Poll: 54 percent back Calif. marriage amendment

Source: Associated Press

More than half of California residents would support amending the state constitution to outlaw gay marriage, according to a poll published Friday.

The Los Angeles Times/KTLA poll of 834 Californians, 705 of them registered voters, found that 54 percent of the voters surveyed backed a gay marriage ban proposed for the November ballot and 35 percent opposed it.

... But with so many months to go before the election and the court's decision only a week old, the survey results suggest the initiative supporters' edge could evaporate, said the newspaper's poll director, Susan Pinkus.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/05/23/state/n135540D86.DTL&tsp=1

California is not a socially liberal state outside of the coastal cities.

Bigger cities are more liberal, rural areas are more conservative.

the chances of the amendment failing are much higher, I think.

Like in Massachusetts, seeing same-sex marriage actually happen will weaken the opposition.

by november.No toaster-ovens please!

The SoS's office has until mid-June to approve it, or insist on a full count of the signatures. Right now it's a random sample, but I have a pretty good idea that this one might need a full count to determine if it has enough valid signatures.

but if the nation polls 54% against to 35% in favor and he does believe in equal marriage rights, than I hope he tries hard not to talk about it much. Sometimes shutting up isn't cowardice, its downright, good tactics. Tactics is something we democrats have been terrible at, and if not talking about same sex marriage rights because polling doesn't support it means he has a better chance of getting the office, than so be it. Right now the Supreme court doesn't favor same sex marriage rights... but we need someone as POTUS who can put the right judges on the bench. He may believe that not introducing this wedge issue until he's elected is a much better plan, and someone like me who is STRONGLY in favor of same-sex marriage, believes that may be the best plan too when I look at polling data like this.

Kindly stick to this serious issue instead of trying to exploit some imagined policy gap between two centrists.

..I see him possibly setting the groundwork for the 2012 elections when he is elected to his second term! :)

Since Hillary won't be around to arouse and unify the republican base.

I don't know why people don't mind their own business.

...and welcome to DU!

I hope the day will come in our lifetime that we will be openly accepted by our government and all citizens of this great country. However, even wishful thinking puts this issue in the 2012 elections at a minimum. The United States has a lot of growing up to do before it will fully accept gay people regardless, if people are urban or rural. Believe me, we live in the city, and we both grew up in the rural countryside of opposite end of the country. Even now, when we go back home, being ourselves would be like inviting the plague on our families still living there.

There has to be a generational shift, and I just don't see Jerry Falwell and his type, including McSame's "former" buddy, dying off before 2010. *joke* My partner and I are celebrating 10 years together next month, and its a crying shame that we have to go out of the country to not be scorned as any number ors types of sinners. Just so we can walk down the street and hold hands together. I am not saying that there are those who do not support us, the GLBT community, I know you are there, and for that at least, we are eternally grateful. Nonetheless, until more of this great nation of ours speaks up, GLBT & Straight in a stronger accord, I only see California as a spark in the darkness. But then again, that is how creation itself started. Peace!

I always do this! Sorry. :(

I think the times they are a changing for Orange County driven initiatives. Even if it gets to the ballot in November, Democratic turnout here will be fierce.

This *isn't* Issa's recall of Davis redux, as much as they may want it to be.

:kick:

I'm not too worried about it. There are, what, 7 months until the next election. That gives Californians plenty of time to get used to the idea of gay Americans in their midst proposing to each other and marrying each other. I'd be interested to see how those numbers change as we get closer to the election.

I will also say that I plan to donate money to orgs dedicated to defending equal marriage rights in California.

Q3JR4.

But if it is, crap like this drags out the fundies. Granted, this time it won't be enough, especially in CA.

Hopefully this amendment will fail (actually that would make it the first state for gay marriage to survive a referendum - these bans have passed EVERY state, including OR) and people will realize that shockingly gay marriage will have no impact on straight people's lives, other than having to buy more silly presents from wherever a couple has a gift registry (well granted, if someone is that tolerant, I think they'd be likely to oppose the ban anyways)..

Force it down the cretins' throats, whether they are "ready" or not. Fuck the bigots. Just like LBJ had to force the issue, we have to force the issue now. It's long past time for complete equality in this country. And the Democratic Party needs to be 100% behind it, regardless of whether or not it costs them some elections. Their (I say their because they are most certainly not MY candidates) candidates are only wishy-washy about the subject of gay marriage equality because they are afraid to lose. It's not about right or wrong with them, it's about winning. And, quite frankly, I am sick of it.

I am sick to death of all the wishy-washy bullshit from the party on this. Just one more reason why I am no longer a Democrat.