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Originally Posted by MsTinkerbelly
Marriage equality repeal expected in New Hampshire before the end of the month
By Jacob Combs
New Hampshire features prominently in the news these days because of its first-in-the-nation primary, to be held Jan. 10, but as the Nashua Telegraph reports, there will be another very newsworthy happening in the state soon after those contests. A vote in the legislature to repeal the state’s marriage equality law will most likely be held before the end of the month, although no firm date for the vote has been scheduled.
If the bill were to pass, it would mark the first time that a state legislature passed and then later repealed the legalization of gay marriage, although California and Maine both took away previously existing marriage rights through their respective initiative processes. The New Hampshire bill, which would repeal the earlier gay marriage law and replace it with a civil union provision, passed the state’s House Judiciary Committee in October on an 11-6 vote.
There are a lot of things wrong with the decision by the New Hampshire GOP to move ahead with this legislation, not least of which is the fact that rights which have been duly relegated to a segment of the population should not be withdrawn simply because of a change in the political winds. Furthermore, many critics of the law argue that it contains conflicting provisions that would create a legal nightmare regarding whether or not pre-existing marriages remain valid (although supporters say they will.)
Most importantly, though, as Scott Wooledge writes persuasively in the Huffington Post, the repeal bill is being pushed through the New Hampshire legislature against overwhelming public opinion in the state in support of its existing marriage equality laws. The most recent poll by the New Hampshire television station WMUR and the University of New Hampshire Survey Center demonstrates that only 27 percent of the state’s adults support repealing the law, while a full 50 percent strongly oppose doing so.
New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch (a Democrat) has said he will veto any repeal attempts by the Republican-controlled legislature. Although the GOP has the bodies in both chambers to override that veto, it’s still unclear as to whether they have the votes to do so, particularly among their caucuses more libertarian members.
If the repeal bill fails when it comes up (most likely on January 11 or 18), it will be a non-issue, and no doubt will be mostly ignored after the media swarm of the caucuses. If it succeeds, though, it will be a dramatic step backward for the state in a manner completely inconsistent with the will of its citizens
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As we get into the general election cycle, I always fear these kinds of things- especially with same-sex marriage states. This year, because of a Democrat president running for re-election and all the Pea Party religious right wingers out there trying to put social conservative issues back on top, it is game on.
Frankly, this worries me with the upcoming Prop 8 SC decision- the right wing justices are going to be feeling their conservative juices even more than usual. No, I don't believe the SC really rules objectively.
It is really important to be active in this election cycle- get out there and volunteer!