Bless 'em, a few minutes ago (5:20 p.m. Eastern), N.H. Gov. John Lynch signed same-sex marriage into law. He and the House tossed it back and forth until they had nothing left to compromise on.
As expected, today was the final legislative passage of compromise wording on one bill, wording to add fairly absurd rights for wedding-related businesses to turn down working on ceremonies of homosexual couples based on conscience. Those are lawsuits just waiting to happen.
That makes four of six New England states for equality — Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire. Maine sort of is, having passed SSM, but staying it while the anti-gay forces try to repeal it through a plebiscite. Only Rhode Island is in limbo, waiting for the staunchly anti-homosexual governor to run out another two years of his final term.
In the end, N.H. is a testament to the future of SSM in the country. Assuming the actions pushing a federal suit to force marriage equality go nowhere, such state-by-state, states-rights based decisions will erode the amendments and laws forbidding homosexuals marrying.
In this case, the governor wanted it all ways.
Although nominally a Democrat, he really seems an opportunist. Up
there, they elect a governor every two years and have no term limits.
Only crimes, boneheaded decisions or boredom would drive one from
office. Lynch seems to have figured he could pretend to simultaneously
support pro- and anti-SSM forces. It looks like he has pissed off the
former and annoyed the latter. I'm sure he can sell real estate or
insurance.
The greatest part of New Hampshire is knowing that the petition frauds that have plagued other parts of the country cannot be visited here; NH has no voter initiated constitutional ammendment process.
Gay Marriage is here to stay, and now it's etched in the granite of the Granite State!
Whoops there goes another rubber tree plant!
Posted by: John Hosty-Grinnell | June 05, 2009 at 06:13 PM
I lived in NH for many years before coming home to Mass...and oh my...this IS a BIG deal for them to join the rest of New England!
TOM: DO YOU THINK THERE WILL BE A LIST AVAILABLE FOR THE MAINE SIGNATURES ONCE THEY ARE COLLECTED! PEOPLE DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO SEE THESE NAMES FROM MAINE TRYING TO OVERTURN THE LEGISLATURE AND GOVERNOR....THIS IS NOT JUDICIAL ACTIVISM...THIS IS DUE PROCESS OF LAW!
Posted by: JOE | June 05, 2009 at 08:23 PM
Joe I can answer this question for you. After consideration KTN has determined that posting the names in Maine will not be done prior to any vote that takes place if one occurs. This decision came in part from discussions with other GLBT leaders.
We reserve the right to change our minds. ;)
Posted by: John Hosty-Grinnell | June 05, 2009 at 10:12 PM