Wishful thinking perhaps, especially after the dazzlingly absurd spectacle we saw today.
Just a quick rundown:
The special Senate session was scheduled to start at 3:00 PM. Republicans were expected to enter the chamber at about 2 to start their own session and grab the gavel before anyone else got in. The Democrats stole their thunder by sneaking into the Senate Chamber at 12:30, locking the doors, and hanging out for a while. Eventually the Republicans got in (likely thanks to Espada and his famous key), but the Democratic leadership had already staked out the podium. So the Republicans, conjuring up a second gavel, presided over their session from in front of the podium, pretending the silent Democrats were participating. The Democrats, for their part, pretended as hard as they could that the Republicans weren’t there at all, going so far as to sit silently through the Pledge of Allegiance – something I’m sure we’ll see a lot of in campaign ads next year, provided someone had a camera. Damn liberal America-haters.
The Republicans were still running through this imaginary session when the clock struck three, and GovPat’s special session was scheduled to begin. Once again flexing their, if-you-ignore-it-it-will-go-away muscles, the Democrats proceeded to go about Senate business. So each party was holding its own Senate session, pretending the other was participating, and shouting over each other to be heard. Except that there was one small hassle: Paterson had not delivered the bills to be voted on at the special Senate session HE CALLED. The Republicans declared the session adjourned and went home. The Democrats set the Senate "at ease," waited for the bills, and declared a number of them ‘unanimously’ passed... despite the complete absence of the opposition. Truly, a masterful showing by all involved.
Building on the resounding success of today’s special session, the Governor has called another for tomorrow. And in his new proclamation, Mr. Paterson fulfilled his promise to bring marriage equality to a vote:
"Even though the Senate has so far only passed five of the 55 bills the governor put on today's agenda, the new proclamation includes an additional 10 bills, and same-sex marriage is No. 1."
Paterson puts gay marriage on the table
To be honest, I had just about given up hope that we’d see this on the floor this year. Just the fact that it’s actually going to be voted on is fantastic. Senator Duane said a while back that he had the votes, so there’s at least a glimmer of a chance that it might pass.
Of course, not all is rosy. Chief among the setbacks is the state of the Senate itself right now. The dual-concurrent-fantasy sessions chaired by each party have produced bills that are not clearly legally passed. It’s far from certain that Governor Paterson can even sign them. A marriage equality bill that was passed but could not be signed wouldn’t really be all that fulfilling.
Second, who’s to say Duane really has all the votes he thinks he does? A fair number of Senators were playing their cards close to their chest even before the coup drama started. In this new environment, pretty much anything goes.
And finally, there’s the big bad bugbear of the marriage equality debate, Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr. He’s promising to do some unspecified "big" thing tomorrow if the marriage bill comes to a vote. We can only pray that he means he’ll resign. The Daily News recorded this fun exchange:
"Tomorrow we will have a good time," Diaz Sr. told the DN's Glenn Blain. "Maybe I'm not upset. Maybe I solve the whole the problem tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow we come to an agreement and decide who's really in control."
Asked if that means he might switch sides and join the Republicans, the Bronx senator balked.
"Maybe tomorrow...Maybe. I don't know. I'm not saying anything...Who is asking me that? I don't know. Who knows what’s going to happen tomorrow. Tomorrow is always uncertain. Tomorrow may never come."
To which Blain, to his credit, replied - completely deadpan: "I'm pretty sure tomorrow will come."
So who’s to say what will happen? Best case scenario, we end tomorrow by joining New England and Iowa in guaranteeing equal rights to our LGBT citizens. Worst case... look, with this cast of characters, I’m afraid to even try to guess at a worst case scenario.
Here’s hoping!