Please send a thank you to these 48 senators - Re: Marriage Amendment

Please take the time to call or email your senator if he/she is listed below. They killed this stupid amendment which would take a class of citizens and relegate them to the back of the bus. Almost every democrat supported INCLUDING Joe Lieberman - only Nelson of Nebraska and Robert Byrd (who I am extremely disappointed in!) voted against it (Dodd was absent but my guess is he would have been with the rest of the democrats. Rockefeller was also absent - not sure what he would have done)

Here's an interesting stastic - the Northeastern Republicans but 1 all voted with us - Snowe (ME), Collins (ME), Gregg (NH), Sununu (NH), Chafee (RI) and Specter (PA). I'll let you guess who the only NE republican who was for this travesty but thankfully he'll probably be replaced this fall by a democrat who said he would have voted against this amendment!

Here's the senate link for easy access to numbers & emails:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Roll_call_Marriage_amendment_cloture_vote_0607.html

Roll call vote on the Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to the Consideration of S. J. Res. 1, a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. A vote of "yea" is a vote to bring the proposed ban to a vote. A vote of "nay" effectively shelved the amendment.

A 3/5 majority would be required to bring the amendment to a vote. With just a 49-vote plurality, the cloture motion failed.


Voting Nay:
Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Carper (D-DE)
Chafee (R-RI)
Clinton (D-NY)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Dayton (D-MN)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kohl (D-WI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (D-CT) (yep even Lieberman!)
Lincoln (D-AR)
McCain (R-AZ)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Obama (D-IL)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Schumer (D-NY)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Sununu (R-NH)
Wyden (D-OR)

Bush, when first elected, once commented about how he had no problems working with Democrats and Republicans in the Texas state legisilature. Thing is - what he dealt with in Texas is a far cry from what he would find throughout the rest of the country which is one of the reasons why Jeffords left the party.

Candidates outside of the Northeast or Pacific Rim states can use the FMA as a wedge issue playing upon the fears of "Gay Marriage will destroy your marriage" mentality. But in New England this is the exact opposite affect whereas supporting this stupid amendment might work against you.

I am not shocked over anyone's vote and if Santorum had a brain cell, he would have voted the same way. Only way Santorum can win is by hoping he can keep it close in the Philadelphia region where this law is very unpopular. If anything, it'll keep moderate republicans from voting for him this November

He was working with Bob Bullock and Pete Laney (both Dems BTW) who were experienced politicians who understood things like bipartisanship. They also had more real power than Bush, since the Texas governor doesn't wield much power (besides approving executions, where Junior did show some real talent.) So Dubya is really mistaken when he says he had "no problem"... it was actually the leaders of the Legeslature who had no problems working with a dimwit.

:sarcasm:

Nelson doesn't suprise me, but why Byrd?

He's up for re-election but highly unlikely to lose his re-election bid. I can remember Byrd reading from the Constitution on the floor, holding a copy of it in his hand as he screamed at Repbulicans for pretty much trying to destroy it. Well, his vote of support has done just that.

However...

West Virginia is a fickle state where we have the two senators but not much luck with democratic victories statewide. And some think maybe Byrd is more vulernable than normal mainly because of his age. This amendment will have a different affect on each state were some like the NE or Pacific states are respectful of same-sex unions/marriage whereas the states in the middle feel the opposite. West Virginia really has alot of red-state mentality in it and perhaps Byrd felt he didn't want this used as a wedge issue against him. Reid, knowing he had the votes to defeat it, probably was ok with Byrd voting "YES". But all of that is just speculation

He has read from the constitution. This is a civil rights issue. I'm sorry he voted this way when we needed him. At his age he could afford to lose and be proud of why he lost.

:cry:

It gets a little old

but right now we need a majority and at least we know Byrd is against the war.

BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO STUPID!!

I'm sure Mary Landrieu would appeciate it!

household. I admit it, I thought they were going to do the usual and go along with the rest of the repukes. Excellent to think that they did not.

You can also count on those 2 gals with anything related to choice except when it comes to judges. And as I had said - Gay Marriage Amendment has a much different impact in the Northeast and Pacific as it does in other states

But I heard Collins on Maine Public Radio the other day and her discussion of the issue sounded very much like her discussion of every other contentious issue that's arisen in the last few years. Naturally I expected the same dismal result. So I'm pleasantly surprised. That's a rare thing these days.

way did you? He is the king of pork and HIGHLY overrated here at DU.

but when he pleases me it's fucking amazing just not often enough. It's like having this really great lover that you can only hook up with only a few times a year where after a year you figured you might as well dump him and find someone who's pretty decent but at least there on a regular basis.

That vote is gonna cost him, though.

This and his support for "amnesty" for illegal aliens.

His psycho base will eat him alive, he's really only popular with the chattering class in the MSM.

I was kind of hoping McCain would vote for it, just so anyone who doesn't realize what a liar he is finally would. I'm glad he stuck to his word for once, but he ain't getting a thank you from me.

I personally believe we will lose West Virginia in the future...It's a state moving right...Hopefully, we can make Pennsylvania a stronghold.

Republicans to get serious. We played right into their hands. They got to pander to their base on an issue they did not want to pursue. Some Republicans voted against it. Change of conscience? I doubt it. They didn't want it to go to the House. Also, John McCain can always say he voted against it. It was another trick. Karl Rove is laughing his head off.

What they did was their jobs. The whole thing was bullshit from day one. The legislation was counter to every fucking thing this country has ever stood for and the people don't want discrimination written intol the Constitution.

If anyone wants to contact a Senator over this, flood the fucking mailboxes of the hate filled motherfuckers who voted FOR it. THEY are where any letter writing or phone calling or e-mailing campaign oght to be focused.

I understand the sentiment, but have some pride in OURSELVES. These people who opposed this did nothing heroic or brave.