Gov. Baldacci signs L.D. 1020: Equal Marriage comes to Maine
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Gov. Baldacci, with speed that took many by surprise, signed into law today L.D. 1020, An Act to End Discrimination in Civil Marriage and Affirm Religious Freedom. The statement from the Governor's website:
“I have followed closely the debate on this issue. I have listened to both sides, as they have presented their arguments during the public hearing and on the floor of the Maine Senate and the House of Representatives. I have read many of the notes and letters sent to my office, and I have weighed my decision carefully,” Governor Baldacci said. “I did not come to this decision lightly or in haste.”
“I appreciate the tone brought to this debate by both sides of the issue,” Governor Baldacci said. “This is an emotional issue that touches deeply many of our most important ideals and traditions. There are good, earnest and honest people on both sides of the question.”
“In the past, I opposed gay marriage while supporting the idea of civil unions,” Governor Baldacci said. “I have come to believe that this is a question of fairness and of equal protection under the law, and that a civil union is not equal to civil marriage.”
“Article I in the Maine Constitution states that ‘no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law, nor be denied the equal protection of the laws, nor be denied the enjoyment of that person’s civil rights or be discriminated against.’”
“This new law does not force any religion to recognize a marriage that falls outside of its beliefs. It does not require the church to perform any ceremony with which it disagrees. Instead, it reaffirms the separation of Church and State,” Governor Baldacci said.
“It guarantees that Maine citizens will be treated equally under Maine’s civil marriage laws, and that is the responsibility of government.”
“Even as I sign this important legislation into law, I recognize that this may not be the final word,” Governor Baldacci said. “Just as the Maine Constitution demands that all people are treated equally under the law, it also guarantees that the ultimate political power in the State belongs to the people.”
“While the good and just people of Maine may determine this issue, my responsibility is to uphold the Constitution and do, as best as possible, what is right. I believe that signing this legislation is the right thing to do,” Governor Baldacci said.
Dirigo
There's always a silver lining.
Governor John Elias Baldacci legalizes gay marriage in Maine. Nice legacy.
Some Doctor(s) will discover a vaccine or a pill that will cure people who want to make love to the same sex.
Chellie Tweets with Joy on this action:
chelliepingreeAnd proud of everyone in Maine who took a stand for what is right. Looking forward to many, many wonderful weddings!!
5 minutes ago from twitterrific
chelliepingreeVery proud of Maine today -- extending marriage equality!! Proud of the Gov for signing and my daughter (Speaker) and her leg colleagues!!
7 minutes ago from twitterrific
Nothing like being able to hear "public servants" stroking themselves moments after any event.
Just another reason to stay away from "instant connections (or is it hook-ups?)" like Twitter.
Next step. Mandatory benefits from employers for same sex couples not just domestic partners.
Hey, there is the answer, since it is all civil as gov. said, it should be civilly "domestic partner for life"
and religious it is marriage. The ultimate separation of church and state.
Again, I will repeat does anyone in government understand the what equal protection means in the Constitution? It is not equal rights, again the state government makes a law regarding behavior and a lifestyle. Again the Democrats have belittle the black community thinking this is equal rights.
Employers are not required to offer benefits to employees now, let alone their spouses - what makes you think same-sex spouses will benefit?
I should have known calling nicely and expecting that spineless coward baldacci do do the right thing was nuts .
The message I just left was spot on and correct to the T .............
Let the petitions roll , hopefully someone here will have a topic posted for petitions .......
Society becomes more perverted with each passing minute.
The headline of this thread is erroneous. While the know-it-alls in Augusta may have written some law or other, the relationships that homosexuals have with each other can never be considered marriage, and can not be equal to marriage. Queerriage?
Must be nice, to be soooooo certain, and feel entitled to be soooooo caustic into the bargain.
If that's "Christianity," God save me from it.
Well, this is going to be a hoot.
All these nitwits that think that marriage will translate into happiness are in for a rude awakening.
Hey - why should they be deprived of the right to Marital Blis(ters)?
(seems as if that's more the norm than 'marital bliss...').
I'm just hoping the peoples' veto is successful.
Tom C, your personal experience is coloring your views. You shouldn't be so negative. I don't think anyone but the very young believe that marriage translates into happiness. Good marriages translate into happiness most - but not all of the time. The others - not so much. Besides - everything is relative - happy compared to what.
Don't be silly, Dist. Marriage is whatever the law says it is. All the churches and gods in the world can't change that.
Not just equal rights - equal treatment under the law.
Not just a nice legacy, Editor. A great legacy!! He is the first Governor in the nation to sign a gay marriage law.
Well as we are told these people are usually higher economically in the employment field so I assume that the companies in these categories will be affected since they tend to offer benefits.
As another thought Marc Mutty spokeperson made a good point on TV this pm.
I am a floral shop owner I believe same sex marriage is against my beliefs, I refuse to sell to a gay couple for their wedding,have I discriminated! Oh ya!
May the happiness begin!
I am totally opposed to the legislature and governor forcing gay marriage on the people of Maine. Put it up for vote and let the majority of Mainers decide.
"Queerriage?"
I was rooting for Sodommiage.
Don't be silly, dem. Marriage is whatever God says it is. All the laws and governments in the world can't change that.
Let's say that the Maine legislature passed a law stating that the moon were made of green cheese. Now, presumably, all progressives would praise the move since it not only changed the status quo, but also met the progressive requirement of the action requiring very little of the thought process. And also, while mice might jump up and down for joy, such legislation would have no affect on the composition of the moon which could obviously care less.
So it is with gay "marriage".
Actually, I'm not a bit surprised, nor particularly troubled by the actions of Governor Baldacci and the Maine Legislature; I mean, after all, look at the state of the Maine economy with a half-billion dollar budget deficit, thousands of job losses, dozens of state government shut-down days, and so on. Crash-and-burn legislation is what a democrat-controlled state government specializes in. Sure, go ahead and blame Bushitler, but that will only work for so many centuries; at some point, however, unsustainable government spending will have to be considered a factor of the economic collapse. Why should it be any different when state government meddles in social policy with the pathetic and laughable attempt to redefine marriage?
It's kind of funny that the legislation now defines marriage as between two people of either (any of the several?) gender(s). Once we decide that marriage is no longer one man and one woman, why just two? What rational, logical basis would there be to oppose any number/combination/species? And wouldn't any opposition to such new, proposed definitions be "intolerant" and "bigoted"?
While I believe that what Baldacci and the legislature has done is immoral, insane, and ultimately futile, it really isn't much more than the equivalent of throwing a shovel of dung in a cesspool, given the foul and stinking moral state of our culture today (you know, the kind of culture that progressives celebrate).
And, believe it or not, I am sincerely glad for any gay couples (and coming soon to a state near you, triples? quadruples? menageries?) who are able to "marry", and such "marriage" brings them happiness. Good for them, and many happy returns! And, frankly, I hope there is no citizen initiative to repeal this legislation. I'm of the mindset (probably playing into the gay activists strategy) that it's time to give the baby his bottle, just to make him shut up; I'm sick of the subject. Plus, I find it pretty funny that all the hippies and their descendants who used to assert that marriage was pointless because "it's just a piece of paper, man", now find that piece of paper pretty darn important. Especially if there were no legal differences between a civil union and a marriage; a cynic might think that the real goal of gay activists was not simple legal equality, but rather to crumble the foundation of a moral society.
And, much like the moon is untroubled by the silly legislation of prideful insignificants, so the institution of marriage will survive the pathetic attack of Maine legislators. In that, I am in complete agreement with gay activists.
Meantime, I'll stock up on rice and garter belts, though I'm not entirely certain who throws and catches the garter belt.
Governor John Elias Caligula.
ronslog.typepad.com
May 06, 2009
Maine's Governor Baldacci Signs Himself Into History
Governor John Baldacci
Today Governor John Baldacci of Maine became the first governor to sign a gay marriage bill; i.e., legalizing equal rights in marriage. No court orders. No vetos. Just republican (not Republican) government. As Maine goes, so goes the nation.
http://ronslog.typepad.com/ronslog/2009/05/maines-governor-baldacci-sign...
T. Madison a most wonderful post.Thank you.
On our ride home this afternoon listening to the news blaring on all stations
my wife(who I married) stated," no matter what they choose to call it ,a marriage,to me they will
not be married". That is the bottom line to all of us who believe what marriage really is.
Like others, I am against gay marriage, but I really don't mind that much. I'm more concerned that the legislature took it into their own hands to decide instead of just let the people decide. If they just would've done that, it would've been a lot less bitter in the end. Now, we're going to have debates and possibly riots because supporters of the peoples' veto will be trying to gain support and supporters of gay marriage will be trying to stop them. If the people just would've decided in the first place, you might be angered in the outcome, but at least you could accept that this is what people actually wanted.
You are so right
Somehow, Bruce, I don't think the law cares what your wife thinks.
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That's great news - now that the homosexual community has no more need of the Democratic party, we should start courting them immediately. I don't know a single gay person that is on welfare.