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D.C. Says Votes Aligned for Gay Marriage Bill
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/10/AR2...
The District is poised once again to become the battleground for a divisive social issue as the D.C. Council moves a step closer to legalizing same-sex marriage, an action that could force Congress and White House to take sides in the debate.
For those not totally in the know, DC, politically, is in a bit of an odd spot. According to Art 1 Sec 8 of the US Constitution, it is the US Congress who has ultimate say in 'all cases whatsoever' in the District of Columbia -- oddly DC doesn't have a vote in either house despite having more people than the state of Wyoming. Because of this, Wyoming, oddly, can have more of a say in DC governance than the people of DC.
The City Council of DC has exercised a degree of autonomy since its founding, it has been allowed to be relatively autonomous but the authority of the DC City Council can be usurped at a moment's notice by Congress, it's local issues and policies debated and decided exclusively by Congress. Currently DC government exists through a policy of Home-Rule whereby Congress can intervene in local affairs, but allows the City Council to govern until such a time that Congress chooses to step in.
As it stands now, the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009 has 10 co-sponsors on the 13 member city council. The remaining three council members are Democrats whose constituents have the larger black populations. In spite of this, should Congress not intervene, a near unanimous passage is expected.
The District is poised once again to become the battleground for a divisive social issue as the D.C. Council moves a step closer to legalizing same-sex marriage, an action that could force Congress and White House to take sides in the debate.
For those not totally in the know, DC, politically, is in a bit of an odd spot. According to Art 1 Sec 8 of the US Constitution, it is the US Congress who has ultimate say in 'all cases whatsoever' in the District of Columbia -- oddly DC doesn't have a vote in either house despite having more people than the state of Wyoming. Because of this, Wyoming, oddly, can have more of a say in DC governance than the people of DC.
The City Council of DC has exercised a degree of autonomy since its founding, it has been allowed to be relatively autonomous but the authority of the DC City Council can be usurped at a moment's notice by Congress, it's local issues and policies debated and decided exclusively by Congress. Currently DC government exists through a policy of Home-Rule whereby Congress can intervene in local affairs, but allows the City Council to govern until such a time that Congress chooses to step in.
As it stands now, the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009 has 10 co-sponsors on the 13 member city council. The remaining three council members are Democrats whose constituents have the larger black populations. In spite of this, should Congress not intervene, a near unanimous passage is expected.
Tags: DC, gay, government, marriage, politics
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by The Secular One on -
Laws really need to get changed. D.C. is so shafted it is hard to imagine. Taxation with no representation. Federal government stomping on their necks all the time.
Of course the Republicans fight to keep it that way, because if they get a seat in Congress it will be a Democratic one...so partisan and screwy. -
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Permalink Reply by Hugh Kramer on -
The same is true about Puerto Rico. The main opposition to statehood there comes from the Republicans because the territory votes heavily Democratic. The majority of Puerto Ricans now favor statehood.
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Permalink Reply by Louis on -
It's actually worse than Puerto Rico, because Puerto Rico is at least autonomous.
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Permalink Reply by The Secular One on
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I wasn't aware of the Puerto Rico situation, that sucks.
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Permalink Reply by Jo Jerome on -
Yeah, kind of ironic that it's our nation's capital that is without the proper representation the rest of us have.
One of many laws I suspect got hammered out over shots at the neighborhood pub. -
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Permalink Reply by Louis on
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The original intent was to have a political neutral ground for the Capitol. Put the Capitol in an area without say so that the Federal Government could operate without fearing that the state the Capitol is in would revolt if their state didn't get their way.
It's a bit outdated now and needs to change.
My feeling is either to return metropolitan DC to Maryland or give it statehood. It's not fair what happens to them. -
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Permalink Reply by Jo Jerome on
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Absolutely agree. Add to that my vote to make Puerto Rico a state and reexamine the outdated Electoral College.
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Permalink Reply by Louis on
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I wait with bated breath. I hope that Congress lets DC do this. I really would love to see all those idiots bitch and moan about how gay marriage will break civilization when the city that surrounds them continues to function with men marrying men and women marrying women.
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