Same-Sex Marriage Debate Could Shift From California To New York

In regards to California, the Proposition 8 campaign was by all means the most expensive in the state. Proponents and opponents of Proposition 8 have poured in millions of dollars into their respective campaigns. Under Proposition 8, same-sex marriages will be banned under the California State Constitution. So far, Proposition 8 ended up passing. Now, the battleground in regards to same-sex marriage could shift to New York. So far, New York is entertaining the thought of legalizing same-sex marriage. However, there will be a political battle brewing soon in New York in regards to same-sex marriage. According to Alan Van Capelle, the executive director of the state’s largest gay rights advocacy group the Empire State Pride Agenda, Democrats and Republicans will have to work together. He explains that no bills have passed without votes from members of both the Democrats and the GOP. Reverend Duane Motley, founder of the New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, said that the topic was going to come up since now the Democrats have the narrow majority in the New York state Senate. However, he contemplates on whether or not they will have enough votes to pass a law that legalizes same-sex marriage. “I think there’s at least four or five Democrats who wouldn’t support it,” Motley explains. However, the talk about same-sex marriage might come later. According to Democratic State Senator Malcolm Smith of Queens, the first thing to talk about is the fiscal crisis of the state. After that topic is talked about, Smith says the next thing will be the creation of jobs in upstate New York. Though it might take awhile, we can expect the battle for same-sex marriage to shift to the state of New York in the near future. If and should that be the cause, it could get interesting.