector sides with Democrats more than any other Republican besides like Chafee.

 

[ronito]

Terrorists, pro choice people, hispanic immigrants, and now gay marriage. Man the pubbies are trotting out all the boogie men in preparation for November.

 

[psyadam]

Terrorists, pro choice people, hispanic immigrants, and now gay marriage. Man the pubbies are trotting out all the boogie men in preparation for November.

Yep, that is exactly what this is about. Btw, there is definately no sure bet that the dems will take back the house so make sure you guys vote this year. (vote democrat)