It is clear that we will need bipartisan support in order to take floor votes on gun safety and marriage equality this week. We will take some time to work on these important issues to advance them in the near future.
The executive committee has been delayed, but we still intend to hold a hearing on marriage equality shortly.
That is politician speak for “We don’t have the votes right now.” It’s not over by a long shot folks, but they wanted to ram this through. Keep the heat on. Like I said, if you have some time sometime soon, it wouldn’t hurt to schedule a visit to the Capitol with your lawmakers to talk about the issue. You’ll usually get a tour too, and most Capitol buildings are interesting buildings to visit. This is not victory, but it’s a positive development. Keep the heat on your lawmakers.
FYI, I’m totally for marriage equality. Just thought I’d make that clear :)
UPDATE: Don’t forget that your lawmakers also have district offices. If you live far away from the Capitol, be sure to visit or call the district office.
Just because they went Emily Litella doesn’t mean you should stop. This should end with the received wisdom being “don’t mess with freedom, doing so angers voters,” without a reminder being necessary.
Here here.
Totally for marriage equality. I think a citizen of this great country should be able to do any damn thing they want to as long as it does not infringe upon the rights of another… which is why I think guns shouldn’t be banned and gays should be able to get married.
I suspect the problem they’re having on “marriage equality” is due to the history of such laws in Illinois. The last one (saying you could/had to provide benefits for a “domestic partner”) has been used primarily to attack the Catholic church and its charities, despite the phrase “Religious Freedom Protection” in its title. Unless they meant “protection” in the sense of a protection racket, in which case it was spot-on.
With the Obama administration basically telling Catholics they must commit a venal sin or go to prison, any new laws that might be used similarly are probably getting some push-back.
Nothing happening on both of these issues would be great news for me.
I was at the capital building in Springfield from 9am until 1pm knocking on doors and then drove home feeling hopeless. Nothing had happened before I left so this is news to me – are the gun bills tied into this somehow?
ok, nevermind.
Upon rereading the post I see the mention of gun bills.
I’m surprised the gay marriage issue was struggling though. There were hundreds of gay marriage supporters and thousands of teachers lobbying for(or possibly against. I didn’t ask) some kind of pension law.
I didn’t see another gun person in any office I visited. The phones were lit up though and most receptionists had tally sheets for the calls. They appeared to mostly be about the gun bills.
Thanks for taking time to go visit the Capitol. That kind of thing really does help, especially if they are getting flooded with phone calls at the same time.
According to Valinda Rowe, the new session does not start until the 9th.
I stopped at a shooting buddy’s house on the way home. I got a commitment from him to go with me the next time I go. Gonna get all “grass rootsy” in their faces… while being polite, of course.