Kirsten Gillibrand: “My Goal is to Talk to All of Them.”
Senator (D-Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party) Gillibrand of New York said today in a television interview that her goal was to talk to every NY State Senator, Democrat or Republican who is undecided on the issue of marriage equality.
My goal is to talk to all of them…All of the undecided state senators. Anyone who's vote is in play. I hope to talk to each and every one of them over the next few days…They're beginning to understand that marriage equality is when two people want to make that commitment. That commitment of love and dedication, and it’s also about children.
So where do things stand in New York?
At this point, despite polling that consistently shows a firm majority of New Yorkers in favor of marriage equality; despite marriage equality being a top issue for Governor Cuomo (he of the cosmologically immense favorability rating); despite marriage equality being favored by both of New York State's Senators; despite a television ad campaign featuring a significant number of prominent New Yorkers in favor of marriage equality; despite both former President Clinton and his daughter coming out strongly for marriage equality, despite all this…
Only 26 of New York State's 62 Senators are publicly committed to vote to legalize same-sex marriage, and all of those had done so before the push began.
Just as with Minnesota's recent vote in their Senate on a bill to amend the constitution to ban same-sex marriage, not a single Republican seems to be willing to break out of lockstep and embrace a position that even such disparate Republicans as Dick Cheney, Cindy McCain, Laura Bush, Ken Mehlman and Arnold Swartzenegger are in favor of. Not a single one. (Four New York Senate Democrats as well remain opposed).
It would be harder to imagine a fiercer advocate for equal rights than Senator Gillibrand. It's not like this is the only issue on her gay secular fascist agenda, yet time and time again it seems like she's there, doing whatever she can to help, from DADT repeal to women's rights to marriage equality to standing up for first responders and their families.
Senator, it's nice to know there are a least a couple of people in the US Senate it is possible to respect, and you are one of them. I don't know if your efforts in this will succeed, but
Thank you Senator! Thank you Senator! Thank you Senator! Thank you Senator!
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