disneydream06

Now that the Right Wingers are in charge in Minnesota it's time to write bigotry into the Constitution...

Minnesota GOP Wants Constitutional Ban on Gay Marriage
posted by: Steve Williams

Minnesota Republicans announced this week their plans to fast-track through the Legislature a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. If passed, the amendment will be put before voters in a 2012 referendum.

Minnesota already has a statutory ban on same-sex marriage which Republican lawmakers have been keen to codify so as to prevent court intervention. However, previous attempts at a constitutional amendment have been defeated by Democratic lawmakers who, until last year, Dominated the Legislature.

A constitutional amendment requires only a simple majority vote in both chambers and an amendment is not subject to governor approval. This means that Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton, who supports same-sex marriage, can do little to hamper efforts with Republicans now in control of both the state House and Senate.

More from On Top Magazine:

The bill's primary sponsor, Senator Warren Limmer, insisted the new push was not about boosting voter turnout for the GOP in 2012. "Quite honestly, it could cut both ways," he told reporters. "We believe we owe the public the opportunity to be engaged."

Senator David Hann agreed: "People believe it's important and we think that it's an appropriate time for us now to bring this discussion to the public, which some of us have wanted to do for a number of years."

Limmer said his bill would be fast-tracked and would receive a Senate hearing this week.

[...]

In January, the Christian conservative group Minnesota Family Council pledged to spend $4.71 million over the next two years to see the measure adopted.

Democratic legislators blasted this attempt, saying that it shows the GOP is seizing on its majority control to push a social agenda rather than focus on fiscal matters and job creation.

If the amendment reaches the ballot, the question will read: "Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?"

As Pioneer Press reports, while the people of Minnesota regularly poll against same-sex marriage, they also show an unwillingness to codify a ban and therein mark discrimination in the state's constitution.

This means the stage is set for a heated and high profiled campaign from both liberal and social conservatives.