Kickass Iowa Senate Majority Leader blocks amendment

[luluisme]

2 minutes. Worth watching through to the end.

Click to view

If only our US Senate Majority Leader would be this unapologetic.

Comments

[emboline]

Thank You for posting this. I know we were all thrilled about the Iowa marriage thing, but the backlash is crap like this.
Let's hope they don't make an amendment against it.
I fear it will be a trend.

[luluisme]

re: Let's hope they don't make an amendment against it

Well, the thing that's so exciting about Gronstal's position is that it is extremely unlikely that Iowa will be able to pass an amendment (ever) without his support of it now. Here's why:

1. Iowa's amendment procedures are extremely difficult. Firstly, you have to get 2 consecutive state legislatures to approve the amendment. Gronstal, as the Iowa State Senate Majority Leader has made it clear that it's not happening during this session. So, the whole amendment process is blocked until the next Iowa legislature is chosen.
2. Let's say in a couple of years, the conservative Iowans start the process again, and somehow manage to get 2 consecutive legislatures to agree to this amendment. At that point, they still need a majority of Iowans to approve it on a statewide ballot. Given the consecutive state legislature requirement, this will not be possible for many years. Nate Silver gave a great analysis on the subject here if you're interested. He says the earliest this could come up

[emboline]

Wow Thanks! That is awesome and thank You for telling me all of this!

[cuddlebunni3]

That actually brought a tear to my eye. No really... when straight white men start getting it, I feel like real progress is being made. They have no real impetus to take up this cause. They gain nothing obvious/tangible except... knowing that the country they live in is truly working its way towards the democratic ideals it holds so dear but have yet to fullfill.

But now I'm confused, the mental box that I normally have Iowa in (states that "no way in f'ing hell could I live in" box) doesn't seem to fit anymore. Bad Lulu for confusing Denise... bad Lulu ~heh~

[luluisme]

re: Iowa... states that no way in fing hell could I live in

It gets more confusing. The ACLU put out this fascinating blog on all the civil rights things Iowa has pioneered in here:
http://blog.aclu.org/2009/04/04/iowa-continues-tradition-as-civil-rights-pioneer/

Apparently they had they're first equal protection clause re: race in 1839. That's not a typo.