From a letter I just got from Vermont Democrats:
Governor Douglas said he will veto the Marriage Equality Bill passed by the Senate and about to be debated and voted on in the House. Douglas is wrong on this issue.
He says the debate is a distraction. Forcing a vote to over-ride the veto will distract our legislators from other important work.
He says separate-but-equal is acceptable. It wasn’t acceptable 50 years ago in the South and it’s not acceptable in Vermont now.
Amen.
The e-mail also includes several action steps from the Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force:
- Come to the Statehouse tomorrow, Friday, at 8:45 a.m. We need to thank the Legislators for their leadership and to urge Gov. Douglas to change his mind. The Governor has a Legislative Open Door from 9am-9:30am. We’ll give you more instructions at the Statehouse.
- Call and email Gov. Douglas to express your outrage and urge him to change his mind. It’s not too late. Ph:802 828-3333 (toll-free in VT only: 800 649-6825) Email Gov. Douglas now.
- Contact your own Representative. If your Rep co-sponsored the House bill– thank him or her for his support, and urge your Rep to hold firm in moving S.115. Click here for a list of Representatives.
- Volunteer for Vermont Freedom to Marry: we need help with phone banks, local events, and many other things. Contact Robyn atfield_director@vtfreetomarry.org
- Make a donation. This is going to be a longer and costlier slog than we’d hoped. Please, donate generously. Together, we CAN get this done!
- Rally with us! We’re planning a series of events around the state this weekend– most on Sunday afternoon. Stay tuned for details!
if anything, I think Douglas’ press conference brought any Dems that might have been on the fence firmly over in support of marriage equality.
Time to finish the job! Hope to see lots of folks at the Statehouse tomorrow…
If you need any further proof that the balance has dramatically shifted on the marriage issue, this is it. I have to say that the Dems have not been noted for their courage in recent years; they’ve more often buckled under or ran for cover when confronted by Douglas and the GOP. I vote almost exclusively for Dems, but they can drive you nuts sometimes. Like the entire 2008 campaign, for instance.
So… if the Dem leadership is stepping solidly out front like this, they must see this issue as a political winner. And that’s a true political sea change.
(A sea change not reflected in media coverage, which has gone overboard to give the opposition “equal time” or even more than equal time, and has failed to report on the fact that the opposition has shrunk dramatically since the civil unions debate.)
And the Dems have lots of company. Have you been keeping up with that facebook page to tell Douglas they’re for marriage equality? It started two days ago and already has way over 5,000 friends. http://www.facebook.com/group….
Democrats lead? ……ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, oh my sides hurt
http://www.vtgop.org/NewsBack….
It’s not a valid poll, of course – for many reasons. The structure is that of a typical GOP voter ID campaign.
For those who missed the prior posts, the script of the robocalls asks for one of the following answers:
Here are the results, so far…
Georgia, Fairfax
32% — Not now. The legislature should focus on economic issues.
38% — No, the legislature should not pass same sex marriage.
70%
30% — Yes, the legislature should pass same sex marriage now.
Hardwick, Stannard, Walden
33% — Not now. The legislature should focus on economic issues.
31% — No, the legislature should not pass same sex marriage.
64%
36% — Yes, the legislature should pass same sex marriage now.
Braintree, Brookfield, Granville, Randolph
29% — Not now. The legislature should focus on economic issues.
35% — No, the legislature should not pass same sex marriage.
64%
36% — Yes, the legislature should pass same sex marriage now.
Alburg, Grand Isle, Isle La Motte, Milton, North Hero, South Hero
29% — Not now. The legislature should focus on economic issues.
35% — No, the legislature should not pass same sex marriage.
64%
36% — Yes, the legislature should pass same sex marriage now.
Jericho, Bolton, Underhill
24% — Not now. The legislature should focus on economic issues.
30% — No, the legislature should not pass same sex marriage.
54%
46% — Yes, the legislature should pass same sex marriage now.
Cabot, Danville, Peacham
31% — Not now. The legislature should focus on economic issues.
34% — No, the legislature should not pass same sex marriage.
65%
35% — Yes, the legislature should pass same sex marriage now.
St. Johnsbury
28% — Not now. The legislature should focus on economic issues.
41% — No, the legislature should not pass same sex marriage.
69%
31% — Yes, the legislature should pass same sex marriage now.
Topsham, Groton, Newbury
28% — Not now. The legislature should focus on economic issues.
44% — No, the legislature should not pass same sex marriage.
72%
28% — Yes, the legislature should pass same sex marriage now.
Addison, Ferrisburgh, Panton, Vergennes, Waltham
26% — Not now. The legislature should focus on economic issues.
39% — No, the legislature should not pass same sex marriage.
65%
35% — Yes, the legislature should pass same sex marriage now.
Chelsea, Corinth, Orange, Vershire, Washington, Williamstown
33% — Not now. The legislature should focus on economic issues.
42% — No, the legislature should not pass same sex marriage.
75%
25% — Yes, the legislature should pass same sex marriage now.
Rutland 5-2
34% — Not now. The legislature should focus on economic issues.
34% — No, the legislature should not pass same sex marriage.
68%
32% — Yes, the legislature should pass same sex marriage now.
Rutland 5-3
29% — Not now. The legislature should focus on economic issues.
45% — No, the legislature should not pass same sex marriage.
74%
26% — Yes, the legislature should pass same sex marriage now.
Rutland 5-4
32% — Not now. The legislature should focus on economic issues.
38% — No, the legislature should not pass same sex marriage.
70%
30% — Yes, the legislature should pass same sex marriage now.
Manchester
29% — Not now. The legislature should focus on economic issues.
31% — No, the legislature should not pass same sex marriage.
60%
40% — Yes, the legislature should pass same sex marriage now.
Its clear how bias this poll is. If you really look at the numbers on average only about 35% are saying they do not want to pass gay marriage. Of course you get a different result when you ask 3 questions. What would their poll look like with only the second and third question? Douglas is going against the majority of Vemonters and their fraud poll proves it.