MA Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment Likely to Fail
by TChris
A proposed amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution, banning gay marriage while permitting civil unions, appears unlikely to survive a second legislative session. A majority of the state’s 200 legislators must approve the proposed amendment in each of two consecutive years before it goes to voters. Last year, the proposal squeaked by on a vote of 105-92. This year, according to an AP survey, the steam has gone out of the state's anti-gay marriage movement.
The survey, conducted between Sept. 6-9, found at least 104 lawmakers who plan to vote against the proposed constitutional amendment, which would ban gay marriage but create civil unions.
For the survey, the AP attempted to reach all 200 lawmakers with at least two phone calls. Of those polled, 104 said they would vote against the proposal, 19 said they would support it and three said they were undecided.
Opposition to the measure is likely deeper than the survey indicates. Several lawmakers who voted against it last year couldn't be reached. Others who have voiced strong opposition declined to respond.
More than a dozen lawmakers who voted for the amendment the first time around said they would change their votes this week, either because they fully support gay marriage or oppose civil unions.
As gay couples have continued to wed in Massachusetts, some in the state legislature have noticed that civilization hasn't ended.
"I haven't talked to any married heterosexual couples that have felt threatened by same-sex marriages," said Democrat Rep. Anne M. Gobi, who said she couldn't support the compromise amendment, as she did last year.
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