Marriage Equality Tuesday - Who's On First?

Stand Up Guy (0.00 / 0)

Not only has he taken blame for last time and asked forgiveness over and over again, but he is now leading the charge.

A minority of haters on this site will never give him any credit,but I think the majority of people now see him as the upfront guy he really is.  

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by: firstamend07 @ Fri Jan 20, 2012 at 22:04:57 PM UTC

I give Sweeney a lot of credit (0.00 / 0)

And I also realize that late converts can sometimes become the most fervent of allies.  I welcome Senate President Sweeney's solidarity and look forward to him prooving his commitment on this topic.  

activist for hire.

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by: Jay Lassiter @ Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 01:50:11 AM UTC

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If... (4.00 / 1)

...Oliver and Sweeney can deliver an override of Christie's veto, I will be truly impressed.  

Otherwise, I will just chalk this up to being the latest in the political performance art series that Christie, Adubato/Oliver, and Norcross/Sweeney have been developing since they conspired to oust Dick Codey, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Jon Corzine with the purpose of this one being the raising of Sweeney's statewide profile and Christie's national profile.

I think that our best hope for success will come if Gingrich wins South Carolina and Florida, because if it looks like Romney is not going to win the Republican nomination, Christie might not bother to pressure Republican Yes votes to vote against an override.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 03:17:23 AM UTC

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Call me a cynic (0.00 / 0)

I don't believe that Sweeney has found religion on this issue. He knows it will be DOA once it hits Christie's desk. This way he can have it both ways, act like he's for it and not get it passed. Let's see if he can whip his DINO flunkies, Madden et al, and like Bert says below, deliver the veto override. I'm not holding my breath.
Having said that, it's good to see movement in the right direction.

Blog: Pick's Place

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by: jeffpickens @ Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 16:25:08 PM UTC

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Let's celebrate the captain after he scores (0.00 / 0)

A few years ago, when Sen. Sweeney could have helped his team score a touchdown on this issue, he gave the ball to the other team.

Now, when there's an almost insurmountable obstacle between us and the endzone (Gov. Christie), he's being praised for saying he'll try to score.

If Sen. Sweeney manages to score, I'll praise him.  It's good he's trying now. But let's not start praising him now as he's still trying to atone for choosing not to score 2 years ago.  

-pb

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by: princetonblue @ Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 22:29:44 PM UTC

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Hey Blue Jersey Friends (0.00 / 0)

Let's take what we have here and give credit to someone who has given a heartfelt apology and is now most responsible for helping us produce the votes needed for passage! I can't read everybody's heart and mind, but I'm happy to have Senate President Steve Sweeney on our side for this fight!

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by: Senator Loretta Weinberg @ Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 14:59:37 PM UTC

I agree and disagree (0.00 / 0)

It is undoubtedly better to have Sweeney as an ally than as an opponent, but having worked within the Norcross political machine in 2000 on former Governor Florio's senatorial primary election against Jon Corzine, I know firsthand how ruthless these people are.

If he can deliver enough votes to override Christie's veto, I will give credit where credit is due, but anything short of that confirms for me that this is nothing more or less than an exercise in raising Sweeney's statewide profile with progressive Democrats and Christie's national profile with conservative Republicans.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 18:55:59 PM UTC

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Frankly, I don't care... (0.00 / 0)

...I don't care if Senate President Sweeney is now supporting marriage equality because of a cold political calculation or because he has seen the light in this important civil rights issue. What I do care about now is whether or not our "family-values" governor will let his personal beliefs trump his constitutional responsibility to ensure equal rights for all. Maybe I'm a crazy optimist, but I'm hoping that Governor Christie does some heavy-duty introspection and decides to come out in support of the bill. (Oh, by the way - a message to anyone on Christie's staff who reads this: It's also a good political move to support civil rights. The times are changing and marriage equality is now supported more than marriage discrimination)

Blog: http://www.deciminyan.org

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by: deciminyan @ Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 19:20:58 PM UTC

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You are living in a fantasy land (0.00 / 0)

If you think Christie is going to sign this bill. Even if personally he changes his mind, he's got his eye on 2016 and needs to ingratiate himself with the extreme right wing of his party if he's going to stand a chance.

As for me, I'll do my part. I'll contact my State Senator and both my Assembly memb.. oh, wait a minute, we don't have two Assembly members in my District.

Let's see if Sweeney and Oliver can whip up a veto override. "Compromise" doesn't always have to mean Democrats capitulating to Republicans.

Blog: Pick's Place

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by: jeffpickens @ Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 15:00:22 PM UTC

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Thank You !!! (0.00 / 0)

It is about time Steve Sweeney got some credit on this site.

For too long the few arm chair elitists have controlled the conversation.

SWEENEY HAS COME THROUGH. THE VOTE WILL OCCUR!

STOP GOING AFTER SWEENEY AND START CALLING BECK,ALLEN,AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER REPUBLICANS.  

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by: firstamend07 @ Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 20:48:22 PM UTC

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I'll give him credit... (0.00 / 0)

...when he delivers the override vote for marriage equality.  He and Oliver have delivered Democratic votes for Republican budgets.  Let's see if they can persuade Republicans to vote for something that Democrats care about.

I will even go so far as to say that if Oliver and Sweeney can override Christie's veto and the 2014 Senate race is between Sweeney and Cory Booker, I will vote for Steve Sweeney.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 22:16:51 PM UTC

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Sweeney can't do YOUR Lifting (0.00 / 0)

Sweeney will make sure that ME gets to Christie's desk,BUT ONLY OVERWHELMING PRESSURE AND LOBBYING FROM ME SUPPORTERS  will force Republicans to vote against the possible Christie override.

Don't sit in your lounge chair ! Begin to pressure Beck and Allen and other Republicans.

Don't wait, start making the list!

Sweeney got the ball rolling BUT ME SUPPORTERS MUST NOW DO THE PUSHING AND THE SOONER THE BETTER!  

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by: firstamend07 @ Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 01:46:51 AM UTC

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I live in LD22 (0.00 / 0)

My legislators are all on board and neither Beck nor Allen care what I think about this issue.  They only care about what their constituents think, but even more than that, they will respond to the pressure that is placed on them by Christie, their colleagues on the Republican side, and their Democratic colleagues.

As I have said before, Oliver and Sweeney have delivered Democratic votes for Republican budgets.  Let's see if he can get Republican votes for something that is important to Democrats.  He is the Senate President.  He should act like it.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 03:51:11 AM UTC

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BL,Stop Whining please. (0.00 / 0)

There are those who do,and there are those who find ways to not do.

Just remember" nothing is written" !

Stop asking others to do your lifting.

If you have a phone, USE IT.

If you have e-mail, USE IT.

But PLEASE, stop asking Oliver and Sweeney to do YOUR  work!  

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by: firstamend07 @ Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 14:04:36 PM UTC

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I have done... (0.00 / 0)

...and will continue to do far more for marriage equality than you have or ever will, so please do not lecture me on what I should be doing, particularly since you were defending what Sweeney et al did two years ago.

As I have said before, you can do far more for Sweeney right now by letting his actions speak louder than your words.  All that your words do is piss people off.  I have gone out on a limb and said that if Oliver and Sweeney can deliver an override of Christie's veto, I would vote for Sweeney in 2014 if he is in a two-man race with Cory Booker.  The least that you can do for the cause is shut up and go away.

You know how our government operates.  Phone calls and e-mails matter, but when push comes to shove, the determining factor of legislative failure and success is what happens behind closed doors.  It is here where Oliver and Sweeney can make up for all of the damage that they have done over the past two years.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 20:00:49 PM UTC

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firstamend07 (0.00 / 0)

Seriously, don't be an ass.

You're lecturing the people here at Blue Jersey not to "sit on (their) lounge chair" on marriage equality? Really?  

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.  

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by: Rosi Efthim @ Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 14:26:43 PM UTC

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I'm with deciminyan (4.00 / 1)

Let's get the bill passed. It's only about Equality - nothing more and nothing less. Then let's hope (and cajole) the Governor will recognize that.

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by: Senator Loretta Weinberg @ Sat Jan 21, 2012 at 19:45:44 PM UTC

Steve Sweeney is doing an amazing job on this bill (0.00 / 0)

Folks, I am only one shleppy guy among many people who have given much of their lives over the years to the marriage equality battle.  Thus my opinion has no more importance than anyone else's.  But what might make me unique in the battle is the number of hours I've put in - this has been my nonstop life for the last eight years.  In that time, I have had the privilege of seeing many elected officials up close and personally, way beyond the headlines.  With the exception of our Loretta, never have I seen anyone work so hard and passionately for a cause, any cause, as Steve Sweeney is working on marriage equality.  Sorry, but I, for one, cannot live life bitterly looking in a rear-view mirror.  Nor can I live life cynically examining the motives of someone giving his heart and soul to us now.  If you want to, it's your right.  But frankly, it would strike me as a heck of a lot more constructive to focus our energies, for instance, on the Senators who voted against marriage equality last time who have still not declared a change in view.  We can hold grudges or create change.  Let's create change.  The time is now.

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by: Steven Goldstein, Garden State Equality chair @ Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 05:13:10 AM UTC

Brilliant Mr. Goldstein! All should Read! (0.00 / 0)

For once I have nothing to add!

Time to look ahead and work hard.

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by: firstamend07 @ Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 14:01:08 PM UTC

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With all due respect, Steven, you... (0.00 / 0)

...have no choice but to be diplomatic and generous.  You have the weight of 875,000 people on your shoulders and you do not have the luxury of being bitter or cynical.  That doesn't mean that there is not value in letting people like Jen Beck and Steve Sweeney know that we remember what they did and that they had better deliver the goods now or suffer the consequences.  It just isn't your place to do that.

However, others can and we can do that at the same time that we are focusing our energies on constructive endeavors like the ones that you describe above.  With the exception of Sweeney, who has statewide aspirations, do you truly believe that the Senators who voted No in 2010 will listen to people who do not live in their districts on this issue?  If so, who should we be focusing our calls and e-mails on?

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Sun Jan 22, 2012 at 20:12:52 PM UTC

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