While the Dems in the West Virginia House of Delegates are trying to
enshrine bigotry in WV's constitution, their neighbors in Maryland were quite clever in thwarting an attempt by a MD House Republican to do the same in Maryland.
From the
Washington Post by Matthew Mosk:
Maryland House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) thwarted an effort this morning by Republican lawmakers to bring a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage to a vote on the House floor.
The Republican whip had a petition in hand when the House convened shortly after 10 a.m. Del. Anthony J. O'Donnell (R-Calvert) said he had collected the 47 signatures he needed to bypass the committee process and put the measure before the full chamber.
But just after the prayer and pledge of allegiance -- and before O'Donnell had a chance to deliver the document -- Majority Leader Kumar P. Barve (D-Montgomery) moved to recess the session, the speaker banged his gavel, and the moment passed.
This afternoon, the state House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on the constitutional amendment, and both parties believe it will not survive there. To revive the bill after that, Republicans would need far more support in the Democrat-dominated House.
I'm shocked! Shocked to find gambling here! Oops, got carried away there for a minute. I'm Shocked to find a party in power using procedural moves to silence the minority party! Shocked! Nobody in the Big House in DC would behave that way, surely not. Here's the money quote for me:
"They stuffed us!" O'Donnell gasped as the speaker walked off the floor.
"This is more of the same obfuscation we've seen, and it's shameful," he said a few moments later.
Imagine that, one party stuffing another with procedural moves. Shocked I say!
The amendment was actually propsed by Dwyer (R-Anne Arundel), and the Post has a profile on him today. Gotta give a hand to Luiz Simmons (D-Montegomery) for giving Dwyer the nickname the "Anne Arundel Ayatollah."
The Post has live discussion transcripts on this issue with two of the MD delegates,
Del. Adelaide C. Eckardt (R-Dorchester) who supports the amendment (I couldn't stomach reading very much of this one), and Del. Richard S. Madaleno Jr., (D-Montgomery) who oppose the amendment.
Want to know what kind of person Eckardt is? Just look at this excerpt from the chat:
Reston, Va.: I want to know what Del. Eckardt recommends gay couples do to protect themselves in retirement. My partner and I are approaching retirement, and I am worried that if my partner dies before I do (he is 10 years my senior and has been the breadwinner in our family the past couple of years) that I will be in big trouble due to the lack of Social Security and health benefits that I can't enjoy because I am unable to marry. What would Del. Eckardt do if he were in my situation?
Del. Adelaide C. Eckardt: When individuals choose their lifestyle there may be implications.
What culture of life? More like a culture of callousness, inhumanity, bigotry, hatred, ignorance.