(Iowa Gov.) Culver: ‘Voters will have an opportunity to weigh in’ on gay marriage

[Ian David]

Source: The Iowa Independent

Culver: ‘Voters will have an opportunity to weigh in’ on gay marriage

By Jason Hancock 4/8/09 3:43 PM

In his first press conference since the Iowa Supreme Court voided the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, Gov. Chet Culver said Wednesday that Iowa’s voters will have their voices heard on the issue, even if a constitutional amendment doesn’t become reality.

“{Opponents} can talk to their legislators about amending the constitution,” Culver said. “They will have the option on the ballot in 2010 to call for a constitution convention. So the voters will have an opportunity to weigh in on this.”

When the court’s ruling was made public Friday, Culver issued a statement saying only that he would study the decision before making any further statements. Tuesday, he ended his silence, saying he was “reluctant to support amending the Iowa Constitution to add a provision that our Supreme Court has said is unlawful and discriminatory.”

<snip>

“We have to be very respectful of the Equal Protection Clause of the Iowa Constitution,” Culver said. “This court in a unanimous decision has stated that it is discriminatory to deny people rights given to them in our constitution.”

Read more: http://iowaindependent.com/13772/culver-voters-will-have-an-opportunity-to-weigh-in-on-gay-marriage

---

[county worker]

1. "be very respectful of the Equal Protection Clause "

but if you don't want to respect it put a proposition on the ballot so you can disrespect it.

Mob rule is ok? Tyranny of the masses is ok?

[cosmicone]

2. I'm all for mop rule

we have lots of mopping up to do !!

[county worker]

5. fixed

[cosmicone]

8. Thanks

but I kind of liked the mop rule concept ;)

[Thrill]

4. Face it. Politicians are scared shitless of this topic.

Especially Democrats. In reality, most who aren't RW nuts don't care who gets married. But they can't say it

[cali]

12. you mean like all those democrats in the VT state legislature?

And unfortunately, the majority in this country does not support marriage equality. Oh, and both VT's U.S.

[Thrill]

14. Big difference in being a politician in Progressive States like VT and CA

than IA. I haven't seen anything from Harkin. But I bet he'll walk a fine line

[frazzled]

3. What's to vote for?

If discrimination in the constitution has been ruled unlawful, any law/ballot initiative/etc. would be unconstitutional.

[county worker]

6. Tell that to the judges in CA

[Igel]

7. Not if you change the constitution.

Then you could say whatever you want.

You could either amend the equal protection clause and restore its previous interpretation or you could add a clause saying something along the lines of, "regardless of what else is said, X shall be the case". Then it's an exception to a previously stated rule.

[Critters2]

9. Another reason to move back to Iowa,

to be there to vote if this thing comes to a popular vote somehow.

I am so sick of "centrist" Dems acting like Repugs because they lack anything resembling courage. First, Vilsack and the English only bullshit. Now this.

I wonder if we could get Braley to run for governor next time.

[gratuitous]

10. Suggested clause for the proposed constitutional amendment

"WHEREAS, the people of the State of Iowa, having enacted this piece of bigotry, dressed up in language designed to comfort them, will be far too proud of their accomplishment to do otherwise, gay people are hereby released and absolved from paying any taxes whatsoever to the State of Iowa, as compensation for having their rights as citizens hereby abridged."

Whaddya say, Gov. Culver? If they're not entitled to the full blessings of liberty, they're not obligated to pay taxes. Sound about right to you?

[BlueJazz]

13. Yep..I've said the same thing for years. If the "People" do not want Gays to have equal rights,..

...then allow Gays to avoid paying Taxes.

I'd be Happy to pay more just to stick-it up the Ass of the idiots.
If they had to pay more taxes because Gays were exempt from Taxes, I suspect
the bigots would find it "In our Hearts" to allow ALL people to have the same rights. :)

[iowa_democrat]

11. Funny thing Chet, I don't remember having to vote on civil rights

I'm old, but I don't remember getting to "weight in" on civil rights for African-Americans. Seems to me the courts said it was discrimination, and violated the constitution, and that was it. No offers of constitutional ammendments to resegregate schools, no proposals to enshrine racism in the constituion. There was a lot of whining and complaining, oddly enough, by some of the exact same people who want to "weigh in" on this issue.

[xchrom]

15. so will iowans get to amend the constitution -- their state constitution --

and restrict the civil rights of any one else?

i mean once The People get to speak out on one -- shouldn't The People speak out on others?

why should only marriage rights be revisited?

[KamaAina]

16. Translation: ‘Wealthy, powerful churches will have an opportunity to weigh in’ on gay marriage

just like they did with Prop H8. And the referen-dumb in Hawai'i years before that. :puke: