Monday, May 13, 2013

Equality in Minnesota? you betcha!

Today, the MN state senate voted 37-30 to approve a marriage equality bill. The governor will sign it in a day or two.

All but 1 Republican voted "nay". All but three DFL (=MN Democrat equivalent) voted "yay". This was a close to party line vote, which shows that the Republicans continue to ride the shrinking tent of demographics.

This happened because the voters turned the legislature over to the DFL in November. THe previous, Republican legislature had put a "Prop8" style amendment on the ballot thinking it would help them. It didn't. It failed, and exposed anti-gay attitudes as poisonous. Also, it put "boots on the ground" to develop the conversation around equality. Getting to know the issue is how we won at the ballot box in ME, WA, and MD in 2012. It's how we got the legislative victories in RI, DE, and now MN.

Every election matters. So does every conversation.

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