Since this is the time of year where the public's attention turns to sequels ("Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2") and prequels of a sort ("Captain America: the First Avenger" serves as a prequel to "The Avengers") then this article must be of interest. Governor O'Malley is going to consider same-sex marriage as a legislative priority for the 2012 General Assembly Session, and will be using the power of his office to get the bill passed.
OK, so this is good. But I have to say that my first reaction is, "well, what took you do damn long"? If O'Malley had put his political heft behind the billlast year, I dare say it would've passed. It almost did pass, except for a couple lily-livered Democratic delegates who flew the coop on supporting the bill at the last minute.
One could say that by not supporting the bill in 2011, but by supporting it in 2012, when it will almost certainly pass, O'Malley avoided a potential conservative hey-day in Maryland in the form of a double referendum. Of course there will be the referendum on the illegal immigrant tuition bill in 2012. Had same-sex marriage had passed in 2011, that issue would've almost certainly brought a referendum as well. And the right wing would've had a lot of fun fighting both bills at the same time. So much so that they may have taken a lot of Democratic rank and file voters, and possibly some elected officials, with them.
As it stands, by passing the same-sex marriage bill in 2012, should a referndum petition drive ensue (a near certainty), the referendum would not occur until 2014...hmm, a nice present for O'Malley to leave the next Democratic nominee for Governor, and he'll possibly be running to succeed a retiring US Senator Barbara Mikulski. As if 2014 won't be an interesting enough election year in Maryland!
With various candidates already gladhanding and organizing across the state, the 2014 election season has already begun. But with this development, Maryland politics over the next three years will become infinitely more fascinating.
How does this change anything from last year? Some people won't vote for the bill unless they know O'Malley is behind it? Are they that incapable of independent thought?
Posted by: nowbrowncow | July 24, 2011 at 06:01 AM