McCain pro-choice and for gay marriage / Vermont Senate overwhelmingly passes gay marriage bill
First, a McCain has come out in favor of gay marriage and abortion rights. That is, Meghan McCain, Sen. John McCain's daughter. This, to me, is a symbol of a growing, deeper generational shift in the GOP:
"We have a very big generation gap between me and my father. I was raised in an open-minded home. I was raised a Christian, but I was raised open- minded Christian -- one to accept people, love people, not pass judgment. And that's the kind of place I was raised. It's how I lived my life. I believe in gay marriage. I believe in many things socially. I personally am pro-life, but I'm not going to judge someone that's pro-choice. It is not my place to judge other people and what they do with their body."
In other news, the Vermont Senate has passed legislation replacing civil unions with marriage, for gay couples. The measure passed 26-4 (for reference, there are 23 Democrats and 7 Republicans in the body). It's expected to pass the State House (96 Democrats, 47 Republicans, 5 Progressives, and 2 Independents), but no one is sure if it'll be with a veto-proof majority. Vermont's (Republican) Governor has indicated he's against the bill: "[He] agrees with President Obama that marriage is between a man and a woman. He supports Vermont's current civil union law, which provides equal rights, benefits and responsibilities to Vermonters in civil unions."
As you may or may not know, Vermont was the first state to pass legal recognition for gay couples, when the Vermont Supreme Court ordered the state to provide the same rights and benefits. But, they didn't specify gay marriage, and the government of the time (with Gov. Howard Dean) decided on civil unions. Which at the time was probably the most pragmatic political move, but in other states with civil unions (New Hampshire and New Jersey), full marriage equality is gaining more and more supporters.
"We have a very big generation gap between me and my father. I was raised in an open-minded home. I was raised a Christian, but I was raised open- minded Christian -- one to accept people, love people, not pass judgment. And that's the kind of place I was raised. It's how I lived my life. I believe in gay marriage. I believe in many things socially. I personally am pro-life, but I'm not going to judge someone that's pro-choice. It is not my place to judge other people and what they do with their body."
In other news, the Vermont Senate has passed legislation replacing civil unions with marriage, for gay couples. The measure passed 26-4 (for reference, there are 23 Democrats and 7 Republicans in the body). It's expected to pass the State House (96 Democrats, 47 Republicans, 5 Progressives, and 2 Independents), but no one is sure if it'll be with a veto-proof majority. Vermont's (Republican) Governor has indicated he's against the bill: "[He] agrees with President Obama that marriage is between a man and a woman. He supports Vermont's current civil union law, which provides equal rights, benefits and responsibilities to Vermonters in civil unions."
As you may or may not know, Vermont was the first state to pass legal recognition for gay couples, when the Vermont Supreme Court ordered the state to provide the same rights and benefits. But, they didn't specify gay marriage, and the government of the time (with Gov. Howard Dean) decided on civil unions. Which at the time was probably the most pragmatic political move, but in other states with civil unions (New Hampshire and New Jersey), full marriage equality is gaining more and more supporters.