Corzine Comes Out for Marriage Equality

Amen, Governor (0.00 / 0)

and thanks to you, Senator Menendez, Governor Dean, and Assemblywoman future Congresswoman Linda Stender for joining us on the call. We're counting on all of you to keep doing what's right.

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by: Jeff Gardner @ Fri Oct 13, 2006 at 11:41:21 AM CDT

There is not a human being in the world more committed to equality (4.00 / 1)

and justice than Jon Corzine.  The guy is the salt of the earth.  In his heart, he's absolutely for marriage equality no matter how you slice it or dice it, whether pro-actively or opposed to a Federal and state constitutional bans.  He was for it in the 2000 Senate campaign.  I know - I wrote the position paper and I explained the difference between marriage equality and civil unions to him in depth.  Jon said, how many times are you going to explain it to me, I get it.  But what happened since is that consultants convinced him to backpedal.  Sometimes they've succeeded in keeping him on their message, but not always - the reality is, Jon is a profoundly decent man, in addition to being a fabulous governor, who believes in full equality, who makes the courageous decisions, and is extraordinarily popular because of it.  He is in public life for all the correct reasons.  God willing we'll win the lawsuit and have clear sailing.  If we lose, God willing Jon will listen to his heart.  They don't make 'em better than him.

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by: Steven Goldstein, Garden State Equality chair @ Fri Oct 13, 2006 at 13:25:08 PM CDT

I Agree That Corzine's Heart and Mind Are in The Right Place... (0.00 / 0)

but even as large a fan as Steven Goldstein acknowledged the probability that his "consultants advised him to backpedal".  I say, enough with the backpedaling. 

My impression is that Corzine indeed has the potential to become the greatest governor NJ has ever had and perhaps a President of the USA IF he STOPS listening to those consultants and starts kicking ass on ALL the issues (marriage equality among them) on a BIPARTISAN basis!!!

After this election is past, we'll still have a State in which Democrats control both Houses and the Governorship...if Corzine is to live up to his great potential he'll need to stick to his guns and fearlessly advance a progressive agenda. 

I hope he takes a page out of Ronald Reagan's old playbook and "goes over the heads" of the hacks and consultants that permeate the ranks of conventional politics (who wil fight like demons to cling-on to the status quo) and uses his bully pulpit to righteously appeal DIRECTLY to the people of the state of New Jersey.

Corzine came into politics as a successful multimillionaire; he has no need of any more money, and no need to "prove" anything, or to "dance with the ones that brung him".

I pray that Jon Corzine has the good sense to follow the "lead" of the grassroots progressives and activists (with whom he seems to agree most of the time!) who are at the cutting edge of the Democratic Party; there is no doubt in my mind that he, and we, shall transform this State into a model for the rest of the nation to follow.

The people of the State, Democrats AND Republicans, will back Jon Corzine to the hilt if they see that he's truly standing up to the foul forces that would selfishly obstruct progress so that they could hold on to their power and unearned profits.

Jon Corzine still has enough time left in his term to really "take a shot" at greatness!  Go for it, Guv!!!

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by: Nick Lento @ Fri Oct 13, 2006 at 18:15:42 PM CDT

Inquiring Minds Want To Know... (0.00 / 0)

What I want to know is if Jon Corzine is so pro-marriage and such a great leader, how can he be so easily swayed to turn his back on those values? If he's truly so great a leader that he could be President someday, why is he following instead of leading on this issue?

Frankly, in my opinion, he's really done little or nothing to demonstrate that he's willing to make courageous decisions...quite the opposite, in fact.

How much longer must we wait before this leader actually starts leading?

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by: Beckygrrl @ Wed Dec 13, 2006 at 09:52:38 AM CST

sad (0.00 / 0)

The sad answer to your question is that you don't have to deceive or trick those who have already deceived themselves.  Corzine never promised that he would fight for gay marriage in the event of a "Vermont" decision.

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by: Creed Pogue @ Wed Dec 13, 2006 at 11:54:05 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Nobody Knows The Corzine I've Seen... (4.00 / 1)

Here's a quick little Corzine story:

Last winter, shortly after the election, I was working as a manager at the CVS on Nassau St. in Princeton, almost just across from Princeton U. I was behind one of the registers helping my crew get through a rush when I look up to find myself face-to-face with newly-elected Governor Jon Corzine, accompanied by a lovely blonde lady.

Knowing he probably did not want to be recognized, I very quietly said, so only he and his companion could hear, "Congratulations, Governor...we're looking for great things from you." As he quietly thanked me in the same hushed tone, our eyes met and I could see that he'd suddenly realized he was speaking to a transsexual woman...yes, his reaction was that obvious.

I suppose it's possible he was uncomfortable at the prospect of being recognized, but honestly, I don't think that was it. I've been living this life for nearly a decade now and I'm generally quite good at telling when someone is uncomfortable with me...it's an occupational hazard and a necessary skill to have as a transwoman.

The man looked like he was about to turn whiter than a sheet of paper. I could also tell that he knew exactly who and what I meant when I used the word "we're". When I see that level of discomfort, be it in a political leader or a deli clerk, it's proven in the past to be a pretty good indicator of their level of comfort with transpeople in particular and often with GLBT people in general.

It fits neatly with what I witnessed the 2005 Pride celebration in Asbury Park, when then-Senator Corzine, running for Governor, showed up, shook a few hands, said a few completely non-committal words about working together and then beat it out of there so fast I doubt his shadow had left the stage before he was already gone.

It also fits well with how I and NJ Stonewall Democrats President Babs Casbar were treated when we visited his Senate office in DC during the National Transgender Advocacy Coalition's Lobby Days event in 2004.

A clearly bored staffer sat with us while we spoke to him about the issues important to our community and what we'd like to see from Senator Corzine. After about ten minutes, the staffer said something like "So, is that it then?" I think both Babs and I realized we'd have had more impact discussing our issues with the statue of Lincoln at the Memorial than with this guy, so we agreed that we were, shook hands and moved on, both of us knowing we'd just wasted a trip.

Based on what I've seen of this man and of how he's dealt with our community thus far, I tend to believe he's highly motivated to stay as far away from us and our issues as he possibly can. Unfortunately, his tenure as Governor, thus far, has done absolutely nothing to convince me that my initial perception of this man is inaccurate in any way.

I really wish...I desperately wish...that he'd do something, anything, to prove me totally wrong, but I just don't have any reason to believe I'm less than 100% right on the money, and that's really a pity.

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by: Beckygrrl @ Wed Dec 13, 2006 at 13:52:41 PM CST

The Corzine Staffer and the Big Picture (0.00 / 0)

Becky,

Just to set the record straight, I've had quite a bit of contact with Senator and now Governor Corzine and my overall experience has been very positive. His staffers are and have been, in general, clearly a notch above. I do remember that occasion and frankly, I was upset, perhaps even more than you, because I expected a certain level of respect,or professionalism from his staff, not just as being a constituent, but perhaps expecting a bit more because of my history with his office.

That "know it all" staffer was an anomaly and did not, in fact, last very long in Sen. Corzine's employ. I'm sure there were other folks that had problems with the person as well.

As a matter of fact, my very first experience in lobbying was at Senator Corzine's office in Newark. An appointment had been made in advance and I, then a novice, a political virgin as it were, accompanied two experienced LGBT NJ activists to talk about transgender issues in federal legislation. One of his senior advisors, Mada Liebman, brought in not only one of his constituency people, but also brought in a staffer from Senator Lautenberg's office. Sen. Lautenberg's office facility was not quite fully operational in early 2003. That act was above and beyond and really said something about Corzine and the people representing him.

The best thing was that they not only listened to us with respect, but acted as we requested. I was impressed with that and give him a lot of credit for having such staff. But, no one is perfect... I take pride in my employees who represent me and my business, many who have been with me for 10 and 20  years! Infrequently, I do make mistakes in hiring, or I hire someone who is not how they originally present themselves. It happens.

As far as the Pride event, he did attend more than one, and one year he spent quite a bit of time walking around, I know because I accompanied him for much of it. At the other, he had another committment and could not stay very long.

Becky, if you had been at this year's Transgender Day of Remembrance at the Princeton last month, you would have not only heard Governor Corzine's proclamation, but you would have met one of his top senior staffers who attended the event as his proxy in respect for the transgender community. ... and it was done on short notice!

You've had a couple of brief experiences, small snapshots, and drew a conclusion. If you saw the whole picture, the movie, I'm sure you'd draw a much different conclusion. I certainly do!

Babs

"The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness."
--John Kenneth Galbraith

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by: Babs NJSD @ Mon Dec 25, 2006 at 19:32:32 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Corzine's mind os on financial issues (0.00 / 0)

I have seen him appearing nervous and uncomfortable in a lecture hall full of Princeton science professors until someone asked a budget question.  When he was talking about billions of dollars he was very much at ease.  Then he introduced Rush Holt to the group as "your soulmate."  He was just as uncomfortable around a bunch of Ph.D. physicists and chemists as he was around you.  Corzine is basically a Wall Street financial guy.  His main issue to create some order in a state that is basically in financial chaos.  Since 2001 hundreds of thousands of people in NJ have experienced layoffs, and instead of paying taxes in they have had to take unemployment compensation payments out.  There are probably a couple of million people in NJ without health insurance.  25% of all jobs in the US last less than one year and I would bet that the percentage is much higher in NJ (from what I see after the SBC/AT&T merger).  I was reading websites on the best US locations to find a job and the Northeast was largely absent.  If he can straighten out the state's finances to any significant degree he will have done a lot.  He can run for President on a platform of restoring the security of Social Security and Medicare and working to keep the US out of war.  Bill Clinton's autobiography places a great deal of emphasis on the out-of-proportion effects of the bond trading market on the economy and on how every economic decision had to be examined from the point of view of the bond market.  I would imagine this is where Corzine is coming from and that's basically what to expect.  Issues other than money are probably not in the primary focus of his radar screen, but that doesn't render him prejudiced or opposed. 

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by: proud2Bliberal @ Wed Dec 13, 2006 at 20:33:46 PM CST

Hang On There... (0.00 / 0)

I never said Corzine was prejudiced or opposed to us and our rights. What I did say is that my impression is that he is intensely uncomfortable with us and avoids dealing with us and our issues...not the same thing.

The problem is that the result is quite often the same as if he actually were either of those things. He's uncomfortable so he avoids dealing with us and therefore progress toward our fair and equal treatment under the law is hampered as a result.

I'm sorry, but the fact that he's more comfortable with financial issues is just not a valid excuse. If he can't be the Governor on ALL the issues of importance to New Jersey citizens, then he's not capable or qualified to lead this state.

It's really just that simple.

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by: Beckygrrl @ Thu Dec 14, 2006 at 09:29:15 AM CST

[ Parent ]