Governor Ready To Veto Same-Sex Marriage Bill in Vermont; Override Uncertain

[garybeck]

Same-sex marriage bill could be vetoed Monday
April 3, 2009

MONTPELIER -- Gov. Jim Douglas could veto a same-sex marriage bill as early as Monday evening.

Even as the House of Representatives moves for final passage of a same-sex marriage bill today, Senate leadership and the governor's office are making plans to act on the measure.

Senate President Pro Tempore Peter Shumlin said this morning the Senate will convene at 5 p.m Monday and he expects the Senate to concur with changes the House made to the bill -- S.115. The bill then would be sent by the Senate clerk to the governor for his signature.

Douglas has vowed to veto the bill, which would allow same-sex couples to marry. That veto could come as soon as Monday night or Tuesday morning, spokeswoman Dennise Casey said this morning.

That would set in motion a process to override the veto that would begin Tuesday morning in the Senate, Shumlin said. To override a veto, both chambers need to vote in a two-thirds majority -- virtually assured in the 30-member Senate, where 26 senators supported the legislation last week.

The House's timetable is less certain. It could take up an override as soon as Tuesday after the Senate acts. But the House leadership also could delay action until supporters felt they had enough votes to assure passage -- 100 votes if all 150 members are present.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20090403/NEWS03/90403012/1095

[ccharles000]

1. Why does Vermont have a repub gov?

[WI_DEM]

4. because they have somewhat strong liberal third parties which hurt the Dem nominees

more than the GOP. Douglas also is considered a moderate, so I'm deeply disappointed in him on this. He could have taken a stand in a state where it wouldn't hurt him politically. It's not like he's ever going to be president.

[Oak2004]

10. Not quite true

Douglas took office during the reaction to civil unions, which led to our briefly having a largely Republican state government. Unfortunately once someone is elected governor in VT, it's almost impossible to get rid of them -- Vermonters for some reason don't vote against incumbent governors.

As far as the Dems and Progs go: most elections the Progs have deliberately limited themselves to running for Lt. Governor. This past election was more confused, but if you added up the votes of all the liberal/progressive candidates, Douglas still would have won.

I have no idea how to free us of him. Vermonters just get stupid over incumbents when it comes to governor.

[WI_DEM]

12. that's true--I guess I was thinking of Douglas' first election to the Governorshp when he got only

45% of the vote:

Douglas first won the position in 2003, more than two months after he failed to get a majority vote at the polls and the election was thrown to the Vermont Legislature. Douglas edged Democrat Doug Racine, 45 percent to 42 percent. Under the state Constitution, the Legislature chooses the governor when no candidate gets a majority. The lawmakers chose Douglas over Racine, 159-16.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/vt/

but as you state he has since won re-election twice with over 50% of the vote. Apparently he has proved to be the kind of republican that Vermont likes which is why it's a shame he is so inflexible on gay marriage.

[cali]

13. Gov Doless is a pro at retail politics

in a state where that goes a very long way. He's omnipresent. I run into him more than I wish I did. And he hasn't had a decent opponent in the last two elections. That changes next year. Deb Markowitz, our dynamite SoS, will be the dem candidate- and she'll beat Jimbo if he runs. Unless, that is, the progs run Anthony Pollina again.

[coyotespaw]

2. Iowa's still good to go...

nt

[Forkboy]

3. Hopefully just a symbolic act to appease the loony Repubs there.

I can't see the veto not being overridden, but fingers crossed anyways.

[1]

5. wait. i thought vermont was all hip, flannel and granola, and iowa was square, farm and fly-over...

wtf is going on here?

[pepperbear]

6. I think his reasoning is that the Civil Unions are sufficient. We of course know they are not. n/t

[1]

7. i was just so amazed that iowa shows vermont how to do things right...

so from now on, i don't want to hear anymore shit about how fly-over red states suck and eastcoast blue states rule.

that has just been proven absolutely wrong.

hey vermont. you want a lesson about how to give equal rights? come to iowa. iowa can help you overcome your "phobias"...

[SPedigrees]

8. I'm a Vermonter and I don't have any phobias.

Maybe you should think before you type. Douglas is a black mark on our state, it's true, but our state legislature voted in gay marriage rights by a large majority, and we have sent our finest to Washington for many decades now. We were also the first state in the nation to enact civil unions, thanks to our longtime democratic governor, Dr Howard Dean.

[1]

9. well good for you. but "maybe i should think before i type?" i did, bud. and vermont failed...

iowa is more progressive than the "great" state of vermont. heh!

i wish your leadership was as progressive as you proclaim to be.

but that's ok. folks can just move west if they want to marry. iowa could be the answer.

vermont obviously isn't...

[cali]

11. Iowa hasn't shown VT how to do things right

In Iowa three wonderful judges voted for marriage equality. Iowans voted for a ban on marriage equality. Vermonters didn't. Vermont legislators voted by a huge margin to institute marriage equality. Over 100 of them from all parts of the state. No way would Iowa legislators do any such thing.

There's simply no comparison. In Vermont one man, the stinkin' governor is holding up full marriage equlity.

Sorry, when it comes to marriage equality, VT has nothing to learn from Iowa.

[Maine-ah]

14. n/t

:applause:

[garybeck]

15. Vermont is not like that.

There is no such place, except maybe northern CA.


I've lived in CO, OR, CA, PA, VT, and NY. There is no such place. Vermont's reputation does not mirror the reality. not very long ago it was a red state.

[SPedigrees]

16. VT has not been a red state in the past 4 decades.

We did have "old style" republican Senator Jim Jeffords for many years but he was so repulsed by the Bushco neocons that he abandoned his republican ties and ran as an independent for his last term(s) in office before retirement. He's the only repub I've ever voted for. Vermont has been a primarily democratic state for most of my adult life (I'll be 60 next year.)