Marriage Reactions

Marriage Reactions

Gov. Culver cautious: "The next responsible step is to thoroughly review this decision, which I am doing with my legal counsel and the Attorney General, before reacting to what it means for Iowa.”

Mike Gronstal and Pat Murphy solidly favorable: "When all is said and done, we believe the only lasting question about today's events will be why it took us so long. It is a tough question to answer because treating everyone fairly is really a matter of Iowa common sense and Iowa common decency." Translation: Not this session.

Senate GOP leader Paul McKinley: "Though the court has made their decision, I believe every Iowan should have a voice on this matter and that is why the Iowa Legislature should immediately act to pass a Constitutional Amendment that protects traditional marriage, keeps it as a sacred bond only between one man and one woman and gives every Iowan a chance to have their say through a vote of the people.”

Senator Matt McCoy, the only out legislator:

I believe marriage equality is here to stay. And Iowans will quickly realize that it is no big deal.

Today Iowa is sending a message to young people, both gay and straight. If you are looking for a great place to live, a place where people treat their neighbors with respect, come to Iowa to work, to invest and to raise a family.

I’m so proud to be an Iowan today. Thanks for celebrating with us. And whether you’re gay or straight, think about coming to Iowa to get married.

Tom Harkin, not sounding happy:

"My personal view has been that marriage is between a man and a woman, and I have voted in support of that concept. But I also fundamentally believe that same sex couples in a civil union should be entitled to all the basic legal protections and benefits of marriage. The Court found that it is necessary to afford same sex couples the ability to marry in order to allow them those legal protections and benefits. I will respect and support that decision and I hope that other Iowans can do the same."

Which gets a big raspberry from Janelle Rettig: "Thank goodness Tom Harkin isn't on the Supreme Court. I'm betting he hasn't read the Iowa Consitution in a long, long time. His lead off statement undermines anything else he has to say and show that he just doesn't get it."

Dave Loebsack:
"Today is an important day for many Iowa families. The beliefs of every Iowan should be respected and I understand that many people have strong opinions regarding this issue. The unanimous Supreme Court decision should be respected as a continuation of Iowa’s long standing national leadership in ending discrimination and protecting the rights of all of our citizens."

Bruce Braley:

“While Iowans will disagree over today’s historic Supreme Court ruling, it’s important to remember that we’re all neighbors,” Braley said. “The Court unanimously found that gay couples are entitled to equal protection under the Iowa Constitution. This ruling marks a big change in how our state defines marriage, which is both unsettling to many Iowans and welcome to many others. Either way, we must come together as Iowans to resolve our differences on this divisive issue and ensure that no Iowan is discriminated against because of race, creed, sex, or sexual orientation.”

Steve King, worth reading in all his Worst Person In The World rage:

“This is an unconstitutional ruling and another example of activist judges molding the Constitution to achieve their personal political ends. Iowa law says that marriage is between one man and one woman. If judges believe the Iowa legislature should grant same sex marriage, they should resign from their positions and run for office, not legislate from the bench.

“Now it is the Iowa legislature’s responsibility to pass the Marriage Amendment to the Iowa Constitution, clarifying that marriage is between one man and one woman, to give the power that the Supreme Court has arrogated to itself back to the people of Iowa. Along with a constitutional amendment, the legislature must also enact marriage license residency requirements so that Iowa does not become the gay marriage Mecca due to the Supreme Court’s latest experiment in social engineering.”

Marriage liveblog

Marriage liveblog

Good morning from the Johnson County Administration Building where we are waiting for the ruling.

My computer is still in the shop so this is my first phone liveblog.

Recorder Kim Painter brought coffee and rolls for the crowd of 20.

The court site seems to be overloaded.

Janelle Rettig is showing Painter pictures: "Here you are telling us we can't get married" in 2004 (when a big group of people came in to test the law).

Other electeds here; Supervisor Rod Sullivan, Rep. Mary Mascher and County Attorney Janet Lyness waiting to interpret. (She has a ruling in the Fry murder trial at 10--busy day.)

Rep. Vicki Lensing calls with the ruling and marriage is OK! Cheers all around, many hugs and tears of joy

"Open the gates," shouts someone.

350,000 hits on court site.

No additonal details. "We have to read the ruling" says Painter.

Details trickle in - not today says Lyness. wait for procedendo, usually a couple weeks. Sounds like it was not sent back to Legislature. Appeal to US Supremes unlikely since this is based on IA constitution. "The district court decision was so clear and so well thought out I couldn't see the supreme court overturning it," says Lyness.

"I have that constitutional amendment in State Government and that is not going anywhere" says Mascher. "It missed the funnel." Says possible legislation would leave religious institutions alone.

"All my kids are now treated equally" says Robin Butler's mom. Talk of tax returns, Canada (Janelle and Robin were married there in 2003 so can't get married here, because they can't swear they aren't already married.)

Decision unanimous, Lyness not surprised.

Mascher says this could be a big economic development tool for Iowa because of no residency requirement. "If I were the Sheraton or the Riverside casino I'd be putting together a wedding package now," says Janelle Rettig.

Mascher says legislators discussed the issue in a Democratic caucus yesterday and while some members support the constitutional amendment, people understand fairness and equality. "They may not like gay marriage, but they get fairness." The passage of the civil rights and bullying bills helped. "We passed those and no one got beat because of it."

Painter says the first couple has arrived and she's keeping the application on file.

"I'm so proud to live here," says Mascher. "It's a super day to be Iowans."


Full ruling here (pdf). Marriages start Friday, April 24.

Latham No on Republican Budget

Latham Votes No on Republican "Budget" (sic) Alternative

On the one that counted, of course, Iowa's Tom Latham voted no along with every single House Republican (again). But score one for symbolism: Latham was one of the 38 Republicans who voted against the relatively number-free Republican budget.

Leonard Boswell did not join the 20 Dems opposing the Obama-backed real budget. Perhaps that primary challenge last year kept him from joining his fellow Blue Dogs (and, voting no for the opposite reason, Dennis Kucinich.)

More Iowa Gay Marriage

More Marriage

Several sources indicate that the Legislature is unlikely to take marriage equality up next year, either way.

Kim Painter adds: "Perhaps to evoke what I said of George W, Bush, when he advocated a constitutional ban at the federal level in 2004. I said his legal reasoning in the matter was 'a complete Constitutional embarrassment.' So would a negative ruling tomorrow be, were it to flatly uphold current Iowa law."

And Janelle Rettig writes: "Meet on the Pentacrest at 5:30 for a rally about the Iowa Supreme Court ruling either way. Corner of Clinton and Iowa, Iowa City. Family, friends, allies, signs, all are welcome to share this day together."

Iowa Gay Marriage Ruling Due Friday

Painter Prepares for Possibility of Gay Marriages

The Johnson County Recorder said she's preparing for the possibility that gay marriage will be legal in Iowa tomorrow. But Kim Painter said she anticipates some delay will be included in the Varnum v. Brien ruling. The ruling is scheduled to be posted on the Iowa Supreme Court web site by 8:30 Friday.

"I think it's very likely there will be some sort of stay" to allow more preparation time, said Painter, adding that the Supreme Court would not want to create 'stampede' situations at courthouses. But if the Court's ruling is effective immediately, Painter said she would promptly begin issuing licenses.

"I'm checking with the Department of Public Health on the forms," said Painter. "Do we have to cross off 'bride' and 'groom?' I don't want some bureaucrat to invalidate my marriages."

Painter said she is also working with the county attorney and sheriff in preparation for Friday morning. She said another possibility would be that the Court rules the marriage law unconsitutional but sends the matter back to the legislature for resolution. "The legislature is limited on how quickly it can act--two General Assemblies."

Most observers had expected the ruling to come after this year's Legislative session had ended. If the ruling is in favor of gay marriage, Republicans are expected to pursue a constitutional amendment. But that would likely stall in the Senate, if not in both chambers. If an amendment would pass two Legislatures, final approval would be up to the voters.

Painter, who chaired the Iowa State Association of Counties last year, was the first openly LGBT elected official in Johnson County history when first elected in 1998 (the Iowa City council now has two LGBT members). She said it would be "a horrible ruling" if the Court overturned Varnum v. Brien and held that Iowa's opposite sex only marriage law is constitutional.

Sales Tax Yes Rollout

"Yes for All" Sales Tax Committee Launches Friday

Backers of the sales tax proposed on the May 5 ballot are launching their campaign Friday with a riverside press conference and a party at the pub that symbolically straddles the Iowa City-Coralville line.

Team Yes is headed up by Coralville teacher Sue Dvorsky, local Obama leader and new vice chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, and Steve McGuire of Iowa City, the art professor who has a habit of jumping in the river to save people's lives.

The committee, dubbed "Yes For All," promises additional prominent names at their rollout Friday afternoon. The penny tax has already been endorsed by the unlikely alliance of the Chamber of Commerce and the leading local labor unions.

The press conference and party locations both got very, very wet last June:

Yes for All Campaign Kickoff Events
Friday, April 3

4:00 PM
Campaign Announcement and Press Conference
Entrance to Lower City Park, Iowa City

5:00 PM
Supporters’ Event and Media Availability
Wig & Pen Pub
1220 Highway 6 West, Iowa City

Conservatism Dying Off

Conservatism Dying Off, Literally

Back in the twilight of the Reagan era, I worked at a country and talk radio station where we had a running joke that our listenership was dropping as our audience died of old age. We read the obituaries on the air, we had the Sunday night polka show, and the highlight of the day was the now recently deceased Paul Harvey.

And just as Reagan himself rotted away from Alzheimers, that audience is fading away in the Obama era. There is, of course, the hard evidence of narrow over-65 support for John McCain being overwhelmed by the two to one youth support for Obama.

"The dirty little secret of conservative talk radio is that the average age of listeners is 67 and rising," writes Michael Wolff in Vanity Fair. "What's more, it's the Internet that is the fast-growing and arguably more powerful political medium -- and it is the province of the young and liberal. The only sensible market view of conservative talk is that it will contract and be reduced, in the coming years, to a much more rarefied format."

Page Two:

Another station of the conservative cross that's fading with the years is the Cuba embargo. The Batista generation is getting older and smaller, and so is a frail Fidel. The three South Florida Cuban-American House seats, represented by the last Hispanic House Republicans, all saw close races last year. Kos thinks the embargo will be gone by the end of the Obama administration's first term.

Page Three:

One senses that Republicans are aware of their aging demographic. That's why they want to cement gay marriage bans into state constitutions now. Support for marriage equality and civil unions is fairly even, but growing, amond the middle aged and young. The anti-gay at the polls have been driven by people of the pre-boomer, pre-Stonewall generation, where homosexuality was discussed only in hushed tones if at all. Cultural conservatives want to win their bans with these votes now, fast, because they see their chances getting slimmer with the years.

The future is ours, progressives, and now you know the rest of the story. I'm John Deeth.... Good DAY?