| Today's Quinnipiac Poll confirms what should be obvious by now to anyone paying attention - the time for Marriage Equality in New Jersey is now.
The poll - with a huge sample size of over 2,000 New Jersey voters - found that New Jersey supports marriage equality by 49 to 43 percent, easily outside the margin of error. But, it isn't just the headline that legislators should care about, it's the series of other points about the poll that should really strike a chord:
- the poll was completely independent, not commissioned by any advocacy group
- support for marriage equality is up from 44-50 in December 2006. That's a 12-point turnaround in just over two years, going from -6 to +6.
- the trendlines across the board are overwhelmingly in the direction of embracing marriage equality. It's no longer just the right thing to do - it's the popular thing to do!
- voters reject by 66 to 30 percent the argument that same-sex marriage "is a threat to the traditional marriage between a man and a woman." (Even Republicans disagree with this claim 51 to 46 percent, as do those who attend religious services weekly, 52 to 43 percent.)
On the heels of action by the legislatures of Vermont and Connecticut, the time for lifting the ban on gay couples marrying in New Jersey has clearly arrived. New Jersey voters are ready for it, and (quite literally) are calling for it.
Senators - let's do this thing!
UPDATE: The new poll numbers inspired not one, but two, diaries on the subject. Nick's take is here. - - Rosi |
