Vanasco: Gay marriage used as bait in NY Senate

Vanasco: Gay marriage used as bait in NY Senate
By Jennifer Vanasco, editor in chief, 365gay.com 06.12.2009 8:25am EDT
News & Politics

WNYC is reporting that the uproar in the New York Senate continues. Now, the two Democrats who voted with the Republicans to start a “coalition” government are saying they will bring gay marriage to a vote on Monday - so that Democratic senators will be forced to come to the chamber, and thus recognize the new leadership.

This is not good.

We want the senators to vote on gay marriage itself - not on whether they like deposed leader Malcolm Smith or not. There are enough votes on the fence that it is dangerous if Democrats don’t show up because of reasons having nothing to do with marriage equality.

We are being used at bait so that Democratic senators NEED to show up.

Or maybe there’s a bright side I’m not seeing. Readers?

http://www.365gay.com/blog/vanasco-gay-marriage-used-as-bait-in-ny-senate/

I think they realize locking the Chamber door was childish, and this will provide them with a face-saving way to get things moving again.

Or not.

this whole thing is ridiculous!! friggin circus show.

until I believe Thursday to come to some sort of agreement before the court will rule... Either way the Senate chamber will be unlocked.. Nothing is getting done in NY... Not like much was before but now they're getting paid for doing nothing. There's a rally planned in Albany tomorrow.

Further complicated by the fact that one of the two turncoats... Monseratte... has announced that he was going to caucus with the DEMs after all. Meaning: there's a 31-31 tie in the senate. ( not on marraige, but a statistical even split between DEMS and republicans.) Monseratte, BTW , is anti marriage equality.

I'm not sure that by showing up for a vote DEM senators necessarily acknowledge GOP control of the body. Parliamentarians can tell you that.

the switch was because Smith is out as majority leader. There was a closed door meeting held and thats when his mind was changed. And from what I read I believe it was the post, Monseratte changed his opinion on gay marriage. They had better come up with some thing because the court will not allow those doors to remained locked for much longer. At the meeting it was "decided" that some one else would take up the leadership, whom that person is wasn't released.